To Thomas Jefferson from John Francis Vacher, 13 May 1805
From John Francis Vacher
New York May 13th 1805
Sir
Men born with the desire to see their fellow Creatures happy, when themselves served; their abode, the whole nature resound with the accents of their gratitude, which follows them to the grave.
I have been twenty nine Years in this Country. Your Excellency had no knowledge of me, had done me neither good nor evil; Yet perhaps no Man in the United States was more interested to your Glory than myself. this my Grateful and I dare venture to Say virtuous Familly can assert: they are equally sensible those Children, whose education has been led to follow the path of truth, as myself, to your very great favor. my Son who by chance is here has received this Day his Commission as a Commissioner in the western district of the Territory of Orleans. May he by Your example in his infant Carrier do honor to your Administration. and may Your Excellency be pleased to accept of my thanks for the Same.
I am with Respect Sir of Your Excellency’s1 Most obedient and very humble Servant
John F. Vacher
P.S. who could I Submit the Sentiments of our glorious revolution to a worthier Man than to You in the two Emisphere. the emperor of France is undoubtedly the most extraordinary Character that the world ever produced as to relataid the magnanimity deriving from it. but let me be on the Side of virtue as Simply dressed as represented. however this age will witness two great wonders. the care of my Familly deprive me for the present to tender you with more than this Short Extract for the present if they can amuse You in Your short moments of respite. Gordon is my Guide. he wrote the truth. a Man Sinet to think what the english have been guilty of Since near two ages against humanity that is Since cromwell to the indirect alternative murderings of the Island of St. Domingo
C’est Franklin qui Continue L’histoire de la Guerre a loüis XVI
chant 6e vers 745
Tout près de pennyton, Seize Jeunes Bergeres;
pour eviter les pas, de ces vils insulaires;
Se cachent dans le fond de leurs sombres forêts.
Mais qu’elle en est la fin? de voltigeurs anglais
comme Si dans leurs cours manquaient encor de crimes!
vous entourent ces bois, Saisissent leurs victimes,
qui, par ces ravisseurs ont leur pudicité
immolée a l’autel de la brutalité
Helas! puissent les traits de L’histoire Suivante
de tout homme emouvoir l’ame Sympathisante;
ainsi qu’en nos etats en execration
les actes criminels du pouvoir d’albion.
Que vôtre majesté, que Sa cour toute auguste.
Que ces illustres chefs, d’un peuple grand et juste
et que tous ces pouvoirs lui portant2 fesant amitié
puissent a ce recit être emus de pitié
Non loin d’ou le raway grossi de Ses fontaines
qui par mille contours fertilisent les plaines
et d’ou l’on voit du Sond le liquide element
baigner la cesarés et la Statenisland
Lieux ou jadis L’hymen par des Saints Sacrifices
offrait aux habitans Ses plus pures delices
que cerès et pomone comblaient de leurs egards
mais apresent livrés a la fureur de Mars.
un officier anglais force dans un étable
de l’un de nos bourgeois la demoiselle aimable
qui fesaient retentir de ses douloureux Sons
les hameaux d’alentour les plaines et les monts
oh ce pere incité par de justes alarmes
court vers Les Sons! et voir, Sa fille, ô dieux! en larmes!!
Saignante!!! et dans les bras d’un Monstre criminel
impunement Souillé du viol actuel . . . .
Et hors de blame, dit “que ton ombre Barbare
aille voir les marais de L antre du tenare!
et lui plonge a l’instant le poignard dans le Sein.
Deux autres officiers Se presentent Soudain,
qui font partir le feu de deux pieces tonnantes;
qui loge du metal les deux balles Sifflantes,
dans le Sein de se pere, et dont le triste Sort,
le reduit a languir dans le lit de la mort.
Au recit de tels faits qu’enfante la licence.
le roy, la cour touchés d’une indigne Souffrance,
dans qui même le cœur d’un tyran Sy confond.
Se Sentent tous Saisis d’un Silence proffond.
Quand dans Son char d’azur, dans la celeste plaine;
La brillante venus se presente a la reine.
qui mêlant et Son geste et Ses charmes puissants,
aux Sons articulés des plus tendres accens.
dit “ô beau rejetton de la race immortelle
du pieux chef qui Sert aux princes de modele,
Descendante d’enée et fille des cesars!
que je favorisai de mes plus chers regards.
vous dont Seulement l’air d’un Souris de tendresse,
repand chez les humains, l’amour et l’alegresse.
Ô vous ma chere fille, et dans qui par mes vœux,
furent tant prodigués mes charmes et mes feux!
Sachez que mes desirs quand Se peuple la terre,
par le celeste aiman de l’amoureux mistere;
Sont, que dans ces debats, tout Se passe Sans bruit.
Soit, Sous le voile epais des ombres de la nuit.
Soit dans des bois touffus, ou Sous un bois champêtre,
où tout près Zephir, Joue a lombrage du hetre.
et toujours Sous le Sceau du plein consentement,
de la Nymphe amoureuse et de l’heureux amant!
Mais que des forcenés aillent dans leur delire
par d’actes outrageants polluer mon empire
Sans même respecter les loix de la pudeur … !!
est, ce que dans mes ris J’eus toujours eu horreur;
et que dans ce forfait fletrissant la nature
mon antoinette puisse en ressentir l’injure;
elle qui des mortels dirigeant le destin
venge L’honeur blessé du Sexe americain.
