Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 13

To Edmund Jenings

To Robert R. Livingston
To Robert R. Livingston, 5 July 1782 JA Livingston, Robert R.

1782-07-05

 To Robert R. Livingston, 5 July 1782 Adams, John Livingston, Robert R.
To Robert R. Livingston
The Hague July 5. 1782 Sir

Soon after my publick Reception by their High Mightinesses The Body of Merchants of the City of Schiedam, were pleased to send a 158very respectable Deputation from among their Members, to the Hague, to pay their Respects to Congress and to me as their Representative, with a very polite Invitation to a publick Entertainment in their City, to be made upon the occasion.1 As I had Several other Invitations from various Places and Provinces about the Same Time, and had two many Affairs upon my Hands to be able to accept of them, I prevailed upon all to excuse me, for Such Reasons as ought to be and I Suppose were Satisfactory. The Deputies from Schiedam requested me to transmit from them to Congress, the inclosed Compliment, which I promised to do. I was much affected with the Zeal and ardour of these worthy Gentlemen and their Constituents, which with many other Things of a Similar Kind, convinced me, that there is in this Nation a strong Affection for America and a Kind of religious Veneration for her just Cause.2

With great Respect, I have the Honour to be sir, your most obedient & most humble sert

J. Adams

RC and enclosure (PCC, No. 84, IV, f. 113–122); endorsed: “a Letter from Mr Adams, July 5th: 1782.”

1.

See C. W. F. Dumas to JA, 30 April, note 1 (vol. 12:474–475), and JA to Dumas, 2 May, and Dumas' Address to the City of Schiedam, 8 May , both above.

 2.

The enclosed “compliment” was addressed to JA, dated 24 April, and signed by six deputies appointed by the merchants and traders of Schiedam. Therein was recounted the Dutch struggle for independence against Spanish tyranny, the remembrance of which required Dutch support for the American cause. The merchants congratulated JA on being the representative of “l'Illustre Congrès Américain” and celebrated that “Jour Glorieux” when the Netherlands recognized the United States and cemented a lasting relationship between the two nations. The address ended with the merchants' expressing their hope that the products of Schiedam could be imported into the United States without being subjected to heavy duties. For an English translation of the address, see Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 5:596–597.