Papers of John Adams, volume 13
1782-06-01
I have taken my Pen, Simply, to thank you for Several excellent Letters, for the Pamphlets by Mr Myers and the Memoires by Mr Ridley,1 and to tell you that I am Sick.2
I Sometimes think I shall die a Martyr to the Dutch alliance, and I declare to you, if it had been the only action of my Life, I should have thought it a Life well Spent, Such are my Ideas of its Importance to the Cause of our Country. The Influence of it, may not be soon percieved and may never appear in a Striking Light. But it will exist. I shall love the Dutch Nation, till I die, although most other Men, perhaps every Man of Spirit in my Circumstances would have cursed them and quitted them long ago. But where the holy Cause is at Stake, I am not a Man of Spirit, enough to do it an Injury.
92Mr Ridley ever appeared to me a worthy Man. I have been honoured with but little of his Company, but hope for more of it, which will always give me Pleasure.
The great News, is not well received, at Petersbourg, but your Acquaintance, receives Visits and Congratulations upon the Occasion, from the Ministers of two Powers.3 This is not the Smallest of the advantages, which will result from it, that an american Minister, at any Court, when he is not recd will be able to See respectable Company. The French Ministers for want of Somebody to countenance them, have been heretofore rather Shy. The Spanish Min. and sec. are very obliging and Social with me, as private Gentn. They did me the Honour to dine with me, two or three days ago—with the Amb. de France and his Family and Some of the Members of this Govt.
JA identified his illness as influenza in a letter to AA, 16 June (
AFC
, 4:324). An influenza pandemic had first been reported in Russia the previous winter, though it probably actually originated in Asia, and by this time had reached western Europe and was crossing the channel to England. The disease may also have been the cause of Lord Rockingham's death on 1 July. All told, it effected tens of millions of people—in some places up to 80 percent of the population—and killed hundreds of thousands (K. David Patterson, Pandemic Influenza 1700–1900: A Study in Historical Epidemiology, Totowa, N.J., 1986, pp. 20–24; Morris, Peacemakers
, p. 280–281).
See Francis Dana's letter of 10 May, above.
1782-06-01
I duely received yours of 24 of May, and Should have answered it sooner, if I had been in better Health: But both Mr Thaxter and I have been too ill, to have given that Attention to it, that We should otherwise have done. I return you inclosed, the Letter and Account, of Mr Frasink
This Morning was brought me, yours of 31. May, with the two Accounts inclosed—one of Disbursements relative to the Loan opened on March 1. 1781, on Account of the United States—another my private Account. I should be obliged to you, if you would transfer the article of 105 f. paid Mr Dumas on the 16 of July, from my private Account to that of the publik, as it was for a publik Service.
I propose to come to Amsterdam, as soon as I Shall be well enough, and then to take Measures for discharging both Accounts, 93which would have been sooner done if you, had Sooner furnished me with the Accounts, as I have several times requested.1
I realy know not what to do, with the 500 obligations you still have, nor with those that remain in my Possession. I Should be glad to have your Advice what to do with them. If they cannot be converted to any use, they had better be all burned. It has been, but an unfortunate Enterprize.
I have the Honour to be, your, respectful humble Servant
Matthew Ridley's journal (MHi) indicates that JA went to Amsterdam on 8 June. For the reconciled accounts, see the de Neufvilles' letter of 14 June, below.