Papers of John Adams, volume 8

Edmé Jacques Genet to John Adams: A Translation, 25 February 1780 Genet, Edmé Jacques JA

1780-02-25

Edmé Jacques Genet to John Adams: A Translation, 25 February 1780 Genet, Edmé Jacques Adams, John

Edmé Jacques Genet to John Adams: A Translation

Sir Versailles, 25 February 1780

I will not fail to inform the Count Vergennes of the letter with which you have honored me.1

I will also write to Ostend to ask them to send, under my name, two gazettes, the most influential in each party. To my mind they are, for the Opposition, the General Advertiser, published by W. Parker—and 368for the Ministry, the Morning Post. These are the two that I will request and forward to you regularly. In the meantime, I will lend you some of my own copies when I can. I am enclosing the General Advertiser of the 17th, which you can return at your convenience. I will inform you when your own copies are sent so that you may keep them.

Dare I ask you for news of your son and whether he returned with you? My own leaves for Germany in eight days.2 Please give my regards to Mr. Francis Dana.

Did you remember my request for copies of the new constitutions I was unable to obtain? If you did not have time to gather them, being only briefly in America, you might still do so through your friends, and I would be grateful to you.

I have the honor to be, with an unshakable attachment, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant

Genet

RC (Adams Papers); docketed by John Thaxter: “Mr. Genet 25th. Feby. 1780 ansd. 26th Feby. 1780.”

Of 24 Feb. (above).

Edmond Charles Genet, later first minister from the French Republic to the United States and known then as “Citizen Genet.” In 1780 he was 17 years old and, after studying at Geissen and Berlin and serving on the staff of the French ambassador at Vienna, became head of the foreign ministry's translation bureau upon his father's death in 1781 ( DAB ).