Collection Summary
Edmond Charles Genet
Papers
1734-1895
(bulk 1789-1793)
1734-1895
(bulk 1789-1793)
MSS22079
Genet, Edmond Charles,
1763-1834
35,000
items
53 containers plus 1 oversize
21.2 linear feet
41 microfilm reels
French
English
German
Collection material in
French and
English with
German
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
French diplomat and
first minister of the French Republic to the United States. Correspondence
written and received during Genet's diplomatic service in Russia and the United
States; also legation accounts, extracts from English newspapers, notes
relating to England and America, scientific papers, a memoir prepared by his
son, Geo. Clinton Genet, and other descendants, and printed material.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Clark, George Rogers, 1752-1818--Correspondence.
Clinton family.
Clinton, DeWitt, 1769-1828--Correspondence.
Clinton, George, 1739-1812--Correspondence.
Dana, Francis, 1743-1811--Correspondence.
Genet family.
Genet, Edme Jacques, -1781--Correspondence.
Genet, Edmond Charles, 1763-1834.
Genet, Geo. Clinton (George Clinton)
Izard, Ralph, 1742-1804--Correspondence.
Michaux, André, 1746-1802--Correspondence.
Monroe, James, 1758-1831--Correspondence.
Montbarey, Alexandre Marie Léonor de Saint Mauris, prince de, 1732-1796--Correspondence.
Noailles, Jean-Louis-Paul-François, duc de, 1739-1824--Correspondence.
Osgood family.
Sartine, Antoine de, comte d'Alby, 1729-1801--Correspondence.
Vergennes, Charles Gravier, comte de, 1719-1787--Correspondence.
Subjects
Diplomatic and consular service, French--England.
Diplomatic and consular service, French--Russia.
Diplomatic and consular service, French--United States.
Political science.
Science.
Places
England--Foreign relations--France.
France--Foreign relations--England.
France--Foreign relations--Russia.
France--Foreign relations--United States.
Russia--Foreign relations--France.
United States--Foreign relations--France.
Occupations
Authors.
Diplomats.
Provenance
The papers of Edmond Charles Genet, French diplomat and first
minister of the French Republic to the United States, were obtained by the
Library of Congress through gift and purchase, 1918-1955.
Processing History
The papers of Edmond Charles Genet were arranged and described in
1964. The finding aid was revised in 2009.
Transfers
Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other
custodial divisions of the Library. Newspapers have been transferred to the
Serial & Government Publications Division. Broadsides have been transferred
to the Rare Book and Special Collections Division. All transfers are identified
in these divisions as part of these papers.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Edmond Charles
Genet is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Edmond Charles Genet are open to research. Researchers
are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Microfilm
A microfilm edition of these papers is available on forty-one reels.
Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division concerning
availability for purchase or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the
originals, researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container or reel number, Edmond Charles Genet Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1763, Jan. 8
Born in France
1777
Secretary to his father in the Bureau of Interpretations,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1780
Student, Gressen and Berlin, Germany
1780
1781
Served in secretariat of Baron de Breteuil, Vienna, Austria
1781
1783
Assumed offices held by his father
1783
Acting secretary, French legation in England
1787
Sent to French embassy, St. Petersburg, Russia
1789
Chargé ďaffaires, French embassy, St. Petersburg,
Russia
1792
Expelled from Russia
Appointed French minister plenipotentiary to the United
States
1793
Arrived at Charleston, S. C.
Toured eastern United States
Recalled from United States
1794
Purchased a farm on Long Island, N.Y.
Married Cornelia Tappen Clinton
1800
Moved to a farm in Rensselaer County, N. Y.
1814
Married Martha Brandon Osgood
1834, July 15
Died
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Edmond Charles Genet (1763-1834) span the years
1734-1895, with the largest concentration of material between 1789 and
1793.
Edmond Genet's brief career as the French Republic's first minister
to the United States, and his earlier diplomatic assignments in London and
Saint Petersburg, are documented in the first two series of the collection.
Genet's early career and education are described in a series of letters from
Genet's father, Edme Jacques Genet, and other members of his family, together
with draft replies by Genet, dated between 1776 and 1781. Of special interest
are several letters of Ralph Izard addressed to Genet, dated 1778-1779, while
the latter was chief of the interpreter's bureau at Versailles. Genet's St.
