To Thomas Jefferson from Lamarque & Fabre, [February 1788]
From Lamarque & Fabre
[Paris, Feb. 1788] In 1780 their firm, “fournisseurs des Troupes,” delivered to Commodore Gillon, agent for the state of South Carolina, some clothing for soldiers, payment for which was to be made before Gillon left for America. There is still due on that account 26,000 livres principal, plus seven years interest which the state promised to allow. Would like to know whether the state has determined the terms of settlement; whether payments will be made in Europe; and on what dates they will be made; ask TJ to inform them what steps the state of South Carolina has taken to settle this long-standing debt.
RC (ViWC); 1 p.; in French; written in the 3rd person; at head of text: “Mémoire”; undated but assigned to this date because the only entry in SJL Index for a letter from Lamarque & Fabre is dated: “88 F.” There is no entry for a letter to this firm. Enclosure: Although there is no mention of an enclosure, another undated “Mémoire” (MoSHi, 2 p.) may have been sent with this; it states that on the recommendation of Lamarque & Fabre the firm of Chrestien & Co. furnished some cloth for Commodore Gillon in 1780; they did this only after consultation with Dr. Franklin, who confirmed the authenticity of Gillon’s position; in payment of their account Chrestien & Co. received four bills drawn to their order, totalling 16,827 livres; all four bills were protested; they then sent the bills to a merchant in Philadelphia for collection; when the bills were presented to the state authorities they acknowledged them and promised to pay them with interest; in spite of all this Chrestien & Co. have received nothing. On Gillon’s affairs, see Castries to TJ, 19 Apr. 1787, note.