Papers of John Adams, volume 19

To John Adams from Thomas Barclay, 3 April 1787 Barclay, Thomas Adams, John

From Thomas Barclay

Dear Sir Barcelona 3d. April 1787—

Inclosed is a letter for M. Jay Covering Copies of sundry letters to M. Lamb and of one to M. Carmichael,1 If you will take the Trouble of perusing them, You will see My situation and intentions as Clearly as I Do my self, and I shall, unless I am prevented by some unforeseen accident, have the pleasure of taking Your Commands in person for America, Early I hope in July, I will be obliged to stop a short time at Bordeaux, where I made a Purchase of Arms and Ammunition for the State of Virginia, another at L’Orient, and a third with my Family, from whence, (St. Germains) I shall proceed to England on my way to America—2 I shall Communicate my Veiws to you when I see you, not in the least Doubting Your aid in Carrying them into Execution if you approve of them, as I think you will Do—and if the Proposition which I mean to make to Congress Do’s not prove acceptable, my Intention is to Remain in America—

I have received my account Current from Lynch & Bellew of Cadiz, and am obliged of this Date to value on You in their favor at Ten days sight for Three Hundred and Twenty five pounds Sterling, which 35 please to Honor and apply to the Debit of the United States, assuring yourself that I shall Settle the whole account with You to your satisfaction I Cou’d not put these Gentlemen off untill a Sale of the articles at L’Orient &c, be made, They have not Charged any Commission for their Trouble, and no Expence on the money which I took up in Barbary arises, and the actual Duty and Charges of Replacing it. The news here is that the Neapolitan Ambassador has obtained a Truice for three months from Algiers, and that the Count d’Expilly has Returned to Spain, after having Done something highly offensive to the Dey and Regency there—3 I am with Very great Esteem / Dear Sir / Your most Obed. / Humble servant,

Thos Barclay

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency, Jno. Adams Esqr. London”; endorsed by AA2: “Mr Barclay / 3d April 1787”; and by AA: “Mr Barcelay 3 April / 1787.”

Barclay enclosed copies of his letters to John Lamb of 1, 24 Feb. and 24, 26, and 28 March, along with a letter of 28 March to William Carmichael, and his letter of 29 March to John Jay. In the letter to Jay, Barclay described his futile attempt to arrange a meeting with Lamb to settle his accounts and described plans to travel to Bordeaux before returning to America. For Carmichael’s 25 March letter to JA, see note 3.

Working with Thomas Jefferson, Barclay had purchased arms, ammunition, and gunpowder for Virginia. En route to Paris from Spain and Algiers, Barclay paused to retrieve the purchase but was instead seized in Bordeaux. He was imprisoned for an old debt to the firm of V. & P. French & Nephew. WSS attempted to intervene in obtaining his release (from Richard Swanwick, 17 May, Adams Papers; from WSS, 19 May, below). Jefferson, however, did not receive the firm’s original 1 March 1786 plea to “save the honor of a Consul of the united States” until 9 Sept. 1787. By then, Jefferson reported, a freed Barclay had departed for America (Jefferson, Papers , 9:308–310; 11:673; 12:114).

Carmichael, in a 25 March letter to JA (Adams Papers), reported that Mohammad ibn Uthman, dey of Algiers, alleged that the Conde d’Expilly had embezzled presents and cash earmarked for the dey, his ministers, and the redemption of Spanish captives in Algiers. In the wake of the accusations, the Conde d’Expilly departed for Spain in early March, and his post was not filled until consul general Manuel de Asprer arrived in 1792 ( Repertorium , 3:428).

To John Adams from the Board of Treasury, 4 April 1787 Board of Treasury Adams, John

From the Board of Treasury

Sir. Board of Treasury April 4th. 1787—

We have the Honor of Enclosing to you a Letter to Messrs: Wilhelm and Jan Willink, and Nicholas and Jacob Van Staphorst on the Subject of the Interest, which will become due on the Dutch Loans in the month of June next—1 This Letter, after Perusal, you will be pleas’d to seal and forward; together with the Enclosed Bills of Exchange, when Accepted by the Gentleman on whom they are drawn— Vizt:

Constable Rucker & Co. Draft on J: Rucker of London— dated 31st: March last, and payable on the first of November next for	}	£50.000—
Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dated 31st: March last, and payble. on the first of Decr. next—		25,000
		—75.000

By conveying these Bills to you for the Purpose of Acceptance in the first Instance, we presume that Time will be saved—a Circumstance of Importance in the present Negotiation—

Your Influence (if necessary) with the Commissioners of Loans in Holland, to Induce them (should our Remitrances fail) to compleat the Payment of the June Interest, we are persuaded from your Zeal for the Public Interest will not be Wanting—

We have the Honor to be with great Respect / and Esteem, Your Excellency’s Obedt: / Humble Servts:

Samuel Osgood Walter Livingston

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr. / Minister Plenipotentiary, from the / the United States of America—to / the Court of / London—”

JA forwarded the original bills of exchange with his letter of 8 May to the loan consortium, below. For his attempt on 4 May to present the bills for payment to John Rucker, and the opening of a third Dutch loan to cover the interest, see JA’s 8 [May] letter to the board, below.