Petersburg mission is represented by material in this collection that is not
available in the archives at Leningrad. The correspondence series also includes
many letters and drafts from officials of the various French ministries,
letters relating to the Clinton and Osgood families, and commissions and
diplomas, some of which are signed by the kings of France.
Aside from the series of news abstracts prepared by Genet as part of
his official duties, a good portion of the remaining notes, drafts, and essays
reflect Genet's interest in political theory and scientific research. There
also are newspaper clippings, accounts of legation and secret expenses, memoirs
by Genet's son, Charles, and miscellaneous papers.
In addition to the above mentioned letters of Edme Jacques Genet and
Ralph Izard, the following are prominent correspondents in the collection:
George Rogers Clark, DeWitt Clinton, George Clinton, Francis Dana, André
Michaux, James Monroe, Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, Antoine Raymond
Gabriel de Sartine, Jean-Louis- Paul Francois, duc de Noailles, and Alexandre
Marie Léonor de Saint-Mauris, Prince de Montbarey.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in ten series:
-
[
General
Correspondence I, 1756-1895
](gencorres1)
-
[
General
Correspondence II, 1761-1821
](gencorres2)
-
[
Copies of
Letters, 1740-1823
](copoflett)
-
[
Diplomatic
Despatches, 1740-1792
](dipdes)
-
[
Speech, Article, and Book File, 1734-1824
](speeartboofile)
-
[
News File,
1764-1787
](newfile)
-
[
Newspaper
File, 1776
](newpapfile)
-
[
Expense
File, 1792-1794
](expenfile)
-
[
Miscellany,
1792
](miscell)
-
[
Oversize,
1792
](overs)
Container List
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 14,286
Container
Contents
1-19
1-10
General
Correspondence I,
1756-1895
1756-1895
Letters sent and received, extracts from diplomatic despatches,
notes, drafts and other papers of Genet and the Genet family.
Arranged chronologically.
1
1
27
Oct. 1756-15 Jan. 1771
27
Oct. 1756-15 Jan. 1771
2
1
8
Feb. 1771-25 July 1778
8
Feb. 1771-25 July 1778
3
2
26
July 1778-13 Jan. 1780
26
July 1778-13 Jan. 1780
4
2
21
Jan. 1780-12 Sept. 1781
21
Jan. 1780-12 Sept. 1781
5
3
22
Sept. 1781-19 Aug. 1783
22
Sept. 1781-19 Aug. 1783
6
3
29
Aug. 1783-31 Dec. 1789, undated
29
Aug. 1783-31 Dec. 1789, undated
7
4
15
Jan. 1790-20 Sept. 1792
15
Jan. 1790-20 Sept. 1792
8
4
26
Sept. 1792-16 Apr. 1793
26
Sept. 1792-16 Apr. 1793
9
5
17
Apr.-16 June 1793
17
Apr.-16 June 1793
10
5
17
June-18 Aug. 1793
17
June-18 Aug. 1793
11
6
19
Aug.-1 Oct. 1793
19
Aug.-1 Oct. 1793
12
6
2
Aug.-7 Nov. 1793
2
Aug.-7 Nov. 1793
13
7
8 Nov.-31 Dec. 1793
8 Nov.-31 Dec. 1793
14
7
1793, undated-23 Jan. 1794
1793, undated-23 Jan. 1794
15
8
24
Jan. 1794-5 Apr. 1795
24
Jan. 1794-5 Apr. 1795
16
8
14
Apr. 1795-27 Mar. 1799
14
Apr. 1795-27 Mar. 1799
17
9
30
Mar. 1799-15 Apr. 1816
30
Mar. 1799-15 Apr. 1816
18
9
28
Oct. 1816-18 Sept. 1895, undated
28
Oct. 1816-18 Sept. 1895, undated
19
10
Undated
Undated
20
10
General
Correspondence II,
1761-1821
1761-1821
Letters sent and received, extracts from diplomatic despatches,
notes, drafts and other papers of Genet and the Genet family.
Arranged chronologically.
20
10
1761-1797, 1821
1761-1797, 1821
21
11
Copies of Letters,
1740-1823
1740-1823
Transcripts of letters to and from Edmond Charles Genet, his
father, Edme Jacques Genet, and his son, Charles.
