Litchfield enquirer., 1830-10-07


 not done him credit. He is a native of Bayonne, and was born of humble pa- rentage in 1768. He early went to Paris, and entered the house of Petregaux as their book keeper. His great ability as Q hnancier promoted the interest of that es- tablishment as well as his own. He grad- ually rose in favor with the principal men in office, and was made Judge of the Tribu- nal of Commerce tn 1913, and Governor of the Bank in 1914, by the provisional government in the place of Jaubert. He retained his situation until 1920, when he was displaced. He chad received some dis- tinguished proofs of confidence in the i'm terim from the mercantile interest of Paris. In 1915, when it became necessary to withdraw the French armies beyond the Loire, in compliance with the acquisitions of the second equalization of the city, no money was to be had without drawing from the bank, to the great injury of it's credit. La Fitte came forward at the cri- sis with generosity and patriotic feeling unheard famong modern money changers: he advanced about $42O, ,OOO out of his own pocket, and saved the Parisians from the hard alternative which would have fol- ] lowed noncompliance with the treaty. In 1916 he wrote famous report on the state of the bank, and developed the beau- tiful simplicity o: its operations, fine contrast to the mystery, pretensions, we had almost said charlatanry of similar in- stitutions aspiring to political influence un- der our own eyes. In 1916, he was elec- ted Deputy by the electoral college of hn SnSn nd tant member of the Chamber. From that time to the present he has retained his seat, and we perceive, in the Journal of De- bates, that he has not hesitated to express his opinions fearlessly on all the subjects coming up for discussion.
 When Napoleon abdicated for the second time, about five million of francs were de- posited with La Fitte for his benefit. The Emperor told him he believed he was an honest man, although he had been opposed to his government, and he should not take any receipt for the sum. So too, when Louis 10th was obliged to depart from Ghent, he made La Fitte his banker, for a considerable amount, which Napoleon on his return had the moral feeling to leave untouched in his hands.
 
 frs, part of this sketch, as being unfavora- ble to him as this La Fitte refused to pay over to the Emperor's legatees the amount in his hands bequeathed in his will, and a law suit was of necessity commenced by some of them to obtain their rights. We have an idea that some compromise has been made, but the first refusal to pay O. yer the sacred deposit, discredited him with all honorable men. We have never heard of any satisfactory reason for La Filte's singular conduct.
 An explanation is given in another pa- per, which places the character of La Fitte in this affair in a perfectly fail light.
 NO.IX.
 DUvERNET MoUToN, COUNT DE LoBAu.
 Some doubt has prevailed, we under stand, as to the identity of the Count Some writers suppose he is the Drouot who so admirably defended himself before court martial instituted for his trial by the restored Bourbons. But as has been correctly stated in cotemporary journal, his real name is Mouton, (not George. how ever, but Duvernet,) and he commenced his career in the storms of the French Rev. olution.
 His eminent talents and services were rewarded with rapid pronaotion. He was soon made Brigadier General, and aid- du-camp to the Emperor, in which char { acter he was in almost every battle and eyory march of the "petit corpotaI." It is said that he was one of his most sincere and ardent friends, and merited tho confidence that was placed in him. We are informed that he became in 1907 q gem eral of division, saw service in the war of the peninsula, aud afterwards in Germany and Russia. .
 After the disastrous battle of Leipsic, the subject of this sketch was sent to the city of .Magdeburg, fortified town upon the Elbe, where he remained until the close of the war. He appears to have been quiet until the return of Napoleon from Elba. And here we cannot but ob- serve that the temporary quiet which fol- lowed tbe introduction of the allied armies into France was no evidence of public Sentiment, and if persons ofimpartial jndg- ment have not long since looked with dis- gust at .the false inferences drawn by Sir Walter Scott in his life of Napoleon, from these and similar circumstances. differences which were violently made to prove that the Bourbons were the favorites of the people. they must nOw be undeceived by inc recent occurrences in France. Count De Lobau was unquestionably affected by