Papers of John Adams, volume 15

From Francis Dana, 29 September 1783 Dana, Francis Adams, John

From Francis Dana

Dear Sir Elsineur Septr: 29th. 1783. N.S.

I have already advised you of my determination to return to America. In pursuance of that I sailed in the Ship Kingston Capt: 307Norwood, from Cronstadt for Boston, on the 28th. of August O. Stile.1 We arrived here yesterday afternoon in good order, having been twenty days from Cronstadt, eight of which we lay in the Baltic harbour, about 60 Leagues from thence, wind bound. We shall sail from hence as soon as the wind will permit us. We touch in at some port in the channel, Portsmouth if practicable. Shou’d we have a rough passage from hence ’tis not improbable I may spend the Winter in England, chiefly with my brother,2 as We find on our arrival here, that the Definitive Treaties were concluded on the 2d. & 3d. of this month.3 and I am still that miserable wretch on the Seas you have seen me to be. I was not made for that unstable element, and we shall probably arrive on our Coast in the most dangerous season of the year. If I shou’d stop in England over the winter I will write you from thence for I do not expect you will suddenly return to America. If the information of the Gazettes which I read at St: Petersbourg may be depended upon, you are destined for the Court of London, but I doubt this from what you wrote me about your return.4 However we may be disposed of let us not forget each other. I beg you to remember me affectionately to Mr: Thaxter & your Son, and to believe me to remain with the most sincere and unalterable attachment your much obliged Friend and most obedient humble Servant

FRA DANA

P.S. I have all your Son’s things with me— Mr: Allen is my fellow passenger & desires to be remembered to you & the family

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excelly: John Adams / Minister Plenipotentiary of the United-States.”; endorsed: “Mr Dana / Septr. 29. 1783.”

In several letters written at the end of July, Dana indicated that he would be sailing on the Duchess of Kingston’s yacht (from Dana, [29 July], note 9, above). The Kingston reached Boston on Saturday, 13 December. However, the Boston Gazette of 15 Dec. reported that “Saturday [13 Dec.] arrived here the ship Empress of Russia in 91 days from Petersburgh (Russia) but last from the Downs, in 55 days— In her came passengers the Hon. Francis Dana, Esq.; Minister from the Congress of the United States of America, to the Court of Petersburgh, and Mr. Jeremiah Allen, of this town, merchant.” The vessel was in the Downs, a roadstead in the English Channel off Deal, England, on 15 Oct., when Dana wrote to his brother Edmund (MHi:Francis Dana Letterbooks, Private, 1782–1784). Note that in a portion of AA’s 7 Dec. letter written on the 13th, she says that Dana arrived on the 12th ( AFC , 5:277). The vessel’s identification—repeated in the 18 Dec. Boston Independent Chronicle—as the Empress of Russia is puzzling, but any explanation would be purely speculative in view of the official report of vessels entering or clearing the port of Boston in the 22 Dec. Boston Gazette that identified the ship as the Kingston, Capt. Norwood, from St. Petersburg.

Dana’s brother was Rev. Edmund Dana (1739–1823), a Harvard graduate and vicar of Wroxeter in England. He had gone to England in 1763 to study medicine, but after his marriage to Helen, daughter of the 6th Baron Kinnaird, he took up the ministry ( Sibley’s Harvard Graduates , 14:414–418).

That is, the Anglo-Dutch preliminary 308treaty was signed on 2 Sept. 1783, while the definitive treaties between Britain, France, Spain, and the United States were signed on the 3d.

It is impossible to know what reports Dana had seen, but considering the date of his departure from St. Petersburg, they might have been similar to the erroneous one appearing in the 5 Aug. London Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser. There it was reported that “Mr. Adams is arrived in London on the part of the American Congress; he will not, for some time, be introduced at St. James’s in his Ministerial capacity; but will appear in that situation immediately after the ratification of peace.”

To Charles Storer, 11 October 1783 Adams, John Storer, Charles

To Charles Storer

Dr: Sir Auteuil Octr: 11. 1783

I have rec’d from Mr: Ridley, some Letters from home and a Newspaper.—

My Son wrote you Sometime ago, that I was ill, and desired you to come to me— I have written you Since that I had altered my Plan both these Letters may be sent you from London, where untill Mr: Ridley rec’d your Letter of the 6. october from St: Quentin I supposed you were1

Mr: Thaxter is gone home. He sailed from l’Orient in the Packet the 26 of September with the definitive Treaty. I propose to go to London, the Week after next—how long I shall stay there I know not— I have been brought very low by another nervous Fever, and remain so weak that I can scarcely hold my Pen. a Journey to London will at least divert my mind, I hope it will recover my Health. We have rec’d Information from Congress that a Commission is to be sent to Me, Mr: Franklin and Mr: Jay to make a Treaty of Commerce with G: Britain, and I have written to the Ladies to come to me, but whether I shall receive them at the Hague or at Paris, I know not. Mrs: & Miss Adams, will Satisfy their Curiosity, by taking a Voyage; Staying in Europe, about Six Months and then returning with me, to a Philosophic Solitude.—2

Congress have done me great Honour, and given me compleat Satisfaction— I have no longer any Thing to complain of and am I believe as happy a Man, notwithstanding the Weakness of my Nerves, as the Sun shines on. My late Fever, Although it brought me down very low, has been I am perswaded of great Service to me; and I shall enjoy better Health in Consequence of it.

As to my future Destiny, I am perfectly indifferent, whether I go home, or whether I stay here, or whether I go to Holland again, to which I have no Objection except on Account of my Health— These Things are entre nous.

With great esteem your most obedient Servant.

309

P.S. I cannot advise you to regulate your movements by any Consideration of mine— If you continue your design of going to Italy, you will not have a better Season than the present. or if you pursue, your present Plan of Studying French at St. Quentin you will do well. My Life is still to be, as it ever has been without a Plan Waiting one year, one Month, one Day, to learn what is to be my Fate the next. The blue Hills are my last Resource.

LbC in JQA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address by JQA, “Mr: Charles Storer”; and, by JA, “aux Soins de Monsieur Brisac / Negotiant, a St. Quentin Picardie.”; APM Reel 107.

JQA’s letter was of 23 Sept. (from Storer, 15 Oct, below), but neither that letter nor JA’s has been found, nor has Storer’s 6 Oct. letter to Matthew Ridley been found.

JA wrote to AA on 14 Oct., informing her of his illness and his plans to go to London. There he wrote, “I have only to repeat my earnest Request that you and our Daughter would come to me, as soon as possible” ( AFC , 5:255–256). For his initial request, made immediately after he received word of the proposed commission, see his letter to AA of 7 Sept., same, p. 236–238.