Lot 42252 – 1840 (Nov 19). Folded entire letter from Montevideo with interesting contents about the Great War

1840 (Nov 19). Entire letter from Montevideo to Bordeaux, conveyed by the “Fauvette”, “9” décimes charge, Rennes, Nantes and Bordeaux cds’s on back; strongly worded contents in French about a convention which was interrupting trade, the consequences on the commerce after the end of a blockade, interesting extract incl. a Commission of the French Navy which went to a port occupied by “our ex-ally” Lavalle (circa 6,000 men) to inform him that, according to the Art. 3 of the Convention, it was agreed an amnesty for all ranks below sergeant, the sender defining this fact to be equivalent to: “Mackau orders to cut the throat of your officers and to pass to the ranks of Rosas (…) you will not want to believe in this infamous, cruel truth”. After two years of the French blockade to the River Plate imposed by France on the Argentine Confederation under Rosas’ rule, France and Argentina signed the Mackau-Arana Treaty; during the war, Generals Rivera and Lavalle were elected by the French to attack the Rosas Government; with the signature of the Treaty, Gral. Lavalle lost the French support and was defeated in Argentina. The Rosas’ treatment of the French in Buenos Aires led to many of them to migrate to Montevideo.