Papers of John Adams, volume 19

199 From John Adams to Hendrik Fagel, 25 October 1787 Adams, John Fagel, Hendrik

To Hendrik Fagel

Sir London October 25. 1787

I have received the Letter you did me, the honour to write me, on the eighteenth of October instant, and am extreamly Sorry to learn, that the Conduct of Mr Dumas has not the Approbation of their High Mightinesses. As Mr Dumas has not that I recollect, been employed in any Business by me, Since my Residence in England and as he has neither given me any Account of his Proceedings, nor transmitted his Dispatches to Congress through my hands, I am ignorant of the Particulars of his Conduct, which are not approved by their High Mightinesses.

I have had So large Experience of the Friendship of their High Mightinesses, to the United States of America my Souvereign, and of their Candour and Goodness towards myself, that I Should not hesitate to comply with whatever I Should know to be their Inclination in any Thing within my Power, and consistent with my honour and my Duty. But as all the Authority by which Mr Dumas Acts, under the United States is derived directly from Congress and not from me, and as he carries on his Correspondence with that August Body by means of their Ministers at New York and not with me, it is not in my Power to do more, at this time, in Complyance with the Requisition of their High Mightinesses, Signified to me in your Letter, than to transmit a Copy of it to Congress, which Shall be done by the earliest Opportunity.1

With great Respect I have the Honour to be, sir / your most obedient and most humble / servant

John Adams

RC (Nationaal Archief:Fagel Archive, Letters from Foreign Ministers); internal address: “His Excellency Mr Fagel / Secretary of their High Mightinesses”; endorsed: “Dat 25. Octr / Rec 1 Nov. 1787.”; notation: “Regr.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 113.

JA enclosed a copy of this letter with his 25 Oct. letter to John Jay, below. Jay laid C. W. F. Dumas’ papers before Congress on 1 Feb. 1788, but it took no action ( JCC , 34:24–25).

From John Adams to John Jay, 25 October 1787 Adams, John Jay, John

To John Jay

Dear Sir London Octr. 25. 1787

I do myself the Honour to inclose Copy of Mr Fagels Letter to me of the 18th. and of my Answer of this day. and of my Letter to Mr. Dumas of this day. 1

200

I am very Sorry for his embarrassed situation. But know not the Cause of it, but by Conjecture. one Thing I know that the United States may very easily be involved in a War by indiscreet Intimacies, between their servants and foreign Powers and national Parties.— Congress have but two Ways to take upon this Occasion. either to dismiss Mr Dumas at the Requisition of the states General, or to write a Letter or order one to be wrote desiring their High Mightinesses to articulate the Particulars of their Exceptions and Displeasure against Dumas. This may gain time and Save Mr Dumas for so much time as will arrange all Things decidedly in Holland. With great Regard your / most obedient servant

John Adams

RC (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 539); internal address: “Mr Secretary Jay.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.

JA wrote to C. W. F. Dumas on 25 Oct., advising him that “the times are extremely critical, and American Ministers ought to be extremely cautious, (as you know ever was my Maxim and Principle, and ought now to be more so than ever), to keep American affairs perfectly distinct and independent of those of all other nations, lest our country should be involved in calamities, for causes that are not her own” ( Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789 , 2:814).