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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO B. FRANKLIN. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 7 (Letters and State Papers 1777-1782) [1852]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 7.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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TO B. FRANKLIN.

Sir,

Relying on your virtues and graces of faith and hope, I accepted the bills to the amount of ten thousand pounds sterling, drawn in favor of Mr. Tracy.

I have received advice from congress, of more bills drawn upon me. When they arrive and are presented, I must write you concerning them, and desire you to enable me to discharge them; for I am sorry to be obliged to say, that although I have opened a loan, according to the best plan I could, and the plan and the loan seem to be countenanced by the public, yet there is little money obtained, scarcely enough to defray the expense of obligations and stamps; and it is daily more and more clear to me, that we shall never obtain a loan here, until our independence is acknowledged by the States. Till then, every man seems to be afraid that his having any thing to do in it, will be made the foundation of a criminal process, or a provocation to the resentment of the mob.

The time is very near when some of the bills I accepted become payable. I must entreat your Excellency’s answer to this as soon as convenient, and to point out to me whether you choose that the house of Fizeaux, Grand & Co., or any other, should pay the money. It is a most grievous mortification to me to find that America has no credit here, while England, certainly, still has so much; and to find that no gentleman in public life here dare return me a visit, or answer me a letter, even those who treated me when I first arrived here with great politeness. I am entreated, however, to keep this secret, but have no motive to secrete it from you; on the contrary, you ought to know it.

I am told there will be great alterations very soon. But I have seen by experience that no man in this country knows what will be in the morrow.

Let me ask the favor of you, sir, to give my best respects to Colonel Laurens and Mr. Franklin.

I have the honor to be, &c.

John Adams.