GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA
By JOHN
FRANCIS MCDERMOTT
Among the many Frenchmen who came under
the influence
of Benjamin Franklin and American ideas
in the last quarter of
the eighteenth century not the least
interesting was Joseph Ignace
Guillotin. His project for a colony in
the Ohio Valley came to
nothing because the disastrous adventure
that befell the advance
party discouraged and frightened the
families he had planned to
lead there, but, though the colony did
not materialize, the his-
tory of the venture is interesting.
Guillotin was born at Saintes, May 28,
1738.1 With a bril-
liant record as a student he entered the
Jesuit novitiate and for
several years taught in the college at
Bordeaux, but his love for
independence, it is said, caused him to
leave the order. He went
to Paris to study medicine under Antoine
Petit and in 1710 was
granted a degree by the faculty at
Rheims. He was quite suc-
cessful in his profession: soon he was
made Regent of the Faculty
of Medicine at Paris. In 1784 he was
sufficiently prominent to
be chosen by the king as one of the four
doctors to serve with
five members of the Academie on the
commission to investigate
mesmerism. It was this episode in his
life that led Guillotin to
think of America, for among the
commissioners was Franklin.
On several occasions after the
investigation was closed, Guillotin
had dinner with Franklin and, like
others, became intensely in-
terested in the new nation.
Apparently after these meetings the idea
grew in the mind
of Guillotin that he would be happier in
America. Conditions
in France were becoming intolerable. On
the banks of the Ohio
a man might find an asylum, where, free
from civil and religious
1 All the biographical dictionaries
carry notices of Guillotin. The best brief
account of him that I have seen is that
of Frank J. Lutz, "Josef [sic] Ignace Guil-
lotin", Interstate Medical
Journal (St. Louis), XVI (May, 1909), 340-52 (portrait and
references).
(129)
130 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
tyranny, he could enjoy peace, order,
and tolerance. Equality and
liberty, the right to direct one's own
life--these were not possible
in France but only in America. He talked
with his family and
friends. In 1787 a small group was ready to follow him. A
dozen men they were, married and
unmarried, rich and poor,
but men with a knowledge of science and
the useful arts. Agri-
culture, architecture, mechanics,
physics, chemistry, medicine,
surgery, and even belles-lettres,
drawing, engraving, and the like
were among the ordinary accomplishments
of these men.
It was decided that they would go to
America. But Guillotin
was no rash enthusiast. He determined to
send first an exploring
party to find a suitable location for
the little colony and to begin
work on the settlement. Time enough then
to pull up stakes in
Paris. For this advance party he chose
J. N. Picque, a botanist
and a member of the group, and Antoine
Francois Saugrain,
whose sister Guillotin had married. Of
the former very little
is known but the latter was clearly a
good recruit for the colony
and probably the best choice for
explorer. By most of his com-
mentators Saugrain has been described as
a naive and enthusiastic
fellow who dreamed of peace in the
solitude of the Belle Riviere
and rashly ventured into the wilderness
to choose the exact spot
for his simple meditations. The
implication in these accounts
has been that the God who watches over
fools and children saw
that no harm came to our innocent philosopher. Such a view
is neither just nor accurate. All our
evidence shows that Saugrain
was an intelligent and well educated
man. Moreover, he was a
man with an experience of America.2
2 Saugrain was born in Paris in February 1763, the son of
Antoine Claude
Saugrain and Marie Brunet, and died in
St. Louis May 19, 1820. For his life consult
William Vincent Byars, The First
Scientist of the Mississsippi Valley. A Memoir of
the Life and Work of Doctor Antoine
Francois Saugrain (Saint Louis, n.d.);
N. P.
Dandridge, "Antoine Francois
Saugrain (De Vigni)," Ohio State Archaeological and
Historical Society Quarterly (Columbus),
XV (April, 1906), 192-206; Saugrain's own
writings are described in note 41 below;
Frederick Billon, Annals of St. Louis, 1804-1821
(St. Louis, 1888), 476-9; Stella M.
Drumm, "Saugrain de Vigni," Dictionary of American
Biography (New York, 1928-1937) XVI, 377-8.
Not until after this paper was completed
was I able to obtain a copy of H. Foure
Selter's L'Odyssee Americaine d'Une
Famille Francaise (Baltimore, 1936), but I find
nothing there which will alter the
detail of my work, nor did M. Selter reproduce the
principal documents offered in the
present article. For the life of Saugrain, M. Selter's
volume will now become the best source.
To this book (published by the Institut
francais de Washington), add Gilbert
Chinard, "Gallipolis and Dr. Saugrain," Franco-
American Review, I (1936/1937), 201-7.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 131
The descendant of a long line of
booksellers and publishers,
young Saugrain was born in Paris in 1763
and was brought up
to the profession of medicine. Under the
eye of Guillotin, study-
ing with the leading doctors and
scientists of Paris, he was soon
infiniment plus instruit, plus
experimente, plus raisonable at plus
forme qu'on ne l'est communement a
son age. At the age of
nineteen, Guillotin placed his young
friend as physician and sur-
geon with Maxent, a rich
merchant-official in Louisiana. On
the voyage out he held the position of
surgeon-major and started
the accumulation of adventures in his
life by being held prisoner
in Jamaica for seven months. Presently, however, he was able
to take over his duties in New Orleans
where he exercised them
for three years. In this time he made
such an excellent impres-
sion that when the Count Bernardo de
Galvez, governor of
Louisiana, was named Viceroy of Mexico,
that official asked his
father-in-law, Gilbert Antoine de St.
Maxent, for Saugrain. Gal-
vez then sent the young man back to
France to inform himself
concerning the latest scientific
discoveries and to purchase scien-
tific equipment for the Viceroy. There
he remained for a year
studying. At the moment of his departure
he received news of
the death of his patron. It was then, in
the midst of his despair
over his future, that he became
interested in Guillotin's project
and eagerly undertook to do the advance
work. With Picque
he would examine the western country
and, having chosen a loca-
tion, the botanist would remain to watch
over the establishment
while Saugrain would report in person to
Paris. The young
man would return in the spring of 1788
with at least half a dozen
of the new colonists, among whom would
be Guillotin and his
wife, Saugrain's mother and his brother,
and a cousin of the
Saugrains; others would follow as soon
as they could arrange
their affairs. The facts which are summarized here were pre-
sented at length by Guillotin in a very
interesting letter to Frank-
lin.
132
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Juin 18, 1787.3
MONSIEUR:
Vous n'avez pas oublie vos anciens
Collegues dans la commission
nommee par le Roy pour l'Examen de cette tres
importante quoique fort
ridicule affaire du Magnetisme animal,
vous leur en avez fait donner des
marques Les plus gracieuses par Mr. Le
Roy, qui a du vous faire leur
remerciments.4 je l'ai prie
en mon particulier, Monsieur, de vous temoigner
toute ma reconnaissance et ma sensibilite.
aujourd'hui je saisis avec
empressement L'occasion qui se presente
de vous recommander Mr. Pique5
et Mr. Saugrain, porteurs de ma Lettre,
pour vous renouveller moi-meme
L'assurance des Sentimens d'estime,
& respect et de Veneration que vous
m'avez inspires.
Ces Messieurs partent pour L'amerique
charges de preparer L'execu-
tion d'un projet auquel je m'interesse
vivement et qui ne vous sera peutetre
desagreable. vous pouvez beaucoup contribuer au succes par vos bons
offices, et meme votre puissante
protection seule suffiroit pour la faire
reussir. il s'agit de former un
etablissement sur les bords de l'Ohio, ou aux
environs. j'ose reclamer vos bontes,
tant en faveur de projet, qu'en faveur
de ceux qui l'ont forme, et particulierement
en faveur de deux d'entr'eux
MM Picque et Saugrain, qui veulent bien
etre les agens de cette petite
Societe.
Vous vous rappellerez peutetre,
Monsieur, qu'ayant eu l'honneur de
diner plusieurs fois chez vous a Passy
avec les autres commissaires du Roy,
nos affaires de Magnetisme animal etant
terminees, j'ai pris souvent la
liberte, ainsi que dans quelques visites
particulieres de vous faire bien des
questions relatives aux Etats unis de
L'amerique, et de vous demander une
foule d'eclaircissemens et de
renseignemens, que vous avez toujours eu La
complaisance de me donner avec cette
bonte et cette clarte qui vous car-
acterisent. ehl bien, Monsieur, ce
n'etait pas pure curiosite de ma part,
comme vous l'avez peutetre pense. frappe
deja depuis longtemps de la
sagesse et de l'energie d'un peuple
secouant a la fois Le double joug de La
tirannie civile et religieuse, cimentant
de son sang L'edifice auguste d'un
gouvernement juste, solidement fonde sur
l'egalite, la tolerance et la Liberte,
le seul propre a des etres raisonnables,
mon ame s'est emue; j'ai beni les
Sages, je dirois presque les divins
auteurs d'une revolution qui venge enfin
l'humanite, partout, jusqu'a nos jours,
cruellement desolee et honteusement
avilie par les outrages les plus
sanglans du Despotisme et de la Supersti-
tion; j'ai desire vivement pouvoir aller
rendre hommage a ces hommes
illustres, aussi vertueux qu'eclaires, a
ces vrais Philosophes Legislateurs
et Guerriers, Genies tutelaires du nouveau
monde, et peutetre, un jour, de
l'ancien: j'ai forme le voeu le plus
ardent d'aller partager le bonheur d'un
peuple qu'ils s'efforcent de rendre
heureux.
3 Franklin Collection (American
Philosophical Society Library, Philadelphia)
Letters to Dr. Franklin, Vol. 35, pt. 1, p. 78. For the typescript of this, and
of all
letters from the Franklin Collection, I
am indebted to the kindness of Miss Gertrude
D. Hess of that library, and for
permission to print them I am indebted to the Amer-
ican Philosophical Society. I could not
obtain photo-copies nor have I been able to
check the transcripts against the
originals. I have, therefore, reproduced the type-
scripts exactly as they have reached me
(with a few minor corrections such as sub-
stituting Saugrain for Sangrain
where one of his friends was the writer.
4 The
doctors on the commission were D'Arcet, Guillotin, Majault, and Sallin.
The members of the Academie des Sciences
were Bailly, de Bory, Franklin, Lavoisier,
and Leroi.
5 The correct form of this name was
probably Picque. Throughout these docu-
ments it appears variously as Pique,
Pique, Picque, Piquet, etc. I have discovered
nothing about this man save what is
disclosed in these documents.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 133
Ce que je souhaiten fortement, j'ai
concu le project de l'executer
reellement, apres avoir pris des
connoissances relatives a L'amerique dans
les ouvrages qui ont ete publies sur
cette matiere, dans la conversation des
gens instruits, surtout des voyageurs,
j'en ai confere avec des amis; je
leur ai fait part de mes vues: elles se
sont trouvees conformes aux leur.
tous enemies du tumulte, du tracas, de
l'intrigue, et du Luxe devorant de nos
Cites; revoltes de L'inconsequence et de
la contradiction perpetuelle entre
les Lois, les usages et les moeurs qui
ne vous laissent souvent que la cruelle
alternative du ridicule ou du crime;
affliges du triste et desesperant spectacle
du vice, surtout s' [?] impudent, fete,
honore, et de la vertu timide
humiliee, meprisee: effrayes surtout des
horreurs qu'enfantent froidement Le
despotisme et la Superstition, nous
avons resolu de fuir une terre empoison-
nee, ouu l'honnete homme no rencontre
que des ennuis, des degouts, des in-
quietudes, des chagrins et des dangers,
et nous avons forme le projet d'un
Establissement dans l'Etendue des Etats
unis de L'amerique, et plus particu-
lierement aux environs de L'ohio,
parceque a L'avantage general qui se
trouve dans Les Treize Etats de fournir
un azile sur a L'homme qui veut
vivre en paix et an Liberte, a L'ombre
des Lois, cette contree de l'amerique
reunit la douceur du Climat, L'Eloignement
des grandes villes et des Cotes
maritimes, centre du Commerce et des
richesses, et par consequent La Source
trop a craindre du Luxe et de la
corruption.
D'apres cet expose, qui vous devoile nos
coeurs, il vous est facile,
Monsieur, d'apprecier nos sentimens et
nos desirs. nous aimons la paix et
L'ordre; nous les cherchons, et nous
esperons les trouver au Sein de
L'egalite, de la liberte, de l'amitie
dans la nouvelle patrie que nous adoptons.
nous osons nous flatter que cette patrie
adoptive pourra nous compter au
nombre de ses meilleurs citoyens, et de
ses enfans les plus tendres et les
plus devoues. du moins ferons nous tous
nos efforts pour nous rendre
dignes d'elle.
