From “Comte” Julius de Montfort de Prat
als: American Philosophical Society
<Paris, August 19, 1780, in French: I am the innocent victim of a
terrible woman, Mme de Villeneuve. She will not forgive me for
having proposed marriage to her daughter, who is of age and
free to dispose of her fate. She has not ceased visiting Inspector
Brugnière and Commissary Ninnin; unable to destroy me
through civil law they decided to resort to criminal law. They
persuaded a simple and credulous wheelwright named Macon to
pursue me for not having paid for a carriage I purchased, even
though I still have three months to do so, and for signing myself
since my return from America as “Montfort d. P.” instead of
“Prat-Montfort” in order to dupe people. I am even accused of
not having held the rank of major in America, but of having
been a servant. These calumnies resulted in my arrest. Held incommunicado,
I am at this moment finally able to write.
Respectable representative of a nation I served at the price of
great suffering, you will not abandon me in my hour of distress
when my only failing consists in a few debts which I soon will be
able to repay. As to my name, I never hid that I was originally
named Prat. No one can be harmed if I call myself Montfort.
Everyone in our province knows that my father, Jean-Baptiste-Julien
Prat, seigneur du Tour Lavaissiere, avocat at the Parlement
of Toulouse, lived honorably from the income of his estates.
Now that my honor is under attack, I trust you will deliver me
an ambassadorial certificate stating that J. Ant. J. Prat, comte de
Montfort, served with distinction as a captain and a major in the
American army in order that I may use it with the certificate
signed by Secretary of Congress Thomson.
I hear that M. Deane has arrived. He certainly will confirm
the good reputation I enjoyed in America. So too will the letter
from your friend General Roberdeau and so also can testify the
doctor from Philadelphia whom your son would have met had
he been able to dine at my house the day before I was arrested.
You have all the reasons in the world to perform this act of justice.>
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