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Chapter 165: Marat's Impending Doom
🕑 Added 2024-12-28 21:29:34 +0000 UTCChapter 165: Marat's Impending Doom
Jefferson's efficiency was impressive.
Early the next morning, he submitted a proposal to the U.S. Congress to join forces with France to eliminate the Barbary pirates. The idea of purchasing two frigates was also attached to the proposal, but it was mentioned only briefly, as if he had no real intention of pushing it through.
Two days later, at the French Embassy in the U.S.,
Victor Dupont, the French ambassador to the U.S. — and the eldest son of the president of the French Chamber of Commerce — hurriedly walked into an office on the second floor, tipping his hat to the envoy, who was reading by the window.
"Archbishop Talleyrand, I've just received word from the U.S. Congress…"
He paused to take a sip of water brought by a servant and continued, "The majority of U.S. congressmen support funding the fight against the pirates, but they want to reduce the amount to $150,000. As for the purchase of warships, they seem rather disinterested. The final vote may take place next week."
"Thank you for the update, Mr. Dupont," Talleyrand replied nonchalantly as he closed his book. He thought to himself, Just as the Prince had predicted, getting these stingy, penny-pinching Americans to part with their money isn't easy. Looks like I need to approach that 'Founding Father' congressman—what was his name again?
He fished a notebook out of his pocket, where the Prince's instructions were meticulously recorded.
"Alexander Hamilton," he found the name and looked up at Dupont. "Could you arrange a meeting with Mr. Alexander Hamilton for me?"
"Of course, Archbishop Talleyrand."
That afternoon, in a private residence in Philadelphia, Talleyrand was able to meet with Alexander Hamilton, the "Founding Father" leader whom the Prince had mentioned.
Yes, it had been five years since America won its independence in 1783, yet the country still hadn't formally established itself. The so-called federal Congress was merely a symbolic leadership body, with actual matters being decided by the legislatures of the thirteen states. The country was essentially in a state of anarchy.
The congressmen of the thirteen states were divided into two factions: the Founding faction and the status quo faction. Though a constitution was drafted last year, setting the direction for establishing the country, the latter group continued to obstruct the process.
After some initial pleasantries, Talleyrand sighed and said seriously, "Mr. Hamilton, to be honest, I find America's current situation quite unfortunate."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Hamilton asked.
"The people of the thirteen states made great sacrifices to finally win their independence, yet America remains fragmented, without a unified government to lead it."
Hamilton paused, deeply agreeing with Talleyrand, and nodded. "You're absolutely right! Those congressmen only care about their immediate interests and accuse those who want to establish America of promoting 'tyranny' and 'dictatorship!' Just look—right now, the federal Congress doesn't even have the authority to collect a single tax."
Talleyrand nodded in agreement. "A loose and weak collection of thirteen states has no deterrent power, which is why even Mediterranean pirates dare to harass you. At this rate, it won't be long before Native Americans, Canadians, or even Caribbean pirates start targeting you."
Hamilton clenched his fist tightly. "And the federal congressmen keep preaching about the 'dangers of centralization'... I think they're just afraid of losing their power in the state legislatures. If it hadn't been for Shays' Rebellion scaring them, America would still be under the Articles of Confederation[Note 1]! Look at the world—all strong countries have strong governments. They also have strong leaders, like…"
The words "King of France" almost slipped out, but he couldn't bring himself to tell such an obvious lie. After a brief pause, he continued, "Like in Britain, France, or Austria. If America had a king right now, it wouldn't be long before we could shake off our current state of poverty and backwardness!"
Talleyrand spread his hands. "It's unfortunate, but the federal Congress still needs to strengthen its authority before you can have a proper government."
Seeing Hamilton's frustration, Talleyrand's eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief. "Only in the face of a powerful enemy can there be internal unity. Speaking of which, there's an opportunity right now to boost the authority of the federal Congress, but your congressmen don't seem to care."
"Oh? What opportunity is that?"
"Purchasing warships to join the French Navy in fighting the Barbary pirates!"
