Papers of John Adams, volume 15
e.7b
e.17831
Je vous remercie de m’avoir mis à même de pouvoir répondre aux questions qu’on me fait sur votre retour ici; & je vous félicite de la nouvelle besogne dont vous êtes chargé. Quoiqu’elle doive être un peu longue, elle ne peut que vous être agréable par son importance, en occupant tout à la fois votre activité, votre intelligence & votre fermeté.
Dans l’incertitude où vous êtes, Monsieur, si vous retournerez au Printemps prochain en Amérique, ou si vous viendrez résider avec votre famille à La Haie, je vous souhaite ce qui sera le plus de votre goût; & à ce propos, je vous demande la faveur de m’instruire de ce que le Congrès aura réglé là-dessus, dès que vous le saurez, afin que je puisse prendre les mesures nécessaires pour une retraite pour moi & ma famille; dans le temps où Vous ou votre successeur voudrez disposer de l’hôtel: car si l’on veut avoir quelque choix à cet égard, & ne pas payer trop cher, il faut louer en Janvier pour occuper en May.
Je ferai tout ce qui me sera possible pour ce que vous me recom̃andez, Monsieur, quant à l’Emprunt; & pour cet effet, j’irai passer quelques jours de la semaine prochaine à Amsterdam, où je me conduirai à cet égard avec la plus Scrupuleuse circonspection. Pour 297être en état de mieux aller au but, en sondant imperceptiblement les terrains, & correspondant avec Mr. Morris avec quelque fruit, il faudroit que j’eusse une copie ou un Apperçu des conditions & engagemens réciproques de l’Emprunt actuel, que je tiendrai aussi secret que vous me le prescrirez: Savoir, du bénéfice accordé à la Direction actuelle, & jusqu’à quel point, som̃e & temps le Congrès est obligé de s’en tenir à celle-là. Vous m’en avez touché quelque chose en conversation; mais je n’en ai pas conservé une idée assez distincte, pour pouvoir me passer d’Instruction: Or la vôtre, Monsieur, me mettra en état d’agir d’abord; au lieu que je serois au moins 6 mois avant de pouvoir en recevoir une d’Amérique.2
Ma famille, sensible, com̃e elle doit l’être, à votre bon souvenir, vous présente ses respects, & vous prie de permettre que Mr. votre fils trouve ici leurs amitiés avec les miennes, qui suis avec grand respect / De Votre Excellence / Le très-humble & très-obéissant serviteur
Translation
1
I thank you for putting me in a position where I can answer questions concerning your return here, and I congratulate you on the new duty with which you have been entrusted. Although it might be a bit protracted, it must be agreeable to you for its importance, occupying at the same time your energy, your intellect, and your steadfastness.
In the state of uncertainty that you are in, sir, as to whether you will return next spring to America or reside at The Hague with your family, I wish you whatever is most to your liking, and on this subject, I ask you the favor of letting me know what Congress decides on this matter as soon as you have word in order that I might take the necessary steps so that my family and I may withdraw elsewhere during the time when you or your successor will want to make arrangements for the legation, because if one wants to have a choice in the matter, and not pay too much, one must rent in January to take occupancy in May.
I will do everything I possibly can for whatever you recommend, sir, regarding the loan, and to this effect, I will spend several days next week at Amsterdam, where I will conduct myself with the most scrupulous circumspection. In order to be in a position to arrive at the goal, quietly sounding out the terrain, and corresponding with Mr. Morris with some fruitful outcome, I would need a copy or a sketch of the terms and agreements of the current loan, which I will keep as secret as you stipulate, in order to know the benefits of the current guidelines and what point, sum, and time Congress is required to abide by it. You touched on this in conversation with 298me, but I did not retain a clear enough idea of it in order for it to provide instructions for me, and yours, sir, will put me in a position to act first, since I otherwise have to wait at least six months to receive instructions from America.2
My family, hoping, as it should, to remain in your good graces, sends their respects and asks that you pass along to your son their friendly regards with those of yours truly, who is with great respect your excellency’s very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Paris à Son Exce. Mr. Adams M. P.”
Dumas was replying to JA’s letter of 10 Sept., above, which he had first acknowledged in a brief note of 16 Sept., forwarding an otherwise unidentified letter from Texel (Adams Papers).
There is no indication that JA sent Dumas further information on the loan that he had arranged at Amsterdam in 1782, but Robert Morris wrote Dumas on 30 Sept. 1784 to acknowledge letters of 23 Oct. and 8 Nov. 1783, neither of which has been found. Morris apologized for failing to reply sooner and thanked him for his reports from the Netherlands (Morris, Papers
, 9:540).
th.Sep
tr.1783.
