https://archive.neruda-archives.org/api/items/29
type: Item
type: Letter
id: 29
is public: true
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title: Business letter from Poncet to Monsieur Boissonnet, avocat, à Privas, 1825-12-27
created: 2026-07-02T10:14:14+00:00
modified: 2026-08-16T12:02:50+00:00
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identifier: NRA-L-000021
description: Poncet gives lawyer Boissonnet a detailed account of a failed silk-trading investment and loans to the Lapierre and Beaupré family, explaining the origin of an 18,000-franc claim and the surrounding legal dispute.
date: 1825-12-27
temporal: Virieu, 27 Décembre 1825 / Le 27 Xbre 1825
sort date: 1825-12-27
item sequence: 000021
type: Business letter
broad document category: Commercial & professional correspondence
language: French
language: fr
creator: Poncet
recipient: Boissonnet
place sent: Virieu [?]; postal mark Le Péage
spatial: Virieu [?]
spatial: postal mark Le Péage
spatial: Privas, Ardèche, France
subject: Historical correspondence
subject: Private collection
subject: Business letter
subject: French language
public transcript: [[label: Address Panel]] Monsieur Monsieur Boissonnet Avocat Privas (Ardèche) @fr
public transcript: [[label: Letter Text - Page 1]] Virieu - 27 Decembre 1825 Monsieur N'ayant pu me procurer le plaisir de vous voir pour vous faire part de ce qui s'étoit passé entre M.r Sabatier & moi au moment où j'allois me présenter à M.r le Président du Tribunal de votre ville, trouvez bon que je vous en entretienne & que je vous fasse connoître de quelle maniere je suis créancier de M.r Lapierre Beaupré pere, l'origine de ma créance, ce qui s'est passé dans l'intervalle du temps, & vous verrez si j'ai servi de prête nom à Beaupré fils ainsi qu'on cherche à le persuader à Messieurs les Juges. J'étois à attendre dans le corridor que M.r le président me donna audience, lorsque je me sentis frappé sur l'épaule, me retournant je me trouvai face à face avec M.r Sabatier qui me prodigua ses honnêtetés & les marques de son ancienne amitié & car je puis vous assurer que toutes les fois que j'ai été dans le cas de le voir, il me considéroit moins comme son client que comme son ami particulier. nous promenâmes ensemble environ trois quarts ou une heure & si long-temps que croyant que c'étoit de sa part une complaisance, je craignois d'en abuser. je fus bientot détrompé. je lui parlai de mon affaire, il eut l'air de ne pas m'entendre je continuai, il éluda la question en me parlant d'une indisposition qu'avoit alors son cheval & m'invitant à l'aller voir. Là dessus il me quitte pour aller parler au Président, en sort un instant après en me disant, c'est maintenant votre tour je vous confirme mon invitation. J'entrai chez M.r le Président, je fis ma déposition sans être pressé par ce magistrat dont je n'ai qu'à louer l'honnêteté. c'est après que je fus rendre ma visite à M.r Sabatier, j'avois tout lieu de croire qu'il seroit le premier à me parler de ce qui m'interessoit, point du tout j'éprouvai à ce sujet le même silence qu'auparavant, il ne fut question de rien pas même de la maladie de son cheval qu'il devoit si ardemment me montrer. Je sortis de chez lui peu satisfait & tout intrigué d… @fr
public transcript: [[label: Letter Text - Page 2]] Au surplus tout ce que je pourrois conjecturer n'aboutit à rien, Il n'est plus chargé de défendre mes intérêts je ne dois plus m'occuper de ce qu'il fait ou peut faire. Nous passerons à l'origine de ma créance : j'avois fait avec avantage quelques opérations sur les soies avec Beaupré fils. Nos comptes étoient réglés. quelque temps après sachant que j'avois de l'argent, il me proposa d'aller dans le Vivarais acheter des soies de compte à demi. ses sollicitations, son exactitude passée, le bénéfice que nous avoient procuré les dernieres opérations tout parloit en sa faveur je me laissai entrainer. je lui confiai six mille francs. Il partit avec cette somme, plusieurs jours s'écoulèrent & je n'avois point de nouvelles de Beaupré je devins inquiet j'en fis part à son Epouse qui me dit que son mari avoit été retenu par une indisposition, mais qu'il arriveroit bientot. j'attendis encore, Beaupré ne parut pas. mon inquiétude alors augmenta & je résolus d'aller sur les lieux pour savoir ce qu'étoit devenu mon argent. j'arrive chez M.r Lapierre, je lui demande son fils, il me repond qu'il est à st laurent des bains, j'y vais, je le trouve effectivement, je voulus connoître l'emploi de mon argent, il me dit qu'il en avoit donné une grande partie à son pere pour payer des créanciers qui le poursuivoient. je lui adressai de vifs reproches il s'excusa & me pria de ne pas faire de bruit qu'il m'accompagneroit chez son pere et qu'il se rendroit caution pour lui, ce qui en effet il fit : Ce fut dans ce moment que l'un et l'autre me fesant part de leur position ils me gagnèrent à leur prêter encore Douze Mille francs, me donnant à entendre en me montrant leurs propriétés qu'ils me vendroient leur fabrique & un pré; qu'il y avoit un bénéfice eut à faire, j'avoue que la vue de cette propriété me flatta & je consentis à leur prêter encore. M.r Lapierre pere me fit son billet de Dix huit mille francs. à cette époque j'avois une maison à Lyon, M.rs Reynau… @fr