Nous sommes environ une douzaine
d'hommes, tous d'Etat honnte,
ayant recu une bonne education, Les uns
ayant femme et Enfans, Les autres
garcons, mais disposes a se marier, Les
uns riches, Les autres avec de
L'aisance seulement, quelques uns peu
fortunes, mais tous amis, ne maniere
que le plus pauvre, L'egal du plus riche
n'aura ni a craindre le besoin, ne a
rougir d'en etre garanti par des amis,
auxquels il se rendra utile. nous
avons Le bonheur de reunir entre nous La
connoissance et La pratique des
Sciences et des arts les plus utiles a
L'homme, tels que L'agriculture,
l'architecture, la mecanique, la physique, la chimie,
la medecine, La chirurgie,
&c. et meme des arts agreables, tels
que les belles Lettres, le dessin, la
gravure &c.
Ce que je dis ici, Monsieur, des
connoissances et des talens de nos
associes n'est pas, soyez en bien
persuade, une affaire de vanite, je connais
trop bien Le neant de tout ce qui est
gloriole pour etre susceptible de cette
petite miserable passion; mais je veux
prendre la liberte de vous demander
des conseils sur notre etablissement, il
faut bien vous mettre a meme de
nous en donner d'utiles en nous faisant
connoitre.
De ce nombre d'amis, deux: M M
Picque et Saugrain, partent a
present pour aller sonder le terrain,
examiner les Lieux, prendre des conseils.
et jetter les fondemens du nouvel
etablissement. L'Endroit etant fixe par
eux, Soit aux environs de Louisville
dans Le Kentukey, comme nous L'avons
juge par speculation, soit, comme on
nous l'a conseille, entre le mississipi
et la rive septentrionale de L'Ohio, ou
se trouvent deja trois grands
etablissemens francais,6 L'un
des deputes, probablement Mr. Picque, restera
6 He must mean Vincennes, Kaskaskia,
and Cahokia.
134
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
sur les Lieux, pour veiller sur
L'Etablissement; L'autre reviendra en france,
s'il se peut, avant le mois de mars
prochain, pour rendre compte de sa
mission, et il retournera en amerique en
mars ou en mai avec une demie
douzaine au moins de nouveaux Colons. je
compte etre du nombre avec
ma femme, qui est soeur de Mr. Saugrain,
avec son frere aine, leur mere,
Mr. Niche qui est leur cousin7 &c.
les autres viendront ensuite dans des
tems differens, suivant que leurs
affaires, et leur arrangement publics ou
domestigues, le leur permettront; tous
le plutot qu'ils le pourront.
Tels sont nos projets. pour les realiser
nous desirerions trouver a
acheter une habitation formee, en Etat
de recevoir La Societe entiere a
son arrivee. nous souhaiterions que
cette habitation fut placee dans un lieu
salubre, fertile, agreable, autour
duquel il y eut des terres a conceder et a
defricher, dont nous ferions
l'acquisition pour les partager ensuite entre
nous et les habiter, voulant reserver en
commun La premiere habitation
pour les usuages publics d'instruction,
d'amusement, de culte meme &c.
C'est sur toutes ces choses, Monsieur,
c'est pour moi, c'est pour mes
amis, c'est surtout pour nos deux
envoyes, M M Picque et Saugrain, que
j'ose vous demander vos conseils, votre
protection, et votre puissante recom-
mandation, tant dans L'Etat de
Pensilvania, qui a le bonheur d'etre gouverne
par votre Sagesse, que dans les autres
Etats, ou votre nom est en veneration.
Daignes, Monsieur, je vous en supplie,
eclairer ces jeunes gens, guider
leurs pas, les diriger, les addresser, a
vos amis aux personnes en place, et
les recommander de maniere qu'ils
puissent faire leur voyage et remplir
leur mission, avec surete, agrement et
succes. qu'on ne les confonde pas
avec cette foule d'aventuriers de toutes
les nations, qui courent le monde
cherchant fortune. ils meritent d'etre
distingues, non seulement a raison
des personnes qu'ils representent, mais
encore par leur merite personnel.
Mr. Picque est un homme d'un age mur,
qui, a beaucoup de douceur et
d'honnetete, reunit un grand sens, et
beaucoup de connoissance dans les
affaires et dans Le commerce. Mr.
Saugrain, mon beau-frere, est un jeune
homme d'un caractere excellent,
infiniment plus instruit, plus experimente,
plus raisonnable et plus forme qu'on ne
L'est communement a son age. ne
pour ainsi dire, dans le sein de la
Faculte, de Pareur imprimeurs et Libraires
de Pere en fils sans interruption,
presque depuis L'invention de l'imprimerie,
il a vecu des sa plus tendre enfance,
aux ecoles de medecine, sous mes yeux,
dans les amphitheatres, les
Laboratoires, &c tout jeune qu'il est, il a suivi
pendant nombre d'annees, non seulement
mes Lecons, mais encore les cours
d'anatomie, de Chirurgie, de chimie.
d'histoire naturelle, de Physique, &c.
de MM. A. Petit. Noux, D'arcet, Buguet, fourcroy,
Briffon, Charles, &c.
il a exerce La Chirurgie a L'hotel-Dieu,
et le tout avec un grand succes.
aussi ses maitres l'ont-ils toujours
distinque, et lui ont-ils donne des
preuves d'Estime particuliere et d'un
veritable attachement. ses progres
7 Guillotin married Marie Louise
Saugrain (born January 27, 1755). According
to the Genealogie de la famille
Saugrain, Libraire depuis 1518, mise en ordre par
Claude Marin Saugrain en 1810,
Continue par Antoine Pierre Saugrain en 1865
(chart, in Missouri Historical Society)
the marriage took place on July 14, 1788, but
in this letter more than a year earlier
Guillotin refers to Saugrain as his brother-in-
law. The elder brother referred to must
be Claude Marin Saugrain, born October 1,
1756, who married Louise Josephine
Chalgrin (born January 24, 1777, "filleule du
Roi Louis XVIII"). The mother was
Marie Brunet. On this chart of the Saugrain
side of the family I do not find any
person named Niche.
The oldest daughter, Marie Therese (born
November 1, 1753) married Pierre
Plassan, imprimeur-libraire; the
fourth child, Therese Angelique (born January 4,
1759) married Henry Didot, graveur en caractere. Other
connections (in the genera-
tion of the father, Antoine Claude, born
1730 and married 1753) were the painter
Horace Vernet, Jean Moreau, dessinateur,
and Jean B. Feuillet, sculpteur. Perhaps
these were among the others who were
planning to go to America with Guillotin?
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 13I
avoient ete si rapides que j'ai cru
pouvoir le placer a l'age de 19 ans, comme
Physicien et Chirurgien aupres de Mr. Du
Maxent Commandant a La
Louisiane.8 Chirurgien major du Vaisseau
pendant la traversee et
pendant sept mois de capitivite a la
Jamaique,9 il a rempli pendant
pre de trois ans, les memes fonctions a
la nouvelle orleans. il s'est
tellement fait aimer et estimer dans ce
poste que le comte De Salver
[Galvez],10 Gendre de Mr. De Maxent,
ayant ete nomme Viceroy du
Mexique demanda Mr. Saugrain a son beau
pere pour l'avoir aupres de lui
a Mexico.11 Mr. De Maxent ne
put le lui refuser. Mr. De Galves voulant
alors que le jeune homme se mit au
courant des nouvelles decouvertes
faites en Physique tant a Paris que dans
le reste de 1'Europe, L'envoya en
france passer une annee avec commission
de lui former un cabinet de
Physique, et de le Lui apporter au
Mexique. cette annee a ete employee a
se fortifier dans ses anciennes
connoissances et a en acquerir ne nouvelles
chez les plus grands maitrers. neja il
touchoit au moment de son uepart, il
avoit donne ordre de lui arreter une
place sur un vaisseau, lorsqu'il recut
La nouvelle de la mort du Viceroy.12
Cet Evenement imprevu qui detruisoit
L'espoir d'une fortune brillante que ne
pouvait manquer de lui procurer un
viceroy du Mexique, qui se disoit son
ami dans toutes ses Lettres, et qui
L'etoit veritablement, cet evenement ne
lui causa qu'un moment de chagrin.13
il connoissoit mon projet de former un
etablissement en amerique, et mon
desir que quelqu'un y allat y preparer
les voies; il fut bientot console. il
offrit de partir pour L'Amerique avec
Mr. Picque, au nom de la Societe.
8 Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent was a
wealthy merchant of Louisiana. His
position in the colony may be indicated
by the fact that he married one of his daugh-
ters to Luis de Unzaga, governor of
Louisiana from 1770 to 1777, and another, Felicie,
widow of J. B. D'Estrehan, to Bernardo
de Galvez, who succeeded Unzaga. For a
time at least he was, by royal contract,
the Indian Agent for Louisiana.
9 In 1781 Maxent went to Spain; on his
return to America with a shipload of
goods for the Indian trade, he was
captured by the British (See Arthur Preston
Whitaker, The Spanish-American
Frontier: 1783-1795, Boston, 1927, p. 41). Possibly
Saugrain was with Maxent when he was
captured?
10 For Galvez consult John Walton
Caughey, Bernardo de Galves in Louisiana,
1776-1783 (Berkeley, 1934).
11 He was named Viceroy of Mexico on the
death of his father and arrived at
Vera Cruz, May 21, 1785. See ibid., 252-3.
12 Galvez died November 30, 1786. See ibid.,
256-7.
13 The following letter from the
Saugrain Collection (in Missouri Historical
Society Library, Saint Louis) shows the
esteem in which Saugrain was held by Galvez.
The letter, which I find only in
translation and in typescript, is reproduced exactly;
the spelling, for instance, of one name
as Frouhart and as Trouhart is that of the
typescript.
MEXICO, August 3, 1786
MR. SAUGRAIN,
Since your arrival at Paris, I have
secured your several letters, of which the
latest of March 15th apprises me that the only one I
wrote you up to the present
reached you at last although late.
I saw with pleasure that the
acquaintship of Mr. Frouhart with your relatives,
procured you that of Messrs. Charles and
Robert and I have no doubt that you profited
by the fortunate circumstance to
complete the object of your journey to France.
The letter by which you apprised me of
the purchase of a full cabinet of
physical science, caused me a surprise
as unpleasant as your last gave me pleasure to
learn that the purchase would not take
place; because if on one side I was not obliged
to receive it, seeing that so far from
having ordered it, I am yet ignorant of who
could have given you such a commission
in my name -- yet at the other hand, delicacy
would have obliged one to sacrifice all
rather than deprive those gentlemen of the fruit
of their pains, taken in the belief that
it was by my orders -- while in purchasing it I
would be much incommoded, because being
here for perhaps a very limited time, a full
cabinet made to be a fixture would
materially damaged in transporting it about, beside
the trouble it would occasion.
I strongly approve that it is a
celebrated artist who makes up the small cabinet
I desire, since they are willing to
charge themselves with it; and although I had
desired you to purchase one of 55 Louis,
advertised in a paper, you will not limit
136 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Les offres de ces Messieurs furent
acceptees. La joie succeda a la tristesse,
et il fut reellement bien plus satisfait
de L'espoir d'etre reuni a sa famille et
a ses amis dans un azile champetre, mais
Libre, sur les bords de L'Ohio,
qu'il ne l'avoit ete de la perspective
brillante d'une grande fortune dans le
palais de Mexico, au sein de L'ignorance
et du fa [?]. Ces dispositions
font l'leoge de son esprit et de son
coeur. j'espere, Monsieur, que si vos
grandes occupations vous permettent de
lui accorder quelques momens
d'entretien sur la physique et sur les
sciences naturelles, particulierement
sur L'electricite, votre indulgence
pourra en etre satisfaite.
Pardon, Monsieur, mille fois pardon de
la longueur de ma Lettre, et
par consequent, de la Liberte que je
prends d'abuser de vos momens, qui
yourself to that amount, but may double
or triple it if necessary to make it larger.
Some time since, Mr. Frouhart offered me
to charge himself with my com-
missions at Paris. I write to him today
to accept his offer. Thus it will be him who
will furnish you what is necessary for
your voyage, as also to pay for the Cabinet
and other matters you purchase for me.
