Papers of John Adams, volume 10
1780-09-23
I received, by the Hand of Mr. Dana, the Letters and Dispatches, which you brought for me, from Congress.1
I should have been very happy, to have been at Paris, at your Arrival; and to have had the Honour to do what ever might have been in my Power, to render your Residence in that Capital agreable, or to assist you in the Purpose of your Mission; But I am not able to foresee, 172when I shall return.2 If you should come this Way, I Shall have the Honour to pay you my Respects, without Loss of Time.
Your Relation of the State of Things in our Country, as repeated to me by Mr. Dana, is very pleasing and promises much good.
I shall obey the Commands of Congress with great Pleasure: but with what success Time only can discover. I have the Honour to be, with very great Esteem & Respect &c.
This and another letter of 23 Sept. to John Thaxter (
Adams Family Correspondence
, 3:423–424) indicate that in the week since Francis Dana's arrival with the dispatches, JA had decided to remain at Amsterdam for the foreseeable future, rather than return to Paris. JA ordered Thaxter to proceed to Amsterdam with his “Letters, Letter Books, Account books and papers,” exercising particular care with “the most valuable Papers, which you will easily distinguish.” Thaxter wrote to his father on 1 Nov. that he left Paris on 30 Sept., and on 12 Oct. arrived at Amsterdam “where I believe I am to spend the Winter” (MHi: Thaxter Family Papers). For JA's concern over his papers and other property at Paris, and Thaxter's safe arrival at Amsterdam, see his letter to Benjamin Franklin of 29 Sept., and Francis Dana's letter of 9 Oct. (both below).
1780-09-23
The inclosed Letter has this moment been delivered by Mr. Celesia.1 I have thought it my duty to forward it to You. The letter, which Mr. Mazzei mentions to be inclosed in his, is to his Excellency the Governor of Virginia—am I to forward it to You, or to seal it and forward it to the Governor, first taking a Copy thereof? I wish to have your directions, Sir.2
Capt. Sampson3 has informed me, that Mitchel and Duncan, that went in the Cartel to England about the time we sailed from Boston, had arrived with about £15,000 sterling's worth of Goods at Boston—that the Vessel was seized per order of the Navy Board and libelled, and that it was the general Opinion She would be condemned.4
He mentions that a Cartel had arrived at Boston from New York just before he sailed—that she had to the amount of £1500 sterling's worth of Goods, for some Gentlemen and Ladies in Boston—that he had seized and libelled her by order of the Board of War in behalf of the State, himself and Crew.5 I cannot but wish very sincerely that these Cargoes may be condemned, and that this perversion of Cartels to the purposes of private Commerce and Emolument may be prevented.
When Capt. Sampson sailed, Bills of Exchange were to be bought 173at the rate of fifty two for one—one fortnight before they were at seventy five for one. Even Col: Quincy himself is puzzled to account for these curious changes in the Currency—it has mounted and fallen like the Mercury.
Hard money, he says is offered to sale—that one third of our proportion of the debt was assessed or to be assessed about the time of his sailing.
He has politely and obligingly offered to take any family Articles for You and Mr. Dana, when he returns, and desired me to mention it. He leaves Paris to day. Mr. Watson6 who is with him, as well as himself desire their Respects to You.
My Respects, if you please, to Mr. Dana and Love to the young Gentlemen.
I have the Honor to be, with the most perfect Respect, Sir, your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant.
This was Philip Mazzei's letter of 19 Aug. (above), which introduced and was carried by Pietro Paolo Celesia.
This was Mazzei's letter to Thomas Jefferson of 19 Aug., which has not been located. For a brief statement of its contents, see Jefferson, Papers
, 3:557. No instructions to Thaxter regarding it have been found.
Capt. Simeon Sampson, of the Massachusetts armed ship Mars, arrived at Paris on 19 Aug. with numerous letters for both JA and Francis Dana. For the letters directed to JA, as well as additional information provided by Sampson, see Thaxter's letter to JA of 19 Sept. (
Adams Family Correspondence
, 3:419–421).
For the cartel ships owned by Edmund Dunkin and Henry Mitchell, see Thomas Digges' letter of 8 June, and note 6; and James Warren's of 19 July (both above). The vessel referred to here was the brigantine Adventure owned by Mitchell. A legal notice in the Independent Chronicle of 3 Aug. indicated that the vessel had been libelled and that the Admiralty Court for the Middle District of Massachusetts would meet at Salem on 23 Aug. to determine whether it should be condemned as a good prize.
This was the brigantine Trial (Independent Chronicle, 3 Aug.).
Probably Elkanah Watson Jr.