Papers of John Adams, volume 20
eDec: 1790.
Du Temps de votre Ambassade nous eumes l’honeur de vous voir en
cette Ville et meme à notre magazin de Livres ou vous avez achettés entre autres le
Tableau de l’hist. des Provinces Unies par Cerisier imprimé chez nous & dont nous
vous addressames les 3 derniers volumes à la Haye en 1783: pour. f5:8—dholl.1
Comme mon Oncle le Sr. Wild par l’augmentation de ses années et le Changement de systeme est resolû de se retirer il m’a cedé tout son commerce me chargeant de la liquidation. je prends la liberté de vous addresser celle ci, en vous sollicitant de faire connoitre notre magazin à quelque Libraire de Philadelphie sur lequel nous pouvons faire fond: ce seroit trop de vous solliciter à nous envoyer quelque bonne addresse de Libraire chez Vous, ne fut ce que par un de vos secretaires: Nous sommes en etat de fournir presque tous les livres d’Etudes, grecs ou latins comme vous verrez par le Catalogue, que nous avons remis à Mr. Dumas pour votre Exellence.
C’est àvec une Consideration non alterable que j’ai l’honeur d’etre
sincerement de / Votre Exellence / tresh & tres obt servr.
TRANSLATION
During the period of your mission, we had the honor of seeing you
in this city and also at our bookstore where you bought, among others, Tableau de l’histoire des Provinces Unies by Cerisier,
published in house, of which we delivered the three last volumes to The Hague in 1783
for 5:8 Dutch florins.1
As my uncle, Mr. Wild, is getting on in years and due also to the change in government, he has decided to retire and to leave me his entire business, charging me with its liquidation. I take the liberty to address to you this letter, and I beg you to make our store known to some bookseller in Philadelphia with whom we can establish our trust. It may be too much to solicit from you some good address of a bookseller of yours to send to us, even if it is via one of your secretaries. We are able to provide almost all books of study, Greek or Latin, as you will see in the catalogue which we have delivered to Mr. Dumas for your excellency.
It is with unwavering consideration that I have the honor sincerely to be your excellency’s most humble and most obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); notation: “Notre addresse est B. Wild & J: Altheer / Libraires à Utrecht.”
Utrecht booksellers Bartholomé Wild (d. ca. 1809) and Johannes
Altheer (1758–1840) published Antoine Marie Cerisier’s Tableau
de l’histoire générale des Provinces-Unies, 10 vols., Utrecht, 1777–1784, two
sets of which are in JA’s library at MB (vol. 10:276;
Catalogue of JA’s Library
).
r20. 1790
Permit me in this Severe Season, to Salute your fireside, and congratulate you on your return from the Northern Circuit.1
As the time approaches when We are to expect the Pleasure of Seeing
you at the Supream Court in Philadelphia, you will give me leave to solicit the Honour
and the Pleasure of your Company and that of Mrs Jay, and
whoever else of the Family who may accompany you, at Bush Hill, during the time you may
have occasion to Stay at Philadelphia.
This Satisfaction I have here requested as a favour, in hopes that there will be no Hesitation or Delicacy, to prevent you from readily granting it: but if I should be mistaken in this hope I shall certainly demand it as a right: because the Rights of Hospitality are not only Sacred but reciprocal.
452As you are a Roman, the Jus Hospitii will not be disputed by You:
and as I wish that I was one, I shall respect it and claim it.— We have an handsome and
convenient Room and Chamber, and a decent Bed at your Service; and instead of the
smallest Inconvenience to Us, you will confer a real Obligation, on Mrs Adams who joins with me in the request, to Yourself and
Mrs Jay, and on your assured Friend and / humble
servant
RC (NNC:John Jay Papers); addressed: “The Chief Justice of the / United States,
at his / House in / New York”; internal address: “Chief Justice Jay.”; endorsed: “Vice
Presidt. Adams / 20 Decr
1790 / recd. 3 Jan / and. 4
Jany 1791—”; notation: “Free / John Adams.”
Fulfilling the constitutional duties outlined for the U.S.
Supreme Court under the Judiciary Act of 1789, Jay acted as circuit justice for the
Eastern Circuit from 28 Sept. to 15 Dec. 1790. He began his federal duties as chief
justice of the Supreme Court in Philadelphia on 7 Feb. 1791, staying with the Adamses
from 30 Jan. to 14 February. His wife, Sarah Livingston, and their family remained in
New York (from Jay, 4 Jan.,
below;
AFC
, 9:186;
Jay, Selected Papers
, 5:277, 284, 308).