BERNADOTTE JEAN BAPTISTE: (1763-1844)

BERNADOTTE JEAN BAPTISTE: (1763-1844) Marshal of France, Prince de Pontecorvo and King Charles XIV John of Sweden and Norway 1818-44. A very fine L.S., ` J. Bernadotte´, a bold ink signature with flourish, two pages, folio, Paris, 11th September 1799, to the General Administrators of Subsistence, Stages and military Convoys, Rochefort Company, in French. The partially printed document bears a republican coat of arms to the heading, and the motto "Liberté - Egalité". Bernadotte, in his capacity as Minister of war, sends a request and warning to his correspondents, stating in par L´administration centrale du département de Rhin et Moselle, Citoyen, me mande qu´elle recueilli un grand nombre de pièces justificatives des fournitures faites par les administrations municipales de son arrondissement, à défaut de préposé aux étapes et convois militaires, mais elle se plaint du refus que font vos Inspecteurs... J´ignore, Citoyen, les motifs de ce refus, vous savez que vous avez été chargé d´assurer les Services des Etapes et Convois militaires dans les 4 nouveaux départements, dont celui de Rhin et Moselle fait partie´ (Translation: " The central administration of the department of Rhin & Moselle, Citizen, tells me that they have collected a large number of supporting documents for the supplies made by the municipal administrations of their district, in the absence of a responsible for the military stages and convoys, but they complain of the refusal made by your Inspectors... I do not know, Citizen, the reasons for such refusal, you know that you have been responsible for ensuring the Services of Military Stages and Convoys in the 4 new departments, including that of Rhin & Moselle which is part of") Further, Bernadotte wonders why such a decision has been taken contradicting orders, saying ` Je ne puis donc concevoir en vertu de quel ordre vos Inspecteurs ont pu refuser de recueillir les pièces qui se trouvent entre les mains de cette administrationdépartementale....´ (Translation: " I therefore cannot understand under what order your Inspectors could have refused to collect the documents which are in the hands of this departmental administration...") With address leaf bearing an ink stamp of the Ministry. Small area of paper loss to the address leaf due to the opening of the letter. G to VG Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was appointed Minister of war on 2nd July 1799, leading the ministry only for a short period of two and a half months until the 14th September 1799. On the morning of 13th September 1799 he found his resignation announced in Le Moniteur Universel journal before he was aware that he had tendered it.The present letter was written and signed in his capacity of Minister of war, only three days before his resignation-dismissal.