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Frédéric Gaillardet Manuscripts
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Frédéric Gaillardet (1802-1882) was a lawyer, politician, and writer, who emigrated to the United States in 1837. There, he served as a journalist, writing about French affairs for New York newspapers and American affairs for Parisian newspapers. In 1839, he became the proprietor and editor of the New-York based newspaper, Le courrier des États-Unis, which, under his direction, became the leading French language newspaper in the Western Hemisphere. Gaillardet sold the newspaper and returned to France after the 1848 Revolution in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a seat in the National Assembly. He was elected mayor of Le Plessis-Bouchard in 1869, and was working on a memoir of his life in America, in the manner of Alexis de Tocqueville's De la Démocratie en Amérique, when he died in 1882. Parts of his memoir appeared posthumously in 1883 under the title L'Aristocratie en Amérique.
This collection consists of several manuscripts, some of which were unpublished, by French lawyer, politician, and writer, Frédéric Gaillardet (1808-1882), including a partial manuscript draft of L'Aristocratie en Amérique (Paris, 1883) as well as several other manuscripts, notes, documents, and clippings, primarily relating to Gaillardet's time and travels in the United States, Cuba, and Canada from 1837 to 1848, particularly his time in Louisiana, Mississippi, and other southern states. These manuscripts offer a critique of American society, and include observances of such things as the condition of Indian societies, the fractious relationship between Creoles and Anglo-Americans, and the institution of slavery.
Also included are manuscript drafts of unpublished dramatic plays and other writings.
Purchase, 2016. (AM 2016-58)
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Faith Charlton in February 2016. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in February 2016.
No materials were separated during 2016 processing.
Subject
- Dramatists, French -- 19th century
- French Americans -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Indians of North America -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Journalists -- France -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Journalists -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Slavery -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- Theater -- France -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Place
- Cuba -- Description and travel -- 19th century -- Sources.
- Slavery--Cuba--History--19th century--Sources.
- Southern States -- Description and travel -- 19th century -- Sources.
- Southern States -- History -- 1775-1865 -- Sources.
- Southern States -- Social conditions -- 1775-1865 -- Sources.
- United States -- Description and travel -- 19th century -- Sources
- United States -- Social conditions -- To 1865 -- Sources.
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Faith Charlton
- Finding Aid Date
- 2016
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.
Collection Inventory
Partial manuscript that includes unpublished paragraphs.
Physical Description1 folder
Titled "Aspect de l'embouchure du Mississippi," Gaillardet discusses his arrival in Louisiana in 1837 and his impression of the Mississippi River (3 pages)
Physical Description1 folder
Unpublished play (60 pages)
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Drawn from family archives; Gaillardet was born in the same city as Chevalier d'Eon, Tonnerre. (77 pages)
Physical Description1 folder
Unpublished play
Physical Description1 folder
Published in 1838 in Le courrier des États-Unis.
Physical Description1 folder
Concerns Gaillardet's trip to Cuba, 1837-1838, with a focus on slavery. (11 pages, signed)
Physical Description1 folder
Materials concern various topics relating to North America, Indian societies in particular, and other related subjects.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder