Papers of John Adams, volume 17
e.Juin 1785
J’ai la satisfaction de pouvoir vous annoncer que tout est à peu près raccom̃odé. Je dis à peu près: car il faudra toujours écrire, le plutôt le mieux, à L. H. P. la Lettre en question, où vous leur exposerez le cas. La Résolution avoit passé hier, com̃e j’ai eu l’hoñeur de vous le mander. Mais com̃e la résomption devoit s’en faire aujourd’hui avant d’être arrêtée, on revint un peu à la proposition des modérés, d’avoir une explication avec moi. En conséquence Mr. Fagel m’a envoyé prier ce matin de passer chez lui à 10 heures: ce qu’ayant fait, il m’a exposé la sensibilité de L. h. P., & demandé si Mr. Adams accrédité & admis tout récem̃ent auprès de Sa M. Brit., étoit le même qui étoit accrédité auprès d’eux— Je l’ai prié de me dire, s’il me faisoit la question com̃e Mr. Fagel, ou com̃e Mr. le Greffier.— Il m’a dit: j’ai ordre de vous le demander de la part de L. H. P.— J’ai donc, lui ai-je dit, un double & triple motif de vous dire la vérité; la voici en trois mots: c’est le même— J’ai poursuivi, qu’il m’étoit aisé de vous justifier provisionnellement, en attendant que vous le fissiez vous-même par Lettre à L. H. P.; & làdessus je lui ai lu ce que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de me dire sur ce sujet dans vos Lettres de Paris du 11 & du 18 May.— Il a été très-content de la maniere dont vous exprimez votre embarras dans les deux passages, en ajoutant: “J’ai bien dit que Mr. Adams étoit honnête, & incapable de manquer à L. H. P. Je vous prie de lui faire mes complimens, & de l’assurer de mes sentimens d’estime & d’amitié pour lui.”— Je lui ai lu ensuite ce qu’il convenoit de la Minute de mon susdit postcrit, qu’il a approuvé.1 Il m’a dit alors, qu’il avoit écrit hier provisionnellement à Mr. De Linde, de s’informer; mais que L. h. p. avoient trouvé bon, au lieu d’arrêter une Résolution, de prendre la chose ad notam, en d’autres termes, de la rendre Commissoriale, si les explications que je pourrois donner se trouvoient satisfaisantes; ce dont il ne doutoit pas, si je voulois lui donner Extrait de ces Lettres, pour le produire im̃édiatement à l’Assemblée. Com̃e le temps étoit court, & qu’il n’y avoit rien d’ailleurs dans les deux Lettres qui ne pût être vu d’un chacun, j’ai pris le parti de lui confier les Originaux (ce que Mr. De Verac, à qui je l’ai raconté, a approuvé).2 Il me les renverra.— J’ai couru delà à un autre bout de la Ville, instruire l’ami d’hier, qui alloit sortir pour se rendre à l’Assemblée. Mon attention lui a fait plaisir. Après dîner j’ai appris, 170que la prise ad notam a eu lieu. Mr. Fagel m’a dit aussi, que le Roi de Suede en question étoit celui d’aujourd’hui; le Ministre dont il se croyoit offensé, Mr. De Linde actuellement à Londres; & celui qui cita ce trait hier à l’Assemblée, Mr. son frere de Blitterswick.—3 Il m’a dit aussi, que quelques têtes chaudes avoient opiné de rappeller Mr. van Berckel.
La proposition d’Amsterdam, dont je vous ai parlé, & un terrible Mémoire de Mr. le Cte. De Maillebois, qui l’a suivie de près, vont, selon toute apparence, produire l’Etablissement d’un Département Militaire, qui diminuera prodigieusement certaine influence.
La crise en Allemagne continue de mûrir. Je viens de déchiffrer une Lettre interessante là-dessus. Mais ceci fort entre nous.
