Papers of John Adams, volume 18

From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 July 1786 Adams, John Jefferson, Thomas

To Thomas Jefferson

Dear Sir London July 3. 1786.

Yours of the 23 of June is come to hand, with a Copy of Mr Lamb’s of 6 June from Aranjuez.1

There is no Intelligence from America of Armies marching to take the Posts from the English. The News was made as I Suppose against the opening of the Three Per Cents, and it had the intended Effect to beat down the Stocks a little.2

Altho the Posts are important, the War with the Turks is more So. I lay down a few Simple Propositions.

1. We may at this Time, have a Peace with them, in Spight of all the Intrigues of the English or others to prevent it, for a Sum of Money.

2. We never Shall have Peace, though France, Spain, England and Holland, Should use all their Influence in our favour without a Sum of Money.

3. That neither the Benevolence of France nor the Malevolence of England, will be ever able materially to diminish or Increase the Sum.

4. The longer the Negotiation is delayed, the larger will be the Demand.

From these Premisses I conclude it to be wisest for Us to negotiate and pay the necessary Sum, without Loss of Time. Now I desire you and our noble Friend the Marquis, to give me your opinion of these four Propositions. which of them do you deny? or doubt? if you admit them all do you admit the Conclusion? Perhaps you will Say, fight them, though it Should cost Us a great Sum to carry on the War, and although at the End of it We should have more Money to pay as presents. if this is your Sentiment, and you can perswade the southern States into it, I dare answer for it that all from Pensylvania inclusively north ward, would not object. it would be a good Occasion to begin a Navy.

at present We are Sacrificing a Million annually to Save one Gift of two hundred Thousand Pounds. This is not good Œconomy.— We might at this hour have two hundred ships in the Mediterranean, whose Freight alone would be worth two hundred Thousand Pounds, besides its Influence upon the Price of our Produce, our Farmers & Planters will find the Price of their Articles, Sink very low indeed, if this Peace is not made. The Policy of Christendom has made Cowards of all their Sailors before the Standard of Mahomet. It would 373 be heroical and glorious in Us, to restore Courage to Ours. I doubt not We could accomplish it, if We should set about it in earnest. But the Difficulty of bringing our People to agree upon it, has ever discouraged me.

You have Seen Mr Randall before this no doubt, if he is not fallen Sick on the Road.

This Letter is intended to go by Mr Fox. The Chev. De Pinto’s Courier unfortunately missed a Packet, which delayed him and consequently the Treaty a Month. The Queen his Mistress, as I wrote you a few Days Since, has given orders to her Squadron cruising in the Streights to protect all Vessells belonging to the United States. This is noble and Deserves Thanks.

Accept the Sincerest Assurances of Esteem and / Affection from dear sir your most / obedient

John Adams

Mrs Adams having read this letter finds it deficient in not having added her best respects to mr Jefferson and Sincere thanks for his petitions.3

RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); addressed by WSS: “His Excellency / Thoss. Jefferson”; internal address: “Mr Jefferson.”; endorsed: “Adams John.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.

Although the copy of John Lamb’s letter enclosed with Jefferson’s 23 June letter to JA , above, is dated 6 June, it was actually of 5 June (Jefferson, Papers , 9:610).

For the report that appeared in various London newspapers on or about 13 June, see Jefferson’s 23 June letter, and note 3, above. The London newspapers for that period do not indicate any significant change in the 3 percent bank stocks.

Postscript in AA’s hand.

From John Adams to Robert Murdoch, 4 July 1786 Adams, John Murdoch, Robert

To Robert Murdoch

Sir London July 4. 1786—

I am no stranger to the case of the unfortunate Alexander Grosse in whose favour You did me the honor to write me your Letter from Dunkirk of the 30th. June,1 I lately received from His Excellency James Bowdoin Esqr Governor of the Massachusetts an Application from the friends of Mr. Grosse, which as I was desired, I communicated to the Comte D’Adhemar, who has transmitted it to the Comte De Vergennes. I since received a Letter from a Captain Green at Rotterdam relative to the subject, which I have transmitted to Mr. Jefferson Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the Court of France—

It is not the Custom, for Governments to redeem hostages 374 excepting such as were pledged by themselves, it is not, therefore in my power nor in that of Mr. Jefferson’s to redeem Mr. Grosse. but in this case the Captors for their own Interest should discharge him, since there is no hope, nor scarce a Probability that the Ransom or any part of it, should ever be paid— it is better to loose what is past, than to add continually to the Loss, although it be but a British shilling a day—

Mr. Grosse would do well to write to Mr. Jefferson at Paris—and desire him to speak to the Ministers at Versailles, and if any thing can be done, with propriety, it will be, nevertheless, I believe that Government will not interfere, unless the Captors should throw upon them the Expence of the Maintenance of the Hostage, in which Case they may sett him at Liberty— The Captors I believe will find themselves obliged to carry this affair to account of profit & loss & poor Grosse himself, must probably sett down 7 Years of his Life as annihlated, it is the fortune of War—

Your

J. A—

LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr. Robert Murdock / Dunkerque.”; APM Reel 113.

Murdoch’s 30 June letter (Adams Papers) is virtually identical to his letter to Thomas Jefferson of the same date (Jefferson, Papers , 10:79–80). But see also letters from James Bowdoin of 10 April and Griffin Greene of 18 June, both above.