Papers of John Adams, volume 17
r.15. 1785
Having So good an Opportunity as this by Mr Charles Storer, I do myself the Honour to transmit to Congress, by him, the Ratification of the Treaty, and Convention between the United States and the States General of the United Netherlands, which I received in Exchange for the Ratification of Congress transmitted to me.
I Should wish that the Receipt of it may be noted in the Journal of Congress, and acknowledged in your Dispatches to me. The Seals are in elegant Silver Boxes—one to the Treaty, and one to the Convention.1
With great Respect I have the Honour to be / Sir, your most obedient and most humble / Servant
RC (PCC, No. 84, V, f. 657–660); addressed by Charles Storer: “His Excellency / John Jay Esqr: / &c: &c: &c.”; internal address: “Mr Secretary Jay.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 111.
Since JA was then at Paris, the ratified copies of the 8 Oct. 1782 Dutch-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce and Dutch-American Convention on Recaptures (vol. 13:348–386) were exchanged on 23 June 1783 at The Hague by C. W. F. Dumas. In his letter of 24 June 1783, Dumas informed JA of the exchange and indicated that he was keeping the copies received from the Dutch under lock and key while he awaited JA’s instructions (vol. 15:51–52). There is no indication, however, that JA ever asked Dumas to send the documents to him at either Paris or London. This may mean that JA retrieved them when he was at The Hague during the first half of 1784, or it may indicate that the treaty and convention were with JA’s effects packed by Dumas and sent in June 1785 from the Hôtel des États-Unis at The Hague to the new legation in London. If so, this would explain why over two years elapsed from the exchange of the ratifications to JA’s dispatch of them to Congress, and also why JA waited until Charles Storer’s departure to send them rather than doing so by some reliable person going to America, such as JQA in May 1785.
Jay presumably received this letter and its enclosures on or about 8 Nov., the date on which Storer reportedly reached New York (
AFC
, 6:458). Jay waited until 24 Nov. to send the documents to Congress because that body lacked a quorum until the 23d, and although this letter and the enclosures were read on the 25th, there is no mention of the treaty and convention in the Journals (
JCC
, 29:872–884, 886; PCC, No. 80, II, f. 57–58; No. 185, f. 145–146). Jay noted the arrival of the ratifications and mentioned the silver boxes containing the Dutch seals in his letter of 26 Nov., below, but neither those copies nor the boxes have been found.
r.15. 1785
I have received your Letter of the fourth instant by Colonel Franks, with a Project of a Letter to the Emperor of Morocco, and Several other Papers.1
I have had this Letter, fairly copied, with very few and very inconsiderable Alterations and have Signed it. I have left room enough, at the Beginning, for you to insert, or leave Mr Barclay to insert, the Emperors Titles and Address, which may be done, with the most certainty in Morocco.
By the Treaty We have with Holland, the States General have agreed, upon Requisition, to second our negotiations in the most favourable manner, by means of their Consuls.2 I would have prepared a Memorial and Requisition to that Purpose and have sent it to the Hague. But such a Memorial would publish to all the World Mr Barclays Mission.— I Shall wait for your Advice, and if you think proper, I will Still Send a Memorial: But I am inclined to think We had better wait till We receive from Mr Barclay in Morocco Some Account of his Prospects.
The best Argument Mr Barclay can use, to obtain Treaties upon 461moderate Terms, is that We have absolutely as yet no Ships in the Mediterranean Sea, and Shall have none untill Treaties are made. That our Seamen will not go there, untill Treaties are made. That therefore the Algerines will have no Chance of taking any American Vessells, any where but in the Atlantic. and there they can expect to take but very few, at a vast Expence of Corsairs, and exposed to our Privateers and Frigates.
Treaties of Peace are very unpopular, with the People of Algiers. They Say it is taking from them all the Opportunities of making Profits by Prizes for the sake of inriching the Dey by Presents. The Probability then that our Trade would be more beneficial to the People, than the Few Prizes they would have a chance to make, by going at a vast Expence out of the mediterranean and Spreading themselves over the Ocean in quest of our ships, exposed to our Frigates and the Men of War of Portugal, &c would be the best Reason for the Dey to use with the People. The common Argument is the Bombardments and Depredations with which their Ennemies threaten them by their Fleets and Squadrons, which commonly accompany the Embassy. Mr Barclay will be very naked in this respect.
With great Respect, your most obedient
RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address: “His Excellency Mr Jefferson.”; notation: “Letter to Mr Jefferson.”
For the proposed letter of credence to the emperor of Morocco, see Barbary Negotiations, 12 Sept. – 11 Oct., No. I; for the other enclosures, see Jefferson’s 4 Sept. letter, all above.
For Art. 23 of the 1782 Dutch-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, see vol. 13:369.