Papers of John Adams, volume 17
Mr Adams has the Honour to acquaint the Right Honourable the Marquis of Caermarthen, that he is just arrived in Town with Credentials from the United States of America, and desires to be informed at what Hour, he may have the Honour of paying his Respects to his Lordship.1
RC (British Library, London:Leeds Papers); endorsed: “May. 26. 1785. / Mr. Adams.” FC (Adams Papers). LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 111.
Francis Godolphin Osborne, Marquis of Carmarthen (later the 5th Duke of Leeds), served as William Pitt’s secretary of state for foreign affairs from 1783 to 1791. Always an advocate of Britain’s effort to retain its American colonies, he had supported the North ministry until 1780 when he joined the opposition after his dismissal as lord lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire for refusing to oppose the county association movement (vol. 8:371;
AFC
, 6:193;
DNB
). Carmarthen replied to JA’s request on the morning of 27 May 1785, setting the time of his meeting with JA at either one o’clock at his house in Grosvenor Square or four o’clock at his office in Cleveland Row (Adams Papers). JA immediately replied that he would meet Carmarthen at one at Grosvenor Square, and would bring WSS with him (LbC, APM Reel 111). For more on Carmarthen, see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 10, above.