Papers of John Adams, volume 19
I have only Time to introduce to you and Mrs Jay, my Daughter Smith and to recommend her to your Patronage and Mrs Jays Friendship.1
I shall embark in Six or Eight days. I am just returned from a cold Journey to the Hague and Amsterdam, where I met Mr Jefferson very unexpectedly. He has persuaded me, to open another Loan, which he will transmit to Congress. I am very anxious least it should be taken amiss by Congress. But it will be neither Profit nor Pleasure to me. The Character of the U. states demanded it.
Europe is in an ill temper. Fear Jealousy and Hatred, prevail to a great degree: and War tho it may be delayed a Year, or Two cannot be far off. in Holland all is quiet: but a deep Resentment and discontent rankles in the Minds of many. The first steps taken by Monsr de st Priest after his arrival at the Hague,2 will afford a Clue to unravel the Politicks of the French Cabinet and of all Europe.— England is not complaisant to Prussia, more than to France. and the stocks labour to a degree that shows all is not well in the apprehensions of the Speculators.
My Reception in Holland was very flattering: but I must delay Sending Copies of my Memorial and the answer of their High Mightinesses, till my Arrival in America. a Letter from the Prince of orange to Congress I shall send by Coll smith.3
I am my dear sir with every sentiment / of Esteem, your Frd & sert
RC (NNC:John Jay Papers); addressed by AA2: “His Excellency John Jay. / Secretary of State for the Department / of Foreign Affairs / New York—”; internal address: “His Excellency / Mr Jay.”; endorsed: “Mr Adams / 26 March 1788”; notation by AA2: “favourd by / Mrs. Smith.”
JA wrote a second letter of the same date to Jay, separately recommending WSS as a “very intelligent” observer of European affairs who was in need of patronage. “I wish he may be employed in some station or other in which his talents and address may be useful to his Country.— as I have so many reasons to value your friendship to me, I
291
naturally wish you to extend it to him and his,” JA wrote (
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 2:833).
AA2 and WSS sailed for America via the British packet Thyne, Capt. Wolf, on 5 April, reaching New York on 21 May. A week later, they dined in a large company with Jay and his wife, Sarah Livingston. AA2 found him to be “a most pleasing man, plain in his dress and manners, but kind, affectionate, and attentive; benevolence is portrayed in every feature” (
AFC
, 8:263, 265).
These were the “first steps” of diplomatic labor taken by Francois Emmanuel Guignard, Comte de St. Priest (1735–1821), of Grenoble, France, who had served as French ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1768 to 1784 and was briefly based at The Hague beginning in late May 1788. The Comte de St. Priest presented his credentials on 2 June, but he was rebuffed by protesters who heckled him and his servants for refusing to wear Orangist colors. He left The Hague for Paris in December and joined the French ministry. He weathered the waves of political instability until 1791, when he fled to exile in Stockholm (Hoefer, Nouv. biog. générale
; Jefferson, Papers
, 13:192–193, 221;
Repertorium
, 3:126).
WSS delivered William V’s 11 March 1788 letter honoring JA’s diplomatic service. Jay laid it before Congress on 23 May (PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel 73, f. 379, 381;
JCC
, 34:178).
o.21. Putman Sqare.
th.1788
Mr Fitch presents his Compliments to Mr Adams. & begs Leave to Remind him That the latter End of the Year 1774 & very early in 1775 Mr. Adams borrowed of him the first Volumes of the Year Books. The Laws of Connecticut. and New Jersey. (with the Charters of each prefixed) & Smiths Historory of New York: as Mr Adams hath, doubtless, these Books. Mr Fitch would be much Obliged to him for the Return of them, by Callahan upon his next return to London, (if he hath them not here)1: as the want of the Year Books in particular breaks his Sett— Mr Fitch wishes Mr Adams & Family A prosperous Voyage. & Safe Arrival in America2
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “[. . . .] Ambassador &c &c / [. . . .] / [. . . .]rlington Street / [. . . .]cadilly”; docketed by JA: “S. Fitch. my old / Friend the Triumvir / These Books I / returned and / they arrived / safe to Mr Fitch”; notation by CFA: “March 29th 1788—” Some loss of text due to a torn manuscript.
The closing parenthesis has been editorially supplied.
Loyalist Samuel Fitch (1724–1799), Yale 1742, was a Boston lawyer and former member of JA’s legal “sodality” club (JA, D&A
, 1:75, 251–255). Though there is no record of any further correspondence with Fitch, JA apparently returned the following works: Acts and Laws, of His Majesties Colony of Connecticut in New-England, Boston, 1702; Acts of the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey, Trenton, N.J., 1703; and William Smith’s History of the Province of New-York, from the First Discovery to the Year MDCCXXXII, London, 1757.