DUPONT DE NEMOURS, PIERRE SAMUEL, 1739-1817; a French statesman and economist, a prolific writer on questions of finance. In 1772, he was secretary of the council of public instruction of Poland. He came back two years afterwards to assist his friend Turgot in the French administration. With Turgot he went into retirement, where he wrote the memoirs of his friend, and translated Ariosto. In 1782, he was employed in constructing the treaty by which the independence of the United States was recognized. Subsequently lie was a member of the council of state, and was appointed commissary-gen. of commerce. During the revolution he favored a constitu tional monarchy, but was compelled to flee when the republicans triumphed. During his concealment he wrote his Philosophy of the Universe. He was found and imprisoned; but as Robespierre's head fell first, Dupont's was saved. He was one of the council of five hundred, and a thorough reactionist. In 1797, his house was sacked by a mob, and he narrowly escaped transportation. Finding France uncomfortable, in 1799 lie and
his family emigrated to the United States. In 1802, he returned, but declined to receive any political office, except that lie was one of the commissioners to arrange the transfer of Louisiana to the United States. Jefferson, whose love of French democratic institu tions was only equaled by his hatred of anything English, requested Dupont to prepare a scheme of national education, which was published in French in 1812. The scheme was never adopted in the United States, but some of its features were embodied in the French code. After Napoleon's first downfall, Dupont became secretary to the provisional government, and on the restoration of the Bourbons, he was made a councilor of state. The return of Napoleon caused him to leave France, and lie spent the remainder of his life with his two sons, powder manufacturers, in the state of Delaware.