My reasons for not having a complete full
cabinet also forbid me much augmenting
my Library, already too troublesome if
necessary to move; however I must have
Cook's Voyages, including his last, the
works of D'Allambert, and Freret; a
selection of the best Tragedies and Comedies
most in vogue, a few light pieces of
music, Madrigal's, Rondeau's etc., the best
Geography and Atlas, the latest and most
interesting works on War and Govern-
ment. You will take a memorandum of what
are the best in books, Atlas, etc., and
on your arrival here, we will decide on
what will be best for me to order. As to the
patterns of the embroideries, you can
bring them as you tell me they are, and we
can here draw the designs on the
materials in the manner you tell us. You will also
purchase four dozen pair of white silk
stockings, for a child of ten years; two dozen
for a child of six, and two more dozen
for a child of two years, Two gold watch
chains for ladies, of the latest style,
a box of pretty flowers assorted, a dozen pairs
of ear drops, waxen pears set in pearls,
a box of ribbons assorted, two dozen fans
of middling cost.
You will also purchase what is mentioned
in the memorandum herewith, which
you will put in a box by themselves
although to my address. One Mr. Miramont, a
merchant of Cadiz, is the one who
instructed his correspondent at Paris to furnish you
the money you might need; it was also
through him my first letter to you was directed.
I instructed him then to subscribe for
me to the curious papers and periodicals that
are found in Paris, which I know he did,
but as I desire that Mr. Trouhart should
have sole charge of all my matters at
Paris; you must ascertain by Mr. Isquierdo,
who delivered you my letter, and is the
correspondent of Mr. Miramont, the amount
he has expended for me (which Miramount
has failed to do) and will have him re-
funded by Mr. Trouhart.
See how those subscriptions stand; if
they have forgotten any works that are
worth sending to me, such as the
Enciclopedial Journal of de Bouillon, that you will
be careful to have it sent to me, to
commence in January next. Arrange all this,
so that Mr. Trouhart shall have no
further trouble than to renew the subscriptions at
the end of each year. Don't miss
bringing with you all that relates to the affair of
the Cardinal de Rohan and in case your
departure is not as early as I wish, send me
the notes of that matter by mail,
addressed as the other papers to Don Ramon de la
Barca at Corunna to forward to the
Count de Galvez, Mexico. In this last
case you
can keep the memorandum of M'de de
Laissette and the second of M. d'Etienville, as
also that of Miss Olivve, because I have
them here.
Be careful that in the machine of the Cabinet
there be a fire engine, that in
addition to its ordinary use, may serve
as a model here should they desire to construct
large ones, as there are at the English
Posts, in France and at Carthagena; and should
there be no Electrical Instrument, it
will not be missed, as I have a good English one
as also a Telescope.
It is hardly necessary that I should say
to you to take great care of all the
articles you bring, as well in your
travels by land as your sea voyage. Nothing re-
mains for me to say, except to advise you to come as
early as possible; in awaiting your
arrival, I am with esteem Mr. Saugrain,
your servant and friend.
COUNT DE GALVEZ.
P. S. Bring a Bible of a fine edition,
with fine engravings and cuts of large
type, easily read. See also that the
English "Annual-Register" is sent each year
beginning with this.
You will deliver the accompanying
letters to the Gentlemen and request Mr.
Trouhart to receive and open those
letters which I might have sent you after your
departure.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF
AMERICA 137
vous sont si precieux, ainsi qu'au
public. mais dans une entreprise aussi
importante j'ai espere que vous
m'excuseriez si la necessite de me faire con-
naitre en meme tems que mon projet, et
ceux qui sont mes cooperateurs
m'obligeoit a entrer dans des details
indispensables pour vous inspirer de la
confiance, et pour vous engager a nous
accorder des avis salutaires et vos
bons offices, je les reclame, Monsieur,
de votre humanite, de votre attach-
ment pour les francois, qui s'en
glorifient, de votre amour pour votre
Patrie, qui va devenie la notre, et, le
dirai-je de l'estime particuliere dont
vous m'avez honore, et que vous avez
bien voulu me temoigner, a L'occasion
de la maniere dont j'ai dirige et
execute Les experiences propres a devoiler
La Charlatanerie et L'imposture de
Magnetisme animal. c'est a tous ces
titres que je vous supplie de nous
accorder vos bontes, et d'etre persuade
des sentimens, de la plus vive
reconnoissance.
J'ai l'honneur d'etre avec un profond
respect.
Monsieur
Votre tres humble et tres
Obeissant Serviteur
GUILLOTIN DE M
PARIS 18 Juin 1787
P. S. Je n'ai encore parle de nos
projets a qui que ce soit, excepte
aux personnes qui y sont interessees.
j'en ai seulement touche un mot a
Mr. De Jefferson, en lui presentant Mr.
Saugrain, persuade que le secret
etoit necessaire pour la reussite d'un
projet a L'execution duquel des parens,
des amis, et peutetre le Gouvernement
lui meme pourreient mettre des
entraves.
Voudriez-vous bien permettre, Monsieur,
que ces Messieurs etant en
voyage vous addressent leurs depeches
avec priere de les faire passer a
Mr. De Jefferson, qui a eu la bonte de
me promettre de me les faire
parvenir.
Armed with this statement of plan and
purpose, and with
letters, equally laudatory, from M. Le
Veillard to Franklin and to
William
Temple Franklin,14 from Thomas Jefferson to General
Clark,15 and from Jean
D'Arcet to Franklin,16 the two agents left
14 The Le Veillard letters are both
dated Passy, 13 juin 1787. To Benjamin Frank-
lin he was sending a copy of Volney's
latest book. He wrote in part:
"Je crois que la lecture du live cy
joint vous fera plaisir, quoy qu'il en soit
question d'un pays fort eloigne de vous
et qui vient d'aprouver un grand changement,
je vous l'envoie de la part de Sauteur,
Mr. de Volnes que vous avez vu chez Mr.
helvetius et le paquet vous sera remis
par Mr. Saugrain jeune savant tres instruit
surtout dans la physique theorique et
pratique, je l'ai connu des son enfance, son pere
etait imprimeur et ses ancestres ont
exerce cet art presque depuis son invention; Don
Galves dernier viceroy de Mexique lavoit
demande a son beaupere Mr. de Maxent de la
Louisiane chez qui etait Mr. Saulgrain [sic]
et lavoit envoye a Paris pour s'instruire
des dernieres decouvetres dans les
sciences et luy faire des acquisitions relatives a
elles, au moment de partir pour le
Mexique il a re??u la nouvelle de la mort de don
Gales, il s'est determine a passer chez
vous avec quelque dessein meme d'y rester et
je vous demande vos bontes pour
luy."
From Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin, Vol. 35, pt. 1, p. 77. To the
younger Franklin he wrote in much the
same terms, though more briefly. Ibid.,
Letters to Wm. Temple Franklin, Vol. 107, p. 29.
15 In the Calendar of the Jefferson Papers is listed a letter from
Thomas
Jefferson to General (George Rogers ?)
Clarke, dated at Paris, June 21, 1787, intro-
ducing Saugrain and Picque. I have not
seen this letter.
16 The letter from Jean
D'Arcet (1725-1801) given here is from the Franklin
Collection, Letters to Franklin, Vol.
35, pt. 1, p. 80.
138 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
France probably in the
latter part of June, 1887. Five or six weeks
later Guillotin wrote
again to Franklin concerning the project:
MONSIEUR
J'ai eu l'honneur de
vous ecrire Le 18 Juin dernier pour vous presenter
et vous recommander M M.
Picque et Saugrain, porteurs de ma Lettre.
Ces Messieurs ont
probablement L'avantage d'etre dans votre ville a present,
et Sont
a meme d'eprouver vos bontes. permettez-moi, Monsieur,
d'interrompre vos
grandes occupations pour vous reiterer mes recommanda-
tions, et de vous prier
de leur accorder vos conseils, et votre puissante
protection. Sur toutes
choses, daignez, Monsieur, guider leur inexperience,
et leur procurer un
Mentor partout ou ils iront; c'est le plus grand service
que vous puissiez leur
rendre, et aux personnes qui, comme moi, S'interes-
sent vivement au Succes
du projet qui les mene en Amerique.
Toutes les informations
prises ici tendent a engager des francois qui
veulent s'etablir en
Amerique, a choisir de preference le nouvel Etat qui se
forme outre le
Missisippi et la rive Septentrionale de L'Ohio, au pays des
Illinois, etc. Surtout
les environs du Kaskaskia. Mr. De Jefferson m'a
dit qu'il y avait la des
terres a conceder, et qu'il m'y en avait plus dans
PARIS le 19 Juin 1787
Mr. Saugrain issu d'une
famille tres ancienne dans la librairie, fils petit fils et
neveu lui meme de
Libraire,--sachant que j'ai l'honneur d'etre votre Confrere a
notre Academie et
d'avoir eu egalement celui de vous etre adjoint Dans l'Examen
du Magnetisme, a pense
que c'en seroit assez pour m'Engager a lui donner une lettre
de Recommendation aupres
de vous. Mons. Saugrain sent parfaitement, Monsieur,
tout ce que peut
1'influence de votre nom et il desire De s'en faire un appuy, dans
le voyage, qu'il se
propose de faire dans vos Colonies. c'est un jeune homme hon-
nete, plein De Talent et
d'activite: il a ete attache a Don Galves vice Roi de
Mexique, qui en avoit
fait son ami: il etait sur le point De partir pour l'aller re-
joindre, lorsqu'il a
appris sa mort. Mais quoique cette mort inopinee ait ruine ses Espe-
rances et porte un coups
irreparable a sa fortune, le
Courage n'a pas abbandonne
Mons. Saugrain. il etoit revenu passer quelque tems a paris
at Dans sa famille, pour
y prendre des
connaissances de Chymie et pour s'y perfectionner surtout dans la
physique. en Effet,
Monsieur, pendant tout le sejour qu'il a fait ici, il n'a pas quitte
les Laboratoires, ni les
Cabinets; il s'est surtout applique a la mecanique, a travailler,
a operer lui meme. Son
projet est aujourd'huy de passer d'abord a philadelphie;
d'aller revoir le
Gouverneur de la nouvelle orleans, Beaupere du feu Don Galves.
De tacher de se rendre
utile a soi et aux autres, et ter--vraisemblablement enfin de
se fixer dans quelqu'un
des etats unis. Il n'y a donc rien d'etonnant. Monsieur,
qu'avec ce plan Mons.
Saugrain ait recherche avec empressement a [?] Du nom
venerable de Monsieur
franklin: mais ce qui pourra vous surprendre davantage, c'est
qu'avec des titres assez
legers j'ai oze prendre sur moi de vous Recommander ce
jeune voyageur: mais
vous le dirai-je, Monsieur, le desir de lui etre Bon a quelque
chose, peut etre meme un
sentiment d'amour propre, m'a fait ceder a sa sollicitation
avec trop de facilite.
Cependant il s'agit d'un homme instruit, plein de Talent, de
Courage, d'activite, qui
vient de perdre son protecteur, son ami, et en meme tems
les resources assurees
de sa fortune, et personne ne soit mieux que vous, Monsieur,
que de tous les
genre de Bienfaisance, nul n'est comparable a celui de donner de
l'appuy, D'tendre, pour
ainsi dire les ailes du talent qui se developpe: et sous ce
point de vue, je suis
assure d'avance de votre indulgence et pour le Disciple et
pour le professeur qui
vous le presente: j'ai Dailleurs ete seduit par l'occasion bien
douce de vous offrir le
temoignage bien vrai, de la haute veneration et du respect
Dont je suis penetre
depuis longtems pour le nom et la personne De Monsieur
franklin, et avec lequel
je suis
Monsieur
Votre tres humble et
tres
obeissant serviteur
D'ARCET de l'acad.Roy.De
Sc.
permettez moi, Monsieur,
de vous et presenter professeur
de chymie, et medecin
aussi l'hommage
[Majault?] de Mons. Guillotin de
la faculte.
[Sallin?], et notre
adjoint dans l'examen du mag-
netisme.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 139
le Kentuky. nos voyageurs iront visiter
ces beaux Lieux, et la ils se
decideront par vos conseils et par ceux
des personnes auxquelles vous les
aurez addresses.
J'espere que vous voudrez bien agreer
que j'use d'avance de la per-
mission que j'ai pris la liberte de vous
demander, qui est de vous adresser
mes depeches et de vous prier de les
faire passer a nos voyageurs, dont
j'ignore absolument la route.
J'ai l'honneur de vous Souhaiter une
continuation de bonne Sante, et
d'etre avec un profond respect
Votre tres humble et tres
Obeissant Serviteur
PARIS 5 AOUT, 1787 17
GUILLOTIN, Dept.
