Papers of John Adams, volume 17
I have recd your Letter,1 and am very Sorry that I ever thought of giving you any Trouble about my Books and Secretaries. it must be a great deal of Vexation to you and Madam Dumas, from which you will both be glad to be relieved. I have written to Lotter before to come with the Things, and therefore I beg you would give yourself no Trouble about them.— I want them all as soon as possible.
But the most Serious Thing is the offence taken by any Member of the States. This really hurts me, for nothing was ever farther from the Thoughts either of me or my Masters than the least disrespect or Failure of positive Respect. As long as my Heart beats it will beat with the sentiments of Esteem and Affection for that Country, and with Respect for their H. Mightinesses.— My Successor is not arrived nor my Letter of Recal, and therefore I could not take Leave, and yet my orders were so express and the Business here so Serious, I assure you, that I was obliged to come here. My Regards as usual.
RC (DLC:Dumas Papers); internal address: “Mr Dumas.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 107.
JA indicates in his endorsement of Dumas’ 7 June letter, above, that he replied to it on 13 June, below. However, this letter is almost certainly also a reply to the 7 June letter. This seems likely because JA also wrote on this date to Christian Lotter, below, and to the consortium, for which see the letter to Lotter, and note 2. Both of those letters, as does this one, indicate that C. W. F. and Marie Dumas were to be relieved from any further involvement in the packing of JA’s goods for transport to London. The 10 June letters to Lotter and the consortium both responded to Lotter’s own letter of 7 June complaining that Dumas and his wife were interfering with the packing, which he believed was his own responsibility.
I have the Honour to inform you, that I have recd from Congress a Letter of Credence to his Britannic Majesty as Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, and that I have had the Honour of presenting that Letter to his Majesty and of being received in that Character.
I have received too authentic Information that Congress have resolved that it is expedient to appoint a Minister to Succeed me at 175the Hague. But I have not received my Letter of Recall nor1 of the actual Appointment of a successor.
This, sir is the only Reason why I did not and could not come to the Hague and take a formal Leave of their High Mightinesses and of his most Serene Highness as I wished.
It is Still my Intention to come, or to take Leave by a respectfull Letter, whenever my Letter of Recall Shall arrive, or a successor.
My being appointed to other Service upon this Occasion, is no new Thing. I was last August received, at the Court of Versailles, as Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to his most Christian Majesty, which was never considered any more than intended as any failure of Respect to the Republick.
For myself and for my Country, I know that Respect Esteem and Affection to the Republick is engraven on all our Hearts.
I beg then the favour of your Advice, if you think it proper and necessary for me to take any farther Steps upon this Occasion, before my Letter of Recall or my successor shall arrive?
With great Respect I have the Honour / to be, Sir, your most obedient and / most humble Servant
RC (Nationaal Archief:ARA Arch. Nieuwenhuisen, inv. no. 24); internal address: “Mr Fagel Secretary of their / H. M. the States General”; notation: “Deese Missive / met kennis & ande RP / teruggehouden.” Translation: This Missive / With knowledge & [?] RP / held back. LbC’s (Adams Papers); APM Reels 107, 111. The first LbC is in WSS’s hand; the second is by JQA, probably taken from a FC retained and signed by JA but which has not been found. At the foot of the second LbC is a note: “N.B. by J.Q. Adams 23. Septr. 1834.— The above is copied from a copy in the hand-writing and with the signature of John Adams, of his Letter to Mr Fagel, of June 10. 1785— Its place in this Volume would be page 27— It is taken by me, to be sent as an autograph of John Adams, to her Royal Highness the Princess Victoria of England.”
At this point in the first LbC, WSS inserted, “News.” The second LbC by JQA also contains that word, indicating that it probably appeared in the FC from which he made his copy.