Papers of John Adams, volume 16

Thomas Barclay to John Adams, 25 June 1784 Barclay, Thomas Adams, John

From Thomas Barclay

Dear Sir Paris 25th. June 1784—

I received your letter by the Post and Express almost at the same time.1 Your things went away last Night at Eleven o’Clock, and Inclosed I send you an Account of them.2 It shou’d have gone by the Express but it was Very late before the affair was finish’d, and he will shew you a Duplicate of it— I Packed your Two Trunks Myself, and if they do not meet with any Interuption at the Barriers they will Pass to you I Expect in good order which I shall be glad to hear.—

I Received with the Bills of Exchange a List of—169 Bills amounting to ƒ.186472 which you mention to have received from Mess: Fezeaux some time ago. But of the other Bills which Accompanied them viz 375 amounting to ƒ . 290780 2/3d— there was No list, Therefore I send you a General Receipt for the whole viz—544 Bills of Exchange amount 477252 2/3 Florins—Say Five hundred and forty four Bills amount Four Hundred and seventy seven thousand, two hundred fifty two and two thirds Florins—which agrees with the Contents of your letter, and with the Vouchers—

I have furnishd the Superintendent of Finance with the Account by way of England,3 and if you Incline to have Receipts in any other Form from what I send, let Me know and your Directions shall be Only Complied with, I shall answer the other parts of your letter Very soon, and Remain with great Respect and Esteem / Dear Sir / Your Obed & Very / Hum. Serv

Thos Barclay

I shall send you the Receipt Next Post. the post for this day is Just going—4

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr. / Hague”; endorsed: “Mr Barclay / 25. June 1784.”

JA’s letter by post was that of 11 June, above. For the express, which carried JA’s letter of 28 May as well as the bills of exchange, see the 11 June letter and Jan Willink’s of 10 June, above.

The enclosed inventory of JA’s effects sent off by Barclay has not been found.

For the “Account” that Barclay sent to 250 Robert Morris, see his account of bills of exchange drawn on John Adams and Henry Laurens, 22 June, above.

The postscript was written vertically in the left margin.

Marquis de Lafayette to John Adams, 25 June 1784 Lafayette, Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Adams, John

From the Marquis de Lafayette

My dear Sir L’Orient June the 25th 1784

At the Very instant of Sailing for America, I stop to Send You the New Modelled Regulations of the Cincinnati—1 My principles Ever Have Been Against Heredity, and While I was in Europe disputing about it with a few friends, My letters to the Assembly, and still more Particularly to the president, Made them Sensible of My Opinion Upon that Matter— Untill Heredity Was Given Up, I forbeared Mentionning in Europe What Sense I Had Expressed— But Mr̃ Jay Being in Paris, I once Explained My conduct to Him, and He Appeared Very Well satisfied— The Valüe I Have for Your Esteem is the Reason Why I Mention those particulars—and so far as Respects me, it is for You that I write this Minuted Account.

Mr̃ Jay is Named a Minister for foreign Affairs—Mr̃s John Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson are Appointed a Committee to Make Treaties with European Powers

With Every Sentiment of an Affectionate Regard I Have / the Honour to Be / dear Sir / Your obedient Humble Servant

Lafayette

Whatever Has Been thought Offensive, You see the Cincinnati Have Given it Up— Now the New frame Must Be Examined— in Every Circumstance, My dear Sir, depend upon it You Will find me, what Ever I Have Been, and perhaps With some Eclat—i.e.—a Warm friend to the Army—a still Warmer Advocate for the Cause of Liberty— But those two things, When the army is put to the proof—You Will ever aknowledge to Agree with each other.

RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Marquis De La / Fayette / June 25. 1784.”

Lafayette sailed for the United States on 28 June. For Lafayette’s willingness to remove the provision making membership in the Society of the Cincinnati hereditary, see his 8 March letter, note 4, above. The “New Modelled Regulations” that he sent to JA have not been found, but they proceeded from the deliberations of the “Grand Convention” held at Philadelphia in May. There, at the behest of George Washington and against considerable opposition, all mention of heredity was removed from the society’s “Institution,” or bylaws. Lafayette may have seen the circular letter to the various state branches that laid out the changes. Most of the revisions were rejected, however, and the society remained hereditary (Lafayette, Papers , 5:xliii; Myers, Liberty without Anarchy , p. 58–66, 70–80).

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