Papers of John Adams, volume 15
th.1783
I have recd. the Letter you did me the honor of writing me on the 27th. of May, & the other mentioned in it.1
Letters of Recommendation or Introduction, in mercantile Affairs, are delicate & dangerous things, and they lie so far out of my 42road, that I meddle in them as little as possible. Isaac Smith Esqr., of Boston has heretofore carried on the Fishery at Cape Ann, to a great Extent, and Elbridge Gerry Esqr. of Marblehead, is a Merchant of Character there. These Gentlemen, if you write them, will be able to give you any Information you desire.
Your Letter to the Emperor of Morocco has given me great Uneasiness.— How you could venture to write such a Letter I cannot concieve, and what will be the consequence of it to yourself or the Public, I know not. It is the Custom among the African & Asiatic Nations to send and recieve Presents with Ambassadors, and Congress has never to my knowledge made Provision for any Presents, or given Authority to any Man to go to the Emperor or write to him. Mr. Jay has a similar Letter from you—and I can do nothing in the Business without his Concurrence & that of my other Colleagues. I can only recommend to you more Discretion for the future.2
I am, Sir, your respectful hble Servant.
LbC in John Thaxter’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr. Robert Montgomery / Alicante.”; APM Reel 108.
Vol. 14:501–502. The enclosure was Montgomery’s 4 Jan. letter to Sultan Sidi Muhammad ibn Abdallah of Morocco.
For Montgomery’s explanation of his indiscretion in initiating treaty negotiations with Morocco, see his reply of 2 Aug., below, but see also note 1 to his 27 May letter, vol. 14:502. For JA’s additional comments on Montgomery’s letter to the sultan, see JA’s 12 July letter to Robert R. Livingston, below.
We have the honoúr to acknowledge the Receit of yoúr Excellency’s most esteemed favoúr of 27th. May. wherein we Observe what yoúr Excelly. is pleased to Say about the Definitive Treaty. but as by all dispensed Accounts we have no great Reason to think of its being Soon Concluded, it may make yoúr Excellys. Stay at Paris much Longer than yoúr Excelly. self can fooreseen; wherefore Should it Succeed us (so as we hope). in distributing a Large quantity of Obligations in the Months of July and August, it Certainly would put ús into Some Inconveniency.1 This has determined us to take the Liberty to Send yoúr Excellency by way of the Widow Smit’s of Anvers a Small Case Containing Two Thousand and Three Obligations (which three only Serve in Case any misfortúne in 43Signing of ’em happen).2 Claim[ing] on them yoúr Excellency’s Signature, as Likewise the Return of ’em, as Soon as yoúr Excellency’s Occupations will permit it—.
We have the honoúr to Remain Very Respectfúlly / Sir / Yoúr Excellency’s most / Obedt. humb. Servants.
s.& Jacob van Staphorst:
RC (Adams Papers), internal address: “To his Excelly. John Adams Esqr: / at Paris.” Some loss of text due to wear at the edge.
In his letter of 27 May (LbC, APM Reel 108), JA indicated that delays in negotiating the definitive treaty meant that he would be at Paris for the foreseeable future. He requested that the consortium delay sending him the unsigned obligations but indicated his determination to sign those that remained before he left Europe.
The widow Jean Marten Smets wrote JA on 18 June (Adams Papers), indicating that she was sending the case via the regular stagecoach from Brussels and offering her services if the United States should seek to raise a loan in Belgium. In his 26 June reply to the consortium (LbC, APM Reel 108), JA indicated that the obligations had not yet arrived and that he was surprised the loan was not filling more rapidly. JA returned the signed obligations with his letter of 5 July, below.