Papers of John Adams, volume 15
I do myself the Honor to enclose the Copy of a Letter which I have just written to Messrs. Wilhelm and Jan Willink, Nicolaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, De la Lande and Finje.1 This Letter will fully explain to your Excellency the Means I have adopted to bring our Funds into the most speedy Operation. Should the Plan meet your Approbation (which I hope may be the Case) I shall then rely on the Exertion of the great Influence you have so deservedly acquired for carrying it into Effect It will I am sure be as pleasing to you as it can be to me to find that the Disposition of our Country is turning fast towards those Measures of public Justice which can alone render her great and respected. Permit me to participate in the Satisfaction you must feel from Knowing that the honorable Sentiments so well inculcated in your Letters have greatly influenced in promoting that useful Disposition.—
I am Sir with unfeigned Esteem & Respect / your most obedient / and / huml Servant
FC (DLC:Morris Papers); internal address: “His Excelly. John Adams—”
In his letter to the Willinks, Van Staphorsts, and De la Lande & Fynje of 23 Oct., Morris alerted the loan consortium that he had drawn bills of exchange, each worth 250,000 guilders, for three Philadelphia mercantile houses (Morris, Papers
, 8:658–660). Upon receiving Morris’ letter, the consortium and the firm of Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst separately wrote to JA expressing concern about the consortium’s ability to cover the amount and discussing possible steps to be taken to avoid nonpayment (23 and 26 Dec., respectively, below). Those letters were a principal motivation for JA’s decision to go to the Netherlands at the beginning of Jan. 1784; but see also the consortium’s letters of 16 Oct., above, and 2 Dec., below.