Arranged chronologically. Filed separately are French transcripts
of several John Paul Jones letters, 1780-1781.
21
11
1740-1823
1740-1823
22-37
12-15
Diplomatic Despatches,
1740-1792
1740-1792
Official instructions and extracts to and from Genet, his father,
Edme Genet, and others. Also a small amount of correspondence, copies of
diplomatic drafts, maps and notes.
Arranged by origin of despatch and thereunder chronologically.
22
12
Saint Petersburg,
Russia
22
12
1740-1783
1740-1783
23
13
1784-1788
1784-1788
24
13
1789
1789
25
14
Jan.-Aug. 1790
Jan.-Aug. 1790
26
14
Sept.-Dec. 1790
Sept.-Dec. 1790
27
15
Jan.-June 1791
Jan.-June 1791
28
16a
Jul-Dec. 1791
Jul-Dec. 1791
29
16
1792
30
17
Miscellaneous and
undated
31
18
Miscellaneous and
undated
32
18
Miscellaneous and
undated
33
19
Constantinople, Turkey,
1763-1791
1763-1791
34
19
Sweden,
1776-1791
1776-1791
34
19
Vienna, Austria,
1789-1792
1789-1792
35
20
London, England, and Hague,
Netherlands
35
20
1761
1761
36
21
1762, 1776, 1790-1791
1762, 1776, 1790-1791
37
22
Berlin, Germany, and Danzig,
Poland,
1775-1777
1775-1777
37
22
Berlin, Germany and St.
Petersburg, Russia,
1789-1790
1789-1790
37
22
Berlin, Germany,
1791
1791
37
22
Hamburg, Germany,
1789-1790
1789-1790
37
22
Santa Domingo,
1789-1792
1789-1792
38-46
23-34
Speech,
Article, and Book File,
1734-1824
1734-1824
Numerous articles, essays, and notes prepared by Genet with
special emphasis on the natural and political sciences. In addition, a
compilation of the history of the Genet family (called memoirs) from Edme to
Edmond Charles Genet edited by Edmond Charles from notes and drafts left by his
father.
Arranged by type of writing.
38
23
Scientific papers
39
24
1769-1778
1769-1778
39
24
Undated
Undated
40
25
Undated
Undated
41
26
Studies relating to England and
the English Constitution,
1766-1770, undated
1766-1770, undated
42
26-27
Essays on American politics,
1783-1787, undated
1783-1787, undated
43
28
Notes relating to America,
1782-1783, 1786, undated
1782-1783, 1786, undated
44
28
Speeches,
1824, undated
1824, undated
44
29-30
Memoirs
44
29-30
Books I-IX, XII-XIX
45
31-32
Drafts,
1734-1798 (with gaps)
1734-1798
46
33
Fragments
47-49
35-37
News File,
1764-1787
1764-1787
Extracts from English newspapers as well as précis of events in
Great Britain and America abstracted from newspapers and personal
observations.
Chronologically arranged.
47
35
London, England, news
abstracts
47
35
1783-1785
1783-1785
48
36
1787
1787
48
36
American news abstracts,
1783-1787
1783-1787
49
37
Extracts from British newspapers,
1764-1775
1764-1775
49
37
Miscellaneous extracts,
1765, undated
1765, undated
50
38
Newspaper File,
1776
1776
Newspaper clippings from contemporary newspapers relating to
America and its war for independence.
50
38
Clippings from various
newspapers,
1776
1776
51
38
Expense File,
1792-1794
1792-1794
Receipts, declared accounts, and personal and official expense
vouchers of Genet and others while he was minister plenipotentiary to the
United States. Also a small quantity of expense accounts incurred by secret
agents of Genet working in the southeastern United States.
51
38
Legation accounts, secret
expenses,
1792-1794
1792-1794
52-53
39-40
Miscellany,
1792
1792
Mainly newspaper clippings, fragments of letters, undated notes,
drafts, extracts, and reports.
52
39
Miscellany
53
40
Miscellany
53
Passport,
1792
[
See
Oversize
](seeovers)
1792
OV 1
Oversize,
1792
1792
Passport.
Arranged and described according the series and container from
which it was removed.
OV 1
Miscellany
OV 1
Passport,
1792 (Container 53)
1792