Adams Family Correspondence, volume 6
1785-03-07
I intended writing you before this but have been waiting very impatiently for letters from Mr. Hay, (but hitherto in vain) as they will fix the time of my leaving France. I have expected my next letter to you wou'd be to ask the favour of you to take a lodging for me, but I am now under the Necessity of troubling you very unexpectedly upon an affair that has given me a good deal of uneasiness.
It was fix'd when I came to this Country that I shou'd draw a Bill on my Freind in England, if I shou'd want more Money than I brought with me. January last I found I shou'd be Oblig'd to Draw for Money by February, at that time a quarter wou'd be due for my Board accordingly. I try'd to get Money here for my Bill on London, but it was impossible. Mr. Mather advis'd me to write to a Mr. Graff in Paris, and get him to Negociate the Bill for me. This Mr. Graff Mr. Storer recommended to me for Cambrick or laces and every Article in the Linin way; we lay'd out some Money at his Magazin, and he appeared much of the Gentlemen, was very polite to us while in Paris. He came every Day to see us, and offer'd his service for any commission when we got into the Country. From this knowledge of Mr. Graff, without any doubt, I drew a Bill on my friend in London payable to Mr. B Graff for £30. Sterling at 7 Days sight, enclos'd it to Mr. Graff, desiring him to get me the Money for it, and send it to me, by a rescription on the financier of this place. He immediately answer'd my letter with all possible politness and attention, and told me he had taken the Bill himself, and wou'd send me the Mony in the way I propos'd or some other way very soon. In about a Week after he wrote me a friend of his that was a going to Bordeax had taken charge of 30 louis d
Mr. Mather thinks that he heard your son say he knew him, however I must beg the favour of you to Intercede for me with your son, and get him to go
Shou'd their be any trouble or difficu
I must rely on your goodness and candour to excuse the frequent favours I ask of you. I can only say I shall ever be ready to serve you or yours. My Best respects to Mr. Adams Miss Adams and Mr. A——Junr. in which Mr. and Mrs. Mather Joine.
With great esteem Dear Madam your Oblig'd freind and Servt.
Mr. Graffs Direction Magazin de Dentelles Rue de Deux Portes St Sauveur.
PS This Week receiv'd a letter from Mrs. Atkinson, she has been in very bad Health all the Winter and in a way of having an addition to her Family.
JQA briefly records visiting P. B. Graff, a Paris clothier, with his mother, “upon some business for Mrs. Hay,” on 12 March (
Diary
, 1:233).
AA evidently replied to this letter on 13 March (not found), to which Katherine Hay in turn replied on 26 March (Adams Papers). In that letter, she told AA that Mr. Graff had also written to her on the 13th, and sent her a bill which she cashed immediately. Although Graff's letter “was full of Apologies, and mentions not a word of seeing you,” Mrs. Hay was convinced that he had written to her because of AA's and JQA's intervention.