Papers of John Adams, volume 16
to the American Commissioners
bre.1784.1
J’ai rendu compte à ma Cour de l’ouverture contenue dans La Lettre que Vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 22. de Septembre dernier.2 Sa Sainteté faisant non moins attention à la convenance de Votre proposition, qu’ayant égard à ce que les prérogatives des Catholiques Romains habitans et Sujets des Etats Unis d’Amerique, y sont constamment conservées, m’ordonne de Vous déclarer que tous les batimens portant pavillon des Etats Unis qui aborderont dans les ports de Civitavecchia dans la méditerranée ou d’Ancone dans l’Adriatique y auront tout l’accueil qu’ils peuvent desirer; bien entendu que reciproquement les batimens et les effets des Sujets du St. Siege Seront traités de la même maniere dans les ports des Etats Unis. A cette déclaration je dois ajouter par ordre exprès de Sa Sainteté que les Sujets des Etats Unis d’Amérique trouveront dans les ports de la domination du St. Siege ci-dessus mentionnés une personne députée par Sa Sainteté pour leur donner toute l’assistence dont ils auront besoin.
Je me félicite d’être chargé de Vous déclarer ces intentions de ma Cour qui ne peuvent qu’être agréables aux Etats Unis d’Amérique.
J’ai l’honneur d’être avec une parfaite consideration / Messieurs / Votre très humble et très / Obéissant Serviteur
I have given an account to my court of the overture contained in the letter that you did me the honor of writing to me on 22 September last.2 His Holiness, no less mindful of the fitness of your proposal than concerned that the prerogatives of the Roman Catholic inhabitants and subjects of the United States of America are continually preserved, orders me to declare to you that ships under the flag of the United States that land in the ports of Civitavecchia on the Mediterranean or Ancona on the Adriatic will find there all the welcome that they might desire, with the reciprocal understanding, of course, that the ships and goods of the subjects of the Holy See will be treated in the same manner in the ports of the United States. To this declaration I must add by explicit order of His Holiness that the subjects of the United States of America will find in the ports under the dominion of the Holy See mentioned above a person designated by His Holiness to give them all the assistance that they might require.
I am pleased to be charged with declaring to you the intentions of my court, which can only be agreeable to the United States of America.
I have the honor of being with perfect respect, gentlemen, your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (PCC, No. 86, f. 85–88); internal address: “[…] Mrs. Les Ministres Plenipotentiares / […] Etats Unis d’Amerique (en Passy)”; endorsed: “Paris Decr 15. 1784 / from / The Pope’s Nuncio”; notation: “Pope.” Some loss of text due to a torn manuscript.
Giuseppe Doria Pamfili, the archbishop of Seleucia, served as apostolic nuncio to France from 28 Oct. 1773 to 16 Feb. 1785 (
Repertorium
, 3:291). Although dated 15 Dec. 1784, this letter was not delivered to the commissioners until late Feb. 1785 (commissioners to John Jay, 18 March, below).
See the commissioners’ 9 Sept. 1784 letter to the Baron von Thulemeier, and note 3, above.
van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje
r.1784.
In answer to your most esteem’d Favor of the 11th. Instt. we have the honour to advise, that you’ll find us at every Time disposed to give your Excellency every information concerning the State of Business of the United States, which you may require from us, and much more so when your Excellency informs us, that the public Service requires we should do so.
There is indeed at present a large Capital in our hands, to the disposition of Congress, the Amount of which, after deducting the dispositions of Mr. Morris which are known to us, and the Intrest
474
due next february, will nearly be a million of Florins.1 We think this will give much pleasure to your Excellency, as from this you may conclude that the two Loans are very nearly compleated and furnished.
We have private Letters from Philadelphia as late as the 31 October, and also from Mr. Morris of the beginning of that Month, with the long wished Answer to our Several Letters to that Gentleman, but no ratification on the last Loan of two Millions.2 We hope however to receive it soon, as it is necessary for the Security of the Moneylenders to deposit the Act with the other original Papers, attending this Business, at the Notary. In case your Excellency should have received any Information concerning the Ratification you’ll oblige us in giving us the Comunication there of.
We remain most respectfully / Sir / Your Most humble & obedt. Servts.
Nic
s.& Jacob van Staphorst.
de la Lande & fynje
The second Loan has been Compleated in October, and that money payed out, the money now in Cash proceeds from the fourth & fifth Million of the first Loan.
RC (Adams Papers).
At this point is a cross, presumably referring to a note at the bottom of the page: “The Intrest falling due next febr: on the Second Loan must be deducted from this million.”
Robert Morris wrote to the consortium on 30 Sept. and 14 October. In his first letter Morris indicated that he agreed with the consortium “in the Sentiment that there is Danger in drawing before we Know that the Funds are placed and I do beleive that the Protest of my drafts forced you into higher Terms than might otherwise have been settled with the Undertakers. But Gentlemen it is no uncommon Thing for a Government to find itself in Situations where nothing is left but a Choice of Evils and where the smallest of those Evils will be a very great one.” In the second letter, with regard to the delayed ratification of the loan, Morris wrote, “I think the Lenders will be guided on that Subject when they find that the adjournment of Congress had rendered the Ratification impracticable until after their next meeting the Period of which now approaches very near” (Morris, Papers
, 9:550, 572).