Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 15

To Robert Morris

From Cotton Tufts
To Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 5 July 1783 Adams, John Staphorst, Nicolaas & Jacob van (business) Willink, Wilhem & Jan (business) La Lande & Fynje, de (business)
To Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje
Gentlemen, Paris July 5th. 1783.

I have signed & Mr Grand will this day forward, the two thousand & three Obligations you sent me, which compleats the 5003.

Inclosed is a Copy of Mr. Morris’s Letter to you of 30. of April 1783, & Mr. Grand’s original Letter to me of this day’s date. The 84Circumstances are such as to make it necessary you should comply with Mr. Morris’s Orders as soon as possible by furnishing to Mr. Grand all the Succour in your Power,1 having Attention to the Credit you have given to Mr. Dana & the other Expences incurred already, which I mentioned in a former Letter.2

I have the honor to be, Gentlemen / your humble Servt.

LbC in John Thaxter’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Messs. Willinks, / Van Staphorsts / & / De La Lande & Fynjé”; APM Reel 108.

 1.

Although JA does not mention receiving it, the paragraph to this point is likely a response to the consortium’s letter of [ca. 1 July], above, asking for JA’s guidance regarding remittances to Ferdinand Grand. JA here provides that guidance, but no copy of Grand’s letter to him has been found. The enclosed letter from Robert Morris to the consortium, however, may be that dated 29 April. There Morris wrote that “Mr. Grand will I beleive stand in Need of funds and therefore I am to request that you make Remittances to him as great as your Funds will admit.” For their information he indicated that he had drawn on them bills totaling f300,706 (Morris, Papers , 7:758–760). See also the consortium’s reply of 7 July, below.

 2.

JA had requested the credit for Francis Dana in his letter to the consortium of 13 May (LbC, APM Reel 108). For that letter and the consortium’s assurance that they would provide the needed funds, see their letter of 22 May, vol. 14:486–487.