P.S. du 10e. Juin
Mr. le Greffier Fagel, en me rendant ce matin les deux Lettres susdites, m’a dit, que l’Eponge est passée sur toute cette affaire, & que L. H. P ont ordonné de la rayer même des notes. Cela vous rendra, Monsieur, la Lettre de politesse, qu’il est toujours & d’autant plus à propos d’écrire, encore plus aisée.— Je lui ai demandé en même temps, à la requisition de Mess. Willink &c. un passeport pour vos 2 Caisses qu’ils ont en main. Il me l’a fait expédier tout de suite, en me réitérant de vous transmettre les témoignages de son estime & amitié: il m’en a promis un semblable pour vos effets ici, quand ils seront prets à partir: ce dont on com̃encera Lundi prochain à s’occuper.4
Permettez que Mesdames Adams trouvent ici les assurances de nos respects pour Elles & pour Vous Monsieur, De Votre Exce. le très-humble & très-obéissant serviteur
I have the satisfaction of announcing to you that everything is more or less mended. I say more or less, for it will still be necessary—and the sooner the better—to write the letter in question to Their High Mightinesses where you would present the case. The resolution passed yesterday, as I had the honor to report to you. But today when discussion resumed before it was drawn up, the moderates’ proposition, that an explanation be arranged with me, was revisited. Consequently Mr. Fagel sent for me to request that I pay him a visit at 10 o’clock, which being done, he presented the opinion of Their High Mightinesses, and asked if Mr. Adams, recently accredited to, 171and granted an audience with, His Britannic Majesty, was the same person accredited to them. I entreated him to tell me if he was asking me the question as Mr. Fagel or as the secretary. He said to me: I have orders to ask you on behalf of Their High Mightinesses. So, I said to him: I therefore have a double and triple motive to tell you the truth; here it is in three words: He’s the same. I continued, saying that it was easy for me to vouch for you provisionally, before you did so yourself by a letter to Their High Mightinesses; and thereupon I read to him what you did me the honor to tell me on the subject in your letters from Paris of 11 and 18 May. He was very satisfied with the manner in which you expressed your embarrassment in the two passages, adding: “I did say that Mr. Adams was honest and incapable of breaking with Their High Mightinesses. I pray you extend to him my compliments and assure him of my sentiments of esteem and friendship.” I then read to him the pertinent parts of the memorandum of my earlier postscript, which he approved.1 He said to me then that yesterday he had provisionally written to Mr. Van Lynden to inform him; but that Their High Mightinesses had found it agreeable, instead of drawing up a resolution, to consider the affair ad notam, or in other words, to make it commissorial, if the explanations that I could give them were to be found satisfactory. He did not doubt that they would, if I would provide him with an excerpt of the letters to produce immediately before the assembly. As time was short, and because in any event there was nothing in the two letters which might not be seen by anyone, I chose to entrust the originals to him (of which Mr. Vérac, to whom I related the story, approved).2 He will return them to me. I ran from there to the other end of town in order to apprise the friend from yesterday who was about to leave to appear at the assembly. The consideration pleased him. After dinner, I learned that the settlement ad notam had taken place. Mr. Fagel also told me that the king of Sweden in question was today’s king; the minister by whom he felt offended, Mr. Van Lynden currently in London; and the one who cited the anecdote yesterday in the assembly, his brother Mr. Van Blitterswick.3 He also told me that several hotheads had suggested recalling Mr. Van Berckel.
The proposition from Amsterdam which I told you about, and the terrible memoir of the Comte de Maillebois which came soon afterward, will produce, by all appearances, the establishment of a military department, which will prodigiously diminish certain influences.
The crisis in Germany continues to come to a head. I have just deciphered an interesting letter pertaining to it, but that is strictly between us.
P.S. of 10 June
The secretary, Mr. Fagel, upon returning this morning the two aforementioned letters, told me that the whole affair has been expunged, and that Their High Mightinesses ordered it stricken from the notes. This will render, sir, the letter of civility, which remains appropriate to write, even easier. At the same time, I asked him at the behest of Messrs. Willink, etc., for a passport for your two crates, which they have on hand. He is having it 172sent to me right away, wishing again that I communicate the tokens of his esteem and friendship. He promised me a similar one for your effects here, when they are ready to go, to which we will attend next Monday.4
Grant that the Adams ladies herein find the assurances of the respect for them and for you, sir, of your excellency’s most humble and most obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Bath-Hôtel Westminster / A Son Excellence Mr. J. Adams”; endorsed: “Mr Dumas / 8 June. ansd 13 / 1785.”
See the postscript to Dumas’ letter of 7 June, above.
