Star.
London, England, 1830-09-27 00:00:00

MONSIEUR JACQUES LAFITTE.

James Lafitte, the newly-elected President of the Freech Chamber of
Deputies, was born at Bayonne, in 1768, of humble parents, and, being
destined for commercial pursuits, he went to Paris at an early age. He
was admitted into the house of Mews. Perregaux, the bankers, in
tt,e capacity of book-keeper; and, after some time, he became partner
with the son, on the death of the elder M. Perregaux. His diligence
ar.d abilities soon promoted the prosperity of that flourishing concern,
which now ranks with the first banking-houses of the capital. Hs um
nominated, in 1613, Judge of the Tribunal of Commerce at Path; and,
in April, 1814, he was appointed Governor of the Bank of Francs, by
the Provisional Govenenent, is the room of Mr. Jaubert, who bad fol.
lowed the Empress Marls Lads to Blois, on the entering of the ankle
into France. He preserved this employment. without my remunera.
tion for his services, tin 1890, "ben be vu removed by the Goverment
of Louis XVIIL inconsequence of his being a friend of liberty. In
the month of May, 181 he was elected, by the mercantile interest of
of
Paris, to the Chamber Representatives. On the second capituledon
of Paris. in July, 1815, when the French Treasury was empty, and an.
able to furnish the neaasary advances for the subsistence of the Preach
army in its retreat beyond the Loire, the most painful consequence
were dreaded from the non-fulfilment of the treaty, or the necessity of
wjaring public credit by drawing supplies from the Bank. In this
emergency M. Lafitte • tinny advanced from his private fortune
the bum of 84,0001. and placed it in the hands of the Minister Mollies,
and thus saved the metropolis from exactions and spoliation. In Ja-
nuary, 1816, he made a report on the Bank of Francs, remarkable for
its perspicuity and precision, in which he proved that in spite of the
warfare trouble, and confusion of 1816, the affairs of the Bank, though
conducted in a city which was the head.quarters of hostile armies, was
in a flourishing condition—its notes were preferred to gold—its
aid was administered to the Government—it discounted to the
amount of 9,000,0001. and secured to the proprietors of its stock
a dividend of six two-fifths per cent. lit. Lane was after-
wards nominated to a commission in the Budget, sad by his
financial talents contributed essentially to restore public credit
in Fiance; and in the month of October, 1816, the Electoral Col-
lege of the department of the Seine chose him for their Representative
in the Chamber of Deputies, where his liberal principles were the
greatest support of the cote gauche and of commerce. Whilst that Le.
gislative Body was occupied with important discussions on the revenue
of France, M. Lafitte displayed his financial knowledge to the House
of and might properly be styled the Hume of the French House
of▪ Commons. At the next general election, in 1817, he had a great
majority in his favour, notwithstanding the set exertions made by the
Ministry to oust him, and to get a Representative of their own party
for the capital, and has ever since held a seat in the Chamber.
During the election of July last be was returned again as their Mem-
ber, notwithstanding all the influence of the Polignac Administration
was aimed against all those Deputies who voted in the majority on the
Budget question. Though a man of immense wealth, he is a warm
friend to the principles of liberty and the freedom of the Press, which be
most strenuously advocated in the Chamber, and showed the impolicy
of the censorship in a free and commercial country as one of the most
tyrannical weapons Ministers could hold. He was one of the first to
protest against the Royal (or imbecile) ordinance of July hat, which
caused the downfall of Charles X. and his oppressive Ministers. On the
meeting of the Chamber after the accession of Louis Philippe I. to the
throne, and the restoration of tranquillity, M. Lafitte was elected Pre.
cadent of that legistalive body, and is considered the great support of
the liberal and commercial interests in France. His daughter is mar.
tied to the Prince of Moskva, eldest son of the ill-fated Marshal Ney,
who war shot at Paris on the 7th December, 1813, conformable to the
royal ordinance of Louis XVIII. on its restoration to the throne.
M. Lafitte was banker to the late kniperor Napoleon, who, at his
death at St. Helena, May 6, 1821, bequeathed a large sum of money,
stated to have been placed in his bands, to procure drafts hi America,
bar , which were never presented. These legacies he refused to pay, sod
the subject is now before the Tribunal; the result is looked to with. the
greatest interest in France.