Papers of John Adams, volume 18

From John Adams to the Board of Treasury, 26 January 1787 Adams, John Board of Treasury

To the Board of Treasury

Gentlemen— Grosvr. square January 26. 1787.

In compliance with your Directions, I do myself the honor to inclose to you, a List of all the Draughts of money, which have been 561 made by me, whether on a public or private account since the first day of August 1785. Sometime ago, I transmitted to Mr. Barclay according to the Resolutions of Congress, all my Accounts up to that Day,1—after the Examination he made a settlement of them and transmitted them as I suppose to Congress— I should be happy to be informed whether they have been receivd and whether they are approved— I shall transmit in the same manner to Mr. Barclay, according to those same Resolutions of Congress which are still in force, all my remaining accounts, from the same first of August 1785. for his Examination & Settlement as soon as he returns to Paris—but if he should embark for America from Spain, I shall lay my accounts before Congress, or Your honourable Board, upon my return to America which if my Life & Health remain to me, will certainly be at the expiration of my present Commission to this Court if not before—

You will perceive Gentlemen that Mr. Lamb has drawn more than 3000£ for the purpose of his unfortunate mission & Mr. Barclay more than 4000£ for his fortunate one—

I have been obliged to concur in opinion with messrs: Willinks & Co. of the necessity of paying off the Gratifications in Amsterdam in Cash, & the measure has had an happy effect— Those Gentlemen will no doubt write you the particulars

With great respect &c

J. A—

LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Honle: Board of / Treasury of the U. states—”; APM Reel 113.

JA listed debits of 263, 769 livres and credits of 412, 028 livres, for an amount due him of 148, 285. The board said, however, that 113,000 of that was “unaccounted for,” leaving JA due a balance of 35, 258 livres (PCC, No. 138, I, f. 13–21).

JA retained a more comprehensive set of accounts, dated 31 May 1785 – 1 April 1788, in his Letterbooks (APM Reels 107, 124) and on loose sheets (Adams Papers, filmed at 1 April 1788). Aside from accepting the mounting bills sent by the Barbary agents Thomas Barclay and John Lamb, JA regularly charged 210 guineas a month in this period for “Salary and Disbursements for the United States.” Beyond covering his travel needs, the American minister’s other expenditures involved setting up the legation office, such as a £44.13 charge made on 24 May 1786 to equip JA and WSS with “Stationary, Books and Copying Press for the Bureau.” For the details of JA’s accounts as approved by the board, see Foreign Ledgers, Public Agents in Europe, 1776–1787, DNA:RG 39, Microfilm, Reel 1, f. 267.

From John Adams to the Marquis of Carmarthen, 27 January 1787 Adams, John Carmarthen, the Marquis of

To the Marquis of Carmarthen

My Lord Grosvenor Square Jan. 27. 1787

Last night, I received the Card your Lordship did me the Honour to write me Yesterday, inclosing a Petition, to the Right Honourable 562 the Lords Commissioners of his Majestys Treasury, from John Hales, relative to Sixteen Chinese Seamen who are alledged to have informed Mr. Hales that they came from India in the Hyder or Hydrea Captain Clark belonging to the United States of America, to Ostend where they were discharged and caused to take Passage to London in hopes of obtaining a Passage to their own Country.1

All these Allegations my Lord are very Surprizing to me, having no Knowledge of any Such Ships as the Hyder or Hydrea, or of any Such Person as Captain Clark.

Humanity, My lord requires that the unhappy Men Should not be left to Suffer, but as I have no Knowledge, Information or Instructions concerning them, I have no Authority to do any Thing for their Relief.

There is Reason to apprehend, My Lord that there is some Mystery in this Business, which it will be for the Interest and Honour of both Countries, to clear up: for which Reason, I shall do my self the Honour to transmit Your Lordships Note and the Memorial to Congress, that the Truth of the Facts may be Searched to the Bottom and such Measures taken as the Interests of Humanity, as well as the Honour and Interest of both Countries require.

With great Respect I have the Honour / to be, my Lord, Your Lordships most / obedient and most humble servant

John Adams

RC (PRO:FO 4, State Papers, vol. 5, f. 51–52); internal address: “The Right Honourable / The Marquis of Carmarthen &c &c &c.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.

JA accurately summarizes Carmarthen’s 26 Jan. letter and, in part, its enclosed 13 Jan. petition from John Hales to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury (both Adams Papers). In addition, Hales, a victualler, indicated that he had previously lodged East India seamen for the East India Company and had requested assistance from the company in this case but had been denied. He also wrote that he had solicited JA for assistance but that too had been denied, presumably for the reasons given in this letter. In his 27 Jan. letter to John Jay enclosing copies of Carmarthen’s letter and Hales’ petition ( Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789 , 2:732–733), JA mentioned reports that British merchants were seeking American merchants so as “to metamorphose a British into an American bottom, to trade to the East Indies.” This information likely came from Hales, for in a 2 Feb. letter (same, 2:736), he indicated that he was responding to JA’s request and identified the metamorphosed ship as the Hydra owned by a Charles Champlin of Rhode Island. In his 31 July report on JA’s letter and its enclosures, Jay indicated that while the cases of the Chinese seamen and the fraudulent use of American ships in the East India trade were of concern, Congress could do little, if anything, in either case ( JCC , 33:444–445).