Papers of John Adams, volume 16
e.7
br.1784
Quoique malade depuis 8 jours, je fais cependant des efforts, non seulement pour vous acheminer l’incluse pour le Congrès dont le contenu Vous mettra au fait de la suite des affaires ici, mais aussi pour ré[pon]dre à votre faveur du 25 Août un peu plus en détail que je n’ai pu faire dans mes deux précédentes, la 1e. sous couvert de Mr. Ths. Barclay, la suivante directement à V. E. selon l’adresse prescrite, espérant d’apprendre, que l’une & l’autre sont bien parvenues en vos mains.1
Nous avons été d’autant plus aise ici à la reception de votre susdite Lettre, que 8 ou 10 jours après votre départ le bruit couroit ici, qu’un Paquebot allant en Angleterre, S’étoit perdu. J’avois cependant caché cela chez moi, pour n’allarmer personne, & il n’y avoit que moi seul d’inquiet à ce sujet, com̃e à tous ceux où je puis épargner de la peine autres. Maintenant je vous félicite, ainsi que votre chere famille, de pouvoir me raconter les fatigues & travaux passés, au milieu du calme, de la tranquillité, de la salubrité de votre belle habitation, de votre Parc de Boulogne, & surtout des bras de Made. Adams, à laquelle nous présentons nos respects. Veuillez aussi les faire agréer à L. E. Mess. Franklin & Jepherson.
Nous ne som̃es pas moins mortifiés que V. E. de ce que vous n’avez pu résider au moins un mois ici avec Madame & Mademoiselle Adams, puisque cela nous auroit procuré l’honneur de leur connoissance personnelle, & que nous aurions eu la satisfaction en même temps de revoir Mr. votre fils, dont nous regrettons souvent l’aimable société.
Je suis avec grand respect, / De Votre Excellence / Le très-humble & très-obéissant / serviteur
Although sick for the last eight days, I am nonetheless making the effort not only to forward to you the enclosed for Congress, the contents of which will inform you about the course of events here, but also to respond to your letter of 25 August in detail, which I was not able to do in my two most recent letters, the first sent in care of Mr. Thomas Barclay, the second sent directly to your excellency at the designated address. I hope to learn that both of them arrived safely in your hands.1
We were especially relieved here to receive your abovementioned letter, as eight or ten days after your departure the rumor spread here that a packet boat on its way to England had been lost. I nonetheless kept this to myself in order not to alarm anyone, and I was the only one who worried about it, as I always want to spare others from suffering. Now I congratulate you as well as your dear family on being able to recount to me past fatigues and travails in the midst of the calm, tranquility, and salubriousness of your beautiful home, your Bois de Boulogne, and above all the arms of Mrs. Adams, to whom we send our respects. Please also give them to their excellencies Messrs. Franklin and Jefferson.
We are no less mortified than your excellency that you were not able to reside here with Mrs. and Miss Adams at least a month, because then we would have had the honor of making their personal acquaintance, and at the same time we would have had the satisfaction of seeing your son again, whose charming company we often miss.
I am with great respect your excellency’s very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “A S. E. M. Adams M. P. des E. U.”
Dumas likely did not send this letter until 12 Sept. because he probably enclosed his 9 Sept. letter to the president of Congress, to which he appended a 12 Sept. postscript. There Dumas reported the States of Zeeland’s approval of a Franco-Dutch defensive alliance, with which the States General had unanimously concurred. He also enclosed a copy of the 8 Sept. memorial presented by Laurent Bérenger, the Duc de La Vauguyon’s secretary, to the States General. There Louis XVI urged the Dutch assembly to propose terms for a negotiated settlement of the conflict with Joseph II and to avoid any action that might give offense to the Austrian emperor. In his postscript Dumas
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added that the Comte de Vergennes had given the Dutch ministers at Versailles confidential assurances that if the French king’s efforts at mediation proved unfruitful, he would employ more effective means on behalf of the Dutch Republic (PCC, No. 93, III, f. 27–29; No. 115B, f. 51–52;
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 3:515–516). Dumas’ most recent letter to JA was dated 31 Aug., for which see note 2 to JA’s letter to Dumas of 25 Aug., above; Dumas also wrote on 3 Sept., above.
th:of September 1784.
Your Excellence’s of the 25th: of last Month, wherewith I have been favoured, did give me very great Satisfaction and Joy of the perfect State of health of Your Excellence and honorble: Family, and their Safe arrival at Auteuil; I immediately after perusing the Letter, communicated Your Excellence Compliments to Mr: Maclaine, who was very much delighted at Your Kind remembrance of him, promissing to return the Civility by his own hand, the Same I have done at the house of Mr: Dumas. Respecting Your Excellce: Order, concerning the Wine and other moveable Articles about the house, I did not loose a moments time immediately after Your Excelce: Departure, to committ every Small and great things moveable under look and Key, So that nothing but violence, and not a Small one besides, can make prize of it.1
Sir! this præludium I would and could have Spared for a more convenient opportunity, had not General van der Dussen, Your Excelces: good Neighbour at the right Side of the house, given me occassion to trouble You with this writing; the General was pleased to Send for me this morning, to inform me of his intention and to make rapport to Your Excelce: of the Same, that the partition wall of wood between Your and his Garden Stands at present So rotten and wore out, that it requires a repair, for the lowermost blanks and many of the posts towards and in the ground are entirely rotten, and Since it is a common wall Kept and preserved by Your Excelce: and the General, he hopes, as it is necessary, Your Excelce: will consent to it; the General thinks to be the fittest time at present, before the bad weather comes rushing in, and the following Spring would hinder the work on account of the fruit trees, which Stand against it; the General likewise leaves to Your Excelce: Discretion to chuse Your own or his Carpenter to perform the work, yet, I understood, by complaining of the bad Sort of wood, which, as the General told me, Your Carpenter had provided about two Years ago, that the
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Genl: Should like to make use of his Carpenter; I promissd to acquaint Your Excelce: of the Generals request immediately, and as Soon as having received Your Sentiments, would not fail to communicate the Same.2
The Keeper of the gold Lion Inn at Leiden, came hier to the house, to beg of Your Excelce: to forward this inclosed Letter, directed to Mr: James Wheelock at Dartmouth, as Your Excelce: had promissd to him, when last at Leiden.3
I make bold to beg of Your Excellence to remember me to the Ladies and Gentlemen of Your Excelces: Family, and am with profondest respect / Your Excellence / most devoted and humble Servant
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mr. C. Lotter. Sep. 10 / ansd 18. 1784.”
In his 25 Aug. letter (LbC, APM Reel 107), JA thanked Lotter for forwarding letters and instructed him to put any loose bottles of wine in cases and to place any other unsecured items in drawers under lock and key. JA indicated that he was unlikely to return to The Hague in 1784, informing Lotter that the Adamses had taken a house at Auteuil and providing him with the address. In closing JA sent his regards to Rev. Archibald MacLaine, C. W. F. Dumas and his family, and other friends who inquired about him.
Aegidius van der Dussen, a Dutch lieutenant general of cavalry, had served as governor of the barrier town of Ypres. In his reply to Lotter of the 18th (LbC, APM Reel 107), JA indicated that Gen. Van der Dussen should proceed with the repairs and submit his bill to the consortium, which would verify the bill and reimburse the general for his part of the expense (JA, D&A
, 3:12–13).
The enclosed letter to James Wheelock has not been found.