public transcript: [[label: Letter Text - Page 3]] vous vous en ferez payer, ce que je vous resterai ne sera pas considérable, je vais terminer la vente de quelques pieces de fonds & je vous désinteresserai entierement. Je me fis faire alors une déclaration des six mille francs par Beaupré fils & plus tard une obligation sur laquelle j'ai reçu trois mille francs à compte. Le pere Lapierre m'ayant remis les titres de sa créance sur M.r Michel je le poursuivis & par jugement du Tribunal je fus autorisé à recevoir trois mille francs pour les interets. Ces poursuites furent suspendues jusqu'à ce que l'on m'écrivit de Privas que le moment seroit favorable pour me faire payer de M.r Michel, & que pour y parvenir plutot il me convenoit de retirer mes pieces de chez M.r Sabatier qui servoit toute la famille & de les remettre à M.r .... dont on me donnoit l'adresse & dont je ne me suis pas rappelé le nom. c'est ce que je fis ainsi que vous le verrez par la quittance de M.r Sabatier ci-jointe accompagnée de l'obligation de Beaupré fils. On voudroit me présenter dans cette affaire comme le prête nom de Beaupré. M.r le Président lui-même m'a donné à connoître qu'on lui avoit dit que dans ce temps là je n'étois pas à meme de prêter de l'argent. Ces deux assertions sont aussi fausses qu'attentatoires à mon honneur que je veux défendre & auquel je tiens plus qu'à la somme qui m'est légitimement due. Pour s'en convaincre que l'on examine attentivement quels ont été mes rapports primitifs avec Beaupré qu'elle confiance je lui ai accordée, de quelle maniere il m'a mis en rapport avec son pere quels ont été les motifs qui m'ont porté à lui prêter, mes démarches & les dépenses que j'ai été obligé de faire, l'on verra alors si j'ai pu être si long-temps le prête nom dans une affaire où mon honneur & ma tranquillité ne pouvoient qu'être compromis & où il a fallu à tant de reprises différentes débourser de l'argent. à cette époque je n'avois pas dit-on des moyens : je pourrois prouver qu'alors j'avois un cr… @fr
public transcript: [[label: Docketing on the Exterior Leaf]] Lettre de Mr. [Joriel?] et piece qu'elle renferme. quittance de Mr Sabatier inscription contre la femme lapierre. P. 37. P @fr
public transcript: [[label: Postal Marks on the Exterior Leaf]] LE PEAGE 4 @fr
public translation: [[label: Address Panel]] Monsieur Monsieur Boissonnet Lawyer Privas (Ardèche)
public translation: [[label: Letter Text - Page 1]] Virieu – 27 December 1825 Sir, Not having been able to secure the pleasure of seeing you to inform you of what had happened between Mr Sabatier and me at the moment I was going to present myself to the President of the Court of your town, please allow me to converse with you about it and to make known to you in what manner I am a creditor of Mr Lapierre Beaupré father, the origin of my claim, what happened in the intervening time, and you will see if I served as a front man for Beaupré son as they are trying to persuade the Judges. I was waiting in the corridor for the President to grant me an audience, when I felt a tap on my shoulder; turning around, I found myself face to face with Mr Sabatier, who lavished me with his courtesies and the marks of his old friendship, and for I can assure you that every time I had the occasion to see him, he considered me less as his client than as his personal friend. We walked together for about three quarters of an hour or an hour, and for so long that, believing it was a courtesy on his part, I feared abusing it. I was soon undeceived. I spoke to him of my case; he seemed not to hear me. I continued; he evaded the question by speaking to me of an indisposition his horse had at the time and inviting me to go and see it. Thereupon he left me to go and speak to the President, came out a moment later telling me, 'It is now your turn, I confirm my invitation.' I entered the President's office, I gave my deposition without being rushed by this magistrate, whose courtesy I can only praise. It was afterwards that I went to pay my visit to Mr Sabatier; I had every reason to believe he would be the first to speak to me of what interested me; not at all, I experienced on this subject the same silence as before; there was no mention of anything, not even of his horse's illness that he was so eager to show me. I left his place quite dissatisfied and thoroughly intrigued by the interview he had arranged with m…