On September 27 the emmissaries wrote to
Paris that they
were to leave Philadelphia for Fort Pitt
the next day.18 After
a journey of eighteen days they arrived
at Pittsburgh without
accident, accompanied in the last stages
of their journey by Hugh
Henry Brackenridge,19 and
Pierre Audrain,20 two of the prin-
cipal citizens of the place. They
reported that living was dear in
the western town, and that unless they
could lodge in the country
their expenses would be as great as
in Philadelphia.21 During
these first days apparently they stopped
at the Grant Hill tavern
kept by Jean Marie, a Pittsburgh
Frenchman of Genevan origin
and
republican sympathies.22 The travelers had
expected to
proceed immediately down the Ohio but
the condition of the
river prevented them. At first, the
water was low; later the river
froze. Consequently, they were forced to
winter at the head of
the Ohio. Guillotin, in the meantime, had received a letter from
them, describing their kind reception by
Franklin and wrote to
express his thanks:
17 Ibid., pt. 2, p. 102.
18 This letter I have not found but its existence is established by
Guillotin's
letter of 2 Fevrier 1788, which
will be given below.
19 Brackenridge was for many years one
of the more important residents of
western Pennsylvania. The career of this
versatile and interesting lawyer, politician,
wit, and writer has been discussed in
detail by Claude Milton Newlin in his Life and
Writings of Hugh Henry Brackenridge (Princeton, 1932).
20 In his "Notebooks", entry for
July 14, 1788, Saugrain mentioned going to
Fort Pitt with "Audrin."
21 From this time on Franklin was being
used as an intermediary; all letters
(extant) were addressed to him and held
for him or forwarded by him to the proper
persons. The first letter from
Pittsburgh dated 18 Octobre 1787, signed by Picque is
also from the Franklin Collection, Letters
to Franklin, Vol. 35, pt. 2, p. 133.
22 The transcript reads: nous sommes loges a la taverne
de St. [?] hills, but it is
almost certain that this must be Grant's
Hill. Jean Marie retired from tavern-keeping
in 1802 when he was seventy-five years
old.
140
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MONSIEUR
Agreez, je vous prie, un million de
remercimens bien sinceres et bien
affectueux de L'accueil gracieux et
distingue dont vous avez honore Mr.
Saugrain et son compagnon Mr. Picque,
que j'avois pris la Liberte de vous
adresser et de vous recommander. Ces
jeunes gens manquent, disent-ils,
d'expression pour marquer leur vive
reconnoissance pour toutes les bontes
dont vous les avez combles daignez, Monsieur,
Les leur continuer. je vous
en Supplie. ils vous devront leur
bonheur. mes amis, et moi nous vous
devrons le notre. nous Soupirons tous
apres l'heureux instant auquel nous
pourrons aller vous en faire hommage,
ainsi que des Sentimens de recon-
noissance et de veneration qui nous
animent.
J'ai l'honneur d'etre avec respect
Monsieur
Votre tres humble et tres Obeissant
Serviteur
GUILLOTIN DE M.
PARIS 2 Nbre 1787
J'use sous votre bon plaisir, Monsieur,
de la permission que vous
voulez bien nous donner, de vous
adresser nos depeches? je vous prie d
avoir la bonte de faire remettre le
paquet ci-joins a M M Picque et
Saugrain. deja j'ai pris la liberte de
vous en addresser deux, L'un Le 5 aout,
l'autre le 17 7bre.23
During the winter the travelers amused
themselves as best
they could. Before Christmas they
obtained a boat and waited
hopefully for rain to swell the river,
but the river froze. They
reconciled themselves with the reports
they heard of the beauty
of springtime in Kentucky. What an irony
for Picque to write
so to Franklin!24 They settled
with a Captain Hamilton and his
family on an island 25 below
Pittsburgh.26 They went herborising
and mineralising about the neighborhood.
Brissot de Warville
said that
during their stay here, they made many
experiments. Mr. Saugrain weighed
several kinds of wood in an hydrostatic
balance which he carried with him.
He discovered, likewise, which species
would yield the greatest quantity,
and the best quality of potash. Many
experiments convinced him, that the
stalks of Indian corn yield a greater
quantity than wood, in proportion to
the quantity of matter. He examined the
different mines of the country.
23 Franklin
Collection, Letters to Franklin, Vol. 35, pt. 2, p. 141.
24 Picque to Franklin, Pittsbourg, 22 Xbre
1787, ibid., 155.
25 Hamilton's Island was two miles below Pittsburgh (see Zadok Cramer, The
Navigator . . ., Pittsburgh, 1814, as reprinted in Ethel C. Leahy, Who's
Who on the
Ohio River and Its Tributaries, Cincinnati, 1931, p. 111). Cramer said that No. 1
Island was then (1814) known as Brunot's
Island; it was "about a mile long, and
finely improved by its proprietor,
doctor Brunot, well known for his hospitality to
strangers and friends, and his taste in
horticulture." Brunot settled in Pittsburgh
in 1797.
26 Picque to Franklin, Pittsbourg, le
2 janvier 1788, Franklin
Collection, Letters
to Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 9.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 141
He found some of iron, of lead, of
copper, and of silver. He was told of a
rich iron mine belonging to Mr. Murray;
but he was not suffered to see it.27
Though for reasons of economy they lived
outside of Pitts-
burgh, they did not cut themselves off
from the people of the
town.28 They met Barthelemi Tardiveau who had been in Amer-
ica for some ten years; it was he who
carried their letter of De-
cember 22 to Philadelphia.29 Possibly the three Frenchmen who
called upon Mrs. Mary DeWees while her
party was held up at
McKee's Island below Pittsburgh were
Saugrain and Picque
with some one of the local French. The
third one might have
been John B. C. Lucas who also had come
to America through
the influence of Franklin,30 or
Audrain, or Jean Marie, or per-
haps even Raguet. Among other persons
they met was
young Mathias James O'Conway who had
recently come in
from
a wild life among the Indians to marry Rebecca Archer and
settle down as a village
schoolteacher. The travelers
took ad-
vantage of the long winter to study
English and O'Conway was
their master. They told him their plans
and invited him to join
them. "Nothing at that period could
be more flattering to my
inclinations," O'Conway wrote
later, "so I immediately gave up
my school and prepared my spouse and
daughter, Rebecca and
Cecelia, for our departure." This must have been early in Feb-
ruary. "About this time we were
joined by Mons. Raguet
formerly an officer in Polasky's legion and Capt'n Pierce an
27 New Travels in America (trans. from the French, London, 1792), 259.
28 For descriptions of Pittsburgh at
this time consult: H. H. Brackenridge,
Gazette Publications (Carlisle, 1806), 7-19 (this is a description dated
July 26, 1786);
at that time the town contained about
100 houses and about 1500 inhabitants. Mrs.
Mary DeWees passed through Pittsburgh on
her way west in the fall of 1787; her
party stopped in Pittsburgh October 20
to 25 but low water held them at McKee's
Island a few miles below the city, until
November 18; see her "Journal" in the
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography (Philadelphia), XXVIII
(1904),
189-93. John May was in Pittsburgh from
May 7 to 24, 1788; his account will be
found in The Journal and Letters of
Col. John May, of Boston, Relative to Two
Journeys to the Ohio Country in 1788
and '89, with a biographical sketch by
Rev.
Richard S. Edes and illustrative notes
by Wm. M. Darlington (Cincinnati, 1873),
33-55. See also the
"Autobiography" of Major Samuel S. Forman in The Historical
Magazine (Boston), Ser. 2, VI (Dec., 1869), 325; Forman was in Pittsburgh
in
January, 1790.
29 Tardiveau was active as a merchant in
the western country. At this time he
was on his way east to lay before
Congress petitions from the inhabitants of the
Illinois country, for whom he was acting
as agent in the settlement of their land
claims. For detail of this, consult
Clarence W. Alvord, Cahokia Records and
Kaskaskia Records, Illinois
Historical Collections (Springfield,
Ill.), II (1907) and
V (1909).
30 Lucas was born at Pont Audemer,
Normandy, 1758, and died at St. Louis,
Missouri, 1842. I am making him the
subject of another sketch and Audrain will be
noticed there.
142 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
American, both desirous of taking a
passage with us." O'Conway
was delighted with the prospect of
travel and ready to leave--
when
Brackenridge came to ask him
to take over the recently
founded Pittsburgh Academy.31 His family obligations and the
insistence of his French friends led him to accept the offer,
though he still kept in mind the
possibility of joining the colony
when Saugrain would return from Paris
with the others.32
Meanwhile Guillotin became alarmed
because he was four
months without a letter from his
representatives. He wrote to
implore Franklin for news. The letter is
important, however,
not merely for its place in this
narrative but also for the re-
affirmation of the writer's interest in
the American nation.
PARIS, 2 fevrier 1788
MONSIEUR
L'accueil gracieux et distingue que vous
avez daigne faire a Mr.
Saugrain De Vigny, et a son compagnon de
voyage Mr. Picque, que j'avais
pris la Liberte de vous recommander, me
font esperer que vous voudrez
bien encore les honorer de vos bontes.
je vous en fais mes Sinceres
remercimens, Monsieur. j'ose vous en
demander la continuation pour eux,
et, comme vous avez bien voulu Le
permettre, je vous prie d'avoir la bonte
de leur faire parvenir le paquet
ci-joint, j'ignore enquel endroit de L'amer-
ique ils sont a present, n'ayant point
recu de leurs nouvelles depuis leurs
dernieres lettres en date du 27
Septembre dernier. ils annoncoient qu'ils
partoient Le Lendemain pour Le fort
Pitt, avec le projet de continuer leur
route par L'Ohio. un Silence de quatre
mois commence a m'inquieter. Si
j'osois, je vous prierois, Monsieur, de
m'en donner des nouvelles. Si je ne
craignois de vous deranger de vos
importantes et continuelles occupations,
je vous supplierois en meme tems de
vouloir bien ajouter un mot de reponse
aux Lettres que j'ai eu l'honneur de
vous ecrire. combien je serois flatte de
recevoir de vous, Monsieur, Les
renseignemens et les conseils que j'attends
de votre bonte!
Vous connoissez, Monsieur, par tout ce
que j'ai eu l'honneur de vous
ecrire, et par ce que vous ont dit nos
deux voyageurs La situation et les
dispositions de la plupart des personnes
qui se proposent d'aller fixer ensemble
leur residence en amerique. Cela pose,
Lequel des Etats unis, anciens, ou
nouveaux, pensez-vous qui convienne le
mieux a des francois, sages et
instruits, admirateurs de votre
Constitution, qui ont une fortune honnete,
dont la plypart ne savent pas encore L'anglais,
et qui desirent habiter un
climat salubre et tempere, suceptible de
toutes les productions des Provinces
meridionales de la france, telle que la
Vigne, par exemple & doivent-ils se
31 Pittsburgh Academy was incorporated
by Act of the General Assembly Feb-
ruary 28, 1787. From this beginning grew
the University of Pittsburgh. See Charles
W. Dahlinger, Pittsburgh, a Sketch of
Its Early Social Life (New York, 1916), 17.
32 For O'Conway consult Lawrence F.
Flick, "Mathias James O'Conway, Philolo-
gist, Lexicographer and Interpreter of
Languages, 1766-1842, American Catholic His-
torical Society of Philadelphia Records,
X (1899), 257-99, 385-422; XI (1900), 9-32,
156-76. The passage concerned with
Saugrain, a quotation from O'Conway's papers,
will be found ibid., X, 270-3.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 143
joindre a la Colonie que va former Le
General St. Clair au bas du
Muskingum?33 ou doivent-ils pousser, comme on l'assure ici, jusqu'au
nouvel Etat qui se forment entres les
rives du Mississipi, de L'Ohio, et du
Wabash; jusqu'au poste des Kaskaskias,
par Exemple, parce que ce Pays
est habite tres anciennement par des
francois et des Canadiens, qui ont
conserve L'usage de leur Language: parce
que la temperature y est a peu
pres celle de notre Languedoc: parceque
La terre y est extremement fertile,
Le Ciel superbe, &c.&c? mais le
Gouvernement y est-il aussi avance, aussi
bon; L'habitation aussi Sure, &c.
que dans les autres Etats?34
Daignez nous eclairer, Monsieur, nous
vous en supplions. Daignez
guider nos pas dans une route nouvelle
qui nous est si peu connue. mon
bonheur, celui de ma famille et de mes
meilleurs amis, y sont fortement
interesses.