Seeing Hamilton's confused expression, Talleyrand quickly explained, "The warships would belong to the federal Congress. Imagine the headlines after the pirates are defeated—'The French helped us fight the pirates' versus 'Our warships sailed to the Mediterranean to defeat the pirates.' Which one do you think would do more to bolster the American people's confidence in the federal Congress?"
Hamilton's eyes lit up at once. Exactly! A victorious campaign abroad would be the perfect way to strengthen national unity, even if the enemy was just a bunch of pirates.
Those short-sighted congressmen were actually considering rejecting the proposal to purchase warships!
No! The warships must be purchased—this is the perfect opportunity to push for the establishment of the American government. The more ships, the better, and they must ensure that an American ship sinks a pirate vessel.
But then, the thought of the costs brought him back to reality. "Archbishop Talleyrand, to be honest, the federal Congress might really struggle to come up with the tens of thousands of dollars needed for two frigates."
Whenever American merchant ships were captured by pirates, the states would pool money to ransom the crew, but they were unwilling to contribute even a penny to the federal Congress during peacetime.
"Well…" Talleyrand pretended to think for a moment, "perhaps I can find a way to help."
"Oh? Are you saying France could offer a loan?"
"Not exactly," Talleyrand leaned back in his chair. "I could try to persuade the French government to accept cotton in exchange for the warships. But you should know, if the funding for the anti-pirate campaign isn't handled properly, it'll be difficult for me to advocate on your behalf."
Hamilton, eager at the prospect of acquiring warships without spending money, didn't hesitate. "You can count on me. I'll rally all the Federalists and push the proposal through as soon as possible."
"That would be ideal."
Talleyrand then added, with a hint of mystery in his voice, "And if I could help reduce the tariff on American cotton imports, would that interest you?"
"Absolutely!" Hamilton nodded immediately. Cotton was a major American export, and increasing exports to France would bring in significant revenue.
Talleyrand smiled brightly. "However, it won't be easy. I'll have to navigate quite a few diplomatic channels..."
"Of course, we wouldn't want to trouble you without compensation. How much would this 'assistance' cost?"
"Hmm, around $4,000," Talleyrand replied with a wide grin.
In reality, both the idea of using cotton to pay for the ships and increasing American cotton imports were part of Joseph's predetermined policies. To promote the textile industry, a steady supply of raw materials was essential. But here, these policies became bargaining chips in Talleyrand's hands.
Hamilton, however, agreed without hesitation. "Let's do it, Archbishop Talleyrand. I'll immediately apply for a special appropriation."
With Hamilton and the Federalists, or as Joseph called them, the "Founding Party," working diligently, all the proposals regarding the anti-pirate campaign were approved within three days. Thanks to Hamilton's efforts, Congress even decided to trade cotton for three frigates.
After Talleyrand signed a series of agreements with Jefferson and pocketed his $4,000 fee, he happily set sail for Russia. Along with him, in the ship's hold, were 15,000 Charleville Model 1763 flintlock muskets.
The Americans had been quick to provide the weapons. After their independence, they had disbanded tens of thousands of militia members, leaving a large number of weapons idle in warehouses. They figured they might as well use them to repay their debt to the French.
In the Lorraine province of France, in the city of Toul, Marat sneered as he looked at the vast estate before him, complete with a cream-colored mansion that resembled a small castle. "So, this is what they call exile? If only all the poor in France could be 'exiled' like this."
He had always despised dealing with bureaucrats, but for the sake of the French people, he resolutely stepped forward and rang the copper bell at the gate.
Before long, inside the cream-colored mansion, a well-groomed nobleman in his fifties smiled at Marat and gestured for him to sit. "It's cold out; have some hot cocoa to warm up. Oh, I've been away from Paris for so long that I hadn't heard of the Public Integrity Office. Please forgive my ignorance. What brings you all the way here?"
Marat glanced at the cup before him but didn't touch it. He preferred the pure bitterness of coffee, which jolted his mind, to the sticky sweetness of cocoa.
"Viscount Calonne, I'm here to ask if you could provide me with any information regarding Mr. Jacques Necker's embezzlement."
