Papers of John Adams, volume 14
th.1783.
I have recd. the favor of your's of the 3d.—
There is nobody in Europe authorized to give American Papers to any Vessels.— We have given Passports to British Vessels in pursuance of the Articles of the Peace, but British Vessels alone wanted such Protection. Dutch Vessels have no need of them.1
Please to pay off the Accounts which you transmit me, in this Letter of the 3d, take Receipts and charge the whole to my private Account.
As to the Coach, it is repaired as I suppose— I have been long expecting to sign the definitive Treaty, and to return in the Coach immediately. I still hope this will soon be the Case, but cannot be certain. We wait for the Chaos in England to reel into Order.
With great Esteem your Friend.
LbC in John Thaxter's hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Messs. Wilhem & Jan Willink.”; APM Reel 108.
The Willinks wrote again on 17 March (Adams Papers), thanking JA for the information that he had provided and asking whether it was advisable to send ships to 321New York or Charleston. Replying on the 24th (LbC, APM Reel 108), JA indicated that he thought it inadvisable to send ships to those ports because he was uncertain as to whether they had been evacuated.