Comme en calmie Se gonfle et mollement S’agite,
Le Sein majestueux, de la belle amphitrite;
a la veille de voir les furieux autans,
lever les flots au ciel, les verser en torrents.
de Même on voit celui de la belle antoinette,
d’un cœur compatissant devenir l’interprète;
qui S’emeut et S’eleve, et du qu’el les Sanglots,
font Sur le plus beau Sein verser des pleurs en flots.
Quand dans les Sentiments de cette tendre peine
Les dames de la cour se joignant a le reine.
Le bon loüis rempli d’une noble candeur.
dit alors a Franklin, “Monsieur L’ambassadeur.
vous voyez qu’el effet ne vont de mon empire,
les crimes d’albion Sur le peuple produire;
a juger du penchant du Sexe de ma cour.
pour ce Soir c’est assez. mais des que ce Sejour,
reverra rejaillir les rayons de Cynthie.
venez nous achever ce que votre patrie,
a de plus eprouvé des anglais inhumains.
et les faits eclatants des fiers americains”
fin du chant VIe
John F. Vacher
Editors’ Translation
Franklin continues the history of the war to Louis XVI
Canto 6, line 745
Close to Pennington, sixteen young shepherdesses
Hid in the depths of their dark forests
To avoid the path of these evil island dwellers.
But to what avail? As if the English infantrymen
Had not committed enough crimes in their hearts,
They surrounded their victims and seized them in these woods.
The captors immolated their modesty on the altar of brutality.
Alas! As we decry the criminal acts of Albion’s power,
May the details of this story move
The compassionate souls of all men.
May your majesty and his august court,
Eminent leaders of a great and just people,
And all the powers that consider him a friend,
Be moved to pity by this account.
Not far from the surging Rahway River,
Which fertilizes plains along a thousand streams,
From which one can see the Sound
Lap against New Jersey and Staten Island,
Inhabitants once celebrated the pure delights
Of marriage through holy sacrifice.
Ceres and Pomona graced these places with their oversight
But now they are subject to the fury of Mars.
An English officer forced into a stable
The lovely daughter of one of our residents.
All the neighboring villages, plains, and hills
Echoed with her sad sounds.
The alarmed father ran toward the noise
And seeing his daughter, tearful, bleeding,
Wrongfully sullied by rape,
And in the arms of the monstrous criminal, he justly declared:
“May your barbarous shade hie to the swampy gates of Taenarus!”
And immediately plunged a dagger into the soldier’s chest.
Two other officers suddenly appeared
And fired shots from two thundering guns,
Lodging the metal from two whistling bullets
Into the chest of this father whose sad fate
Reduced him to languishing on his deathbed.
Learning about the wanton acts, the king and his court,
Touched by suffering so unjust
That even a tyrant’s heart can feel it,
Were stirred into deep silence.
Shining Venus in her azure chariot on the celestial plain
Presented herself to the queen
And said, with her persuasive charm and tender voice:
“O beautiful offspring of the immortal race
Of the pious leader and model to princes,
Descendant of Aeneas, daughter of Caesars,
On whom I bestowed my kindest attention,
You whose meek tender mien
Spreads love and happiness to humans,
O you, my dear daughter, upon whom I chose to bestow my charm and fire,
Know that, when the earth is inhabited by the celestial power of loving mystery,
My wish is that all disputes be silenced,
Whether under the thick veil of nightly shadows,
Or in dense forests or country woods,
Close to where Zephyr plays in a hedge’s shade,
And always under the sign of full consent
Between the loving nymph and the fortunate lover!
I am horrified when crazed fanatics
Sully my empire with outrageous acts,
Breaking all the rules of decency.
May my Marie Antoinette,
Who commands the destiny of mortals,
Feel the injustice of an infamy that blackens nature
And avenge the honor of that American woman.”
Just as the beautiful Amphitrite’s majestic breast
Gently rises and flutters in times of calm,
On the eve of violent autumns
Which unleash heavenly storms and pour forth torrents,
So the compassionate heart of the beautiful Antoinette
Stirred and rose within her breast.
Her weeping spilled waves of tears on that most beautiful chest.
When the ladies of the court joined the queen in this tender pain,
Good King Louis, filled with noble candor, said to Franklin:
“Mr. Ambassador, see how the crimes of Albion
Affect the people of my empire,
Judging by the sentiments of the women of my court.
That is enough for tonight,
But as soon as Cynthia’s rays shine again upon this place,
Come and complete the story of what your country
Has suffered at the hands of the barbarous English
And of the brilliant accomplishments of the proud Americans.”
End of Canto VI
RC (DLC); above postscript: “His Excellency T. Jefferson Esqr President of the U. States”; ellipses in original; endorsed by TJ as received 16 May and so recorded in SJL.
Gordon is my Guide: possibly a reference to William Gordon’s The History of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment, of the Independence of the United States of America (London, 1788; No. 487).
In Greek mythology, Taenarum (tenare), the southernmost point on the European continent, was believed to have an opening to the realm of Hades (William Smith, ed., Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, 2 vols. [London, 1854-57], 2:1083-4).
1. MS: “Your excellency’s your Excellency’s.”
2. Preceding word written above next word, indicating author’s uncertainty which to use.