Adams Family Correspondence, volume 11
r.1796.
Your favor of the 13th came to hand on the 26th. by which I find that you had not determined on the time of your departure or the Rout you should persue, tho you say you should prefer that by way of England if you are permitted & a Passage in a Neutral Vessell could be obtaind to carry you to your destination;1 I donot know the propriutory or Impropiutory of your comeing this way, therefore I will not venture an opinion on the case, but should you fix on this rout you need not be under any apprehentions of meeting with Neutral Vessells to convey you when you want to go as many are continually going back & forward. It is true, I do know the motive of your wishing to come this way & I should not act candid if I was not to tell you, that I wish it & that before the Month of March as I find it absolutely necessary for me to quit this for Amica either in that
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Month or early in April! for unless I go to Amica soon I may loose every thing that I have been labouring for during my life & leave my Family unprovided for & even unprotected, on meeting I can explain more to you & you will also have an opportunity to confer & make such arrangements as may tend to your future happiness & relieve me from a doubt whether my Child is to go with me or not2
I had receved previous to your letter, an Official communication from Mr. King, that the Directory of France, had come to the determination not to molest our Flag, I wish this Country would act with the same moderation; but they cannot help every now & then takeing some of our Vessells.—
By the latest Accounts from Amica we find that the opinion of the People is altered. it is now generally beleived that the President will be reelected & that he will serve the Office,3 it will be productive of one good & which is the prevention of a struggle for the Seat.— Dr. Nichol & Mr. Anstic are the Commissions appointed on the part of this Governmt to Settle the claims for our Captured property, the Commissions have advrtized to meet on the 10th. of next Month to do business & they tell me that they have hopes of finishing the whole in Eighteen Months, I much wish they may but I have my doubts—4 I am now looking out for an opportunity to send you the Books Mr. Hall left with me and as soon as I can meet with one they shall be forwarded—5
Mr. Bourne had wrote me that he had determined on postponeing his Visit to Amrica this Year & informed me of his Intentions to carry on Business at Amsterdam, I have a very high respect for this Gentleman & when I get fixt in Amrica shall do my best endeavors to serve him—
It is with much pleasure that I can inform you that Mrs. Johnson & all the Ladies are well, they Join in Affectionate Compliments to you; with every Sentiment of regard I am / Dear Sir / Your Affecte. Freind
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “John Q. Adams Esqr. / Minister Resident from the / U. S. A. / Hague”; endorsed by TBA: “Joshua Johnson Esqr. / 30 Septr: 1796 / 12 Octr Recd: / 14 Do Ansd:.”
In his letter to Johnson of 13 Sept., JQA reiterated that it was unlikely he would depart for Portugal until the following spring but that it was his desire to travel via London, if permitted. Because it would be impossible for him to take passage in a British vessel, he asked Johnson if American or other neutral vessels regularly traveled between England and Portugal and when they would depart. JQA also passed along the news that Sylvanus Bourne had delayed his tour of the United States (Adams Papers).
For Johnson’s business dealings in London and subsequent financial failure, see LCA, D&A, 1:3, 36, 50–54, 86–87.
Johnson may have read the rumor of George Washington’s continued service in the London Bell’s Weekly Messenger, which on 11 Sept. reported, “A letter from Philadelphia, dated July 22, states the probability of General Washington continuing the Presidency of the United States, nothwithstanding his recent determination to the contrary, provided he is re-elected.”
Britons John Anstey and John Nicholl were appointed to the five-man commission established under Art. 7 of the Jay Treaty, which was to determine property damages that resulted from maritime seizures. The American representatives to the commission were Christopher Gore and William Pinkney. Col. John Trumbull was then chosen to be the fifth representative by the other four. The commission opened for public business on 10 Oct. and, after periods of interruption, finished on 24 Feb. 1804, having ruled on more than 500 claims that ultimately awarded $11,650,000 to American claimants and $143,430 to British claimants (John Bassett Moore, History and Digest of the International Arbitrations to Which the United States Has Been a Party, 6 vols., Washington, D.C., 1898, 1:316–322, 341–344).
On 12 July 1796 JQA had written to Joseph Hall requesting him to purchase Samuel Johnson’s Works of the English Poets, 75 vols., London, 1790. Further qualifying his request, JQA asked, “As this purchase is for one of my friends here, and not for myself, I wish the set may be very neat and handsome,” “handsomely bound, gilt, lettered &ca:” (LbC, APM Reel 128). In a letter of 2 Sept. Joshua Johnson informed JQA that Hall had delivered the books but that he would hold them until JQA’s return, to which JQA replied on 13 Sept. asking instead that the books be forwarded to him (both Adams Papers).
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th1796
After waiting with extreme anxiety I recieved my friend your very short letter of the 12th Inst which afforded me both pleasure and pain: it has realized an apprehension I had lately entertained, I knew not why of your having erroneously supposed me dazzled with what you stile rank. Permit to say that having always been taught to consider domestic happiness alone permanent I am and sincerely hoped to have remained a stranger to pomp.
I have hitherto from a point of delicacy declined mentioning your public situation at least my opinion of it lest you might have considered it as offering the guidance of my weak judgement and next that you might not in any degree have been biassed through your much valued esteem for me. Yet have I frequently wished to persuade you to relinquish every station that detained you from your friends and Country.
True my Sex is esteemed fond of parade so that you may probably be inclined to doubt the truth of this assersion if such are your sentiments allow me however anxiously to await your return to America where I shall be happy to prove that you and not your rank engross my every wish.
386Now suffer me to offer you my most affectionate thanks for your candor in indulging me with an opportunity of an eclaicissement so requisite to our mutual happiness.
Respecting the dangers incident to my Voyage many of which you wish me to suppose inevitable, many more as possible you advise me to weigh well the matter which I am to do by contemplating the dark side (pleasing admonition) however I have availed myself of it and painted the scene gloomy as possible. but with you at the head find every idea of danger vanish.
Be assured I shall always be ready to return with you to private life and no fortune nor shall I need a previous preparation to induce me to consider rank itself an object of no consequence
Convinced of your affection and in the constant hope of soon hearing from you I with pleasure subscribe myself your tenderly attached
RC (Adams Papers).