Letter from Soulié to Louis-Marie... (1793)

NRA-L-000668 / 1793

Letter from Soulié to Louis-Marie Ranc, with draft reply, 2–10 June 1793

Soulié writes to Louis-Marie Ranc about protecting his properties and a proposed sale of the Grand Devois pasture after the sale of the Bilanges estate. An unsigned draft reply dated eight days later discusses the tenant Coutelle's indemnity, Daniel and Citizen Rivet, the agent Dupuich, and Ranc's Valfons estate.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000668

NRA-L-000668 image 1 showing the opened address panel to a citizen in Montpellier, with the Sauve postmark and marginal docketing. — **Image 1**Address panel, postal evidence and later docketing.

NRA-L-000668 image 2 showing the first page of a French letter dated at Sauve on 2 June 1793. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000668 image 3 showing the continuation and signed closing of the letter on a folded sheet. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2 and signature.

NRA-L-000668 image 4 showing an enclosed French statement dated at Montpellier on 10 June 1793, with a red wafer seal at the right edge. — **Image 4**Enclosure - Statement dated 10 June 1793 with red wafer seal.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000668
Date: 1793-06-02
Original date: Sauve 2 juin 1793. l'an 2.me de la rep. / [draft reply:] Montpellier 10 juin 1793 l'an 2eme de la republique francaise
Type: Property correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: Soulié
Recipient: L. M. Ranc, Le Peyrou, Montpellier
Places: Sauve, Gard, France / Montpellier, Hérault, France
Extent: 4 documentary sides: Address panel, postal evidence and docketing; Letter text - Page 1; Letter text - Page 2 and signature; Enclosure - statement dated 10 June 1793; 4 digital images.
Signature: Soulié
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000668.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Au Citoyen
L. M. Ranc [mot illisible]
Le Peyrou
A Montpellier

Notes

Editorial notes:
The addressee's initials and surname are clear; the word following Ranc is not read conjecturally.

Address panel

English translation

To Citizen
L. M. Ranc [word illegible]
Le Peyrou
Montpellier

Notes

Editorial notes:
The addressee's initials and surname are clear; the word following Ranc is not read conjecturally.

Letter text - Page 1

Original transcript

Sauve 2 juin 1793. l'an 2.me de la rep.
[deleted] Monsieur [/deleted] [inserted] citoyen [/inserted]
J'ai recu la Lettre que vous m'avez fait
l'honneur de m'ecrire, & elle na fait que me
confirmer dans l'idée ou j'etois de vos
dispositions pacifiques. la nouvelle preuve
que vous [deleted] voulés [/deleted] m'en donner Sera le meilleur
preservatif aux atteintes de vos proprietés
& il ne tiendra pas a moi qu'elles ne Soient
beaucoup mieux respectées dans l'avenir qu'elles
ne l'ont été dans le passé.
J'ai apris que vous aviés vendu & bien vendu
Bilange ; j'ai apris encore que vous vous étiés
fait la reserve du grand devois qu'on m'a

Letter text - Page 1

English translation

Sauve, 2 June 1793, Year 2 of the Republic

[deleted] Sir [/deleted] [inserted] Citizen [/inserted]

I have received the letter you did me the honour of writing, and it has only confirmed my view of your peaceful intentions. The new proof you [deleted] wish [/deleted] to give me of them will be the best protection against attacks on your properties, and I shall do everything in my power to ensure that they are treated with far more respect in the future than they have been in the past.

I have learned that you have sold Bilange, and sold it well. I have also learned that you reserved the Grand Devois, which I have been

Letter text - Page 2 and signature

Original transcript

Sollicité de vendre. Si vous etiés disposé a cette
nouvelle vente je vous demanderais la
préference en faveur de M. Rivet votre acquereur.
Il Semble que vous la lui devés a prix égal
& par là vous vous mettriez a Couvert d'une
indemnité que Coutelle a qui vous aviés affermié
le tout Serait en droit de reclamer a raison de
cette privation. Vos interets comme ceux de
M. Rivet pourraient donc Se trouver dans
cet arrangement & si je pouvais concourir
a concilier les un avec les autres qui me Sont
également chers je m'en feliciterai. vous
voudrés bien [deleted] monsieur [/deleted] [inserted] citoyen [/inserted], me rendre la justice de le
croire & d'être persuadé de la Sincerité du
devouement Sans reserve que j'ai toujours
pour vous Soulié

Letter text - Page 2 and signature

English translation

asked to sell. If you were disposed to make this further sale, I would ask you to give preference to Mr Rivet, your purchaser. It seems that you owe him that preference at an equal price, and by doing so you would protect yourself against an indemnity that Coutelle, to whom you had leased the whole property, would be entitled to claim because of this deprivation. Your interests and those of Mr Rivet could therefore both be served by this arrangement. If I could help reconcile the interests of people who are equally dear to me, I would be glad to do so. Please do me the justice, [deleted] Sir [/deleted] [inserted] Citizen [/inserted], of believing this and of being assured of the sincere and unreserved devotion that I have always had for you.

