Papers of John Adams, volume 19
Your favors by Colo. Franks have come safely to hand.1 he will set out from hence the 8th. inst. the packet being to sail from Havre the 10th. I inclose you the copy of a letter lately received from mr̃ Barclay, & of the paper it inclosed.2 in a letter from mr̃ Carmichael is a postscript dated Dec. 25.3 in the following words “since writing the preceding, the Portuguese Ambassador has pressed me to hint that the present moment is favorable to push our treaty with his court.” in the body of the letter he sais “the Ct. d’Expilly has promised me to continue his attention to our prisoners during his stay at Algiers, & I have also engaged the Consul of Spain who remains there on
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his return to take care of them. advances have been made for their support which ought to be refunded.” I suppose that these advances have been made by order of mr̃ Lamb, & that, his powers being at an end, it will be incumbent on us to take measures on that subject.4
the Count de Vergennes is extremely ill. his disease is gouty.5 we have for some days had hopes it would fix itself decidedly in the foot. it shews itself there at times, as also in the shoulder, the stomach &c. Monsr. de Calonnes is likewise ill: but his complaints are of a rheumatic kind which he has often had before. the illness of these two ministers has occasioned the postponement of the Assembly of the Notables to the 14th. & probably will yet postpone it. nothing is yet known of the objects of that meeting. I send you a pamphlet giving a summary account of all the meetings of a general nature which have taken place heretofore. the treaty between Russia & this country is certainly concluded; but it’s contents are not yet known.6 I shall set out for the waters of Aix on the 15th. instant, so that I am unable to say when & whence I shall have the honour of addressing you again. but I take measures for the conveying to me on my road all letters, so that should any thing extraordinary require it, I can at all times be recalled to Paris in a fortnight. I shall hope to hear from you at times as if I were in Paris. I thank you much for the valuable present of your book. the subject of it is interesting, & I am sure it is well treated.7 I shall take it on my journey that I may have time to study it. you told me once you had had thoughts of writing on the subject of hereditary aristocracy. I wish you would carry it into execution. it would make a proper sequel to the present work. I wish you all possible happiness & have the honour to be with sentiments of sincere esteem & affection Dear Sir, your most obedient & most humble servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “H. E. / Mr. Adams”; notation by CFA: “Mr Jefferson. Feby. 6th 1787. / not published.” CFA presumably meant that the letter was not published in Jefferson, Correspondence, ed. Randolph.
These were JA’s 25 Jan. letter to Jefferson as well as signed fair copies of the 25 Jan. letter drafted by JA from the commissioners to Thomas Barclay, and a letter of [27 Jan.] to Sidi Haj Tahar Ben Abdulhaq Fennish, and a report to John Jay of 27 Jan. (vol. 18:557–558, 559, 565–566, 567–568).
Jefferson enclosed Barclay’s 6 Jan. letter to the commissioners, for which see Barclay’s 10 Feb. letter to the commissioners, and note 1, below.
William Carmichael’s letter was of 17 Dec. 1786 (Jefferson, Papers
, 10:606–608).
John Lamb, a Connecticut merchant and shipowner familiar with the North African coast, had been appointed the U.S. agent to negotiate in Algiers but proved inept at the task.
The Comte de Vergennes died of gout on 13 Feb. 1787, thereby delaying the opening of the Assembly of Notables for nine days so that King Louis XVI could mourn “the only friend … the only minister who never deceived me.” Jefferson wrote immediately to JA on
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14 Feb., alerting him that Vergennes’ successor was Armand Marc, Comte de Montmorin de Saint Herem. Jefferson enclosed a letter of the same date for JA to forward to John Jay with the same news (Murphy, Vergennes
, p. 473; Jefferson, Papers
, 11:143, 144).
For the Franco-Russian commercial treaty of 1787, see the Marquis de Lafayette’s 7 Feb. letter, and note 4, below.
Jefferson referred to the first volume of JA’s
Defence of the Const.