This is the French ambassador to the Netherlands, Charles Olivier de Saint Georges, Marquis de Vérac. He had served as the French minister to Russia during Francis Dana’s mission to St. Petersburg (
Repertorium
, 3:126, 133).
Presumably Willem Carel Hendrik van Lynden van Blitterswyck, deputy to the States General from Zeeland, who had signed the 1782 Dutch-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce (vol. 13:381, 389).
Dumas wrote in the left margin, probably intending it as a continuation of this paragraph, the following: “Ces Passeports sont pour exempter vos effets des droits de sortie. J’envoie ce soir celui que j’ai à Mess Willink, &c.” Translation: These passports are to exempt your effects from export duties. I am sending the one I have this evening to Messrs. Willink, etc.
]19 June 1785
Memorandum It is hereby agreed Between Thomas Like and Henry Turner of Frith Street Soho in the County of Middlesex Upholders on behalf of the Honourable John Byron2 of Purbright in the County of Hants of the One part and his Excellency John Adams Esqr. Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America of the other part as follows the said Thomas Like & Henry Turner on behalf of the said John Byron agree to let to the said John Adams and the said John Adams agrees to Rent and take all that Messuage or Tenement with the Appurtenance situate in the North East Angle of Grosvenor Square in the Parish of Saint George Hanover Square in the said County of Middlesex heretofore in the Tenure or Occupation of Lord Newborough since of the said John Byron now untenanted To hold the said Messuage with the Appurtenances from the 24th. day of June instant for the term of one year and 3 Quarters of a year wanting ten days At and under the yearly Rent of One hundred and Sixty pounds payable quarterly clear of all Taxes and deductions whatsoever except the Land Tax the first quarterly payment of the said Rent to be made the twenty ninth day 173of September next And the said Thos. Like and Henry Turner do hereby agree on behalf and at the expence of the said John Byron forthwith to paint the front parlour the drawing room over it and the shoot door and to make good all broken pains in the windows throughout the Premes and also all damaged parts of the Plaister work And the said John Adams agrees to keep the said Messuage and premises in good repair during the said term and to surrender up the same in such repair together with the fixtures and things mentioned in the Schedule hereunder written and hereto annexed and all other fixtures to the said Premises to the said John Byron his Executors Administrators or Assigns or to the said Thomas Like and Henry Turner on his behalf at the end of the said term in as good condition as the same are now in reasonable use and wear thereof and Casualties by fire only excepted In Witness whereof the Parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands the ninth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Eighty five
Witness John Bartel.
Like & Turner
N 47. Frith S
t.Soho
Rec’d—1—Guinea for the Atty., who drew out the Stampt agreemt. which is with of the Honble. Mr. Adams—
MS (Adams Papers).
JA signed the lease for the first American legation in London, at 8 (now 9) Grosvenor Square on the corner of Duke and Brook Streets, but the task of finding a suitable residence for a U.S. minister fell to AA. She wrote Thomas Jefferson on 6 June that “my time has been much taken up since my arrival in looking out for a House. I could find many which would suit in all respects but the price, but none realy fit to occupy under 240£. 250, besides the taxes, which are serious matters here. At last I found one in Grovenor Square which we have engaged.” On 24 June she wrote to Mary Smith Cranch that “I was a fortnight all the time I could get looking of different Houses, but could not find any one fit to inhabit. . . . At last my good Genious carried me to one in Grovenor Square, which was not let because the person who had the care of it, could let it only for the remaining lease which was one Year and 3 quarters.” The Adamses moved in on 2 July and thereafter she “had a buisy time getting my House in order and procuring a thousand little necessaries.” In her journal letter to JQA of 4 July to 11 Aug., AA2 indicated that her new location was “pleasant,” described the house, drew a rough map of its location in the square, and mentioned some of the Adamses’ neighbors, including the Marquis of Carmarthen and Lord North (
AFC
, 6:170, 187, 204–205, 212–213, 240). For a 1789 view of Grosvenor Square and a photograph of the former legation, which still stands, see JA, D&A
, 3:xii–xiii, 288. See also Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 6, above.
This is Vice Adm. John Byron, British commander at the 1779 Battle of Grenada and grandfather of Lord Byron the poet (
DNB
). He had occupied the house since 1780 (Greater London Council, The Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part II: The Buildings, Survey of London 40, London, 1980, p. 124–126).