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

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 8 (Letters and State Papers 1782-1799) [1853]

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. 8.

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

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TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

London, 23 May, 1786.

Dear Sir,—

I am honored with yours of the 11th,1 with the inclosures from Mr. Lamb, Mr. Carmichael, and Mr. Barclay.

I am not surprised that Mr. Lamb has only discovered that our means are inadequate, without learning the sum that would be sufficient. Il faut marchander avec ces gens là. They must be beaten down as low as possible; but we shall find, at last, the terms very dear. The Algerines will never make peace with us until we have treaties finished with Constantinople, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco; they always stand out the longest. Mr. Barclay will have no better fortune, and I don’t believe it worth while for him to wait a moment to discover what sum will do.

I think, with you, that it is best to desire Mr. Lamb immediately to return to congress, and Mr. Randal too. It is surprising that neither of them has given us more circumstantial information, and that Mr. Randal has not come on to Paris and London. I think you will do well to write him to come forward without loss of time, and am glad you sent copies of all the letters to Mr. Jay. I concur with you entirely in the propriety of your going on with the Comte de Merci in the negotiation, and in transmitting to congress the plan you may agree upon, that they may send a new commission, if they judge proper.

I have a letter from Mr. Randal, at Madrid, 4 May, but shall not answer it, as I wish you to write him, in behalf of both of us, to return immediately to Paris and London. I have a letter, too, from Isaac Stephens, at Algiers the 15th of April. He says the price is $6,000 for a master, $4,000 for a mate, and $1,500 for each sailor. The Dey will not abate a sixpence, he says, and will not have any thing to say about peace with America. He says the people, that is the sailors, I suppose, are carrying rocks and timber on their backs for nine miles out of the country, over sharp rocks and mountains; that he has an iron round his leg, &c. He begs that we would pay the money for their redemption, without sending to congress; but this is impossible.

Yours,

John Adams.

[1 ]This letter, and indeed most of the others making Mr. Jefferson’s part of the correspondence at this period, have been printed in the work edited by his grandson, T. J. Randolph. Those which are inserted in this collection are such as are not found there.