Pierre-Joseph PROUDHON, imprisoned, fights for his release.

Pierre-Joseph PROUDHON (1809.1865)

Autographed letter signed.

One octavo page on letterhead of La Voix du Peuple.

Paris, La Conciergerie, June 10, 1851 – 4 o’clock.

Imprisoned in the Conciergerie, Proudhon fought for his release.

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“Citizen Duchy, I have just been informed of the arrival of Mr. Gauthier the younger. I expect his visit tomorrow, Wednesday. In any case, I will request leave for Thursday the 12th, in order to meet with you again after seeing him, and to enter into concrete proposals , if necessary, as I hope. Let me know your availability for Thursday; and if your affairs permit, come to the Conciergerie sometime tomorrow: perhaps I will have already seen Mr. Gauthier, and I will have something positive to tell you. Yours cordially, PJ Proudhon. ”

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During the Second Republic, Proudhon developed his activities as a journalist. With the help of his secretary Alfred Darimon, he was involved in the creation of four newspapers: Le Représentant du Peuple (February 1848 – August 1848); Le Peuple (September 1848 – June 1849); La Voix du Peuple (September 1849 – May 1850); Le Peuple de 1850 (June 1850 – October 1850).

These newspapers were all condemned and successively suppressed. Known for his relentless and vehement criticism of government policies, Proudhon was sentenced in March 1849 to three years in prison and a fine of 3,000 francs for one of his pamphlets published in the newspaper Le Peuple. The Assize Court found him guilty of the following: " Incitement to hatred and contempt for the government of the Republic; attack against the Constitution; attack against the law and authority of the President; incitement to civil war. " Imprisoned on June 5, 1849, at Sainte-Pélagie, he was not released until June 3, 1852.