Papers of John Adams, volume 12
1782-03-22
Our Good friend Dumas beggd that I would inform Your Excelency of this—L’Emissaire P W devait partir hier pour Amsterdam. Il n’en a rien fait. Il est encore ici. Je crois et d’autres aussi que ce n’est pas Ce dis promis.1 Others Say however Confidentally that he has gone.
We have very Satisfactory tidings from Rotterdam and Dort. They are in motion at Utrecht. As I expect Some Gentn with me I am prevented from going out but hope to pay Your Excellency my respects to morrow meanwhile I am with very great respect & great hurry Your Excellencys most obt hb St
Leendert de Neufville’s handwriting at best is difficult to read. This is particularly true of the French passage, which has been rendered by the editors as accurately as possible. The passage reads: The emissary Paul Wentworth was supposed to leave yesterday for Amsterdam. He did not. He is still here. I believe, as do others here, that it is not the said promised one. Because Dumas indicated in his letter of 20 March to JA, above, that Wentworth had left The Hague that day, his communication to Neufville was probably on the 21st.