TERRAY JOSEPH MARIE: (1715-1778)

TERRAY JOSEPH MARIE: (1715-1778) French abbot, Controller-General of Finances during the reign of King Louis XV of France, an agent of fiscal reform and a lavish patron of the arts. A good A.L.S., L'abbe Terray, two pages, small 4to, Paris, 24th November 1770, to Jean Charles Philibert Trudaine de Montigny, in French. Terray writes on politico-economic affairs, commencing by stating 'Si le payement, Monsieur, des fonds destines pour les ponts et chaussees souffre quelques retardements il n'en est pas moins assure et je vous assure que je ne neglige pas les exhortations pour en accelerer la rentree' (Translation: 'If the payment, Sir, of the funds earmarked for bridges and causeways suffers a few delays, it is nonetheless assured, and I assure you that I am not neglecting the exhortations to speed up their receipt') and continuing 'J'ai lu le projet de lettre que vous vous proposez d'ecrire a M. l'eveque de Rennes au sujet du tarif unique. Je vous observerai que les finances du Roi ne sont pas en etat de soutenir aucune diminution de revenus et que je ne puis me preter a aucun arrangement qui ne rendrait pas d'un cote ce qui serait perdu de l'autre. Je penserais aussi qu'il est tres dangereux vu la position des affaires en Bretagne de jeter encore un objet de discussion dans les Etats. La besogne n'est pas assez avancee pour les en prevenir. Ce serait peut-etre le moyen de la faire manquer. Lorsqu'elle sera prete, bien combinee et bien approuvee il faudra peut-etre agir sans consulter les opposants et ceux qui n'ont pas le desir ni le pouvoir de l'empecher' (Translation: 'I have read the draft letter which you propose to write to the Bishop of Rennes on the subject of the single tariff. I would point out to you that the King's finances are not in a position to sustain any reduction in revenue and that I cannot lend myself to any arrangement which would not give back on one side what would be lost on the other. I would also think that it is very dangerous, given the position of affairs in Brittany, to throw yet another subject of discussion into the States. The work is not sufficiently advanced to warn them of this. This might be the way to make them miss it. When it is ready, well combined and well approved, it may be necessary to act without consulting the opponents and those who have neither the desire nor the power to prevent it'). Terray further adds that he is returning the intended letter for the Bishop of Rennes 'et sauf votre meilleur avis je pense que vous ne devez pas la lui adresser' (Translation: 'and unless you think it best, I do not think you should send it to him') and concludes by expressing his desire to see Trudaine de Montigny in the near future. With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor staining, VG Jean Charles Philibert Trudaine de Montigny (1733-1777) French administrator and scholar, Director of the Department of Bridges and Roads 1743-77. Trudaine de Montigny was also a renowned chemist and member of the Academy of Sciences.