JA likely enclosed a copy with his 25 Jan. letter to Jefferson, which was carried to Paris by Lt. Col. David S. Franks (vol. 18:544–550, 557–558).
J’ai Recue, monsieur, avec bien de la Reconnoissance les detaïls que vous avis la Bonté de m’envoïer;2 ils sont alarmans même pour Ceux qui Connoissent l’amerique; ils ne peuvent que paroitre encore plus dangereux à Ceux qui ne la Connoissent pas; on nous dit qué la tempéte s’est appaisée; puissent les sages mesures que prendront le Congrès, les etats, et la Convention de philadelphie Retablir la Confiance, et la tranquillité; les dispositions de la lettre de M. de Calonne à M. jefferson, les demarches que nous faisons pour la franchise d’Honfleur, quelques projets que nous avons pour le debit des ris de Caroline, et l’entrepôt à donner à l’amerique du Commerce de nismes avec les espagnols qui ont Ruiné les fabricans de Cette ville par leur prohibitions, voilà des moïens d’établir dans les etats unis un peu de Commerce et de circulation.3 encouragés le gouvernement par vos depêches: il ne doit s’arrêter, ce me semble, que lorsque par toutes les faveurs possible il aura procuré à la france le debit ou l’entrepôt de toutes les productions Americaines, et si le soleïl des etats unis s’obscurcit pendant quelque tems, il ne paroitra que plus brillant En sortant du nuage puisqu’il s’avance toujours vers son meridien.
le traité de commerce de la france avec la Russie est Signé; le ministre Anglais a été moins Heureux que Segur, et le voyage de Kerson va Renvoïer Bien loin le traité des anglais.4 j’avois du y joindre l’imperatrice à Kiew, mais l’assemblée des Notables me retient ici, peutêtre pour longtems.5 elle est differée par la maladie de Mr̃ de vergennes qui m’inquiete et par celles du garde des sceaux, et de M. de Calonne lui même qui ne sont pas aussi Considerables. j’espere Beaucoup de Cette assemblée qui fait Bien de l’Honneur au Roy et à son ministere; le clol franks vous Remettra un petit imprimé qui n’est interessant que par la liste qui est au Bas. j’aurai soin de vous faire Avoir des nouvelles de la tenüe dont l’ouverture sera, je crois, le quatorze. les affairs de Hollande ne s’arrangent pas encore; celles du
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Capitan pacha en Egipte ne vont pas aussi Bien qu’on l’avoit cru.6 il n’y a point encore de mouvement dans le Corps diplomatique parceque Mr̃ d’adhemar est Retourné en Angleterre. donnés moi, je vous prie, de vos nouvelles, et des nouvelles publiques; les gazettes que vous adresserés à M. Cadran directeur des fermes au Havre7 seront Recües avec Reconnoissance. agrées, je vous prie, mes vœux Bien sinceres pour votre Bonheur, et l’assurance de l’attachement avec lequel j’ai l’Honneur d’etre, Votre trés Humble et obeïssant Serviteur
ou en est M. L’enfant de ses affaires?8
I received, sir, with much gratitude the details that you had the goodness to send me.2 They are alarming even for those who know America. They can only appear all the more foreboding for those who do not know it. We are told that the storm has subsided; may the wise measures which Congress shall take, along with the states, and the Philadelphia Convention restore confidence and peace. The instructions of Mr. Calonne’s letter to Mr. Jefferson, the steps that we are taking toward the liberation of Honfleur, several projects that we have for the distribution of Carolina rice, and the depot to be given to America for the commerce of Nîmes with the Spaniards who have ruined the manufacturers of that town by their prohibitions— these are means toward the restoration in the United States of a little commerce and traffic.3 Encourage the government with your dispatches; it should not stop, in my view, until through all possible means it has procured for France the distribution or depot of all American goods, and if the sun of the United States dims for a period, it will only appear more brilliantly upon emerging from the clouds as it continues to rise toward its zenith.
