To James Madison from Samuel Vaughan, Jr., 14 February 1794
From Samuel Vaughan, Jr.
London. 14 Feby. 1794
Dear Sir
The present calamatous times afford me the opportunity of introducing to Your acquaintance Monsieur Talleyrand Perigord,1 whom You are by reputation well acquainted with under the Title of the Bishop of Autun. Altho’ You will lament as much as myself the cause of his retiring to Your Continent, Yet I have no doubt You will feel a Pleasure in showing him those civilities & attentions which his Merit & Character entitle him to.
I beg You to rest assured of the respect I still have & always shall have for Your distinguished Talents—& of my anxiety to hold a place in Your Esteem. I remain Dr Sir Your faithful & obedt humble Servt
Samuel Vaughan Junr2
RC (DLC). Addressed by Vaughan to JM at Philadelphia, “By favor of Monsr. Talleyrand Perigord.” Docketed by JM.
1. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord had been in exile from France since 1792. Deported from England, he arrived in Philadelphia on 28 Apr. 1794. The new French minister, Jean Antoine Joseph Fauchet, persuaded Washington not to receive Talleyrand and other émigrés publicly (John L. Earl III, “Talleyrand in Philadelphia, 1794–1796,” Pa. Mag. Hist. and Biog., 91 [1967]: 282–83, 286).
2. Vaughan, a merchant formerly of Philadelphia, had been acquainted with JM for some years (Vaughan to JM, 17 Apr. 1789, , 12:84–85 and n. 3).