Papers of John Adams, volume 19
Je ne faisois que de sortir de la Maison lorsque Votre Excellence a bien voulu se donner la peine de passer; & n’étant revenu que fort tard dans la nuit, je m’étois rendu vers les neuf heures du matin à son auberge; lors qu’à mon grand regret j’ai appris son depart pour Amsterdam: j’ai été d’autant plus mortifié de ces contre-tems, que je me faisois un plaisir de vous souhaiter la bien-venue, de vous renouveller les temoignages de mon respectueux souvenir & de vous remercier du cadeau que vous m’avez fait, en me faisant parvenir la Defense des Constitutions De l’Amerique. Je me proposois en meme tems de vous communiquer quelques observations, que m’a fait naitre cet ouvrage, que jai lu & relu, & que je regarde comme le Breviaire des veritables principes Republicains, compatibles avec la nature de la Société & avec la liberté, la Sureté, & le bon ordre. Il m’a d’autant plus satisfait, que jy’ai trouvé beaucoup de reflexions qui quadroient avec les miennes. Je n’avois à vous reprocher que le peu que vous avez dit de ce pays-ci, lorsqu’il vous offroit le champ le plus vaste, pour la confirmation, & le développement de vos principes. J’ai fait quelques notes à ce sujet que je me propose de vous communiquer.1 Jespere que vous resterez encore quelques jours dans nos Provinces
85
& que soit ici soit à la Haye, je pourrois vous temoigner de vive voix la profonde vénération avec laquelle je suis
Monsieur / Votre trés humble / & trés obiessant Serviteur
I was just leaving the house when your excellency kindly came by; and not having returned until quite late at night, I arrived around nine in the morning at his inn, when to my great regret I learned of his departure for Amsterdam. I was all the more chagrined by the missed opportunity as I had been most pleased to wish you a warm welcome, to renew the expressions of respect which I have for you, and to thank you for the gift you gave me when you sent me The Defence of the Constitutions of America. Meanwhile I considered conveying to you a few observations to which the work gave rise, a work which I read and reread and which I regard as the breviary of true republican principles, compatible with the nature of society and with liberty, security, and good order. It satisfied me all the more that I found in it many ideas which coincided with my own. I could reproach you only for saying so little of this country, though it provides you with the most extensive field for the confirmation and development of your principles. I took down a few notes on the subject which I will communicate to you.1 I hope that you will remain another few days in our provinces and that, either here or at The Hague, I will be able to express to you in person the profound veneration with which I am, sir, your most humble and most obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers).
There is no indication that Cerisier, editor of Le politique hollandais, followed through on his intention to send JA his notes.
th[
1787]
our Assembly is Ended; and altho’ the late depredations, and Confusion in the finances Make it Necessary to Encrease the Burthen of the People, Yet Have we Reasons to Rejoice at the More Equal Repartition of taxes, and the Barriers that Have Been placed Against future dilapidations— the Provincial Assemblies above all are a great thing—and you will see we Have obtained Many other points.1
inclosed are the Speeches that were Made at the last General Assembly—2 the interesting one is that of the ArchBishop of toulouse3
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as it Contains the king’s Answer to the demands of the Bureaux.— I am much pleased with the choice that Has Been made of the ArchBishop—to an UpRight Mind, and an Amiable temper He joins the Greatest Abilities
at the last Meeting of the Bureau of which I was a Member I Made two Motions, the one in favour of the protestants, the other for an Examination of the Criminal laws— Both were Carried Almost Unanimously, Which pleased me the most as, Betwen us, they Had not so well Succeeded in an other Bureau— inclosed I Send You the Petition of the Bureau which was presented to the king By His borther and Graciously Received— I Beg You will keep Not the Measure that is public and ought to be so, But the Resolve itself to Yourself, as I don’t wish to Spread Copies of it Untill it is printed
My Best Respects to Mr̃s Adams Mr̃s Smith, and While you Remember me to the family and all friends Be pleased to Receive the Affectionate Respects of / Your Sincere friend
A Circumstance worth Being Remarked is that My Motion in favour of the protestants was Most liberally Supported By the Bishop of langros
RC and enclosures (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency john Adams”; endorsed by AA: “Marquiss Le Fayett / May 30th 1787.”
Lafayette referred to the Assembly of Notables’ replacement of the feudal practice of unpaid labor, or corvée, with cash payments and the liberalization of trade, including free trade in grain and the creation of a customs union (Bosher, French Rev.
, p. 101; Schama, Citizens
, p. 255).
Lafayette enclosed copies of two petitions. The first demanded greater toleration for Protestants, and the second outlined revisions to France’s criminal law (both Adams Papers); both were presented to Louis XVI by Charles Philippe, Comte d’Artois. At the Assembly of Notables, Lafayette was especially vocal on both topics. In addition to championing religious tolerance, Lafayette called for major reforms to the country’s criminal code of law, including the abolition of torture, more intensive review of death sentences, and humane improvements to prisons (Gottschalk, Lafayette
, p. 315; Schama, Citizens
, p. 257).
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne became president of the Assembly of Notables in May. Unlike Charles Alexandre de Calonne, he supported a land tax that was clearly designed to fund the yearly expenses of the government (Schama, Citizens
, p. 254–255).