I arrived here this Morning at about eleven o.Clock, and to my great disappointment found the Packet Boat had sailed four hours before my Arrival—1 She had been detained two days for me, altho’ the Wind was very favorable. I am exceedingly chagrined & mortified, tho’ I have nothing to reproach myself with; & I flatter myself the Ministers for Peace will acquit me of having made any unnecessary delays in my Journey here, when I state to them what I did to arrive here several days before the Packet would sail— On Sunday Morning the 14th. I left Paris, and after having taken the Dispatches at Passy, I travelled the whole of that day & night & on Monday ’till near 12 at night, without taking any Refreshment in any House whatever— on Tuesday Morning at 6 o.Clock, I set off again, & rode till 6 o.Clock in the Evening, when I was obliged to stop for want of Horses— At 4. o.Clock on Wednesday Morning I was in my Carriage, & could make but two posts for want of Horses, until 11 o. or 12 oClock. I was detained at one Post 3. hours, at a second four & at a third three more on that day, waiting for Horses, which prevented my arriving at L’Orient that Evening— On Wednesday Evening at 10 o.Clock to get the nearer L’Orient I sat off again, after being tormented the whole day almost for want of Horses, & about midnight found myself 4. Posts & an half from L’Orient, but being told it was impossible to enter L’Orient in the Night, I thought it best to rest myself three or four Hours, having had very little sleep— After a few 299Hours I sat off again & arrived here as I before mentioned, but unfortunately four Hours too late.— I have been thus particular in stating this matter, lest the Ministers should reproach me with having travelled too leisurely— They will please to recollect, that I was dispatched under an Idea that the Packet was not to sail until the 20th. instant,—& that I arrived two days before the time. There has been so much travelling for this 10. days past on this road that the Horses are worn out with fatigue & one journeys but slowly.—
On my Arrival Mr. L’oreilhe, Mr. Barclay’s Brother in Law, came to see me immediately, & went to the Commandant de la Marine, Mr. Thevenard, your very good Friend.—2 He was exceedingly chagrined & ordered a Ship to be prepared for me instantaneously, & She is now in vast forwardness, being covered almost with Workmen— The Commandant did me the honor to visit me, & was so polite as to assure me that no time should be lost in getting ready the Ship Warwick, a pretty little Vessel, formerly designed for a Packet—3 If the Wind should come fair I expect to be at Sea in three days, perhaps sooner— Every possible Attention has been shewn me by the Commandant & Mr. Loreilhe,— my Prospects are are very fair at present of soon leaving the Port, so that I hope to arrive as soon as the Packet Boat.—
The inclosed paper, which contains my Request for a Passage, was insisted on by the Commandant and I could not avoid it, but I did not consent, until I had an Assurance that the Ship was not fitted out & sent at the Expence of the United States—4 I told him my Situation was delicate, & that of my own head I could take no one Step that would invole the States in any Expence, without consulting the Ministers for Peace. I told him I thought it of Importance that the Treaty should go as soon as possible, but that I had no right to request a Vessel to be sent on purpose— He said he thôt it necessary that the Treaty should go, & that perhaps the Evacuation of New York depended on it— I was silent on this head.— He has set every thing in Motion here to get me off, & it cannot be long first— He has been indefatigable as well as Mr. Loreilhe, & I am extremely indebted to these Gentlemen for their Attention.— As this Ship does not go at the Expence of the States, I hope my Conduct will escape Censure.
My most affectionate Regards to your Son, & believe me to be with an invariable Attachment / Sir, / your most humble Servant
RC and enclosure (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / Mr. Adams &c &c”; endorsed: “Mr Thaxter. L’orient / 18. Septr. 1783.”
This was the Courier de l’Europe, for which see Zachariah Loreilhe’s letter of 24 Sept., below.
Zachariah Loreilhe, a Huguenot, was a partner in the Lorient mercantile firm of Barclay, Moylan & Co. (Priscilla H. and Richard S. Roberts, Thomas Barclay (1728–1793), Bethlehem, Penn., 2008, p. 77). Antoine Jean Marie, Comte de Thévenard, was commandant of the port of Lorient. JA had met and socialized with him in the spring of 1779 while waiting there for passage to America on the French frigate La Sensible (JA, D&A
, 2:369, 379, 389; 4:198; JA, Works
, 10:25).
Probably the Warwick, which sailed as a packet between Lorient and New York in 1784 and 1785 (New York Journal, 6 May 1784; New York Packet, 5 May 1785).
Thaxter enclosed a copy of his 18 Sept. 1783 letter to Thévenard. There he indicated the importance of getting the Anglo-American definitive peace treaty to the United States and requested the earliest possible passage to Philadelphia.