Papers of John Adams, volume 14
e.Janv. 17831
Vous aurez reçu aujourd’hui, par un Courier de Mr. l’Amb. de fce. parti Samedi 24e
2 après dîner ma Lettre du 24e., qui est de la derniere importance pour ceux de la part de qui je l’ai écrite, & sur laquelle ils languissent de recevoir votre réponse, parce que l’effet qu’ils s’en promettent est seul capable, à leurs yeux, de réparer l’énorme & impardonnable faute (c’est l’expression adoucie de leur sentiment) que l’on a faite en les abandonnant, sacrifiant, trompant & jouant. (Voilà com̃e ils parlent à Mr. l’Ambr. même, qui voudroit qu’ils entamassent cette même négociation en 1ere. instance avec le Minere. de fce., & en promet en ce cas la réussite desirée; ce qu’ils refusent tout plat.)3 Il m’a dit, & à eux aussi, qu’il croyoit que vous ne feriez point difficulté de prendre cela sur vous, mais que Mrs vos Collegues, & notam̃ent Mr. F——n,4 probablement s’y opposeroient. 216Ils lui ont répondu, que ne voyant aucune raison pourquoi Mr. F—— s’opposeroit à ce que cette mesure fût prise conjointemt. avec les 3 puissces. belligérentes, plutôt que d’en laisser l’avancemt ou le retardemt à la fantaisie d’une seule, ils regarderoit certainement cette opposition com̃e l’effet de l’influence de Mr. le C. de V. sur Mr. F——n, qu’alors il seroit inutile de s’adresser davantage à eux pour aucunes négociations quelconques, & qu’en ce cas Son Exce. pourroit à l’avenir se contenter de s’adresser à L. h. p. sans exiger que leurs personnes & villes fussent plus longtemps compromises & Cernées.
J’ai cru, M, dans une affre. si grave, devoir vous rendre compte explicitement de toutes les circonstances. J’ajouterai, que la Nation est outrée du dernier procédé de la fce., & que M. De V—— acheveroit de perdre toute sa confiance, s’il intriguoit pour traverser cette mesure, qu’ils proposent, avec une parfaite confiance en votre candeur & en vos dispositions
Samedi 25 au Soir, j’allai com̃uniquer à Mr. le Gd. Pre. la copie de ma Lre. du 24 que voici; & il l’approuva.
Hier 27. J’allai aussi lui lire in extenso la copie des Prelimes. dont vous m’avez favorisé & puis aux autres amis. Personne n’en aura copie jusqu’à ce que vous me le permettrez5
Mr. Gyzr. que j’ai vu ce matin, & Mrs. V. B. & Vr. avec qui je soupai hier, m’ont chargé de leurs meillrs. comps. pr. V. E.
Translation
You will have received today, by the French ambassador's courier, who departed after dinner on Saturday the 24th,2 my letter of the 24th. It is of the utmost importance for those on whose behalf I wrote it and who impatiently await your reply, because in their eyes it alone can produce an effect capable of repairing the enormous and unforgivable wrong (that is a polite term for their feelings) that has been committed in abandoning, sacrificing, deceiving, and abusing them. (That is how they speak to the ambassador himself, who would like them to take up the same negotiation directly with the French ministry and promises in that case the desired result; but this they flatly refuse to do.)3 He told me, and them also, that he thought you would have no objection to assuming this task, but that your colleagues, notably Mr. Franklin,4 would probably oppose it. They replied that they saw no reason why Mr. Franklin would be opposed to this measure being taken jointly with the three belligerent powers rather than leaving its advancement or delay to the caprice of one only—that they would certainly regard such opposition as the result of the Comte de 217Vergennes’ influence on Mr. Franklin. They added that it then would be useless to solicit them further for any negotiations, and in that case his excellency himself might in the future approach their High Mightinesses directly, without any longer requiring the involvement of their people and cities.
I thought, sir, that in so grave a matter, I should give you an explicit account of all the circumstances. I shall further state that the nation is outraged by France's latest maneuver, and that the Comte de Vergennes would completely destroy all remaining trust if he conspired to thwart the measure they propose. They seem to have complete confidence in your candor and inclinations.
On Saturday evening, the 25th, I went to show the grand pensionary a copy of my letter of the 24th, which he approved.
Yesterday, the 27th, I visited the grand pensionary again to read him in full the copy of the preliminaries with which you have favored me, and afterward to our other friends. No one shall have a copy until you give permission.5
Mr. Gyselaar, whom I saw this morning, and Mr. Van Berckel and Mr. Visscher, with whom I dined last night, begged me to present their best compliments to your excellency.
