Papers of John Adams, volume 17
the Corner of Duke & Brook streets—
th.1785
I have been so perplexed with Ceremonials, Visits Removals and eternal applications from Beggars of one Species and another, besides the real Business of my Department, that I fear I have not answered your favour of the second of June, which I received in Season— I have received from Mr. Garvey all but my wine & have written him to day to forward that and will run the risque of it, as I believe I shall easily obtain an order to receive it without paying duties—1 Petits Note of Expences which you paid, you either omitted to send me or I have lost it in the Confusion of a Removal, so that I must trouble you to send it again— 173 ƒ82
As to News Papers, I should advise you to apply to the Comte de Vergennes or Mr. Rayneval or Mr. Gennet the Premier Commis of the Bureau des Interpretes, who, I presume will readily order your Gazettes to come with their own, through the same Channel, free of Expence for Postage The father of the present Mr. Gennet, was so good as to oblige me in this Way in the year 1780—3
I wrote to you and Dr. Franklin on the 20th. of June, requesting you to send me a Project of a Treaty of Commerce with this Court, and proposed that agreed on with Prussia as the Model— Let me beg your answer to this as soon as possible
The Dr. is to embark at Spithead or the Isle of White, on board of Captain Truckston as he tells me—
The proceedings at Boston make a Sensation here
Yours most affectionately
RC in WSS’s hand (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / Thos. Jefferson Esqr.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 111.
JA wrote to Anthony Garvey on this date, asking him to send “Seven or Eight Cases of Wine” in care of the firm of Richard & Charles Puller and promising to recommend Garvey as a merchant (LbC, APM Reel 111).
Here Jefferson wrote in the amount of “173 ƒ8.” In his account book for 2 June, Jefferson recorded, “Repd. Petit for portage &c. of Mr. Adams’s things 173f8” (
Jefferson’s Memorandum Books
, 1:586).
Edmé Jacques Genet (1715–1781) headed the French foreign ministry’s bureau of translators. He also supplied JA with English newspapers during his first mission to France, and facilitated the American’s contributions to Affaires de l’Angleterre et de l’Amérique, which was under his direction and published by the foreign ministry. “The present Mr. Gennet” was Edmund Charles Genet (1763–1834), who had recently succeeded to his father’s post as chief of the bureau of translators and in the 1790s, as “Citizen” Genet, had a tumultuous tenure as French minister to the United States (vol. 11:24, 55; JA, D&A
, 2:354–355;
ANB
). For a portrait of the younger Genet, see
AFC
, 10:ix–x, 7.
In JA’s hand.
n
I have received your Letter of the 12 and a former one.1 Mr Lotter will present you two Accounts approved by me, one against the United States and one against me. these you will please to pay. I pray you also for the future to take upon yourselves the whole Care of the Hotel of the United States at the Hague. Mr Lotter is as honest a Man and as carefull, as ever I met with, and I cannot but recommend him to you to take Care of the House upon the best Terms you can agree with him for, untill the arrival of another American Minister which I hope will be very soon, whoever he may be he cannot have a better Maitre D’Hotel than Lotter.
I am very Sorry to hear that Mr Parker is so indiscreet as to make Comparisons between the Funds which he Says are of the Same Nature and Solidity, and consequently as Safe as the Dutch American Loans. I persist absolutely in my Resolution never to give him any Certificate concerning those Matters.
and I beg of you Gentlemen to tell me explicitly and precisely whether you think or Suspect that there has been any fraudulent Contract between De la Lande and Fynje and Mr Geyer and their Connections in Boston, N. York or Phyladelphia, to Secure one set of Creditors to the disadvantage of another. We have a Right to expect and demand of De la Lande & Fynje a sight and Copy of their Arrangements. They ought to have had juster Sentiments of the Sacred Nature of a public Trust than to have applyed a Single Ducat of the public Money of the United States in their Hands to any Projects of private Commerce or to the Payment of any of their private Debts: but if in addition to this Fault, they have committed the greater one of entering into any partial Engagements to the Disadvantage of the United States, which cannot but be construed a 254fraudulent Contract, they will deserve no Pity from Congress. I desire therefore to be furnished with Copies of their Arrangements with their private Creditors in England and America.
With great Esteem &c
LbC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Messrs Wilhem and Jan Willink and / Nicholas and Jacob Vanstaphorst.”; APM Reel 111.
Probably that of 8 July, above.