Papers of John Adams, volume 10

To Daniël Jan Bouwens, 7 November 1780 JA Bouwens, Daniël Jan

1780-11-07

To Daniël Jan Bouwens, 7 November 1780 Adams, John Bouwens, Daniël Jan

To Daniël Jan Bouwens

Sir Amsterdam Novr. 7th 1780

I waited on Mr. Blomberg yesterday, but found him to ill to speak upon Business: I must therefore request You to recommend to me another Broker for the present, one who speaks French or English if possible. I dont mean to quit Mr. Blomberg, whom I esteem very much, but I suppose it will not be amiss to have two. Messrs. Mortier and Merckemaer have been mentioned to me.

Mean time I will venture to propose to Mr. Bouwens' 1 Consideration the following Plan.

Interest	5 Per Cent pr. Annum for ten Years.
To the House for negotiating the Capital}	1. Per Cent.
To the Undertakers to furnish the Capital}	1. Per Cent.
Brokerage	½ Per Cent.
For the Yearly paying off of 10 per Cent.
To the House of the Loan	1. Per Cent.
To the same for paying off the annual Interest}	1. per Cent of the Interest.

I should be glad of your Sentiments, as soon as may be convenient. I am with great Respect, Sir, your very humble Servant

John Adams 328

RC in John Thaxter's hand (Adams Papers); endorsed: “My Letter to Mr. Bowens.”; and “Novr. 10. 1780 returned to me, on the 10th. of November at one O Clock by Mr. Bowens's Book keeper, with an Answer that he had made Some Enquiries, and could not see any hopes of Success, and therefore declined the Trust.”; notation in an unknown hand: “Christian Tenkate Mrs. Van Vlooten.” Those two names were the recommendations of either Bouwens or his bookkeeper to act as JA's broker in place of van Blomberg and appear on a slip of paper accompanying this letter in the Adams Papers. Immediately upon the return of this letter on 10 Nov., JA wrote to Bicker (Adams Papers), informing him of Bouwens' decision and asking his opinion of Ten Kate and van Vlooten. Bicker replied on the 11th (below).

The name was cut out of the letter. The proposal contained in this letter stemmed from the advice given by Hendrik Bicker in his letter of 7 Nov. (below), which JA had received earlier in the day.

To Thomas Digges, 7 November 1780 JA San, Fernando Raymond Digges, Thomas Church, William Singleton

1780-11-07

To Thomas Digges, 7 November 1780 Adams, John San, Fernando Raymond Digges, Thomas Church, William Singleton

To Thomas Digges

Sir Novr. 7th 17801

Yours of the 24. 27 and 31. Ultimo came altogether last night. The Note in that of 27 is of ~~much Use~~ much Importance to me. I wrote, Sometime ago, to see if any Thing could be done by Way of Exchange.2

If a certain Sett, are governed wholly by Passion, it must be confessed they have as constant a gale of it, as a Tempest so furious, will in the ordinary course of Nature admit of. C'en est fait—as you Say. There are Letters here for a certain Friend,3 can you find out what is to be done with them?

I will bring my Boys acquainted with the young Gentleman you mentioned in a former Letter,4 whose father does them much honour. Will you, indulge the Feelings of a Father so far as to send me Lillys Grammar and Clarks latin Exercises,5 for the use of these young folks. Have you Seen the Publication of the Burgomasters?6 what do the wise ones think of it?

The English nation Seems in a fine Way. Such Characters as my Lord Hilsborough and Loughborough, with a long list of &cas. shooting up, perpedicularly, in Government, and Burke, Pownal, Hartley &c. unable to obtain Seats even in the Commons. People and Government Seem wonderfully cordial and harmonious.

With great Esteem

F.R.S.

LbC (Adams Papers); directed to: “W. S. C.”

The date is in John Thaxter's hand.

For Digges' letter of 24 Oct., not printed, and the note in his letter of 27 Oct., see that letter, and note 1 (above). For JA's letter regarding Henry Laurens' exchange, see that of 14 Oct. to Benjamin Franklin (above).

Presumably Henry Laurens.

Probably the son of Richard Champion; 329see Digges' letter of 26 Sept., and note 7 (above).

These were William Lily, A Short Introduction of Grammar . . . of the Latin Tongue, and John Clarke, An Introduction to the Making of Latin; comprising . . . the Substance of Latin Syntax, both of which were standard texts, with numerous editions. Digges' letter of 14 Nov. (below), indicates that he was sending off the books, but JA's letter of 17 Dec. (below) reported that they had not yet arrived. In fact, JA may never have received them because of the outbreak of the Anglo-Dutch war in December. For copies of Lily and Clarke owned by JQA, but probably not obtained through Thomas Digges, see Worthington C. Ford, ed., A Catalogue of the Books of John Quincy Adams Deposited in the Boston Athenaeum. With Notes on Books, Adams Seals and Book-Plates, by Henry Adams, Boston, 1938.

For this, see JA to the president of Congress, 27 Oct., No. 18, note 3 (above).