Papers of John Adams, volume 20

To John Adams from the Abbés Chalut and Arnoux, 13 September 1790 Chalut, Abbé Arnoux, Abbé Adams, John

From the Abbés Chalut and Arnoux

Paris 13. 7bre 1790

Les abbés Chalut et Arnoux ont l’honneur de faire leurs sinceres Compliments à Monsieur Adams et de l’assurer de leur estime et de leur amitié; ils lui envoyent un exemplaire de deux ouvrages posthumes de M. l’abbé de Mably. ces deux ouvrages sont en deux volumes. il en paroitra encore Cinq on aura soin de les lui faire parvenir à mesure qu’ils paroitront1

Les abbés Chalut et Arnoux presentent leurs hommages respectueux à Mde. Adams et à Mde. votre fille, ils font leurs amitiés à M.M. vos fils.

415 416

TRANSLATION

Paris, 13 September 1790

The Abbés Chalut and Arnoux have the honor of extending their sincere compliments to Mr. Adams and of assuring him of their esteem and friendship; they send him a copy of two posthumous works of the Abbé de Mably. The two works are in two volumes. Another five will be published and will be sent as they become available.1

The Abbés Chalut and Arnoux present their dutiful respects to Mrs. Adams and to Madam your daughter. They send their friendly regards to Messrs. your sons.

RC (Adams Papers).

With their final extant letter to JA, Chalut and Arnoux enclosed the first two volumes of the Abbé de Mably’s Oeuvres Posthumes, Paris, 1790, which are in JA’s library at MB ( Catalogue of JA’s Library ).

To John Adams from Cotton Tufts, 18 September 1790 Tufts, Cotton Adams, John

From Cotton Tufts

Dear Sr. Weymouth Septembr. 18. 1790

Accounts have been exhibited to me by several Depy. Sheriffs for Service of Writs committed to them by You while in the Practice of Law. I have found myself embarrassed with Respect to the Payment of them not being fully acquainted with your Mode of transacting Business with them. I have found it necessary to examine Your Writ Execution & Account Books; in some Cases where the Minutes in them rendered it probable that You charged & recd. the Service and that neither You nor the Plaintiff had accounted for the Service I have paid it—but least I should make Blunders I wish You to give me some Directions relative to the Payment of such Accounts

I find in Your Acctt. Book a Ballance of £20. or more standing against Thos. Boylstone Esq. If it is due, Would it not be best to render in the Acctt. to Mr. Gill— There is also a Ballance of £15.5.2 against Simon Joy of this Town (lately decd) I have presented the Acctt. to his Admrs. who informd me that he has a Receipt of £12 or 14£ but could not then ascertain the Sum being from Home. I have examind the Writ Book and find the following Entries

Viz. “Jany. Ct. 1771. John Adams Vs. Simon Nehemiah, David & William Joy. Writ & Servd. 8/6 recd. 8/6 Agrd.”1

“Jany Ct. 1774. John Adams Vs. Simon Joy & Ats. Bond. 9/4 servd. recd. 16/ Cost and £12.10.1 in Part of the Bond for which I gave a loose Recipt. Jany 4. 1774”— The abovementd. is formed from An Account 417 begun in 1770 & continued to 1773— no Credit is given therein And as an Action was brought against Simon Joy & Sons on Bond in 1771 Jany Ct. and the Account was then open I suppose the Receipt mentioned by the Admrs. must undoubtedly be the Receipt You gave Jany 4. 1774 on Acctt. of the Bond and that the Account is still due— whether I am right in my Idea of the Business You can best determine— But as the Sum in Question is worth attending to Youll be pleased to give me such Information as You may think necessary for the proper Settlement of the Acct.

I enclosed in my last Letter to Mrs. Adams a List of Your public Seccurities—2

Be so good as to write to me upon the Matters abovementioned by the first Oppy. I wish You an agreable Scituation at Philadelphia, but at the same Time cannot but sympathise with You in the misfortune of removing from so delightful a Spot as that You have lately occupied. I sometimes think that had You been less conversant with Removes, You would enjoyed a less Share of Health, However those which You have undergone, must have been attended with great Fatigue Trouble & Expence— Be pleased to present my affectionate Regards to Mrs. Adams & Family

I am with sincere Respect / Yours

Cotton Tufts Octob. 21.

This day recd Yrs. of the 10t Inst. & shall comply with Your Request—

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Hon John Adams Esq.”

Tufts was resolving several outstanding debts with regard to JA’s law practice, including money owed to JA by Boston merchant Thomas Boylston, whose brother-in-law was Moses Gill, and by Weymouth farmer Simon Joy (1697–1789) and his sons William (1721–1811), Nehemiah (1726–1802), and David (1738–1820) ( AFC , 1:213; James Richard Joy, Thomas Joy and his Descendants, N.Y., 1900, p. 71).

Not found. For JA’s related instructions, see his 10 Oct. reply to Tufts, below.