The French treaty of commerce with Russia is signed; the British minister was less content than Ségur, and the voyage to Kherson will postpone the English treaty for some time.4 I was supposed to meet the empress at Kiev, but the Assembly of Notables keeps me here, perhaps for a long time.5 It has been delayed by the illness of Mr. Vergennes, which worries me, and that of the keeper of the seals and of Mr. Calonne himself, which are not as serious. I expect much out of this assembly that does much honor to the king and his ministry. Colonel Franks will deliver a short publication to you which is interesting only for the list at the bottom. I will be sure to send you news of the proceedings, the opening of which will be, I believe, on the fourteenth. The Dutch affairs are not yet improving; those of the captain pasha in Egypt are not going as well as had been thought.6 There are not yet any developments in the diplomatic corps because Mr. Adhémar has returned to 8 England. I pray you send me public news and news of yourself; gazettes that you address to Mr. Cadran, director of farms at Le Havre,7 will be gratefully received. I pray you accept my most sincere wishes for your happiness, and the assurance of the attachment with which I have the honor to be your most humble and most obedient servant
How have the affairs of Mr. L’Enfant been coming along?8
RC (MH-H:Autograph File); docketed by HA: “A. M. J. Adams.”
This letter is a rare example of Lafayette addressing JA in French, likely occasioned by his intense focus on duties related to preparing for the Assembly of Notables.
Lafayette referred to JA’s 12 Jan. letter alluding to the events of Shays’ Rebellion in Massachusetts (vol. 18:541–542).
For Lafayette’s efforts to promote Franco-American commerce, see same, 18:345–346, 347.
Louis Philippe, Comte de Ségur, had been the French ambassador to Russia since 1785. His efforts to secure a Franco-Russian commercial treaty, signed in Jan. 1787, capped the Comte de Vergennes’ foreign policymaking. Throughout the negotiations, debate circled around two products: French wines and Russian iron. Ségur secured new commercial rights for French merchants and stemmed Russia’s reliance on British goods. The treaty’s terms also addressed maritime rights in war and peace, thereby bolstering French recognition of Russia as a European power. Though the treaty promised a more robust Franco-Russian trade, trade was blocked in the Black Sea region as Russia warred with the Ottoman Empire and political unrest consumed France (Murphy, Vergennes
, 447, 450–454, 458).
Catherine II of Russia, who had recruited Lafayette to collect Native American words for a planned universal dictionary, invited him to Russia in spring 1787. Lafayette canceled the trip in order to attend the Assembly of Notables, and Catherine II grew to dislike Lafayette’s political radicalism (Gottschalk, Lafayette
, 4:269–270, 277).
Cezayirli Ghazi Hasan Pasha (d. 1790) led the Ottoman Navy in July 1786 to Egypt, where he suppressed a Mamluk revolt and restored order. By March 1787, he had consolidated his victory by amassing reinforcements of roughly 22,000 men, and he was reportedly readying eleven warships for a new siege, perhaps against Venice. Instead, the Ottoman admiral departed in October to command forces in the Black Sea during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792, but he was unable to prevent the Russians from capturing and holding the Ottoman fortress of Ochakov (Alexander Mikaberidze, ed., Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia, 2 vols., Santa Barbara, Calif., 2011, 1:240–241; M. W. Daly and Carl F. Petry, eds., The Cambridge History of Egypt, 2 vols., Cambridge, Eng., 1998, 2:84–85; The Gentleman’s Magazine, 57:261 [March 1787]).
Lafayette had written a letter of introduction for Philippe François Cadran to JA on [ca. 10 May] 1785, recommending him as “a very obliging Gentleman for Whom I Have a sincere friendship, Because I found Him very Honest and very kind” (Adams Papers).
Lafayette referred here to the engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who organized the French chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati, over which Lafayette presided. In the spring of 1787, L’Enfant journeyed to New York City to supervise the installation of the Richard Montgomery monument at St. Paul’s Church (vol. 16:76;
ANB
).