I have the satisfaction of announcing to you that everything is more or less mended. I say more or less, for it will still be necessary—and the sooner the better—to write the letter in question to Their High Mightinesses where you would present the case. The resolution passed yesterday, as I had the honor to report to you. But today when discussion resumed before it was drawn up, the moderates’ proposition, that an explanation be arranged with me, was revisited. Consequently Mr. Fagel sent for me to request that I pay him a visit at 10 o’clock, which being done, he presented the opinion of Their High Mightinesses, and asked if Mr. Adams, recently accredited to, 171and granted an audience with, His Britannic Majesty, was the same person accredited to them. I entreated him to tell me if he was asking me the question as Mr. Fagel or as the secretary. He said to me: I have orders to ask you on behalf of Their High Mightinesses. So, I said to him: I therefore have a double and triple motive to tell you the truth; here it is in three words: He’s the same. I continued, saying that it was easy for me to vouch for you provisionally, before you did so yourself by a letter to Their High Mightinesses; and thereupon I read to him what you did me the honor to tell me on the subject in your letters from Paris of 11 and 18 May. He was very satisfied with the manner in which you expressed your embarrassment in the two passages, adding: “I did say that Mr. Adams was honest and incapable of breaking with Their High Mightinesses. I pray you extend to him my compliments and assure him of my sentiments of esteem and friendship.” I then read to him the pertinent parts of the memorandum of my earlier postscript, which he approved.1 He said to me then that yesterday he had provisionally written to Mr. Van Lynden to inform him; but that Their High Mightinesses had found it agreeable, instead of drawing up a resolution, to consider the affair ad notam, or in other words, to make it commissorial, if the explanations that I could give them were to be found satisfactory. He did not doubt that they would, if I would provide him with an excerpt of the letters to produce immediately before the assembly. As time was short, and because in any event there was nothing in the two letters which might not be seen by anyone, I chose to entrust the originals to him (of which Mr. Vérac, to whom I related the story, approved).2 He will return them to me. I ran from there to the other end of town in order to apprise the friend from yesterday who was about to leave to appear at the assembly. The consideration pleased him. After dinner, I learned that the settlement ad notam had taken place. Mr. Fagel also told me that the king of Sweden in question was today’s king; the minister by whom he felt offended, Mr. Van Lynden currently in London; and the one who cited the anecdote yesterday in the assembly, his brother Mr. Van Blitterswick.3 He also told me that several hotheads had suggested recalling Mr. Van Berckel.

The proposition from Amsterdam which I told you about, and the terrible memoir of the Comte de Maillebois which came soon afterward, will produce, by all appearances, the establishment of a military department, which will prodigiously diminish certain influences.

The crisis in Germany continues to come to a head. I have just deciphered an interesting letter pertaining to it, but that is strictly between us.

P.S. of 10 June

The secretary, Mr. Fagel, upon returning this morning the two aforementioned letters, told me that the whole affair has been expunged, and that Their High Mightinesses ordered it stricken from the notes. This will render, sir, the letter of civility, which remains appropriate to write, even easier. At the same time, I asked him at the behest of Messrs. Willink, etc., for a passport for your two crates, which they have on hand. He is having it 172sent to me right away, wishing again that I communicate the tokens of his esteem and friendship. He promised me a similar one for your effects here, when they are ready to go, to which we will attend next Monday.4

Grant that the Adams ladies herein find the assurances of the respect for them and for you, sir, of your excellency’s most humble and most obedient servant