Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note

This book was published in two volumes, of which this is the second.
The first volume was released as Project Gutenberg ebook #37960,
available at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/37960.

Two incorrect index sub-entries for Beaumarchais have been corrected:
jealousies aroused against -- page changed from 6 to 304
judged by parliament Maupeou -- page changed from 24 to 100

BEAUMARCHAIS

_And the War of
American Independence_

BY

ELIZABETH S. KITE

_Diplôme d’instruction Primaire-Supérieure, Paris, 1905
Member of the Staff of the Vineland Research Laboratory_

WITH A FOREWORD BY
JAMES M. BECK
_Author of “The Evidence in the Case”_

TWO VOLUMES
VOLUME TWO

ILLUSTRATED

BOSTON
RICHARD G. BADGER
THE GORHAM PRESS

COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY RICHARD G. BADGER

All Rights Reserved

Made in the United States of America

The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.

“_The faith of a believer is a spring to which uncertain convictions yield; this was the case of Beaumarchais with the King in the cause of American Independence._”

_Gaillardet, in Le Chevalier d’Eon._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XV
PAGE

Curious History of the Chevalier d’Eon—Secret Agent of Louis
XV—The Chevalier Feigns to Be a Woman—Curiosity of London
Aroused—Necessity for the French Government to Obtain
Possession of State Papers in d’Eon’s Hands—Beaumarchais
Accepts Mission—Obtains Possession of the Famous Chest 13

CHAPTER XVI

Beaumarchais’s Earliest Activities in the Cause of American
Independence—First Steps of the Government of
France-Bonvouloir—Discord Among Parties in
England—Beaumarchais’s Memoirs to the King—Meets Arthur
Lee—Lee’s Letter to Congress—King Still Undecided—Curious
Letter of Beaumarchais, with Replies Traced in the
Handwriting of the King 31

CHAPTER XVII

Beaumarchais’s English Connections—With Lord Rochford—With
Wilkes—Meets Arthur Lee—Sends Memoirs to the King—His
Commission to Buy Portuguese Coin—Called to Account by
Lord Rochford—Vergennes’s Acceptance of his Ideas—Article
in _The Morning Chronicle_ 56

CHAPTER XVIII

Memoirs Explaining to the King the Plan of His Commercial
House—Roderigue Hortalès et Cie.—The Doctor Dubourg—Silas
Deane’s Arrival—His Contract with Beaumarchais—Lee’s
Anger—His Misrepresentations to Congress—Beaumarchais Obtains
His Rehabilitation 77

CHAPTER XIX

Suspicions of England Aroused Through Indiscretions of Friends
of America—Treachery of du Coudray—Counter Order Issued
Against Shipments of Beaumarchais—Franklin’s Arrival—England’s
Attempt to Make Peace Stirs France—Counter Order
Recalled—Ten Ships Start Out—Beaumarchais Cleared by
Vergennes 104

CHAPTER XX

The Declaration of Independence and Its Effect in
Europe—Beaumarchais’s Activity in Getting Supplies to
America—Difficulties Arise About Sailing—Lafayette’s
Contract with Deane—His Escape to America—Beaumarchais’s
Losses—Baron von Steuben Sails for America in Beaumarchais’s
Vessel, Taking the Latter’s Nephew, des Epinières, and His
Agent, Theveneau de Francy—The Surrender of
Burgoyne—Beaumarchais Finds Himself Set Aside While Others
Take His Place—Faces Bankruptcy—Vergennes Comes to His
Assistance 126

CHAPTER XXI

De Francy Sails for America—His Disappointment in the New
World—Beaumarchais Recounts His Grievances against the
Deputies at Passy—Rejoices Over American Victories—Manœuvers
to Insure Safety to His Ships—The Depreciation
Of Paper Money in America—De Francy Comes to the Aid of
Lafayette—Contract between Congress and De Francy Acting
for Roderigue et Cie.—Letters of Lee to Congress—Bad Faith
of that Body—Deane’s Signature to Documents Drawn up by
Franklin and Lee—Beaumarchais’s Triumph at Aix—Gudin
Seeks Refuge at the Temple—Letters of Mlle. Ninon 154

CHAPTER XXII

Deane’s Recall—Beaumarchais’s Activity in Obtaining for Him
Honorable Escort—Letters to Congress—Reception of
Deane—Preoccupation of Congress at the Moment of His
Return—Arnold and Deane in Philadelphia the Summer of
1778—Deane’s Subsequent Conduct—Letters of Carmichaël
and Beaumarchais—_Le Fier Roderigue_—Silas Deane Returns
to Settle Accounts—Debate Over the “Lost Million”—Mr.
Tucker’s Speech—Final Settlement of the Claim of the
Heirs of Beaumarchais 184

CHAPTER XXIII

The _Mariage de Figaro_—Its Composition—Difficulties
Encountered in Getting it Produced—It is Played at
Grennevilliers—The First Representation—Its Success—
_Institut des pauvres mères nourrices_—Beaumarchais
at Saint Lazare 212

CHAPTER XXIV

The Marine of Beaumarchais—Success of His Business
Undertakings—His Wealth—Ringing Plea of Self-Justification
in the Cause of America, Addressed to the Commune of Paris,
1789—The Beautiful House Which He Built in Paris—His
Liberality—His Friends—His Home Life—Madame de
Beaumarchais—His Daughter, Eugénie 233

CHAPTER XXV

House of Beaumarchais Searched—The 10th of August—Letter
to his Family in Havre—Letter of Eugénie to her
Father—Commissioned to Buy Guns for the Government—Goes
to Holland as Agent of _Comité de Salut Public_—Declared
an Emigré—Confiscation of his Goods—Imprisonment of his
Family—The Ninth Thermidor Comes to Save Them—Life During
the Terror—Julie again in Evidence—Beaumarchais’s Name
Erased from List of Emigrés—Returns to France 253