1789 French Lawyer’s Letter Demonstrating Legal Arguments About Commercial Transactions

On offer is an excellent example of the type of legal discourse relating to commercial transactions in 18th century France.

The letter was written by a lawyer named Belize, in Paris 1789, only a few months before the beginnings of the French Revolution. The recipient is not named. However, on the reverse, there is a list of names of those who apparently had an interest in this case and the recipient most likely was one of those persons.

An excerpt of the document follows:

Comme vous me aparutir fort effecte sur le compte du mal entendu d'affaire que subsiste entre M. votre frere et M Nayat Procureur en cette ville et que vous desirater en Savoir par moi le fort et le foible, je vous dirai que j'ai tout vu avec soin et que je fais a Monsieur L'avocat du roi tout le bon droit possible mais commencons par vous remettre le fait sous les yeux.

[Translation: As you appear to me very effective on the account of the misunderstanding of business that exists between M. your brother and M. Mayat Prosecutor in this city and that you wish to know from me the strong and the weak [points], I will say to you that I saw everything carefully and that I made to M. the Lawyer of the King all the possible good arguments but let us begin by giving you the facts in front of your eyes.]

The reference is most likely to Jean Marie Felix Mayet, a lawyer and politician in the city of Lyons. Our informal research has not been able to find any additional biographical information about him. The letter then goes on to detail the specifics of the dispute:

L'argument serait excellent s'il etait aussi avere que M. Mayet a envoye 708# qu'il [] que M L'avocat du roi a touche de M. Blondeau. Mais M. Mayet interprette de dire...

[Translation: The argument would be excellent if it were also known that M. Mayet sent 708# (livres or pounds) that he [] that M. The Lawyer of the King received from M. Blondeau. But M. Mayet interpreted it to say...]

This is an excellent example of the type of legal reasoning and argumentation that would have been extant at the time of the French Revolution – a time when the entire legal machinery of the country groaned under the increasingly complex and byzantine legal arguments of the day.

The manuscript measures 11.25 inches by 7.5 inches . The document is a 4-page document comprised of a single sheet folded in half. The contents fill the first and second page. The third page is blank and the fourth or rear page serves as a cover. The paper is in good condition. There is some staining and wear along the edges due to age. The handwriting is legible.