La Vue du Travail Sublime de la derniere
convention d'Amerique,
L'espoir de le voir adopte par les Etats
Unis, nous font desirer plus
ardemment encore d'habiter un Climat
heureux, qui marche a grands pas
vers la perfection du Gouvernement seul
digne de l'homme libre, Sage et
eclaire. L'amerique unie sous des Lois
aussi belles, qui L'experience et
l'observation murissent encore,
deviendra le sejour du bonheur, et le modele
des nations. nous savons, Monsieur, que
c'est principalement a vos rares
Talents, qui ont ete l'ame de la convention,
que l'univers devra cette Sub-
lime production, base solide d'une union
federative, dans laquelle on decouvre
cet accord merveilleux, et unique
jusqu'a present, de l'independance respec-
tive des Etats, de la Liberte
individuelle, de la force du Gouvernement
federal, et du pouvoir universel des
lois. une pareille constitution, sur un
sol, et sous un Ciel aussi beaux,
sagement secondee par le perfectionement
des Legislations particulieres de chaque
Etat, rendra l'amerique aussi
heureuse audedans que respectable
audehors. tel est votre ouvrage, Mon-
sieur, La Posterite impartiale,
instruite par L'experience, lui paiera, mieux
encore que vos Contemporains, le juste
tribut d'admiration et de recon-
noissance qui Lui est si Legitimement
du. S'il m'etoit permis de meler a
tant de voix l'Expression de mes
sentimens, je vous prierois, Monsieur,
d'en agreer L'hommage aussi vif que
sincere.
J'ai l'honneur d'etre avec un profond
respect
Monsieur
Votre tres humble et tres
Obeissant Serviteur
GUILLOTIN DE [M?]35
The companions suffered more annoyances
than the exces-
sive cold. On February 10 Picque wrote to
Franklin that it was
just as well that they were forced to
remain in Pittsburgh until
spring for une petite debacle vient
d'emporter notre batteau,36 et
l'ecrivain a etc pris de douleurs de
siatique qui l'ont tenu au
lit plusieurs semaines. His rheumatism, Picque said, was a fruit
33 Marietta, Ohio, founded in April
1788.
34 Kaskaskia
was founded in 1702 and was settled mainly by Canadians.
35 Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 15.
36 O'Conway declared that the day
following his decision to remain in Pittsburgh
was that set for the departure of the two Frenchmen,
that on that morning the boat
was carried off by the rising river,
that immediately they procured another and "about
the 19th of March" they
departed. See Flick, "O'Conway," X, 270. It is clear from
Picque's letter, however, that the
accident occurred early in February.
144
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
du pays but luckily the country produced a remedy too. This
root, called allicampagnia by
some and nobilia by others, had done
him much good, and he believed that it
might aid Franklin for the
stone.37 A few days later, in
Philadelphia, Franklin was writing
to his old friend Le Veillard,
acknowledging receipt of the letter
carried to America by Saugrain and
adding "I find Mr. Saugrain
to answer well the good character you
give of him, and shall with
pleasure render him any services in my
power. He is now gone
down the Ohio, to reconnoitre that
country."38 One more letter,
however, Franklin was to receive from
Picque before they started
on the fatal journey.39 He was informed that they had a new
boat (it was now March 2, 1788) and had
decided to depart
soon. Picque was feeling better but was
by no means well. By
a curious coincidence the explorers left
Pittsburgh on March 19
and on the same day Guillotin wrote
again to Franklin. It will
be convenient to introduce this letter
before starting down the
river with the travelers.
MONSIEUR
J'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer, puisque
vous voulez bien le permettre,
le paquet ci-joint pour Mess. Picque et
Saugrain. je vous prie d'avoir La
bonte le le leur faire passer dans le
Lieu ou ils se trouvent a present.
j'ignore quel il peut etre. Leur derniere Lettre, dattee de Pittsbourg
Le 24 8bre 1787, nous apprend qu'ils
etoient en bonne sante, qu'ils comp-
toient S'embarquer le lendemain pour
descendre L'Ohio, et c'est a peu
pres tout. cette Lettre toute Laconique
qu'elle est, a fair beaucoup de
plaisir, elle a tire, de L'inquietude
qu'avoit cause le defaut de leurs nouvelles
pendant quatre mois, dont j'avois eu
L'honneur de vous faire part dans ma
Lettre du 2 fevrier dernier, pour ne pas
abuser plus Longtems de vos
momens, qui sont si precieux,
permettez-moi, Monsieur, de me referer a
cette Lettre du 2 fevrier, ainsi qu'a
celle que j'ai eu L'honneur de vous
ecrire par tous les Paquebots de france
depuis Le 25 Juin dernier. Si vos
grandes occupations vous permettent d'y
faire reponse, j'en serai infini-
ment flatte. Surtout relativement a la
connoissance de votre Superbe Pays
que je cherche a acquerir. nos deux
jeunes voyageurs auront trouve la
moisson abondante, et n'auront purement
pas manque de faire une excel-
lente recolte. L'un d'eux doit etre
maintenant en route pour revenir en
Europe. On L'attend avec impatience.
Sans doute en bon Physicien et en
bon Citoyen il travaillera a nous faire
jouir des Tresors de l'amerique
unie. Daignez, Monsieur, accorder la
continuation de vos bontes a ces deux
jeunes gens. ils ont grand besoin de vos
sages conseils et de votre puis-
sante protection. agreez, Monsieur,
L'hommage bien sincere de tous les
37 Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 18.
38 Benjamin Franklin, Writings (Smyth
edition), IX, 636-7.
39 Franklin
Collection, Letters to Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 30.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 145
sentimens que vous
m'avez inspires, et les assurances du profond respect
avec lequel j'ai
L'honneur d'etre.
Monsieur Votre tres humble et tres
Obeissant Serviteur
GUILLOTIN DE M.
PARIS 19 mars, 1788
40 RUE CROIX DES PETITS
CHAMPS No. 55
On March 19 the
explorers left Pittsburgh,41 accompanied
by Raguet and David Peirce,42
a Virginian. They stopped at
Wheeling, at
Muskingum ("where",
says Brissot de Warville,
"they saw
General Harmar, and some people who were beginning
a settlement
there" 43), and at Limestone. At the latter place (now
Maysville) Saugrain
thought "a fine town should be built".44 The
story of the attack
is given by Saugrain:
[Copie de la lettre
de M. Saugrain De Vigny eritte a M. De Lassize,45 a
La pointe coupee]
DES CHUTTES DE L'HOIO46 le 16
avril47 1788
MONSIEUR
En quittant Paris mon
frere m'a fait promettre de vous Donner De ses
nouvelles, et cette
commission m'est si agreable qu'aussitot mon arrivee aux
chutes je mets la
main a la plume pour y satisfaire.
Mon frere vous aura
sans doutte marque que j'avais un compagnon
en quittant Paris, et
quel etait le but de mon voyage: eh bien! Monsieur,
nous sommes arrives
en Bonne sante Jusqu'a Pittsburg ou nous avons ete
oblige de sejournee,
a cause des glaces, quatre mois. enfin l'hoio s'etant
ouvert, nous partimes
le 19 mars, quatre dans un Batteau, que nous avions
fait faire a
Pittsbourg, Dans le quel nous comptions aller fore loing. apres
40 Ibid., 34.
41 The principal sources for this part of the travels are
a letter and journals by
Saugrain, which have
been for some time in print: "Dr. Saugrain's Relation of his
Voyage down the Ohio
River from Pittsburgh to the Falls in 1788," translated by
Eugene F. Bliss,
American Antiquarian Society Proceedings (Worcester, Mass.),New
Ser., XI (April,
1897), 369-80. This is a letter published without date or names of
persons, but simply
to "My Friends" and written after May 11. The other is "Dr.
Saugrain's
Note-Books, 1788" (I. Stay Opposite Louisville; II. Observations upon Post
Vincennes; III. Diary
of Journal from Louisville to
Philadelphia), translated by
Eugene F. Bliss, American
Antiquarian Society Proceedings, New Ser., XIX (Oct.,
1908), 221-38. The
first of these will be referred to hereafter as the "Relation";
the second as the
"Notebooks". Two additional sources of information are the account
of O'Conway
(described in fn. 32) and Saugrain's letter to Nicholas de Lassize,
which will be given
in full.
There is some
discrepancy in the date of departure. In the "Relation" Saugrain
specified the 19th; in the
"Notebooks" he gave the 18th. O'Conway said "about the
19th." In the
letter to Lassize, Saugrain stated the 19th.
42 This, apparently, is the correct spelling of his name.
See his letter, below,
to Saugrain.
43 Brissot de
Warville, New Travels, 259.
44
"Relation".
45 Probably Lassize
was at this time the Commandant of the post of Point
Coupee in Louisiana.
His daughter, Eulalie, married Zenon Trudeau, whom Saugrain
may have known while
he was in Louisiana and whom he was to meet in St. Louis
on his visit in 1797.
46 Louisville.
47 In the
"Notebooks" he mentioned that he wrote to Lassize on April 13.
146 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
six jours de routte,48 etant entre le
petit et le grand miamy, nous fumes
attaques par Des sauvages, qui, apres
avoir tue un Des chevaux que nous
avions a bord de notre batteau, ils
s'embarquerent Dans un Batteau plat,
et nous eurent bientot attrappes. alors
ils firent feu sur nous: J'en tuai
un, mais il s'en vengerent bien; car ils
tuerent un des notres49 et me cas-
serent deux doigts de la main gauche:
comme nous etions pres de terre;
les deux compagnons qui me restaient se
jetterent a la nage, et restant seul
je fus oblige d'en faire autant.50 Les
Sauvages se mirent aussitot a la
nage, et nous eurent bientot, attrappes,
et comme je gagnais la terre
J'eus la desagrement de voir teur, a coups de coutteaux
M. Picque; ce
meme ami, qui m'avait accompagne
Depuis Paris. pour L'autre qui etait
Americain,51 il m'etait
nullement Blesse: ce comme il avait de bonnes
jambes, lesquelles avaient acquises une
grande vitesse par le petr, il s'est
sauve pendant cette malheureuse
operation. pour moy les Sauvages ne
voulaient point me tuer; ils voulaient
me faire souffrir, en me mettant au
cadre. aussi m'attraperent ils, et ils
me lierent les bras derriere le Dos;
mais comme ils n'avaient pas de cordes,
et qu'ils s'etaient jettes precipita-
ment a L'eau ils n'en avaient pas pris,
aussi se servirent ils pour me lier
de Jarretieres qui etaient tres
mauvaises; ce qui est cause que je me suis
sauve: car quand ils voulurent me metre
a leau pour gagner le Bateau,
qui ne pouvait approcher terre, a cause
des arbres, je cassay ce qui liait,
et me mis a nager, avec tant de force au
courant que quoique j'avais la
main fort malade aucun d'eux ne voulut
me suivre dans ces courans si
rapides; aussi ils m'abbandonnerent;
mais un de ceux qui etaient Dans le
batteau, voiant que je me sauvais, me
tira un coup de carabine. heureuse-
ment que La Boulee ne m'attrapa qui
legerement au cou, et j'en suis quitte
pour une playe de deux pouces a peu pres
[?] cependant je crois que je ne
serai point estropie.
Enfin j'ai gagne la terre52 et
au bout d'une heure: J'ay attrape celui
qui s'etait sauve et qui etait si bon
coureur. pour les sauvages ils traverser-
ent de l'autre cote De L'hoio pour
trouver une place pour Decharger le
Batteau. nous fumes quatre jours dans le
Bois a suivre les Bords de
L'hoio,53 ou enfin un Batteau
dessendait en chutte54 a bien voulu nous
48 Here again there is discrepancy as to
date. In the "Relation" Saugrain said
that they were attacked "on the
24th at half past four in the afternoon nearly, being
opposite the Big Miami." In the
"Notebooks" he mentioned the 23rd as the date.
In the present letter "six days of
travel" would place the attack on the 25th. O'Con-
way, the least reliable of our sources,
made Saugrain declare the attack took place
"on the third morning after our
departure." The account in the Kentucky Gazette
(which will presently be cited in full)
stated definitely that it took place on the 26th.
See also fn. 53.
49 Raguet?
50 The account of the fight in the
"Relation" is in much more detail, but since
it is readily available I shall refrain
from quoting at length. The essential difference
is that in the "Relation"
Peirce, after the first fire by the Indians, leaped overboard
and swam for shore, and Picque likewise.
After they were left alone, Saugrain and
Raguet threw themselves in the water,
and the latter, who had one arm broken by a
bullet and who could not swim, anyway,
drowned. The account of Picque's death is
about the same.
51 Peirce.
52 Once on shore again he went to see
if Picque was still alive, and then discov-
ered that Peirce was alive and hiding in
a ravine. He took from the body Picque's
watch, which the Indians had overlooked,
and a knife and two dollars. See the
"Relation."
