Papers of John Adams, volume 15
As I am informed that next Wednesday is appointed for the Signature of the definitive Treaties of Peace, I Suppose it will be thought proper to think of Some Conveyance of the Ratification of the Provisional Treaty, and of the Original of our definitive Treaty as Soon as it Shall be Signed To Congress. By what Vessell it will be proper to Send it, deserves to be considered as soon as possible, as it is of Importance to the Publick that the News of it, Should reach Philadelphia, with out Loss of Time.
I presume too, it will be thought proper to send The Treaties and Dispatches which may accompany them by Some carefull Hand, 238and the Choice will fall naturally among the younger Gentlemen who have been imployed abroad in the Service of the Publick, in the Way of Negotiation. On this Supposition I beg Leave to propose to your Consideration, Mr John Thaxter, who had been for Some time in the Service of Congress at Philadelphia, before he came to Europe, who embarked with me at Boston about four Years ago, and has accompanied me constantly from that Time to this in a dangerous Voyage and many fatiguing Journeys, and has ever been in the highest degree industrious and faithfull in the Publick service.1
With the greatest Respect, I have the Honour / to be, Gentlemen, your most obedient and / most humble servant
RC (NNC:Jay Papers); internal address: “Their Excellencies Benjamin Franklin / and John Jay Esquires, Ministers Plenipotentiary / from the United States of America, for making / Peace with Great Britain.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 108.
John Thaxter had evidently returned to Paris by this time, as it was he who transcribed the Letterbook copy of this letter (APM Reel 108).
e.Août 1783.
Hier au soir à 8 hes. Leurs H. P. s’assemblerent; & le résultat fut l’expédition d’un Courier à 10 heures, avec l’accession de la Rép. au Traité Définitif, que nous nous attendons ici d’apprendre avoir été signé mercredi prochain 3e.
1
Voilà donc la fin de toutes nos incertitudes. Je vous en félicite, Monsieur, de tout mon coeur, & je souhaite pareillement, que le navire le Washington, que l’on m’a dit de bonne part devoir être arrivé, ou près de l’être, en France, vous ait apporté de quoi finir aussi les vôtres personnelles, de la maniere qui vous soit la plus agréable.
J’ai reçu un présent pour vous du Libraire Blussé de Dordrecht: c’est le second volume des Lauriers poëtiques sur les têtes patriotiques des Capellen, Gyzelaer, &c. avec des vignettes ingénieuses & élegantes.2
On me demande de tous côtés, si & quand & com̃ent vous prendrez congé de leurs H. P.; & je réponds à tous que je l’ignore.
Vous verrez dans peu à Paris Mr. Bingham, qui m’a apporté de Mr. Livingston du 27 May, des Lettres, où il recom̃ande Mr. Bingham à mes civilités.3 Ce dernier est allé à Amsterdam, d’où il repassera par ici.
239Je ne sais si vous savez, Monsieur, que l’usage constant de cette Rep. à l’égard de tout Envoyé, vous assure une Médaille & chaîne d’or, lorsque vous prendrez congé de maniere ou d’autre, de 13 à 1500 florins.
Ayez la bonté, Monsieur, de m’avertir lorsque vous quitterez Paris, afin d’assurer le sort de mes Lettres, que je continuerai jusque-là de vous écrire sous les couverts usités.
J’ai un paquet pour Mr. Dana recom̃andé à mes soins par Mr. Livingston, que je lui garde ici, par-ce que je sais qu’il a ordonné tout récemmént de ne plus rien lui adresser à Petersbourg.4
Mr. Livingston me marque, que la multitude d’affaires importantes n’a pas encore permis au Congrès de penser à la mienne.
Je suis avec grand respect De Votre Exce. / le très-humble & très-obéis- / sant serviteur
Translation
Last night at eight o’clock their High Mightinesses met, and the result was the dispatching of a courier at ten o’clock with the republic’s agreement to the definitive treaty, which we here expect to learn will be signed next Wednesday the third.1
Here, then, is the end to all our uncertainty. I congratulate you, sir, with all my heart, and similarly I hope that the ship Washington that I have it on good authority has arrived, or is about to arrive, in France, has also brought you an end to your personal uncertainties, in a manner agreeable to you.
I received a present for you from the Blussé publishing house in Dordrecht: it is the second volume of the poetic laurels on the Patriot heads of the Capellens, Gyselaar, etc., with ingenious and elegant vignettes.2
Everyone is asking if and when and how you will take leave of their High Mightinesses, and I answer that I don’t know.
In Paris you will soon see Mr. Bingham, who brought me some letters from Mr. Livingston dated 27 May, in which he asks me to extend a welcome to Mr. Bingham.3 The latter left for Amsterdam and will pass by here again.
I do not know if you know, sir, that the common practice of this republic toward all envoys assures you of a medal and a gold chain when you take leave in one manner or another, worth between 13 and 1500 florins.
Please be so kind, sir, as to let me know when you leave Paris, so that I can be sure my letters reach you, and I will continue until then to write to you at the usual addresses.
I have a packet for Mr. Dana entrusted to my care by Mr. Livingston, 240which I am holding for him here because I know that he very recently ordered that nothing more be addressed to him at St. Petersburg.4
Mr. Livingston indicates that Congress has been too taken up with important business to think of mine.
I am with great respect your excellency’s very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Paris à Son Excellence Mr. Adams M. P.”
Unlike the definitive peace treaties signed by Britain, the United States, France, and Spain on 3 Sept., the Anglo-Dutch preliminary treaty was signed on the 2d (to the president of Congress, 13 Sept., calendared, below).
Eerkroon op de hoofden der doorluchtige staetsmannen, burgervaderen, zeehelden, en andere personaedjen . . . vaderlandsche dichtstukken, 2 vols., Dordrecht, 1782–1783. Copies of both volumes, inscribed by Pieter Blussé of the publishing house A. Blussé & Son, are in JA’s library at MB (
Catalogue of JA’s Library
).
Robert R. Livingston’s 27 May letter introducing William Bingham has not been found. In a second letter of the same date (PCC, No. 118, f. 435–437), Livingston enclosed a packet for Francis Dana (see note 4) and informed Dumas that Congress had not acted on his application for a formal appointment and salary increase owing to the recent press of “important matters” as well as the general “slowness” of popular assemblies. Livingston also reminded Dumas that his “public character” in the service of the United States required that he not take sides in the contest between William V and the Patriot Party.
The packet, which included Livingston’s 27 May letter to Dana with a copy of his 1 May letter to Dana and Congress’ 22 May resolution (Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 6:403–404, 441–442, 451–452), never reached Dana, who departed St. Petersburg for Boston on 4 Sept. (Cresson, Francis Dana
, p. 317). The resolution instructed Dana, in negotiating a commercial treaty between the United States and Russia, to stipulate that any accord be limited to a term of fifteen years and, more important, that it be subject to revision and approval by Congress before ratification. Livingston, expressing confidence that the latter part of the resolution would “make no difficulty” for Dana “since it only conforms to the powers you already have,” explained that Congress was “still anxious not to engage extensively in commercial treaties till experience has shown the advantages or disadvantages that may result from them.” For Livingston’s 1 May letter and Dana’s reaction to it, see Dana’s letter to JA, [29 July], and notes 2, 5, and 8, above.