Calonne was visibly taken aback, but he quickly resumed sipping his cocoa, replying calmly, "I'm not sure what you mean. However, Mr. Necker is generally considered an honest man…"
"There's no need to hide anything," Marat said, pulling out a stack of papers and placing them next to the tea tray. "These are copies of documents from his time as Director-General. Many of the loans he approved are suspicious, especially the first one he arranged after taking office—the interest rate was clearly too high, and the bank he dealt with had personal ties to him. And there's this one and this one…"
Calonne glanced at the papers, shook his head, and said, "I've been out of politics for too long; I can't make sense of these anymore. If you believe there's something wrong, continue your investigation. Why come to me?"
He then looked at the stern-featured servant standing by the door, who bore some Germanic characteristics. "Fred, is something wrong?"
"Oh, Mr. Marven wanted to ask what you'd like for dinner," the servant replied.
Calonne waved his hand dismissively. "The usual will do."
"Yes, sir."
After the servant left, Marat turned back to Calonne. "Although I suspect these loans involve embezzlement, it's challenging to find evidence, especially since these events happened over a decade ago. Take this 5 million livre loan, for example. While the interest rate is high, Necker can still come up with excuses to justify it. If you could share what you know, I could immediately send this embezzler to prison!"
Calonne studied Marat for a moment before giving a slight smile. "I remember now. You're that famous journalist who often criticizes government policies."
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then you must know what kind of man Mr. Necker is. I truly don't know anything more."
Half an hour later, with no useful information obtained, Marat grabbed his hat and prepared to leave.
As he gestured toward the cocoa on the table, Calonne said, "Gentlemen, these are top-quality cocoa beans. Don't let them go to waste."
Marat, in a fit of stubbornness, gulped down the cup's contents, surprised to find it didn't taste as he expected. It was rich, creamy, and sweet, with a generous amount of sugar—something he couldn't usually afford.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Marat nodded and left Calonne's mansion with his assistant.
On the rural road, Evans looked back at the cream-colored building, dejected. "It seems like we came all this way for nothing."
Marat frowned and shook his head. "I don't think Vals gave us the wrong lead. But why wouldn't Calonne tell us?"
"Those corrupt bureaucrats are all in it together. He must have taken bribes from Necker and is trying to protect him!"
"But Vals said their feud runs deep… Maybe Calonne just doesn't trust us. We should come back tomorrow."
…
At dusk, by the orchard of Calonne's estate, the German-looking servant Fred stood beside a coal wagon, speaking softly to the "coal hauler" on the cart. "That man pulled out some documents about Mr. Necker's loans, saying there was something wrong. It sounded like one of the loans, for 5 million livres, had a high interest rate or something."
"Marat?" The "coal hauler" mused. "That name sounds familiar… Isn't he with that new Public Integrity Office?"
The Lorraine region was rich in coal, and people used it for heating. Coal miners had a hard time transporting coal to different places, giving rise to the coal hauling trade, which could be found everywhere.
Fred nodded. "Yes, Calonne also mentioned that office."
The "coal hauler" narrowed his eyes. "Could it be they've uncovered something about Mr. Necker? What else did Calonne say to them?"
"I was sent away, so I didn't hear much. But they talked for over half an hour."
A cold glint flashed in the coal hauler's eyes. "So, they might know something… Where are they now?"
"Fredrick followed them to Old Vance's Inn."
The coal hauler waved him off. "All right, you can go back now."
"Yes, Mr. Ehrlich."
When Ehrlich returned to a rundown house in the city of Toul, he found two burly men lounging on a bed. He sternly ordered, "Get up, we've got work to do."
The two men, who had been sleeping like logs moments earlier, immediately sprang up, quickly lacing their boots and retrieving short swords and pistols from the cracks by the bed, tucking them into their clothes.
[Note 1]: The Articles of Confederation differed from federalism. Under the Confederation, the thirteen states were united in name only, each maintaining its sovereignty. In contrast, federalism involves sharing political power between the states and a central government, with the federal government having authority over the states and the ability to mobilize resources across them.
End of Chapter
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