53
In the "Notebooks" he said that they were three days in the woods. He
made no clear statement in the
"Relation" but he did mention three nights following
the attack and it is clear that they
were picked up on the day following this third
night. Two days sailing, he said,
brought them to the Falls, "where I passed the
night of March 29th." Does this
mean that they were picked up on the 27th? And
that the attack took place on the 24th?
54 The transcription here is doubtful
but the reference is to the "Falls."
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 147
prendre; et nous sommes arrives
L'americain et moy des quatre que nous
sommes partis de Pittsbourg. Deux on ete
tues.
Copie Du Testament De M. Picque
Je nomme et institue pour Ma Legataire
universelle Dans Tous les Biens
qui m'appartiendront au jour De mon
Deces Mme Louize Lombardie, pour
par elle jouir faire, et Disposer De
tous Les Dits biens en toute propriete,
a compter Du Jour De mon Deces; et je La
nomme aussi pour executer
mon present Testament. a Paris ce 18
Juin 1787, et a signe, J. N. Picque,
avec paraphse.55
The days in the woods were miserable
enough. On the boat
Saugrain had been kicked in the belly by
one of the horses and
had had a finger broken by a bullet.
While escaping from the
Indians who had seized him, he was
wounded in the neck. When
they left Picque, he had only a shirt
and pair of breeches, for
even his shoes had been lost in
swimming. It was very cold.
For fear of being seen they left the
river and trudged about four
or five miles before night. Saugrain had lost much blood and
now they lay down to sleep, Peirce
covering them with grass by
way of a blanket. After three hours, the
American woke Sau-
grain, for he wanted to make a raft, but
the doctor's neck was
so swollen that he could not move his
right arm, and his left
hand, too, was swollen. They gave up the
raft and walked almost
all night. In the early morning they
slept again. Snow fell, and
rain. Saugrain woke to find his feet
frozen. However, they
caused him no pain and the men made a
good day's march, keep-
ing near the Ohio and hoping for a boat
to appear. That night
it was still raining and the next day
his feet were in very bad
condition. Peirce "who was impatient left me often very far
behind him. But I found a way of making
him come--it was to
sit down, and he after having waited for
me for some time,
thinking that something had happened to
me, retraced his steps
and seeing my feet as black as coal and
that I could not walk,
he gave me his arm and he cut a piece
from his shirt to wrap
up my hand." By and by Peirce
killed a skunk, but they could
not cook it, for they were afraid that
the Indians would see
their fire. Peirce skinned it only to
decide that he could eat
none; but "I cut off some little
bits and swallowed them like
pills. This did me little good, I assure
you." That evening they
55 Franklin Collection, Letters to Franklin,
Vol. 48, pt. 1, letter 50.
148 OHIO
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
came to an abandoned house, which
afterwards he learned was
fifteen miles from the Big Miami. The
materials inspired them
to make a raft. They were about to put off on it, without
worrying about the Indians across the
river who had seen them
and fired upon them, when they heard
other Indians on their own
side of the river. "Then I took to
my heels and never in my
life do I think I made so good use of
them. My feet no longer
made me suffer; in short I felt
nothing." By ill luck presently
he ran a piece of stick in his
foot. Peirce came back to him
and they lay down. The night was
horrible. In every sound, in
every shadow, Saugrain discovered
Indians. Before sunrise they
were on their way. "For the time I
walked more on my hands
than on my feet." They quarreled
about crossing a creek and
the doctor's personality flashes out
again in his account of the
affair. "Seeing that he wished
absolutely to make the grand
detour and leave the bank of the Ohio, I
did as I always did. A
violent part seemed to me the best.--To
put an end to the dispute,
I went into the water. He had his back turned and could not
oppose my plan. I was already in the
water before he was aware
of it. Thus I crossed fortunately and he
did not delay to follow
me." Four miles farther on they
discovered two boats which,
showing much caution, prepared to pick
them up. At last they
were able to swim out and were welcomed
by the people on the
boats, carabine in hand.56 The
travelers undressed the doctor,
rubbed his body with some whiskey, gave
him some whiskey and
bread, dressed the wound in his neck,
and decided not to cut off
his finger until they reached the Falls
("which was not done,
thanks to myself," added Saugrain).
They arrived at the Falls
the night of March 29 and the next day,
Sunday, he went to the
fort opposite Louisville where he was
cordially received by Col.
Ephraim Blaine (whom he had met at
Pittsburgh) and by Major
56 According to O'Conway among the
persons who rescued Saugrain and Peirce
were "the very German and his son
whom we had taken into our boat near Pittsburg
thro' motives of compassion; but whom on
account of rudeness and misbehavior of
the boy we were obliged to put ashore a
few hours after. These instruments of a
most merciful and benign Providence,
take us to their hospitable boat; they minister
refreshment, they dress my wounds, they
put us to bed. They tell us that shortly
after we had dismissed them from our
boat, they perceived this one in which we
now were; the kind owner of which
obligingly took them in." See Flick, "O'Conway,"
X, 273. Saugrain is here addressing
O'Conway. Saugrain, in his writings, does not
mention such an occurrence.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 149
John
P. Wyllys. Here he stayed
until May 11 and for three
weeks of this time was unable to move.
The care of the army
surgeon helped him a great deal.57
Saugrain was in such bad condition that
news of the disaster
reached Philadelphia
before he was
able to write.
Franklin
notified Guillotin immediately:
PHILADa, May 4, 1788.
It is with great concern that I
communicate to you the Intelligence
contain'd in the enclos'd Paper.58 For tho' the Name of two of the
French
Gentlemen are not mentioned, I have
reason to fear they were our two
Friends: I suppose they informed you in
their late Letters, that they were
prevented from going down the Ohio last
Autumn by the Freezing of the
River before their Boat was ready. They
were thereby detain'd at Fort
Pitt all Winter; and in their last
Letter to me they acquainted me that the
57 All the details of this paragraph are drawn from the
"Relation."
58 Franklin must have enclosed a copy of
the Kentucky Gazette, of April 4, 1788.
I have not seen the original but in a
note to the Journal of John May (see fn. 28),
p. 42, there is quoted the following
account from the Kentucky Gazette of that date:
"It is with the most sensible
concern we announce to the public the capture of
three boats, on the Ohio, near the Big
Miami, by the savages. Familiarized as we
have been, for several weeks past, to
murder and robbery, at almost every point of
our frontiers, the sympathy of all ranks
has been excited in an extraordinary degree
by this deeply affecting catastrophe.
Among the passengers in these boats, it is with
great regret we mention Samuel
Purviance, Esq., of Baltimore-town; Mr. Ridout, of
Maryland; Mons. Ragant [sic] and
two other French gentlemen--one a mineralist, the
other a botanist, destined to explore
the natural products of this country; a Mr.
Pierce of Maryland, and a Mr. Ferguson,
a trader; besides these gentlemen there
was a Mr. Gray, Garland Simmons, five
other men, and a negro woman. The three
French gentlemen and Mr. Pierce who
alone occupied one boat, were attacked on
the 26th ultimo; from circumstances we
are authorized to conclude that the other
boats were taken on the 21st, as they
had passed Limestone on the 19th. The
savages had in their possession a flat,
in which eight or ten of them gave chase to
the French gentlemen, who finding they
could not escape, determined to present a
white handkerchief, with other
demonstrations of friendship and surrender without
resistance: for this purpose Mr. Ragant
took post at the stern of the boat, and
when the savages had approached very
near, he offered his hand, and in return
received the barbarian's tomahawk; at
the same instant the botanist was shot dead,
and the mineralist was badly wounded;
the boat at this time had drifted near the
shore; Mr. Pierce and the remaining
French gentleman jumped overboard, and the
current being rapid, the savages passed
them whilst they were butchering and plun-
dering Mr. Ragant and the other victim.
They with difficulty gained the shore, and
under cover of the night made a circuit,
and fell in with the river below the savages,
where they were, the next day, taken up
by a boat and conveyed to the Rapids the
day after. These are all the
circumstances we have been able to collect on this
melancholy occasion. There remains no
doubt that the first two boats mentioned have
been captured, as one of them has been
taken up at the Rapids, and the other was
seen in the possession of the savages,
but the fate of the captives is uncertain. Two
boats, a few hours in front of Mr.
Ragant, under the direction of Captain Balliard
Smith and a Mr. Hinds, were attacked at
the same place from the shore, but they
returned the fire and escaped without
further injury than two horses wounded; and
it is said two Indians were killed in
this attack."
One of the persons named has left his
story, too. See Thomas Ridout. "An
Account of my Capture by the Shawnese
Indians," Western Pennsylvania Historical
Magazine (Pittsburgh), XII (1929), 3-31. Ridout traveled with
Purviance and was
taken on Good Friday (March 21). He has
an interesting paragraph about Saugrain's
party:
"I should have mentioned that about
a week after I had been made prisoner
several rich suits of clothes were
brought to this village belonging to some French
gentlemen, taken about the same part of
the Ohio in which I had been captured. As
they made resistance, all were killed.
They proved to be three gentlemen--agricul-
turist, botanist, and
mineralogist--about to explore the country. They had wintered
three or four miles above Fort Pitt. I
was acquainted with them and once had
thought of joining their party."
See ibid., 23.
150 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Ice being now gone they should soon
proceed, and desired the Letters
coming to my hands for them, might
remain with me till I should hear
from them, and receive Directions where
to send them. Your two last
accordingly are still in my Hands. We
have as yet no farther Account
of this melancholy Event, and therefore
do not yet know whether the
Gentleman said to have escaped to the
Shore, tho' badly wounded, still
survives. I hope to hear that he is
recovered. It seems they were unpro-
vided with arms to defend themselves.
Indeed Travelling on the Ohio
has for some Years past been thought as
safe as on any River in France,
so that there was not the least
Suspicion of Danger, many Thousands of
People having gone down that way to the
new Settlements at Kentucke.
I condole with you most sincerely on the
unfortunate Accident. They were
two young Men of uncommon Knowledge and
most amiable Manners, so
that I have scarce ever met with Persons
for whom I had in so short an
Acquaintance so much Esteem and
Affection. Mr Pique deposited in my
"Hands" thirty Louis d'ors and
some Silver Spoons and Forks, which will
be delivered to him if living, or to his
Representative. I have the Honour
to be with great Regard, Sir
Your most obedient
& most humble Servant
B. FRANKLIN 59
Guillotin, acknowledging receipt of
Franklin's letter, la-
mented the tragedy, begged for more
exact information, and
mourned the now inevitable end of his
colony.
PARIS 1r Juillet 1788
MONSIEUR
C'est avec une bien vive douleur que
j'ai lu la lettre que vous m'avez
fait 1'honneur de m'ecrire, en datte des
4 et 13 mai, et Le papier qu'elle
renfermait. quelle affreuses journees
que celles du 19, 21, et surtout du 26
mars dernier! que de pleurs elles vont
faire couler! que de familles desolees!
