Papers of John Adams, volume 7
1778-10-12
I have hoped for Leisure to answer your favor1 as fully as, in my own Vindication, it demands. There are matters touched in it, which imply a Censure upon me, which a recapitulation of facts, I am satisfied, would convince you is unjust.
But as I dispair of sufficient Leisure for some time, I must content myself with replying to what is immediately necessary.
A desire to remove as much as I could the Cause of your complaint, was the motive I stated to you for writing, and I expect repeat to you it was the only one. I mentioned my Objections to your other Plan, when you proposed it; if you think them of no weight, let that, or any other, that will be most agreeable to you and Doctor Franklin, be adopted; and it will have my most hearty concurrance.
With regard to the proposal of coming to live with you, nothing would give me more pleasure, were it practicable. I thank you for the Civility of offering me your room, but it would be impossible for me to do so unhandsome a Thing, as to desire that of any Gentleman. The 135Living upon the Bounty of a common Individual, I always objected to; besides, in the best of my Judgement, that Individual appears to me justly chargable with the foul play used with our Dispatches.2 Till I see reason to think otherwise, I should hold myself inexcusable both to my Constituents and myself, If I were to put myself so much in his Power. The House I am in, at all events, I must pay for this year Half Year, therefore, it would not save this Expence. To live together was what I proposed, and laboured to effect, tho' in vain, when the Commissioners first came here. I thought it would be attended with every good Consequence, and there was nothing I desired more. But under all the Circumstances of that Proposition now, and the inveterate habits3 that have taken Place; it appears to me to be attended with insuperable Objections. I am, however, open to Conviction, and shall be most happy in finding any practicable means of effecting the Ends you propose.
Having to dress, breakfast, dispatch Letters4 and do the necessary family Affairs, before I come to you; I find 11 O'Clock the soonest I can engage for.
I had the same earnest desire, you express, prompted as well by my own Inclination, and Interest, as by my wish for the public Good, to cultivate Harmony and Friendship with both my Colleagues, and nothing ever gave me more uneasiness, than the Impossibility that I have hitherto found of effecting it.
I am with the greatest respect & esteem, Dear Sir. Yours most sincerely
That of 10 Oct. (above).
That is, the theft of the Commissioners' dispatches that had been entrusted to John Folger for transmission to America (James Lovell to JA, 13 Jan., and note 5, vol. 5:384, 385). No evidence implicating Chaumont in the affair has been found, but it was not Lee's first accusation connecting him with the stolen dispatches. In a letter of 3 June, Lee had informed James Lovell that in his opinion the British ministry had employed Chaumont to seize the dispatches (R. H. Lee, Arthur Lee
, 2:141–142; Burnett, ed., Letters of Members
, 3:27, note).
This word is written over another, which the editors have been unable to read. The alteration was perhaps to correct an error in copying from Arthur Lee's original draft, which has not been found.
This word was interlined for insertion here, probably by Arthur Lee.
1778-10-12
After my Arrivall here I applyed to the Agent1 to recive the prisoners who promised he would the next morning, upon which I sent 136them a Shoar, but they ware refused to be Landed by the Comadant for want of Orders from the Ministry to that purpose, therefore was oblidged to Carry them onboard again, but shall not be able to Carry them out of France without turning at least twenty Americans a Shoar, after all the trouble and Expence they have been at since they have made their Escape from England which will be very hard on them as there is no opportunity here for them to go home, therefore beg your Honours would send me word what I must do with them as soon as you possibly can. Should likewise beg the favour of your Honours oppinion how you think the Law suit will go in reguard of the Isabelle as you will see by the proposall2 of the former propriators to the Admiralty, by falcehood and every other Artifice that they can invent they intend to prolong it and make it as Difficult as possible.3 There is Another arrived at Brest taken by Capt. Pickerin4 belonging to the same Owners and under the same Circumstances, which makes it necessary that we should proceed in a proper manner, which should be very glad to Know, as I have wrote to Capt. Pickerin on the Subject and shall wait till I hear from you. I am Most Honorable Gentl Your very humble Servt
Probably the commissary for prisoners; see James Moylan to the Commissioners, 12 Oct. (PPAmP: Franklin Papers). In that letter Moylan gave essentially the same account regarding the prisoners as did McNeill, adding only that four or five of them had escaped.
Presumably an enclosure, which has not been found.
In his letter of the 12th, James Moylan reported that the Isabelle's owners had offered McNeill one-third of the vessel's value for the recapture. This offer being unacceptable, McNeill had decided to go through the courts, and credentials for Leray de Chaumont to act in the matter were sent by the next mail. The choice of Chaumont was appropriate because of his close relationship with Sartine, Minister of Marine (John Bigelow, “Franklin's Home and Host in France,” Century Magazine, 35:750 [March 1888]).
Thomas Pickering, of Portsmouth, N.H., captain of the privateer Hampden, was killed in action against an East Indiaman on 8 March 1779 (Richard Francis Upton, Revolutionary New Hampshire, Hanover, N.H., 1936, p. 110–111). Pickering's prize was La Constance; see the Commissioners to Sartine, 7 Jan. 1779, and note 1 (below).