Papers of John Adams, volume 18
I have received, the Letter you did me, the Honour to write me, on the Sixth of June, with the Ratification of the Treaty with Prussia. As the Term limited, is near expiring, I Shall go over to Holland or Send Col Smith, to make the Exchange1
Mr Penn, a Member of the House of Commons, whose Character is well known in America and in England as a Steady Friend, to our Country will be the Bearer of this, and will be able to acquaint you with the present Disposition of this Court and Nation, and I believe his Information altho a British Subject and Senator will not be materially different from mine.2
I cannot but lament from my inmost Soul, that Lust for Paper Money which appears in some Part of the United States: there will never be any Uniform Rule, if there is a Sense of Justice, nor any clear Credit public or private, nor any Settled Confidence in publick Men or Measures, untill Paper Money is done away.
It is a great Satisfaction to me, to learn that you have recd in my Letter of the fourth of March the Answer of this Court to the Memorial respecting the Posts. As that is a Dispatch of more importance than all others you have recd from me, I Shall be anxious to know your Sentiments upon it. You will not expect me to answer Lord Carmathens Letter,3 nor to take any further Steps concerning it untill I shall receive the Orders of Congress.
I wish for the Instructions of that August Body concerning a Requisition in their Name for the Negroes. Whether I am to demand Payment for them; at what Prices; and for what Number.
With great Regard I have the Honour / to be &c
RC (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 343–344); internal address: “Mr Secretary Jay.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.
For JA’s visit to the Netherlands, in part to exchange ratified copies of the Prussian-American treaty with the Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Thulemeier, see John Adams Visits the Netherlands, 3 Aug. – 6 Sept., Editorial Note, below.
Richard Penn (ca. 1734–1811), grandson of William Penn and former lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, was elected to Parliament in 1784 from Appleby and served continuously for that constituency and others until 1806 (Namier and Brooke, House of Commons
). JA had met Penn when he attended the first Continental Congress in 1774 at Philadelphia. Although Penn did not support the American cause, he did have some sympathy for the American claims and was charged by Congress with carrying the 1775 Olive Branch Petition to England. Since arriving in England, JA had seen Penn numerous times. Penn reached New York City in mid-Sept. 1786, but nothing is known of his visit or whether he conferred with Jay (vol. 3:70–71; JA, D&A
, 2:140, 151; 3:179;
AFC
, 7:13, 16, 21, 24;
DAB
; Boston Independent Chronicle, 28 Sept.).
Of 28 Feb., above.
Paul Randall Esqr, who has been with Mr Lamb to Algiers will have the Honour to deliver this Letter. in order to lay before Congress the earliest Information of all that has come to his Knowledge, in the Course of his Journeys and Voyages he proposes to return, without loss of Time to New-York. He has conducted, as far as I can judge, with Prudence and Fidelity, and has merited a Recommendation to Congress.
His Salary, will be paid him by Mr Lamb if arrived in New York, out of the Monies remaining in his Hands. Mr Lamb has drawn upon me for Three Thousand two hundred and twelve Pounds twelve Shillings Sterling, and his Bills for that sum have been accepted and paid. He will account with Congress for the Expenditure of it, and pay the Ballance into their Treasury. Mr Randal was at some Small Expence for Cloathing, which it will be but reasonable to allow him.2
There are, it Seems, at Algiers, one and twenty Prisoners taken on board the two American Vessells. Mr Lamb has left Some Money for their Benefit, but however anxious they may be to be redeemed from Captivity, there is reason to fear, that all that Money will be expended before they obtain their Liberty, in which Case they will probably write to me for more. I should therefore be happy to receive the Instructions of Congress, whether I may be permitted to relieve them and how far, or whether they must be left to the Care and Expence of their Friends in America. if the last Should be the
405
Determination of Congress, I should think it will be necessary that Some publick Advertisement Should be made that those Friends may know their Duty according to their Abilities. The Provision that is made, for the Subsistence and Cloathing of Captives either by the Government or their Masters is Said to be very inadequate to their Comfort and Necessities.
With great Respect and regard I have the / Honour to be, dear Sir your most obedient / and most humble Servant
RC (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 347–350); internal address: “His Excellency John Jay, Secretary of State / for the Department of foreign Affairs.”; endorsed: “Letter 31 July 1786 / Mr Adams / Read 18 Sept 1786.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.
On this date Thomas Barclay wrote to JA, enclosing a copy of his 30 July letter to Jay (both Adams Papers). In his letter to Jay, Barclay announced the completion of his treaty with Morocco; in his letter to JA, Barclay indicated that he had spent $3,500 since his arrival in Morocco and was about to depart Mogador (now Essaouria) for Tangier. WSS enclosed copies of both letters in his 18 Sept. letters to Jay and Thomas Jefferson (
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 3:48–49; Jefferson, Papers
, 10:393).
Paul R. Randall reached New York on or about 18 Sept., for on that date Jay wrote to Congress, enclosing this letter carried by Randall (PCC, No. 80, III, f. 73–74). Randall’s salary remained unpaid in Sept. 1788 when Congress received his memorial, which it referred to the Board of Treasury. The board authorized the payment of $700 to Randall on 2 June 1789, which was finally resolved on 23 Jan. 1790 with a warrant drawn on the U.S. Treasury (
JCC
, 34:506, 507; Hamilton, Papers
, 13:42).