FC (Nationaal Archief:Dumas Papers, Microfilm, Reel 1, f. 486–487); internal address: “Paris à S. E. Mr. Adams.” FC (PCC, No. 93, II, f. 222–223).
Dumas refers to this letter in his of 30 Jan., below, but the absence of a recipient's copy in the Adams Papers and JA's failure to mention it in any of his later letters to Dumas may indicate that he never received it.
The file copy in the PCC is one of eighteen letters to various people, including JA, the Duc de La Vauguyon, Henry Laurens, and Benjamin Franklin, that Dumas copied from his letterbook and sent to Livingston enclosed with his letter of 20 March 1783 (PCC, No. 93, II, f. 220–266, 291–296). Dumas informed Livingston that he wanted to provide Congress with a just idea of the state of things and, at the same time, a sample of his activities and daily correspondence. Dumas likely also intended to emphasize the increased workload resulting from his assumption of the duties of chargé d’affaires in JA's absence and thus Congress’ need to more adequately compensate him. See Dumas’ letter of 8 Nov., note 1, above.
This is an inadvertance by Dumas that he corrected in the copy sent to Congress. Saturday was not 24 but 25 Jan., for which see the letter's third from last paragraph.
A closing parenthesis has been editorially supplied.
Dumas removed all references to Franklin from the copy sent to Congress.
See JA's letter of 19 Jan., above.
th.January. 1783—
Upon receiving the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 24th. late last evening, I went immediately to consult with my Colleague, Mr: Jay—and we agreed to go this morning to Dr: Franklin. Accordingly we went today to Passy & communicated your letter to him & after recollecting the Powers we have received, we all 218agreed that I should make you the following answer—
You will readily recollect the Resolutions of Congress which I did myself the honor, two years ago, to communicate to the President of their High-Mightinesses, & to the Ministers of Russia, Sweden & Denmark, at the Hague. The letter to the President was sent “au Greffe”—and there may perhaps be now found. These Resolutions contained the approbation of Congress of the Principles of the Declaration of the Empress of Russia, and authorised any of the American Ministers in Europe, if invited thereto, to pledge the faith of the United-States to the observance of them—1
Sometime after this, Congress sent Mr: Dana a Commission, with full power, to accede to the Principles of the Marine Treaty between the Neutral Powers; and he is now at Petersburg, vested with those Powers; and, according to late Intelligence from him, has wellfounded Expectations of being soon admitted—2
It is the opinion of my Colleagues as well as my own, that no Commission of mine, to their High-Mightinesses, contains authority to negotiate this business, and we are all of opinion, that it is most proper that Mr: Dana should negotiate it—
But, as there has been no express revocation of the Power, given to all or any of us, by the first Resolutions, and, if the Case should happen that Mr: Dana could not attend in Season, on account of the Distance, for the sake of accelerating the Signature of the Definitive Treaty of Peace We should not hesitate to pledge the faith of the United-States to the observance of the Principles of the Armed-Neutrality— I wish it were in my power to give you a more satisfactory answer, but Candor will warrant no other—3
With great respect to the Gentlemen, as well as to you, I have the honor to be, Sir, / Your humle: Servt.
RC in Charles Storer's hand (PHC: Charles Roberts Autographs Coll.); internal address: “Mr: C: W: F: Dumas.” endorsed: “Paris 29e. Janv. 1783 / S. E. Mr. J. Adams / 29e reçue par Courier de Mr. l’Ambr. / de Fce. la 1er. Fevr. au matin vers midi / rep. le 4 fevr.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 108.
For
JA's memorial to the States General of 8 March 1781, which Dumas presented to its president on the 10th, see vol. 11:185; and for his letters of the same date to the diplomatic representatives of Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as to the pensionaries of Amsterdam, see same, p. 182–184. JA's letters proposed that the United States accede to the principles of the Armed Neutrality under the terms of Congress’ resolution of 5 Oct. 1780 (
JCC
, 18:905–906). JA's 1780 initiative came to nothing because the United States was then a belligerent and not recognized by any of the members of the Armed Neutrality, including the Netherlands. JA apparently assumed that since the memorial was sent “au Greffe” or “to the secretary,” it could be found in the office of Hendrik Fagel, the secretary of the States General.
Francis Dana's commission empowering 219him to act as indicated here was of 19 Dec. 1780 (
JCC
, 18:1166–1168).
Though JA does not mention it in any of his correspondence for this period, he and Benjamin Franklin apparently met with Dutch negotiators Gerard Brantsen and Mattheus Lestevenon van Berkenrode at JA's residence and conveyed to them the information contained in this letter. The meeting was likely the result of Dumas’ 24 Jan. letter authorizing JA to confer “ministerially” on the subject, above, and is described in JA's 7 July letter to Robert R. Livingston (Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 6:518).