Papers of John Adams, volume 17
I have recd your Letter,1 and am very Sorry that I ever thought of giving you any Trouble about my Books and Secretaries. it must be a great deal of Vexation to you and Madam Dumas, from which you will both be glad to be relieved. I have written to Lotter before to come with the Things, and therefore I beg you would give yourself no Trouble about them.— I want them all as soon as possible.
But the most Serious Thing is the offence taken by any Member of the States. This really hurts me, for nothing was ever farther from the Thoughts either of me or my Masters than the least disrespect or Failure of positive Respect. As long as my Heart beats it will beat with the sentiments of Esteem and Affection for that Country, and with Respect for their H. Mightinesses.— My Successor is not arrived nor my Letter of Recal, and therefore I could not take Leave, and yet my orders were so express and the Business here so Serious, I assure you, that I was obliged to come here. My Regards as usual.
RC (DLC:Dumas Papers); internal address: “Mr Dumas.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 107.
JA indicates in his endorsement of Dumas’ 7 June letter, above, that he replied to it on 13 June, below. However, this letter is almost certainly also a reply to the 7 June letter. This seems likely because JA also wrote on this date to Christian Lotter, below, and to the consortium, for which see the letter to Lotter, and note 2. Both of those letters, as does this one, indicate that C. W. F. and Marie Dumas were to be relieved from any further involvement in the packing of JA’s goods for transport to London. The 10 June letters to Lotter and the consortium both responded to Lotter’s own letter of 7 June complaining that Dumas and his wife were interfering with the packing, which he believed was his own responsibility.