Auguste Demesmay, the ‘salt MP’, during the debates in the Chamber of Deputies from 1845 to 1847 on the salt tax

 

Philippe-Auguste Demesmay (Pontarlier, 1805 – 1853) was a Member of Parliament for the Doubs during the July Monarchy, the Second Republic and the Second Empire, as well as mayor and sub-prefect of Pontarlier. A fierce opponent of the salt tax, he was nicknamed the ‘salt MP’.

Eight works in their first editions on the campaign he waged in the Chamber of Deputies from 1845 to 1847, during the debates on the salt tax.

Each volume is bound in a uniform style, with a beige Bradel-style cardboard binding and a printed title label on the upper cover. The set is housed in an ecru canvas slipcase with a grey calfskin title label; the interior features two nested compartments lined with mouse-grey velvet. There are foxing spots and a few quires that have uniformly browned; there is a small pale stain on the slipcase.

 

The set includes:

1. Nécessité d’une réduction de l’impôt du sel. [The need for a reduction in the salt tax]. Paris, Librairie agricole de la maison rustique, 1845. In-8°. 39 pp.

 

The text is dated Paris, 15 April 1845. The ‘Table showing variations in the tax, market price and consumption of salt’ is included in the text.

2. Discours prononcé par M. Demesmay, député du Doubs, dans la discussion de la proposition tendant à réduire l’impôt du sel à 2 décimes par kilogramme. Séance du 26 mai 1846. [Speech delivered by Mr Demesmay, Member of Parliament for the Doubs, during the debate on the proposal to reduce the salt tax to 2 décimes per kilogramme. Sitting of 26 May 1846].Paris, Panckoucke, 1845. In-8°. 23 pp.

From the Moniteur Universel, 27 may 1845.

3. Nouvelles Considérations à l’appui de la réduction de l’impôt sur le sel. [New Considerations in Support of Reducing the Tax on Salt]. [Paris], Imprimerie E. Duverger, [1845]. In-4°. 7 pp.

The text is dated Pontarlier, 15 December 1845. Offprint from the Journal d’Agriculture pratique et de Jardinage. Folded.

4. [Memorandum]. Effets probables de la réduction de la taxe de la consommation du Sel en France d’après les documens opposés par l’Administration aux conclusions du rapport de la commission nommée par la Chambre des Députés. [Probable effects of the reduction in the tax on salt consumption in France, based on the documents submitted by the Administration in response to the conclusions of the report by the committee appointed by the Chamber of Deputies].[Paris], Palis, autograph from the Chamber of Deputies, [1846]. In-folio. 182 pp. ; 32 pp.

A rare document. As Palis was the Chamber’s contractor for hand-copies and autographs, he produced private prints for use by Members of Parliament. The copies, printed in cursive and bearing the MP’s printed signature, were used during debates in the House. Demesmay’s Memorandum, pp. 1–182, is dated in Paris. Having reviewed further reports, the Member of Parliament drafted a 32-page supplement on 12 April. This is preceded by a note, probably in his own hand, written in black ink: « Suite du mémoire sur les effets probables de la réduction de l’impot du sel d’après les documens fournis par le gouvernement. [Continuation of the report on the likely effects of reducing the salt tax, based on documents provided by the government.] ».  

Repeated red imperial seal.

5. Du Projet de loi réduisant à 10 cent. par kilogr. l’impôt sur le sel adopté le 23 avril dernier par la Chambre des députés. [On the Bill reducing the tax on salt to 10 cents per kilogramme, passed on 23 April by the Chamber of Deputies]. Paris, Librairie agricole de Dusacq, 1846. In-8° de 64 pp.

Of particular note are the details regarding salt consumption and prices in various European countries. Documents dated Paris, 15 and 20 June 1846, and London, 18 June 1846.

6. Opinions des hommes politiques, des savants, des agronomes et des agriculteurs, sur l’utilité du sel pour les plantes et pour les animaux […] en réponse au rapport présenté à la Chambre des Pairs par M. Gay-Lussac, sur le projet de loi réduisant à 10 c. par kilogramme l’impot du sel, adopté le 23 avril dernier par la Chambre des Députés. [Views of politicians, scientists, agronomists and farmers on the usefulness of salt for plants and animals […] in response to the report presented to the Chamber of Peers by Mr Gay-Lussac on the bill reducing the tax on salt to 10 centimes per kilogramme, which was passed on 23 April last by the Chamber of Deputies].Paris, Librairie agricole de Dusacq, 1846. In-8°. 61 pp.

Text dated Pontarlier, 15 November 1846. Printed by J. Bonvalot in Besançon.

7. Développements de la proposition relative à la réduction de l’impôt du sel. [Developments regarding the proposal to reduce the salt tax]. Paris, Librairie agricole de Dusacq, 1847. In-8°. 140 pp.

8. Impôt du sel. Documents nouveaux. Allemagne, – Angleterre, – Suisse, – Belgique, – France. [Salt tax. New documents. Germany, – England, – Switzerland, – Belgium, – France]. Paris, A. Henry, 1847. In-8°. 148 pp.

Although there is an exceptional set of work on the subject, d’Aligny cites only his book entitled Un mot sur la question du sel [A Word on the Salt Question], published by Panckoucke in 1860.

1 700 €