Encore si c'etoit en combattant
courageusement pour leur patrie que ces
infortunes eu peut verse leur sang:
leurs Services, leur gloire, la recon-
noissance de leurs Concitoyens,
pourroient Servir a essuyer les Larmes
que leur genereux devouement auroit fait
repandre. mais non, c'est un
barbare assassinat, que l'on sembloit
n'avoir plus a redouter Sur le paisible
Ohio, qui tranche le fil des jours les
plus precieux, et qui plonge des
families dans le deuil. au nombre des
victimes, deux jeunes voyageurs,
doues des plus rares qualites de
L'esprit et du coeur; car le tems, le lieu
de cette scene cruelle, la designation
des personnes, comme naturalistes,
et toutes les circonstances reunies de
cette sanglante tragedie, ne laissent
presqu'aucun lieu de douter que le
Botaniste et le mineralogiste francois
quoiqu'ils ne soient pas nommes dans la
Gazette du Kentucke, ne soient
les deux jeunes gens que j'avois pris la
Liberte de vous addresser, qui
avoient eu le bonheur de vous
interesser, et auxquels vous aviez eu la
bonte de faire Le plus favorable
accueil. leur dernieres lettres, en datte
de Pittsbourg, marquoient qu'ils etoient
sur leur depart, et qu'ils comp-
toient descendre le fleuve vers le 15
mars. ils alloient transquillement
preparer leur bonheur et celui de leurs
parens, de leurs amis dans l'azile
de la vertu et de la Liberte. quel
affreux revers! de ces deux infortunes
L'un est perdu pour toujours, l'autre,
et lequel? on l'annonce presque sans
[?] probablement il n'est deja plus. et
ce qui met le comble a L'horreur
59 Franklin, Writings, IX,
648-9.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 151
de cette catastrophe terrible, ce qui
est veritablement desolant, elle ren-
verse les projets les plus chers a nos
coeurs. comment en effet persuader
a des femmes tendres et timides d'aller
habiter une terre fumante encore
du sang de jeunes gens qui leur etoient
unis par les liens les plus doux
du sang et le L'amitie! une Lueur d'esperance nous
reste encore: nous
n'avons past tout perdu. Le francois survivant
au massacre a pu, dit la rela-
tion, quoique grievement blesse, sauta
hors du bateau dans la riviere, gagner
le rivage, marcher ensuite, et faire un
long circuit pendant la nuit pour
arriver au bateau qui L'a recueilli le
lendemain avec son compagnon d'in-
fortune, Mr. Pierce, et conduit le jour
d'apres aux rapides. Il n'avoit
donc probablement aucun viscere
important de lese. il lui restoit done
des forces pour resister ainsi pendant
deux jours aux fatigues d'une pareille
entreprise. blesse le 26 mars, il paroit
qu'il n'avoit pas encore succombe.
le 4 d'avril, datte de la Gazette du
Kentucke peutetre les secours empresses
des genereux americains
l'arracheront-ils a la mort. Mais ces
fatigues
meme, longues et penibles, succedant a
une commotion terrible, le defaut
de pansement et de tout autre soin
pendant deux jours, n'auront-ils pas
rendu incurable une blessure qui n'etoit
peutetre pas mortelle par elle-
meme. ah! Monsieur, cette idee affreuse;
cette incertitude est cruelle.
avec quelle impatience je vais attendre
les premieres nouvelles! dans
quelles transes je vais etre en les
recevant! ayez la bonte de m'en donner
le plustot qu'il vous sera possible,
Monsieur, je vous en conjure. pardonnez
mes instances, je vous en supplie;
pardonnez ma sensibilite. ah! Monsieur,
vous la justifiez vous meme par les
eloges que vous donnez a ces mal-
heureux jeunes gens: vous daignez meme
la partager. vous la partageriez,
si j'ose m'exprimer ainsi, bien plus
encore avec moi, si, comme moi, vous
aviez eleve le jeune Saugrain, si vous
l'aviez toujours vu bon, honnete,
aimable et veritablement rempli de
toutes sortes de connoissances utiles et
agreables, si vous etiez uni par les
liens les tendres a une famille qui le
cherit. je ne sais ce qui me dit que
c'est lui qui est designe par la denom-
ination de Mineraliste, et qui a eu le bonheur d'echapper a la barbarie des
sauvages. S'il a ete assez heureux pour
guerir de ses blessures, si nous
pouvons nous flatter de l'espoir de
l'embrasser encore, je vous demande
en grace, Monsieur, de vouloir bien lui
continuer vos bontes, et de lui
procurer tous les secours dont il pourra
avoir besoin. les sauvages lui ont
tout enleve; il a tout perdu: il est
denue de tout dans une terre etrangere.
a plus de deux mille lieues de sa
famille. mais cette terre est habitee par
un peuple hospitalier, bienfaisant,
notre allie, qui sait que vous aviez accorde
votre estime et votre protection a ce
jeune homme, et qui paroit prendre le
plus sensible interet a ce desastre.
cette idee me rassure. je ne doute pas
qu'on ne lui prodigue des secours de
toute espece. aggreez en d'avance,
Monsieur, mes sinceres remerciements.
marquez-moi, je vous prie, quelle
est la somme d'argent qu'il est necessaire
que je vous fasse passer, et par
quelle voie, pour fournir a tous les
frais tant de cette malheureuse aventure,
que du retour en france, s'il est encour
possible.
Je prends la liberte, Monsieur, de vous
demander la meme faveur pour
Mr. Picque, si c'est lui qui est assez
heureux pour se tirer d'un aussi
mauvais pas. en partant, il m'a laisse
ici sa procuration et ses papiers,
pour gerer ses affaires. enconsequence
il pourra s'addresser a moi pour lui
faire passer ce qui lui sera necessaire
pour subvenir a ses frais. Si mal-
heureusement au contraire Mr. Picque est
decede, je pourrai retirer ce
qu'il a laisse entre vos mains pour le
remettre a ses representans.
Dans tous les cas. Monsieur, je vous
prie de vouloir bien faire con-
stater par un acte public, suivant la
Loi et les usages du Pays, le mal-
152
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
heureux evenement du 26 mars dernier, et
d'y joindre L'extrait mortuaire
de l'infortunee, ou des infortunees,
victimes de la fureur des sauvages.
Le tout vise par le Ministre de france
pres des Etats unis, afin que ces
papiers, dans la meilleure forme
possible, aient en Europe un caractere
Legal et authentique pour le repos des
pauvres families des decedes.
L'incertitude des suites de ce triste
accident a fait que renfermant ma
douleur en moi meme, j'ai voulu en
epargner une pareille aux families de
ces jeunes gens. elles l'apprendront
toujours assez tot. et si nous sommes
assez heureux pour que l'un des deux
survive, j'aurai sauve bien des
chagrins au moins a la famille de
celui-la. je n'ai donc point encore com-
munique votre lettre ni le papier
qu'elle renferme. je vous prie, Monsieur,
pour les memes raisons de n'en point
parler, que le fait ne soit absolument
constate, et que vous l'ayez mande. je
desirerais meme fortement que vos
papiers publics s'abstinssent, s'il
etoit possible, comme je vois qu'ils l'ont
deja fait, de nommer ces deux jeunes
gens, de peur que tombant entre les
mains des parens, avant que je les aye
prevenus, cette facheuse nouvelle ne
leur cause une revolution funeste, ce
que je redoute surtout pour la pauvre
mere de Mr. Saugrain qui adore cet
enfant.
Je vous prie, Monsieur, de remettre les
depeches addressees en ce
moment aux deux voyageurs, a celui des
deux qui pourroit survivre, ainsi
que celles qui seroient a son adresse
particuliere.
Quant aux couverts d'argent que vous
avex entre les mains, j'ignore
ce que c'est. je retrouve cependant que
ces Messieurs ont ete charges ici
de remettre a Mr. Jean Barclay,
negotiant a Philadelphie, six couverts
d'argent, deux cuillers a ragout, et une
cuiller a soupe le tout facon angloise,
de la part de Mr. D'arcet, qui avoit
fourni une lettre de credit de trois mille
livres sur ce Mr. J. Barclay, ce
negotiant a refuse verbalement de faire
honneur a la lettre de credit, mais il
n'a fait aucune reponse a Mr. D'arcet,
ni sur [?], ni sur les couverts
d'argent, ni sur rien. Il seroit interessant de
savoir, si, quoiqu'il n'en dise rien, Mr.
Barclay a mieux [?] accepte l'ar-
genterie que la lettre de credit, ou si
c'est cette argenterie qui a ete deposee
entre vos mains jusqua nouvel order de
Mr. D'arcet. Je vous prie, Mon-
sieur, de vouloir bien vous en faire
informer, et de m'en donner avis.
Pardon, Monsieur, mille fois pardon de
toutes les peines que je vous
donne. je crains d'abuser de vos bontes.
mais, Monsieur, vous voyez ma
triste position. profondement affecte du
malheur qui m'accable, je ne puis
avoir recours qu'a votre humanite.
J'espere qu'elle m'excusera; et qu'elle
versera le baume de la consolation sur
une plaie bien douloureuse et qui
saignera longtems.
J'ai l'honneur d'etre dans les sentimens
de la plus vive reconnoissance
et du plus profond respect
Monsieur Votre tres humble et tres
Obeissant serviteur
GUILLOTIN DE M.
I1 paroit que l'ouvrage de la convention
avance: je vous en fais bien sincerement
mon compliment.60
During these weeks of anxiety in
Philadelphia and Paris,
Saugrain returned to activity. Nine or ten days after the Ken-
tucky Gazette published its version of his adventure, he wrote to
60 Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 66.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 153
Lassize in Louisiana and to someone
named d'Orcantille.61 On
the 20th he began keeping his
"Notebooks." He thought then
that he would be able to walk within ten
or twelve days; his neck
was cured, and he suffered only the loss
of perfect use of the
index finger of the left hand. Although
at first the neighbor-
hood of Louisville seemed to be
charming, he found the place
dull and unhealthy. But he retained a
lively interest in every-
thing.
There were mines to inspect.
I have here the reputation of a great
mineralogist and as I found at
Fort Pitt a little silver in a lead
mine, some of which they gave me to
assay, they believe in this part of
America that I am going to find all the
gold of Peru. So they bring specimens in
abundance and the greater part
are only iron or copper pyrites. I wish,
my learned friend, you were here,
for there is a lead mine that yields
abundantly, but with a considerable
quantity of bismuth, as I judge. The
mine is not yet regularly worked.
I shall bring you specimens from it and
we will see together, we two men,
if it is good, better than one. This
will be perhaps a good thing. It is
found fifteen miles from the Falls. I make
myself useful to all. I have
made them a furnace and we fixed
alkalies for all the doctors roundabout.
It is good to know something, one makes
himself useful, and I amuse them
also with some experiments in
electricity.
The salines and salt-making, flint,
fodder, the heavy traffic
on the river, mineral waters, the
quality of the soil, all these
occupied his attention, for though the
tragedy on the river had
interrupted the work he had set out to
do, at the first opportunity
he was back at his business of examining
the country. On one
occasion he found some resin--the
Americans called the tree the
sweet-gum. "They were very much
surprised at the fort that I
found any of this resin; those who had
lived here three years had
not found it, such good observers they
are, and to honor my
sojourn in the fort they have planted
one in the garden to which
they given the name Saugrain-tree."
On May 7 a boat arrived from Vincennes62 and on it Sau-
grain decided to go to Pittsburgh. Blaine
was going to Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, and the doctor planned to
go with him on horse-
back as far as Limestone, then by boat
to Wheeling, and finally
61 The account of his life at Louisville
and the trip back to Philadelphia will be
summarized here from the
"Notebooks". This d'Orcantille I have not been able
to identify.
62 From
the people on these boats probably he obtained the information con-
cerning Vincennes which he includes as
the second section of the "Notebooks". I
have omitted this material from my
summary because it did not represent any direct
observation of his.
154
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
by horse to Fort Pitt and the East. On the 11th at 3 o'clock
they left the Falls. The next day they arrived at Bardstown,
and at Danville on the 13th.
They now rejoined the colonel's
son and two pretty young ladies from
Philadelphia. Three days
later the whole party was in Lexington,
the capital of Kentucky.
Here he was asked to examine a lead mine
in the vicinity. On
the 19th they slept in Bourbon. The next
day they dined at the
Blue Lick and went on through Washington
to Limestone.
Throughout this overland journey, which
he had been eager to
undertake, Saugrain noted carefully the
size and the appearance
of the settlements, the condition of
agriculture, the rivers, and
the springs, for he had not changed his
plan of settling in western
America.
On the 21st he took boat at Limestone
for the Muskingum
where he arrived nine days later after
an uneventful voyage.
Here (at Marietta) he remained for eight
days. He dined with
General Josiah Harmar and found him an
"Agreeable man," es-
pecially interesting as a table
companion for he had been in
France.63 He was much impressed by the beginnings of the
new city. On June 9 he left for Fort
Pitt and arrived in that
place on the 17th. It was now that
O'Conway obtained his ver-
sion of the adventure. "Three
months elapse in the same rondeau
of pedagogy when one day in my garret
whilst peacefully wield-
ing the ferula in the midst of my
pupils, my door flies open my
school is thrown into confusion"
and in burst Saugrain.64 Among
other persons, the doctor saw Lucas, for
he carried a letter to
Philadelphia for him.65 There,
too, he saw Mr. Brason, of
Philadelphia, who had come to establish
a postoffice at Pitts-
burgh. From him Saugrain obtained news
of Guillotin and
money that Franklin had sent to him.
These three set out for
Philadelphia together on July 11.
They passed through Greens-
burg, Bedford, and crossed the Alleghany
Mountains. On the
15th they parted from Peirce. Then on
through Chambersburg,
63 Josiah Harmar (1753-1813) carried to
France the official ratification of the
definitive treaty. He was in France in
March and April, 1784. Consult Franklin,
Writings, IX, 190, 191, 196.
64 Flick, "O'Conway," X,
270-1.
65 Lucas to Franklin, Pittsbourg, 28
juin 1788, Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 1, p. 74.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 155
Shippensburg, Carlisle, and Lancaster.
Each of these places he
described briefly. On July 20 he reached
Philadelphia and went
immediately to see Franklin. Though the
latter had been sick in
bed for twenty-three days, he received
Saugrain very kindly,
offered him help, and invited him to
dinner the next day. Here
the "Notebooks" end.
In Philadelphia Saugrain stayed for at
least two months.
