Papers of John Adams, volume 16
I have this Moment rec’d your Letter of the 6th: and have now only to say, that if you have not absolutely engaged the House I desire you would not engage it at all, and if you have engaged it, to get released from that Engagement upon the easiest Terms you can— This is an Unlucky Change of Mind But I shall not change again.1
With great Esteem, your &c.
LbC in JQA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr: Barclay.”; APM Reel 107.
But see JA’s letter to Barclay of 27 July, below.
Your favour of the 27. April is, before me.— I wish very Sincerely that my family had made a Visit to me, or I to them on the Conclusion of the Peace. But The two Ladies will be affectionate Friends, I dare answer for it, if they should ever meet.
There are Things constantly to be done here, but if there were not, it would be impossible for me, to come to Paris at present, without arranging Affairs for the whole Year. My Friend Mr Dumas, in whose Care I could Safely leave this House has purchased another into which he is about to enter which will oblige me if I leave this at all, to take another Family into it, and where to find one, worthy of the Trust I know not.
The whole Affair of a Commission, and of all Arrangements are So uncertain that I conclude upon the whole to wait here with Patience untill, I know what to depend upon. When the Arrangements arrive, I shall then be able to determine what to do, at present I am all in the dark.— if you go I think it is proper you Should take with you, the Ratification of the Treaty, and I most Sincerely wish you, a prosperous Voyage, and all Happiness forever.
your Sincere Friend and very humble / Servant
RC (NNC:John Jay Papers); internal address: “His Exy. Mr Jay.”; endorsed: “Mr Adams / 11 May 1784.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 107.
th.1784.
I did myself the Honour of writing to your Excellency by the last Post, & inclosing a Letter, which might have been productive by this Time of an Event, which I assure myself would have been painful to you. I Know not as yet, what is the result of my Ennemies Council thereon. I called three times at Vine Street Yesterday but found no Letter from either. Let them take their Time, I have done, what I was under the Necessity of doing in Consequence—of their 205 Insolence. I am told I need not go further, as I assure your Excellency I have been urged by no Vindictive Passion having determind & declared, that if the Meeting had been had, not to have enjoind Either of my Ennemies I Know my Duty better to God & man & myself, that to take such means of Vindication. & I hope I shall ever remember it; but this must not be told in Gath, for then the Philistines will be more troublesome1
I am with the greatest Respect / Sir your Excellencys / most obedient humble Servant
PS. I wish your Excellency would shew the Anonymous Letter to Mr [Brush?], now I beleive at Amsterdam, I think He will Know the Hande.2
RC (Adams Papers).
Jenings refers to 2 Samuel, 1:20: “Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.”
Probably Eliphalet Brush, a New York merchant, who acted on JA’s behalf in August (to the loan consortium, 3 Aug., below). But for JA’s own identification of the author of the anonymous letter, see his first letter of 9 April to Samuel Osgood, and note 7, above.