public translation: [[label: Letter Text - Page 2]] Furthermore, anything I might conjecture leads to nothing. He is no longer in charge of defending my interests; I must no longer concern myself with what he does or might do. We shall move on to the origin of my claim: I had profitably carried out some transactions in silks with Beaupré son. Our accounts were settled. Some time later, knowing that I had money, he proposed that I go to the Vivarais to buy silks on a half-share basis. His solicitations, his past punctuality, the profit that the last operations had procured for us, everything spoke in his favour; I let myself be drawn in. I entrusted him with six thousand francs. He left with this sum, several days passed and I had no news of Beaupré. I became worried; I informed his Wife, who told me her husband had been delayed by an indisposition, but that he would arrive soon. I waited further, Beaupré did not appear. My worry then increased and I resolved to go to the location to find out what had become of my money. I arrive at Mr Lapierre's house, I ask him for his son; he answers that he is at St Laurent des Bains. I go there, I indeed find him; I wanted to know the use of my money. He told me he had given a large part of it to his father to pay creditors who were pursuing him. I addressed sharp reproaches to him; he apologised and begged me not to make a fuss, saying he would accompany me to his father's and that he would stand as guarantor for him, which he indeed did: It was at this moment that, both of them sharing their situation with me, they won me over to lend them another Twelve Thousand francs, giving me to understand by showing me their properties that they would sell me their factory and a meadow; that there was a profit to be made. I admit that the sight of this property flattered me and I consented to lend to them again. Mr Lapierre father made me his promissory note for Eighteen thousand francs. At that time, I had a firm in Lyon, Messrs Reynaud & Genissieux, who p…
public translation: [[label: Letter Text - Page 3]] Mr Lapierre, having learned I was in Privas, came to see me and renewed his proposals. I refused him, using the pretext that it was not suitable for me. He then said to me, 'Since it is so, settle with my son, get paid the six thousand francs you lent him; as for me, I will transfer to you my claim against Mr Michel, Notary, amounting with interest to seven or eight thousand francs, you you you will get paid from it, what I will owe you will not be considerable, I will finalise the sale of some pieces of land and I will pay you off entirely.' I then had a declaration of the six thousand francs made by Beaupré son, and later an obligation upon which I received three thousand francs on account. Father Lapierre having handed over to me the titles of his claim against Mr Michel, I pursued him and by judgment of the Court, I was authorised to receive three thousand francs for the interest. These proceedings were suspended until I was written to from Privas that the moment would be favourable to get paid by Mr Michel, and that to achieve this sooner, it suited me to withdraw my documents from Mr Sabatier, who served the whole family, and to hand them over to Mr .... whose address I was given and whose name I have not recalled. This is what I did, as you will see by the attached receipt from Mr Sabatier accompanied by the obligation of Beaupré son. They would like to present me in this affair as the front man for Beaupré. The President himself let me know that he had been told that at that time I was not in a position to lend money. These two assertions are as false as they are an attack on my honour, which I wish to defend and which I value more than the sum legitimately owed to me. To be convinced of this, let one examine attentively what my initial relations with Beaupré were, what trust I granted him, in what manner he put me in contact with his father, what were the motives that led me to lend to him, my steps and the expenses that I wa…
public translation: [[label: Docketing on the Exterior Leaf]] Letter from Mr. [Joriel?] and the document it contains. Receipt from Mr. Sabatier. Registration against Madame Lapierre. P. 37. P
public translation: [[label: Postal Marks on the Exterior Leaf]] LE PÉAGE 4
source: Original item in Neruda Archives.
provenance: Private collection, Neruda Archives.
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access rights: Open public access. The images displayed and downloadable on each item page are public access copies. Non-commercial reuse of those images and of public transcriptions, translations, metadata and descriptions is permitted with clear credit to Neruda Archives and preservation of the relevant item identifier and stable URL. Automated use and AI training are permitted for commercial and non-commercial systems with provenance retained where technically feasible. Commercial republication, resale, advertising, paid database or dataset access and bulk image redistribution require prior written permission. Access to non-public source scans (preservation masters) or files specially prepared for print, where available, requires prior written agreement.
rights category: noncommercial_attribution_required_commercial_permission_required
rights holder: Neruda Archives
bibliographic citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000021.
catalogue period: 1825–1849
extent: 4 web-resolution images; address side and three pages of letter text
date certainty: Exact

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