During this time he heard from his
friend Peirce, who in spite
of their late adventure, was determined
to settle near the Miami.
MAYTOWN, Augt. 2, 1788
My dear fellow traveler, when I parted
with you at Middletown I ex-
pected to see you in Phils. before you
left it but at present that seems quite
improbable as I intend to set out for
North Carolina in a very few days
and can't return before two months. I
still intend to go to the Meamy or
some other part of that western country
whenever my finances will permit.
I am now collecting my small debts
through the country. I find money so
scarse in our country that all
discourages me from going so long a journey
as North Carolina but having no other
prospects urges me to it. Sir, I
will trouble you no more with my affairs
if you will be so good as to leave
a letter in Phila. where I may get it
and let me know when you return
from France I will be much obliged to
you. I will be glad to see you at
any time. I am now in good health. I
sincerely wish your wellfair. I
shall rest assured you will leave me a
line. If you will leave me a line with
his Excellency Benjamin Franklin I think
it will be the surest way for
me to get it. I will make a point to
call for it when I return from the
Southard. I shall make free to call
myself your friend and fellow-sufferer.
DAVID PEIRCE.
N.B. If you will be so obliging as to
mention me to Doctor Franklin I
shall think it a kindness not to be
forgot. Be so kind as to let his Excel-
lency know I was one of the six who
brought Colonel Franklin from Apoine.
Addressed to MR. ANTHONY SOGRAIN
PHILADA. pr favor of Mr.
Kennedy.66
At this time, too, Saugrain met Warville
and described the
western country to him in most enthusiastic terms. The most
interesting bit of opinion that Warville
reported was in the nature
of prediction:
The active genius of the Americans is
always pushing them forward.
Mr. Saugrain has no doubt but sooner or
later the Spaniards will be forced
to quit the Mississippi, and that the
Americans will pass it, and establish
themselves in Louisiana, which he has
seen, and considers one of the
finest countries in the universe.67
66 Typed copy in the Saugrain
Collection.
67 Warville, New Travels, 261.
This letter (XVIII), entitled "Journey of two
Frenchmen to the Ohio," is dated
Sept. 10, 1788.
156 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
On September 18 Warville, then at New
York, wrote to
inform Saugrain that there were no ships
bound for France:
NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 1788
On arriving here I inquired, Sir, if
there were any vessels bound for
France. There is none. There is only the
English Packet to sail for
Falmouth at the beginning of next month.
But there is an American vessel loading
at Boston for France, to sail
the first of October next. It is the
vessel on which I came, and you would
be very well on board of her; the
Captain is altogether polite and obliging.
I was very much pleased with him. You
would be well fed and cared for.
He charges the same price as the Packets
and one is certainly better fixed.
I forgot to say that he sails to
Marseilles. I would you to profit by this
chance, because there are but seldom
vessels for France; and on this one
you would be in the care of a Captain of
the best Navy.
If you follow my advice, hasten to come
here see Mr. de crevecoeur.68
I leave myself on Monday for Boston. You
will find me there and I will
endeavour to render you all the service
possible, but again you have not a
moment to lose. At Boston enquire for me
at Mr. John Jr. Mercnant.
Take the land route, it's the most
certain.
Believe me sincerely yours,
WARVILLE
addressed--MR. SAUGRAIN at Mr. Mercier
Water St. near Arch. Philada.69
It is possible, however, that Saugrain
did not leave Phila-
delphia until late in October, for he
was apparently the bearer
of the following letter to Guillotin and
one to Le Veillard.
PHILADa
Oct. 23, 1788.
SIR
I received your letter of July 1. with
its Duplicate. I lament with
you most sincerely the loss of poor Mr.
Pique. The Money he deposited
in my Hands was Thirty Louis d'ors,
which I have delivered to Mr. Sau-
grain, as you will see by his Receipt
enclos'd. No one has hitherto de-
manded of me the Converts d'argent; but
I shall deliver them to whoever
produces a proper Authority to receive
them. I apprehend there is some
Mistake in the Name you mention, and
that they were not for a Mr. John
Barclay: But M. Darcet can set the
matter right. Mr. Pique's Death
happening in a Wilderness Country where
there were no settled Inhabitants
it is not possible to obtain such a
thing as an Extrait mortuare.70 M. Sau-
68 Then French Consul at New York. For
him consult Julia Post Mitchell,
St. Jean de Crevecoeur (New York, 1916), and Howard C. Rice, Le Cultivateur
Americain, Etude sur L'Oeuvre de
Saint John de Crevecoeur (Paris,
1933).
69 Typed copy in Saugrain Collection
(Missouri Historical Society).
70 As a farewell to Picque I add the
following communication from the Franklin
Collection, Letters to Franklin, Vol.
36, pt. 2, p. 166:
MONSIEUR
J'ay L'honneur de vous adresser la copie
d'une lettre, ecritte par M. Saugrain
De Vigny a M. De Lassize: cette Lettre
contient L'historique De L'evenement mal-
heureux, arrive a M. Picque, son ami et son compagnon
D'infortune. D'apres cette
Lettre on ne peut Doutter De La mort de
M. Picque; mais ce n'est pas suffisant
pour les personnes qui ont Droit a sa
succession, il faut pour qu'ils la puissent re-
ceuillir que cette mort soit constatee
par un acte de notoriete.
a la suite De cette Lettre J'ay Joins la
copie exacte Dutestament De M.
Picque: il est fait au profit Mme
Lombardie, et ses dispositions sont qu'elle
recueille L'universalite de ses biens:
mais pour faire jouir L'instituee Du Benefice
De son legs universel il faut que la
mort du testateur soit constante et prouvee
completement.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 157
grain, on whose safe Return I
congratulate you, will supply that Deficiency
by his Testimony taken with you. With
great Esteem, I am, Sir,
Your most obedient & most
humble Servant
B. FRANKLIN.71
Whatever date he sailed, Saugrain was in
France before
February 21, 1789, for on that date Le
Veillard wrote to Franklin
from Passy:
Nous nous rejouissons tous du retour de
vostre sante, les nouvelles que
nous avions eues et surtout l'alteration
de vostre belle ecriture nous avoient
fort inquietes, la nostre, a vostre
absence pres, qui est pour nous une grande
et incurable maladie, est assez bonne,
mes enfans vous assurent de leur
respect, et leur bonne mere vous
embrasse bien tendrement; pendant que je
vous ecris, elle est au coin defeu a
travailler a une bourse qu'elle vous
enverra par Mr. Saugrain72 qui m'a remis
vostre letter du 24 8bre et
nous avons revu aves grand plaisir, il ne
parle de vous et des bontes dont
vous l'avez comble que les larmes aux
yeux; ce jeune homme est bien
interessant et sera certainment un bon
americain.73
By the last phrase quoted it is clear
that Saugrain did not
waver in his determination to live in America.
Late in April,
1790, he sailed from France with the
Gallipolis colonists to try
once more the shores of the
"Beautiful River."74
J'implore votre secours, Monsieur, et je
vous prie De vouloir bien faire con-
stater par un officier public La mort De
M. Picque. Je vous prie aussi de faire
intervenir Dans L'acte Deux ou trois
personnes qui en auront connaissance: faire
legaliser cet acte, et le revetir De
toute son autenticite; et J'ose enfin vous De-
mander de m'en faire passer
L'expedition.
Les objets qui composent cette
succession sont entre les mains de differentes
personnes. pour en provoquer le Depot,
il faut avoir une qualite, et cette qualite
ne peut s'acquerir que par la preuve
autentique de sa mort. Vous pouves plus que
personne, Monsieur, Juger du merite de L'acte que J'ay L'honneur de vous
demander.
Il ne me reste plus qu'une priere a vous
faire, Monsieur, c'est celle de me
faire passer le plutot qu'il vous sera
possible l'expedition de cet acte. Je vous prie
aussi D'engager ler personnes
Depositaires De ses effets de me les faire parvenir.
cette Depeche est D'autant-plus instante
que M. Picque a des fonds places au
Mont-de piete, ce qu'on ignore ou en
sont les reconnaissances.
La Legataire de M. Picque a ete
conseillee De vous ecrire parcequ'on Lui a
assure que vous l'avesconnu. Je me suis
charge de cette mission aupres de vous,
Monsieur, Je la remplis avec
D'autant-plus D'empressement que Je suis assure de
tous les avantages que Je recueillerai
de votre correspondance, et qu'elle me presente
L'occasion de vous offrir les sentiments
Du plus-profond respect avec Le quel J'ay
L'honneur Detre
Monsieur
Votre tres humble et tres
obeissant serviteur
DELAUNAY DES BLARDIERES
A PARIS Le ler About 1789.
Substitut de M. Le Procureur
General De L'amiraute De france, rue
St. Mery, No. 7.
71 Franklin, Writings, IX, 669-70.
72 He never received his purse, however,
for he died on April 17, 1790, before
Saugrain left France, and some ten weeks
before he landed at Alexandria.
73 Franklin Collection, Letters to
Franklin, Vol. 36, pt. 2, p. 118.
74 In another article I expect to
present an account of Saugrain's life after his
return to America.
158
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
What of Guillotin and his project?
Apparently he was un-
able to persuade the families he had
expected to bring and there-
fore abandoned the whole idea. Perhaps one thing that
recon-
ciled him to France was the hope for a
new order there. Cer-
tainly in the next few years he took
great interest in politics at
home. On December 8, 1788 he published
his pamphlet Petition
des citoyens domicilies a Paris (also called the Petition des six
corps) demanding for the Third Estate equal representation
with
the other two orders. For this offense
he was tried but ac-
quitted. On May 5, 1789, he sat at Versailles as the tenth
deputy of Paris. Here he was primarily
interested in questions
of justice and on October 10 rose to ask
for notable reforms
in the criminal code which were
eventually adopted by the As-
sembly. In February 1790 he was named a Secretary of the
Assembly but after this session he seems
to have retired from
active politics. During the Terror he was imprisoned. Freed
on 9 Thermidor, he returned to
the practice of medicine and
thereafter was much concerned with the
organization of medicine
and pharmacy and was a zealous advocate
of vaccination. A
founder of the Academie de Medicine of
Paris, he died March 26,
1814. The republican spirit of the man
can be illustrated by an
anecdote that G. Lenotre has preserved: "Dans
un interrogatoire
qu'il subit on lui demanda:
"Monsieur Guillotin, vous passes pour
ne point aimer l'Empereur.--Monsier,
cela c'est vrai.--Mais, Mon-
sieur, pourquoi ne l'aimez-vous
pas?--Monsieur, parce que je ne
le trouve point aimable."75
75 G. Lenotre, La Guillotine (Paris,
1907), 216, fn. 1. Lenotre (p. 215ff.) dis-
cusses the part played by Doctor
Guillotin in the official adoption of the machine that
bears his name, though he did not invent it. General
references for Guillotin have
already been cited in fn. 1.
GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA
By JOHN
FRANCIS MCDERMOTT
Among the many Frenchmen who came under
the influence
of Benjamin Franklin and American ideas
in the last quarter of
the eighteenth century not the least
interesting was Joseph Ignace
Guillotin. His project for a colony in
the Ohio Valley came to
nothing because the disastrous adventure
that befell the advance
party discouraged and frightened the
families he had planned to
lead there, but, though the colony did
not materialize, the his-
tory of the venture is interesting.
Guillotin was born at Saintes, May 28,
1738.1 With a bril-
liant record as a student he entered the
Jesuit novitiate and for
several years taught in the college at
Bordeaux, but his love for
independence, it is said, caused him to
leave the order. He went
to Paris to study medicine under Antoine
Petit and in 1710 was
granted a degree by the faculty at
Rheims. He was quite suc-
cessful in his profession: soon he was
made Regent of the Faculty
of Medicine at Paris. In 1784 he was
sufficiently prominent to
be chosen by the king as one of the four
doctors to serve with
five members of the Academie on the
commission to investigate
mesmerism. It was this episode in his
life that led Guillotin to
think of America, for among the
commissioners was Franklin.
On several occasions after the
investigation was closed, Guillotin
had dinner with Franklin and, like
others, became intensely in-
terested in the new nation.
Apparently after these meetings the idea
grew in the mind
of Guillotin that he would be happier in
America. Conditions
in France were becoming intolerable. On
the banks of the Ohio
a man might find an asylum, where, free
from civil and religious
1 All the biographical dictionaries
carry notices of Guillotin. The best brief
account of him that I have seen is that
of Frank J. Lutz, "Josef [sic] Ignace Guil-
lotin", Interstate Medical
Journal (St. Louis), XVI (May, 1909), 340-52 (portrait and
references).
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