[ Autographs ] PIERRE AUGUSTIN CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS (1732 - 1799) French author, watchmaker and merchant who spearheaded early French covert efforts to supply the Continental Army before France entered the war in 1778. Fine, iimportant content D.S. "Caron De Beaumarchais"1p. oblong legal folio, "Darin", Aug. 20, 1785 in French detailing forthe Continental Congress his advance of 2,400 livres to Baron Friederich von Steuben paying for his passage to North America in 1777in order to assist the Continental Army. Beaumarchais was contracted by the French government in 1776 to provide a covert conduit for weapons, ammunition, and supplies to the United States. Beaumarchais set up a paper company to handle the traffic, with the help of three million livres of loans from France, Spain and private investors who hoped to recoup their investments by the sale of American exports and payments from Congress. Because of conflicting intelligence, the need for secrecy, and fractional bickering in Congress, many assumed that the supplies were simply donated by France and Beaumarchais required no payment. By the end of the war, Silas Deane had figured Congress owed Beaumarchais over 3,600,000 livres. Congress, however, disagreed and put the matter off. Beaumarchais had to resubmit his claims over and over but to no avail. In this particular account, the initial 2, 400 livres had grown to a debt of over 6,000 livres after adding interest between 1777 and 1785. It was not until 1835, 35 years after he was in his grave, that Congress settled with his heirs for 800,000 francs. A great association piece as well as a fine-content historical document. Fine condition.