Soulié

Enclosure - statement dated 10 June 1793

Original transcript

Montpellier 10 juin 1793 l'an 2eme de la republique
francaise
il est vray citoyen pasteur qu'en vendant mon domaine
de bilanges je me suis reservé un tenement de paturages
plantés en bois taillifs designé dans la ferme sous le
nom de grand Devois ; quant a l'indemnité que coutelle
fermier actuel est dans le droit de reclamer a juste
titre elle doit etre Supportée par l'acquereur ainsi que
nous en avons convenu avec le citoyen Dupuich Son
procureur fondé dans la police priveé qui a precedé
celle qui est passé devant notaire et pour laquelle j'avois
donné ma procuration en blanc au dit mr. dupuich
je n'ay donc pas a craindre d'etre recherché par Coutelle
fermier ou par l'acquereur ayant mis avec ce dernier
cette charge et clause expresse dans l'acte de
vente
le citoyen Daniel rivet m'ecrivit il y a quelques jours
pour me proposer de luy vendre le dit Devois, je luy
ay repondu que j'avois le projet de reunir ce paturage a
mon domaine de valfons et que je ne pourrais me
decider a les livrer qu'a un prix excessif, cependant
j'accepterai avec plaisir votre mediation etant bien
persuadé que vous menagerés pas moins mes interets
que ceux de la citoyenne rivet qui a fait cette acquisition,
(le citoyen Dupuich venant de m'en prevenir) j'aurai
a vous observer Si elle persiste a vouloir joindre ce Devois
au domaine de bilanges, qu'il convient parfaitement a mon
domaine de valfons, qu'il est encore plus necessaire a celuy
de bilanges et que les circonstances actuelles donnent un
prix incroyable a toute espece de proprieté
je suis on ne peut pas plus reconnaissant des marques
d'interet et d'attachement que vous m'avés temoigné dans
tous les tems et vous prie citoyen pasteur de me
croire avec le plus entier devouement

Notes

Editorial notes:
This unsigned sheet is a draft reply dated 10 June 1793. It is kept with the incoming letter and is not treated as a separate archival item.
Authorship by Louis-Marie Ranc is strongly supported by the addressee on P001, the Montpellier dateline, and the first-person ownership statements, but the draft is unsigned.

Enclosure - statement dated 10 June 1793

English translation

Montpellier, 10 June 1793, Year 2 of the French Republic

It is true, Citizen Pastor, that when I sold my estate at Bilanges I reserved a tract of pasture planted with coppice woodland, designated in the lease as the Grand Devois. As for the indemnity that Coutelle, the present tenant, is justly entitled to claim, it must be borne by the purchaser, as we agreed with Citizen Dupuich, his authorised representative, in the private agreement that preceded the instrument executed before a notary and for which I had given the said Mr Dupuich my power of attorney in blank. I therefore have no reason to fear a claim from Coutelle, the tenant, or from the purchaser, since I placed this charge and express clause upon the latter in the deed of sale.

Citizen Daniel Rivet wrote to me a few days ago proposing that I sell him the said Devois. I replied that I planned to unite this pasture with my estate at Valfons and that I could only decide to part with it for an excessive price. Nevertheless, I shall gladly accept your mediation, being fully persuaded that you will safeguard my interests no less than those of Citizen Rivet, who made this purchase (Citizen Dupuich having just informed me of it). I must point out to you, if she persists in wishing to join this Devois to the Bilanges estate, that it is perfectly suited to my estate at Valfons, that it is even more necessary to the Bilanges estate, and that present circumstances have given every kind of property an incredible price.

I could not be more grateful for the signs of interest and attachment you have shown me at all times, and I ask you, Citizen Pastor, to believe in my complete devotion.

Notes

Editorial notes:
This unsigned sheet is a draft reply dated 10 June 1793. It is kept with the incoming letter and is not treated as a separate archival item.
Authorship by Louis-Marie Ranc is strongly supported by the addressee on P001, the Montpellier dateline, and the first-person ownership statements, but the draft is unsigned.

Discovery Terms

Ranc Family Correspondence
Property correspondence
Land sales
Tenancy
Mediation
French Revolution

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