Papers of John Adams, volume 14
r.19
th.17821
The Preliminary Articles are only to take place, when France & G. Britain shall have agreed: but as they are not yet published by the British Ministry, it is not proper that We should publish them as yet— Your Dispatch to Mr Livingston, which I recd. Yesterday, I gave to Mr. Franklin who sends it off to day.2
I don't know what to say about Mr. Van Arp's Passport—it is not necessary, if the Vessel carries nothing improper. I will send him one however, depending upon it, that there is no design to send British Manufactures.3
There are curious Transactions passing at the Hague—but I hope they will go no further. If Peace should take place, I suppose they will stop. Whether we shall have Peace or not, I cannot say— By some Intimations that are given out, it looks probable—but one can never be certain of such an Event until it happens.
The King of Sweden has done himself the Honor to be the first Crowned Head, indeed the first Power, who has proposed to the United States a Treaty with them. This however must not be published nor communicated but in Confidence to Friends. You may make my Compliments to Mr. D’Asp, & tell him, that We shall take Care to remember, that his master has been the first to do Us this Honor.4
My best Respects to Mr. Van Berckel, Mr. Gyselaer & Mr. Vischer as well as to your good Family.—
LbC in John Thaxter's hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr. Dumas.”; APM Reel 108.
This letter is a reply to Dumas’ letters of 10 and 12 Dec., both above.
Probably Dumas’ letter to Livingston of 12 Dec. (Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 6:128–130).
Although the passport promised by JA has not been found, in early Jan. 1783 Dumas wrote to J. W. van Arp to state that in consequence of the letter he had received from Van Arp the previous day assuring him that the vessel would carry no English manufactures, he would send the passport (Nationaal Archief:Dumas Papers, Microfilm, Reel 1, f. 479–480).
For Asp's reaction to JA's comments on the Swedish-American Treaty, see Dumas’ first letter of 31 Dec., below.