Talleyrand a vadnyugaton
Talleyrand in the Wild West

Summary/Abstract: In 1794, the Unites States was not a comfortable place for an emigrant French aristocrat like Talleyrand. George Washington refused to take official notice of Talleyrand’s presence and risk a conflict with the French regime but he met Alexander Hamilton, and had a very high opinion of him. Talleyrand took advantage of the opportunities for making money: he engaged in various land speculations, just like everybody else. He organized a reconnaissance mission to travel north for Maine and scout around for land-purchasing possibilities. They visited other French emigrants, like the La Tour du Pin family. Then they made their way up towards the Lake Oneida. Once they even fancied themselves as beaver hunters. Where other French emigrants, like Chateaubriand, have found material for romantic fantasizing, Talleyrand saw opportunities for profit and economic development.

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