[Ads-l] Quote Origin: It Was Worse Than a Crime; It Was a Blunder

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The 1807 citation below dramatically shifts the identity of most
likely creator of this saying. I now think Antoine Boulay de la
Meurthe should receive credit instead of Joseph Fouché.

[ref] Date: Le 30 Mars, 1807 (March 30, 1807), L'Ambigu: ou Variétés
Littéraires et Politiques (The Ambiguous: or, Literary and Political
Varieties), Number CXLIV (144), Chapitre Premier: Napoléon (Chapter
One: Napoleon), Quote Page 604 and 605, Edited and published by M.
Peltier (Jean-Gabriel Peltier), London. (Google Books Full View) link
[/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=DMg7AQAAMAAJ&q=%22une+faute%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Nous voilà à l'époque du procés du général Moreau, et l'événement plus
funeste encore du meurtre du Duc d'Enghien. Fidele au plan annoncé
dans l'avant-propos de cet ouvrage, on ne se permettra aucunes
réflexions sur ces faits trop remarquables et trop pénibles : on ne
peut se dispenser de citer ici un mot froidement atroce de Boulay (de
la Meurthe) conseiller d'état, à qui quelqu'un disait: je pense que la
mort du Duc d'Enghien est un crime inutile. C'est bien plus qu'un
crime, s'écria Boulay, c'est une faute!
[End excerpt]

[Begin translation]
We have now reached the era of General Moreau’s trial, and the even
more calamitous event of the murder of the Duc d’Enghien. True to the
plan announced in the preface to this work, we shall refrain from
offering any reflections upon these events—too remarkable and too
distressing as they are; yet we cannot forbear citing here a coldly
atrocious remark made by Boulay (de la Meurthe), a Councilor of State,
to whom someone observed: "I believe that the death of the Duc
d’Enghien was a useless crime." "It is far more than a crime,"
exclaimed Boulay; "it is a blunder!"
[End translation]

I just found this citation in my electronic archive. I uncovered it
back in 2018.
Garson O'Toole

On Thu, May 7, 2026 at 2:04 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> In 1804 the Duke of Enghien was accused of aiding Britain and plotting
> against Napoleon. Enghien was found guilty and executed. This rapid
> and brutal action shocked the aristocrats of Europe. Here are two
> versions of a famous response to this event in French and English:
>
> (1) C’est plus qu’un crime, c’est une faute.
> (2) C’est pire qu’un crime, c’est une faute.
>
> (A) It is more than a crime; it is a blunder.
> (B) It is worse than a crime; it is a blunder.
>
> This remark has been attributed to the diplomat Charles Maurice de
> Talleyrand-Périgord, the police chief Joseph Fouché, the magistrate
> Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe, and the military leader Napoleon
> Bonaparte. I received a few requests to investigate.
>
> A match appeared in the memoirs of the French novelist Germaine de
> Staël which were written between 1810 and 1813. De Staël died in 1817,
> and her memoirs were published posthumously by her son. She wrote
> about the death of the Duke of Enghien, and she attributed the saying
> to Joseph Fouché.
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Fouché lui-même blâmait cette action ; il avait dit ce mot si
> caractéristique du régime actuel : « C’est pis qu’un crime ; c’est une
> faute. » Il ya bien des pensées renfermées dans cette phrase ; mais
> heureusement qu’on peut la retourner avec vérité, en affirmant que la
> plus grande des fautes, c’est le crime.
> [End excerpt]
>
> [Begin translation]
> Fouché himself condemned the act; he had uttered that remark so
> characteristic of the current regime: “It is worse than a crime; it is
> a blunder.” There are many thoughts encapsulated within this phrase;
> yet, fortunately, one can truthfully reverse it by asserting that the
> greatest of blunders is crime itself.
> [End translation]
>
> Another match appeared in a journal entry written by Emmanuel, comte
> de Las Cases dated April 1816 in the work “Mémorial de Sainte-Hélène”
> (“Memorial of Saint Helena”). Fouché received credit for the saying.
> In addition, Fouché took direct credit for the remark in his memoirs
> which were published in 1824.
>
> Joseph Fouché is the leading candidate for creator of this saying.
> Talleyrand received credit in 1822. Napoleon received credit in 1844.
> Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe received credit in 1870.
>
> Here is a link to the Quote Investigator article:
> https://quoteinvestigator.com/2026/05/06/crime-blunder/
>
> Feedback welcome
> Garson O'Toole

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