Papers of John Adams, volume 16
J’ai recû par la dernière poste la lettre dont Vous m’avés honoré, Monsieur, en date du 18. de Septembre.1 Celle que Vous m’avés 336 adressée conjointement avec Messieurs Francklin, et Jefferson, touchant la conclusion du Traité de Commerce que j’ai eû l’avantage de negocier avec Vous, a été transmise au Roi. Dès que les Ordres ultérieurs de S. M. me seront connûs, je m’empresserai a Vous en faire part.
Lês informations que le Président du Commité siégeant a Annapolis pendant les vacances du Congrès, Vous a fait parvenir, Monsieur, au sujet des Affaires de quelques Sujets Prussiens intéressés a la succession du Pasteur Lutherien Christian Ravenhorst, decédé a Eben-Ezer en Georgie, dont Vous avés eû la bonté de me faire part, feront aujourdhui l’objet d’un rapport que j’enverrai en Cour. Il me paroit que les heritiers domiciliés dans les Etats du Roi n’ont point reclamé la sentence du Congrès, mais uniquement une recommandation, une intervention pressante auprès des Etats de Géorgie, d’autant plûs qu’a mon avis il seroit aussi difficile que ruineux d’appointer a une aussi grande distance, et pour un héritage aussi peu considerable, un homme de loi, dont les soins exigeroient comme de raison une certaine remunération.
J’ai l’honneur d’ètre avec la Considération la plûs distinguée / Monsieur, / Vôtre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur
I received by the last post the letter with which you honored me, sir, dated 18 September.1 The one that you addressed to me jointly with Messrs. Franklin and Jefferson, touching on the conclusion of the treaty of commerce that I had the privilege of negotiating with you, has been transmitted to the king. As soon as further orders from His Majesty are made known to me, I will hasten to share them with you.
The information that the president of the committee sitting at Annapolis during the congressional recess sent to you, sir, and that you were so good as to share with me, regarding the affairs of some Prussian subjects interested in the estate of Lutheran pastor Christian Ravenhorst, who died at Ebenezer, Georgia, will be the object of a report today that I will send to the court. It appears to me that the heirs living in the king’s dominions have obtained not the judgment of Congress at all but only a testimonial, an earnest intercession directed to the Georgia authorities. What is more, in my opinion, hiring an attorney, whose pains would reasonably require a certain remuneration, would be not just difficult but ruinous at such a great distance and for such a modest inheritance.
337I have the honor of being with the greatest consideration, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mr De Thulemeyer / 1. Oct. 1784.”
In his 18 Sept. letter (LbC, APM Reel 107), JA noted the commissioners’ 9 Sept. letter, mentioned by Thulemeier in the following sentence. JA also enclosed a copy of the [9] July letter that he received from the Committee of the States, wherein the committee denied both its own authority to act on the proposed Prussian-American treaty and Congress’ power to intervene in the settlement of the Christian Ravenhorst estate in Georgia, a matter that Thulemeier had raised in his letter of 25 March, all above.
to the American Commissioners
Je n’ai point différé de porter à la connoissance du Roi mon Maître les dispositions des Etats-Unis de l’Amérique pour la conclusion d’un Traité d’Amitié et de Commerce, que Vous m’avez fait connoître, Messieurs, par la lettre dont Vous m’avez honoré en date du 9. de Septembre Dernier. Sa Majesté ayant jugé à propos de me munir des Pleinpouvoirs requis pour donner au dit Traité toute la consistance desirable, je m’empresse à Vous en transmettre une copie.2 Je me rapellerai toujours avec une satisfaction toute particulière l’avantage qui m’a été attribué d’avoir concouru à former les liens qui subsisteront à l’avenir entre la Nation Prussienne et les Citoyens des Etats Unis d’Amérique. Il me paroît superflu, Messieurs, de Vous adresser une copie du Traité de Commerce en question, qui a fait l’objet des soins reunis de Monsieur Adams et des miens, d’autant plus que je ne doute aucunement que ce Ministre n’ait conservé l’exemplaire que j’ai vu entre ses mains.3 Je me ferai un devoir d’accélérer la conclusion de cette négociation, et je me flatte, Messieurs, que Vous voudrez bien me communiquer Vos idées sur la manière dont Vous desirerez Vous concerter avec moi. Le Roi apprendra d’ailleurs avec plaisir le choix que les Etats Unis d’Amérique auront fait de préférence de telle ou autre ville pour le commerce d’échange entre les negocians des deux nations. Stettin, Embden, places maritimes Prussiennes, quelques ports d’Hollande ou de France, rempliront également ce but.
J’ai l’honneur d’être avec la considération la plus distinguée / Messieurs, / Vôtre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur
I wasted no time in bringing to the attention of my lord the king the dispositions of the United States of America for the conclusion of a treaty of friendship and commerce, of which you informed me, gentlemen, in the letter with which you honored me dated 9 September last. His Majesty judged it proper to furnish me with the full powers necessary to give the said treaty all the consistency desirable. I am hastening to transmit to you a copy.2 I will always remember with special satisfaction the privilege that was conferred on me of contributing to the formation of the bonds that will subsist in the future between the Prussian nation and the citizens of the United States of America. It appears to me superfluous, gentlemen, to address to you a copy of the treaty of commerce in question, which has been the object of the combined efforts of Mr. Adams and myself, the more as I have no doubt at all that that minister preserved the copy that I saw in his hands.3 I will make it a duty to press the conclusion of this negotiation, and I flatter myself, gentlemen, that you will be willing to communicate to me your ideas on the manner in which you will want to consult with me. The king in addition will learn with pleasure the choice of the United States indicating a preference for one city or another where the exchange of commerce between merchants of the two nations might take place. Stettin or Emden, Prussian ports of trade, as well as several Dutch or French ports could equally serve this end.
I have the honor of being with the deepest consideration, gentlemen, your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (PCC, No. 86, f. 45–48); internal address: “Messieurs Adams, Francklin, Jefferson, / Ministres Plenipotentiaires des Etats / Unis d’Amérique à Paris.”; endorsed: “Hague. Oct 8th. 1784 / from / Baron Thulemeier / with / King of Prussias full Powers / to Mess. Adams, Franklin / and Jefferson.”; notation: “Prussia.”
C. W. F. Dumas indicates in his 8 Oct. letter to JA (Adams Papers) that he forwarded this letter to David Humphreys for delivery to the commissioners. In the same letter to JA, Dumas enclosed his 8 Oct. letter to the president of Congress (PCC, No. 93, III, f. 41–43, No. 115B, f. 56–57;
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 3:519–520) and another to Pieter Johan van Berckel. Dumas’ letter to Congress was largely devoted to the continuing Austro-Dutch conflict, but Dumas also noted that the Baron von Thulemeier had sent him a letter to be forwarded to the commissioners and that he had done so.
For a copy, by Humphreys, of Thulemeier’s 30 Sept. commission conferring on him full powers to negotiate a commercial treaty with the United States, see PCC, No. 116, f. 64–66.
For the draft Prussian-American treaty sent to JA by Thulemeier on 9 April and the [post 5 May] memorandum regarding changes to the draft treaty suggested by the American commissioners, see the Proposed Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, [9 April – post 5 May], above. Contrary to Thulemeier’s expectations, negotiations were not resumed on the 9 April draft treaty but rather began afresh on a new draft that the commissioners sent to him on 10 Nov., for which see the Negotiation of the 10 September 1785 Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 10 Nov. 1784–14 March 1785, Editorial Note, below.