FOUCHE JOSEPH: (1759-1820)

FOUCHE JOSEPH: (1759-1820) 1st Duc d'Otrante, 1st Comte Fouche. French statesman and revolutionary, a subordinate of Napoleon Bonaparte who served as Minister of Police 1799-1810, March-June & July-September 1815. A good and attractive L.S., `Fouché´, one page, folio, Commune affranchie (Lyon), 29th January 1794, to the administrators of the Rhone Department, in French. The printed heading showing a vignette of the French Republic, with its motto, and is entitled "Les Représentants du Peuple envoyés dans la Commune-Affranchie pour y assurer le bonheur du Peuple avec le triomphe de la République" ("The People´s Representatives appointed to the Commune-Affranchie to grant People´s welfare with the triumph of the Republic "). The document states ` Informés de l´état de dégradation où se trouvent les routes du département du Rhône, Considérant qu´il importe de les réparer sans délai pour faciliter la circulation et pour employer des ouvriers à des travaux utiles, Requierent les administrateurs du département du Rhône de faire procéder sans retard à la réparation des parties dégradées des grandes routes et de rendre compte aux représentants du peuple....´ (Translation: " Informed as we are of the state of deterioration of the roads in the Rhône department, Considering that it is important to repair them without delay to facilitate traffic and to employ workers for useful works, Request that the administrators of the Rhône department proceed without delay with the repair of damaged parts of the main roads and report to the representatives of the people...") Also signed by Jean Nicolas Méaulle (1757-1826) Member of the Comittee of General Security, and François Sebastien Delaporte (1760-1823). Bearing at the base an attractive and in good condition red wax seal, with an additional small red wax stain. Very small minor age to the edges, otherwise about VG ​ On the 9th of October 1793, the city of Lyon was renamed Commune-Affranchie after having rose up against the republic. Same happened with the city of Marseille which was renamed "Ville-sans-Nom" ("Town with no name") Although the document entitles that they were the Representatives of the People to grant welfare in Lyon, Fouché would be the responsible for the 1800 people executed under his orders. For this reason he was known as the "Mitrailleur de Lyon" ("The Machine Gunner of Lyon") In the present letter Fouché sends orders which will not be argued, considering that the former President of the Commune of the Rhône had been guillotined a month earlier.