The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 75, July 1971 - April, 1972 Page: 250
566 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
right decision. "I tried to include all direct contacts between the
French agents and Texans," writes Profesor Barker. She states:
I reproduced the instructions of the Foreign Ministers virtually in toto,
as they yield fresh information on the policy of France toward the
countries on the American continent. Also, I have included many of the
agents' descriptions of their contemporaries [in order to present] a
sampling of their political and philosophical musings and their awkward
adjustments to life on the frontier.
It is a little presumptuous for one scholar to decide what data an-
other researcher may wish to use. Many Texas newspapers of the days
of the Republic are no longer extant, or, in some cases exist only
in scattered issues. Information from nonextant newspapers may be
important, and what may be thought to be "common" may not
always be common. Individuals differ in their knowledge of a given
subject or situation. Space and cost of publication are, too often,
considerations that must be taken into account by editors and pub-
lishers, and it is unfortunate that the letters or documents could not
be published in their entirety. Readers who want more are referred
to the microfilm copies on file in the Austin Public Library.
Through her lucid, interesting, scholarly, well-balanced, and fully
documented introduction, Professor Barker has placed the correspond-
ence in historical perspective while, at the same time, she has given
the reader the most complete and revealing biography yet published
of Dubois de Saligny (n6 Jean Isidore Alphonse Dubois), who also
went under the name of "A. de Saligny," "A. DuBois de Saligny,"
and "Alphonse de Saligny." Dubois de Saligny was France's secret
agent to Texas in February, 1839, and later her first accredited
charge d'affaires to Texas.
His performance in Texas, and at later assignments in Holland
and Mexico, added no luster to the name he had falsely assumed,
nor did his conduct create goodwill and respect for the government
he represented. Petty in conduct, rude, haughty, violent, imprudent,
and untruthful, a constant complainer of having poor health and of
his alleged poor financial position, Dubois de Saligny engaged in in-
trigues with women, became involved in a ridiculous "Pig War" in
Texas and in Texas politics through his efforts to promote the dubious
and unpopular Franco-Texienne Company, much to the embarrass-
ment of his government. He often neglected his official duties, letting
his personal affairs get in the way of carrying out his public respon-
sibilities; and he was slow to obey instructions, even after repeated250
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 75, July 1971 - April, 1972, periodical, 1972; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101201/m1/262/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.