Papers of John Adams, volume 13
1782-10-20
Your nation's independence has inspired me to immortalize this great and noteworthy event in a medal commemorating its liberty, and of which I have the honor of sending you the first proof in the hope that it will bring great pleasure to your excellency:1 and it is a personal honor for me to say that I remain with a profound respect, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
For the medal designed and struck by Holtzhey to commemorate Dutch recognition of the United States, see the Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 10, above. C. W. F. 537Dumas enclosed Holtzhey's letter and the medal with a covering letter of 28 Oct. (Adams Papers) that was sent to Paris in the care of a courier from the Duc de La Vauguyon. JA received the medal and the letter on the morning of 2 Nov. and immediately replied (LbC, Adams Papers; JA, Works
, 7:655–656). He thanked Holtzhey for his “ingeniously devised” and “very beautiful” medal and indicated that upon his return to the Netherlands he likely would purchase some to give to friends.