Bidspirit auction | NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821)

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) - NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. A very fine L.S., ` Napol ´, a very attractive bold signature with a very large ink underline, one page, gilt edges, 4to, Paris, 12th January 1808, to Prince Eugene de Beauharnais, in French. Napoleon reports on the unnacceptable behaviour of his Italian Kingdom minister of foreign affairs Ferdinando Marescalchi, on his excessively high expenses incurred with public funds for personal matters in Paris, and announces his sharp intervention, stating in part ` Mon fils, le ministre Marescalchi fait à Paris des folies et est dupe des intrigants. Il a fait construire vis à vis sa maison une mauvaise salle en bois qui obstrue son salon, et cela lui a coûté 100.000 francs. Cela est trop bête, je n´ai jamais entendu que Marescalchi dépensat plus que son traitement. S´il veut dépenser son patrimoine, il en est le maitre. Ce n´est pas à lui de faire les honneurs de Paris. Envoyez-moi le budget afin que je l arrête en détail...´ (Translation: ” My son, Minister Marescalchi, is making extravagant purchases in Paris and is being duped by schemers. He had a shoddy wooden room built opposite his house, blocking his living room, and it cost him 100,000 francs. That's ridiculous; I've never heard of Marescalchi spending more than his salary. If he wants to spend his inheritance, that's his prerogative. It is not his work to do the honours of Paris. Send me the budget so I can examine it in detail...”) Further, Napoleon makes a remarkable statement ` L´argent de mes peuples d´Italie est le plus pur de leur sang, que Marescalchi dépense...´ (Translation: ” The money of my people in Italy is the purest of their blood, which Marescalchi spends...”) Napoleon, once more, shows his omnipresence and his control over all kind of matters, and further again states before concluding ` Si je ne m´en suis pas mêlé c´est que j´ai cru qu´il faisait une dépense sur son patrimoine. Avec ce qu´il me coûte depuis qu´il est à Paris, j´aurais pu bâtir un hotel superbe pour la légation Italienne. Pour le présent, mon intention est de garder les 200.000 francs en réserve; j´en disposerai dans le courant de l´année. Votre affectionné père.´ (Translation: ” The reason I didn't get involved is that I thought he was spending money from his estate. With what he's cost me since he is in Paris, I could have built a magnificent hotel for the Italian legation. For now, my intention is to keep the 200,000 francs in reserve; I'll have access to it later this year. Your affectionate father.”). EX Ferdinando Marescalchi (1754-1816) Italian Count and politician. Marescalchi, senator in Bolonia, supported Napoleon and joined him in 1796. He played an important role in the Cisalpine republic and would later be appointed minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Italy. Marescalchi was residing in Paris in a large property in the Champs Elysées, where he was hosting lavish parties and masked balls. Napoleon himself attended some of this masked balls. It was during one of these balls, in the same year of the present letter, 1808, that a famous anecdote took place. Napoleon, who thought he was concealed by his domino mask, was recognized by everyone he tried to strike up a conversation with because of his habit of walking with his hands behind his back.