Papers of John Adams, volume 19
e.Oct. 1787
En réponse à l’honorée vôtre du 1er. de ce mois, J’ai reçu & fait parvenir les Lettres que V.E. a eu la bonté d’écrire au Président, à Mr. Fagel, & à MM. Willink & Staphorst à ma priere. Je n’en ai pas de réponse encore, non plus qu’à 2 notes qui ont précédé de ma part, à Mr. Fagel, & dont voici copie.1 Je suppose néanmoins foiblement, que le tout a fait l’effet d’avoir été épargnés jusqu’ici, au milieu des excès qui continuent impunément. Malgré les placards & publications réitérées, en apparence les plus séveres, du Législatif & Exécutif, on laisse à la Meute faire ce qu’elle veut. Aussi 2 Maisons ont été lapidées cette nuit à côté de la nôtre. Au moins 40 l’ont été depuis 2 jours seulement. Mon tour peut encore venir. Ma pauvre fem̃e & moi pouvant à peine nous tenir, & tous deux continuellement dans les transes, au milieu de la Licence.— Jugez, Monsieur, de notre affreux état. Nous n’avons pu rester à l’hôtel de Fce.,2 & som̃es depuis Samedi 5 de retour chez nous.— L’accom̃odement d’Amsterdam n’est pas fini. J’attends de là reponse sur l’hôtel, & sur vos Lettres du 5 & 20 7br., dont j’ai implicitement accusé la reception à V.E. en accusant la date du 21, sous laquelle Mr. Smith me les a acheminées.—3 Nous ne ferons d’abord, si Dieu nous laisse exister, que le plus nécessaire absolu, & avec la plus d’économie pour que l’Hôtel soit tenable & sûr.— Agréez avec Madame, &c. les respects de notre martyre.— De V. Excl. le très-humble / & très-obéissant serviteur
L’Agitation dans laquelle j’écris, est inexprimable. Je joins à ceci pour Votre Excellence, & pour que copie en puisse parvenir au Congrès. Un Acte que j’ai cru devoir faire hier, & dont j’ai remis le pareil à mon Epouse, afin que s’il m’arrivoit malheur, Ma famille & biens puissent au moins jouir de la réclame, & protection qu’autorisent le Droit des gens & les Traités. Au milieu de mon agitation, qui est grande, ma raison du moins est & sera intacte jusqu’au dernier souffle.
In response to your favor of the first of this month, I received the letters which your excellency had the goodness to write at my request and forwarded them to the president, to Mr. Fagel, and to Messrs. Willink and Staphorst. So far I have received no reply, neither to those nor to the two preceding notes I wrote to Mr. Fagel, copied here.1 I assume, however doubtfully, that these have been saved up until now from the heart of the riots which continue with impunity. Despite posters and repeated proclamations from the legislature and executive, seemingly as severe as possible, the mob is left to do what it pleases. Thus, two homes next to ours were stoned last night. At least forty more, in the past two days alone, have been as well. My turn may yet come. My poor wife and I are hardly able to contain ourselves, both of us in constant anxiety in the midst of lawlessness. Consider, sir, our dreadful state. We were unable to stay at the Hôtel de France,2 and we have been home since Saturday the 5th. The accommodations in Amsterdam are not yet ready. I await reply from thence regarding the legation, and your letters of the 5th and 20th September, of which I implicitly confirmed receipt to your excellency by confirming the date of the 21st, under which Mr. Smith forwarded them to me.3 We shall, God permitting, first take care of the absolute necessities with the utmost parsimony to make the legation comfortable and safe. Please allow, with Madam, &c., for consideration of our martyrdom. From your excellency’s most humble and most obedient servant
The state of agitation in which I write is inexpressible. I attach a deed to this letter for your excellency so that a copy may be forwarded to Congress, which I thought best to write up yesterday, and of which I have given a copy to my wife in the event that, were some mishap to befall me, my family and my goods could at the very least benefit from the protection authorized by the law of nations and the treaties. In the midst of my agitation, which is great, my reason at the very least is and shall be intact until my dying breath.
RC and enclosures (PCC, No. 92, 1, f. 359–364); internal address: “A Son Exce. Mr. J. Adams, &c.”
Dumas enclosed copies of his 28 Sept. and 8 Oct. appeals to the States General, along with a copy of his 1 Oct. will. WSS forwarded all of these documents to John Jay on 16 Oct., but Congress took no further action (PCC, No. 92, 1, f. 355–374;
JCC
, 34:42).
That is, the French embassy.
JA’s letter to Dumas of 5 Sept. is above, but that of the 20th has not been found.
thOctober 1787
We have Your Excellency’s favor of 1st: Inst: advising it as most safe and prudent in your Opinion from what you had learned of the
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unfortunate and critical Situation of public Affairs in our Republic and particularly in this City, that we should pay into the Bank of Amsterdam, the Money we have in hand belonging to the United-States; A Measure dictated no doubt by Your Excellency’s Zeal for the Interest of the United-States, without attending to the very triffling sums the Commissioners of Congress have in Cash, and that they must be better Judges of the Propriety of such a Step, from their local Situation and Connexions, than Your Excellency possibly could understand from exaggerated News-paper Accounts, which describe this Republic a Scene of Danger and Confusion, now that Tranquility is re-established except in this City, where every thing will be settled in a few days, and such Precautions have been taken, as to all appearance will secure the public Peace. But was it otherwise, We esteem it the duty of careful Men, to guard against popular Tumults, so as to shield their Valuable against every thing but universal Pillage, when the Bank will be exposed as well as all other Property. We adopted this Prudence fortunately without necessity; And you may rely, that had we judged it conducive to the Interest or safety of the United-States, We would have divested ourselves of the Charge of its Cash. Not having our Books at present with us, We are unable to ascertain exactly the Balance due to the United-States, but from Messrs. Puller’s late drafts for Payments made you, His Excelly: Thos: Jefferson’s Bill for Bo:
f 3201:1:— and f 2000:—:— Furnished Mr: Dumas for Six Months Salary and towards Repairs of the Hôtel, It cannot be so much as f 20,000:—:— in hands of both Houses, which is liable every day to be called for, and too inconsiderable an Object, to create such Alarm as flying Reports seem to have inspired you with. Besides was the Sum of much greater Magnitude, considering that even the total Plundering of our Houses could not shock our Solidity, and that we are the immediate Debtors and answerable to Congress for all its Monies in our possession, We should not deem ourselves justifiable, in loading the United-States with the very high Agio now paid for Bank-Money and as it is likely to lower shortly, without a well grounded Conviction in our own Minds, that a Transfer in Bank would add to the Security of Congress Funds, Which is by no means the case in this Instance.—
The Bills on Mr: John Rucker shall be regularly presented for Payment; Which with you we Doubt not will be effected.—
We shall confer with Mr: dumas respecting the Repairs necessary to the Hôtel of the United-States, conformable to your Letter to us of 1st Inst: forwarded thro’ that Gentleman.
We are respectfully / Your Excellency’s / Most obedient and very / humble servants
s.& Jacob van Staphorst.
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “To His Excelly: John Adams Esqr—”; endorsed: “M.M. Willinks & Van / Staphorsts. 9. Octr. / 1787.”