BANCEL (Jean-Baptiste, François, Désiré). - Lot 29

BANCEL (Jean-Baptiste, François, Désiré). Born in Lamastre (Ardèche) in 1822—died in 1871. French lawyer and politician, Montagnard representative for the Drôme, Radical deputy for Lyon. Autograph letter signed “D. Bancel,” addressed to a “Dear colleague and friend.” Lamastre, August 29, 1869. 4 pages, in-8 format, on mourning stationery. An important and lively political letter in which Bancel warmly recommends his young colleague Antonin Dubost for the position of editorial secretary. He paints a glowing portrait of him, emphasizing his intelligence, work ethic, and punctuality, as well as “the political zeal of his youth tempered by a sound and keen sense of business.” The letter continues with a particularly delightful discussion of contemporary political life, in which Bancel vividly mocks his opponent Émile Ollivier, ridiculing his speeches and his “agricultural metaphors.” The tone, free-spirited and biting, reveals a seasoned polemicist who blends irony and political observation in a highly personal style. A document of great interest, both for the political history of the late Second Empire and for the early career of Antonin Dubost, future President of the Senate, presented here in his early days. Autograph signature.