Garnier, Joseph-Clément, French economist and politician (1813-1881). Autograph letter signed.

€ 350,00

Interesting letter to the economist and Minister of Finance Léon Say, criticizing the corruption trial against the economist and director of the École d'Auteuil, Menu de Saint-Mesmin and the role of the Prime Minister Armand Dufaure and his Minister of Public Instruction William Henry Waddington in this affair. According to Garnier, there was nothing behind the allegations and he calls the trial a "crying injustice", apparently in opposition to Dufaure and Waddington who "must be challenged". Garnier also relates the general opinion among the audience and the lawyers that the court of appeal would have acquitted Saint-Mesmin: "J'ai suivi l'affaire de Saint-Mesmin. Il n'y a rien dans ces prétendus détournements d'étoffes et autres objets. Le partage des remises n'est pas prouvé du tout. C'est une perfidie et une criante injustice sur laquelle M. Dufaure et Waddington doivent être défiés. Il n'y avait qu'un avis dans l'auditoire et parmi les avocats, c'est que la cour d'assises aurait acquitté sans hésitation. Le plaidoyeur M. Allow [?] a été très net, très clair et très concluant. Saint-Mesmin a eu l'heureuse chance de retrouver des notes convaincantes [...]".

According to Le Figaro of 7 May 1876, Saint-Mesmin was condemned to 2 years in prison and a fine amounting to one-fourth of the embezzled sum. Despite Garnier's criticism of Dufaure and Waddington with respect to the trial, Léon Say, who served in several of Dufaure's governments, and Garnier himself were close to them.