Papers of John Adams, volume 19

261 To John Adams from the Marquis of Carmarthen, 24 January 1788 Carmarthen, the Marquis of Adams, John

From the Marquis of Carmarthen

Sir, Whitehall, Janry. 24th. 1788.

I have received the Honour of your Letter of the 21st. Instant, and I have given Directions for the necessary Notice to be sent to the Treasury of your Intention to embark your Effects on board the Ship Lucretia, and their Lordships will issue their Orders for your being allowed the Privileges usually granted to Foreign Ministers of equal Rank.

I have received His Majesty’s Commands to acquaint You, that whenever it may suit with your Convenience, His Majesty will admit You to an Audience to take Leave. When You have fixed upon a Day for this Ceremony, You will be pleased to give me previous Notice of it.

With regard to the Audience You desire of the Queen, it will be necessary for You to apply to the Earl of Ailesbury, Her Majesty’s Chamberlain, who will of Course receive and communicate to You Her Majesty’s Pleasure upon it.1

I am, with great Truth and Regard, / Sir, / Your most obedient / humble Servant.

Carmarthen.

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “John Adams Esqr. &c &c &c.”

JA’s efforts to secure his farewell audience with George III proceeded in straightforward fashion, but his parallel request to see Charlotte quickly grew snarled in diplomatic protocol. JA wrote to Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury, on 1 Feb. (LbC, APM Reel 112) to set a date for his leave-taking of Charlotte. Ailesbury answered JA the following day (Adams Papers), redirecting him to contact Sir Clement Cottrell Dormer, master of ceremonies at St. James’ Palace. JA did so on 4 Feb., and Dormer replied on the same day to confirm he would consult Ailesbury (LbC, APM Reel 112; Adams Papers). But, as JA’s 21 Feb. audience with George III approached, the queen’s illness repeatedly prevented a meeting. In haste to depart London and take his official leave at The Hague, JA wrote to Ailesbury on 28 Feb., below, rescinding his request. See JA’s Dft of his farewell address to Charlotte of [ante 28 Feb.], below.

Memorial to the States General, 25 January 1788 Adams, John States General

Memorial to the States General

To their High Mightinesses, the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands— A Memorial

High & Mighty Lords— [ 25 January 1788 ]

The Subscriber, Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the Honour to communicate to your High Mightinesses, a resolution of the United States of America, in Congress 262 assembled, on the fifth day of october 1787. by which, he is permitted, agreably to his request, to return to America, at any time, after the 24th. of February 1788. and by which his Commission & Credentials to your High Mightinesses are, on that day to terminate—

Nothing would have been more agreable to the Inclinations of the subscriber, than to have passed over to the Hague in order to have paid his final respects & to have taken leave of Your High Mightinesses had not, the shortness of the time, the severity of the season and the Tender State of his Health been opposed to his Wishes—

The Magnanimity and Wisdom with which your High Mightinesses in 1782 manifested your friendship to the United States of America, contributed to accellerate the general peace of the World which has lasted so long: and the Candour & Goodness of Your High Mightinesses and of the whole Republick, to the Subscriber as well as to his Country, have made impressions on his Mind, which neither Time place nor Circumstances can ever efface—

In finishing his Course in Europe & in taking a respectful leave of your High Mightinesses, he begs leave to express his ardent wishes for the Happiness and prosperity of your High Mightinesses and your Families and his sincere assurances that in Whatever Country he may be, he shall never cease to pray for the Liberty, the Independence and the Universal Happiness and Prosperity of the whole Republick of the United netherlands1

Done at London this twenty fifth / Day of January A. D. 1788—

Signed— John Adams

LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.

JA sent this memorial, and that of the same day to William V, below, to Hendrik Fagel, secretary to the States General. JA sent copies in English and French, noting that he was “not critically Skilled in French, and fear that the Composition in that Language will not be found elegant: but it expresses the sentiments of my Heart and therefore I hope will be accepted” (Nationaal Archief:Fagel Archive, Letters from Foreign Ministers). Lacking a formal letter of recall from Congress, JA hoped that the written memorials would suffice, but they were deemed inadequate. Fagel returned the memorials with his 12 Feb. reply, below.