Papers of John Adams, volume 20

From George Walton

From John Bondfield

182 To John Adams from C.W.F. Dumas, 15 November 1789 Dumas, C. W. F. Adams, John
From C. W. F. Dumas
Monsieur Lahaie 15e. Nov. 1789

Après avoir présenté à Votre Excellence, dans une précédente, l’expression de mes sentimens sur son élevation au Poste éminent qu’Elle occupe, permettez, Monsieur, qu’en les confirmant j’y ajoute aujourd’hui de nouvelles félicitations sur les dignes Coopérateurs au bien public, qu’Elle vient d’acquérir par la nomination aux Postes éminents de Secretaire d’Etat, Chef de Justice, & Trésorier genl., de personnages d’un mérite aussi grand, & universellement applaudi, que le sont Leurs Exces. MM. Th. Jefferson, Jn. Jay, & Al. Hamilton.— Mon coeur, comprimé par tout ce que je vois se passer autour de moi en Europe, se dilate à l’idée d’une Administration, telle que le sera celle de la Confédération Américaine entre des mains si sages & si habiles. Vous ferez honte, Messieurs, &, s. p. à Dieu, la leçon la plus salutaire, à cette Europe; j’ose le prédire.— Dans ce moment j’apprends que le Département de la Guerre est pareillement rempli par S.E. Mr. le Genl. Knox;1 & je differe de finir la présente, pour le mander à Mr. Luzac, afin qu’il l’ajoute au reste que je lui ai déjà com̃uniqué.— Dieu le bénisse aussi avec touts les autres, le Législatif, l’exécutif, le judiciaire, le maritime, tout le peuple Américain, Madame votre Epouse, famille, & votre Excellence, de qui je suis avec le plus respectueux attachement, le très-humble, & trèsobéissant servit.

Cwf Dumas
TRANSLATION
Sir The Hague, 15 November 1789

After having presented to your excellency, in a previous letter, the expression of my sentiments on your rise to the prestigious office that you hold, allow me, sir, to confirm them and add today new congratulations on the dignified collaborators for the public good whom you have recently acquired by the election to the prominent offices of secretary of state, chief justice, and secretary of the treasury, of individuals of equally great merit, and as universally applauded, as their excellencies Messrs. Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. My heart, wrung by all that I see happening around me in Europe, expands at the idea of an administration like the American Confederation in such wise and skillful hands. You will bring shame, the most salutary lesson, sirs, and if it please God, upon Europe; I dare predict it. This moment, I have learned that the Department of War is likewise filled by his excellency General Knox;1 and I leave 183 off finishing the present letter in order to send it to Mr. Luzac so that he may add it to the others that I have already delivered to him. God bless him too, with all the others, the legislative, the executive, the judiciary, the maritime, all the American people, madam your wife, family, and your excellency, of whom I am with the most respectful attachment, the most humble and obedient servant.

Cwf Dumas

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “A S. E. Mr. Jn. Adams.”

1.

News of the appointments of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Gen. Henry Knox, and Thomas Jefferson reached Dumas by mid-November. While the Gazette de Leyde remained quiet on the news, the British press reported favorably on the new department heads, singling out Knox as “extremely well qualified,” and observing that “the New Government seems to be much liked, and an opposition is scarcely heard of” ( Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789 , 3:650–651, 653–654; London English Chronicle, 21 Nov.).