Papers of John Adams, volume 18
d:Xber 1785
We have before ús Your Excells. most Esteemed favour of the 13h. Instt., and have taken Duely Notice of the Acceptances made by Yoúr Excelly. to Whom all honoúr Will be done by Messs. Puller.
We observe What yoúr Excelly. is pleased to Say aboút the Credit of £1000 Stg. in favoúr of Mr. Jefferson, of Which We made mention in Our last letter, Messs. Van den Yver freres & Co. of Paris. Wrote ús in date 18t Novembr. the Following. r. Jefferson vient de noús Remettre une Lettre de Credit que Son Excelle. Monsr. Adams lui a laissé ici a la Veille de Son depart pour londres, De mille Livres Sterlings, a Compte des quels il a fourni Sur noús au Colonel Humphrys un mandat que Voici de
que noús lui avons payé, & dont noús Vous debittons avec La Commrs. Ordinaire a 1 per Ct.
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65.—.— |
| £6565.₶— |
dont nous disposerons par Occasion, la Lettre de Monsieúr Adams porte que voús de vés porter les dittes mille Livres Sterlings, Si on en dispose au Compte du Congres”1
It is not impossible Sir that thro yoúr many Transactions, This is Escaped yoúr Memory. as The Bill of £.6500.₶ drawned by Mr. Ths. Jefferson, in dte. of 16 novr. and Signed by Mr. D Humphrys, Reposes into Our hands—
As the Time for advertising the Payment of the Intrest of the 2 Mns. is drawing near, and we have not Received any orders there about from the Commissioners we Shall be Very glad to Receive yoúrs, thereon, to proceed in Consequence.2
We have the Honour to Remain With dúe Respect / Sir / Your Excells. most Obedt. / humble Servants
Nich
s.& Jacob van Staphorst
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “To his Excelly. John Adams Esqr. / London—”
Mr. Jefferson has remitted to us a letter of credit for £1,000 sterling that his excellency Mr. Adams gave him here before his departure for London which amounts to, as furnished to Col. Humphreys upon demand, ₶6,500, that we have paid and from which we have debited the usual commission of 1 percent, ₶65–₶6,565. We have, according to the letter from Mr. Adams, charged the £1,000 sterling to Congress’ account.
For an explanation of this transaction, which the consortium first raised in its [1]8 Nov. 1785 letter, see vol. 17:586–587; and
JA’s reply of 10 Jan. 1786, below.
JA gave the loan consortium permission to advertise in his 10 Jan. letter, below.
r.24. 1785
I am happy to learn, by your favour of the 10th. that your prospects are satisfactory to yourself and promising for the publick1
You may depend upon every Personal and official exertion of Mr. Jefferson, and the marquis will take a pleasure and a Pride in assisting you, both by his Knowledge of the Language, the Usages and the Characters in the Nation, by his powerful and numerous Connections, and by his own Reputation and Influence at Court & in the City, the Country and the seaports for no man is more earnestly desirous of a friendly Commercial Intercourse between France and the United States—
I think you will find that the United States may be supplied with many Articles of Cloathing, a Velvets, silks, Batteens Cloaths, Cottons & Linnens & others from that Country at least as well as from this—
The United States will probably Lay heavy Duties upon tonnage on the Vessels of those Nations, with Whom we have not commercial Treaties: and such will be prohibited from importing into our Ports—any Productions or manufactures not the growth or manufacture of the Country importing them— This will aid you very much— You will oblige me, by informing me from time to time, as far as may be proper of your Progress—2
68If you can make it appear as I think you may that our Oil is cheaper than the Composition in use in the Paris Lamps, you will easily succeed— to this End an analisis of that Composition will be necessary, & a Price of the Parts must be Known in order to compute the Cost of the whole—
I wish well to your enterprize & if can be of any use to you in the pursuit of it, you will oblige me by informing when and how—
I have the honour to be very respectfully, Sir / Yours &c
LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr. Barrett—”; APM Reel 113.
In his 10 Dec. letter (Adams Papers), Barrett requested JA to forward a letter to the London firm of Rogers & Bromfield, indicated his happiness at the prospect “of effecting something which may materially promote the Trade of our Country,” and acknowledged his debt to the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson for their efforts on his behalf.
Barrett reported to JA on his progress in a 29 Jan. 1786 letter, below.