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

25 Jan. 1788: TO M. FAGEL. - 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.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


TO M. FAGEL.

London, 25 January, 1788.

Sir,—

The frequent civilities i have received from you have emboldened me to inclose to you a memorial to their High Mightinesses, and another to his Most Serene Highness, which I beg the favor of you to deliver. I hope there will not be judged to be any impropriety in this method of conveying these memorials, and that you will have the goodness to excuse the trouble of it.

I should have been happy to have had another opportunity of paying my respects to you, and of thanking you for all your politeness upon many and various occasions. I have signed two memorials to the States General; one in French, the other in my own native language, and the language of my country; you may deliver either of them, or both, at your discretion.

I am not critically skilled in French, and fear that the composition in that language will not be found elegant; but it expresses the sentiments of my heart, and therefore I hope it will be accepted.

Wishing every blessing to you and yours,
I am,

John Adams.

MEMORIAL TO THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.

To his Most Serene Highness, William the Fifth, Prince of Orange and Nassau, hereditary Stadtholder, and Governor of the United Provinces of the Netherlands.

The subscriber, minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the honor to acquaint his Most Serene Highness that the said United States, in congress assembled, have given him their permission to return to America after the 24th day of February, 1788, and have resolved that his mission to the republic of the United Netherlands should then determine. It is to him a mortifying circumstance that it is not in his power to go, in person, to the Hague, in order to take leave of their High Mightinesses, and of your Most Serene Highness. But as he had the honor to be originally accredited by congress to your Most Serene Highness, it is his duty, in taking leave of the republic, and on his departure from Europe, to pay his respects to your Most Serene Highness in writing.

He asks leave to express his thanks for all the civilities he has, from time to time, received at your Most Serene Highness’s Court; and his sincere wishes for the universal felicity of the republic in general, of your Most Serene Highness, of your royal consort, and illustrious family.

Done at Grosvenor Square, in London, this 25th day of January, 1788.

John Adams.

MEMORIAL TO THE STATES GENERAL.

(Translation.)

To their High Mightinesses the Lords, the States General of the United Netherlands.

High and Mighty Lords,—

The subscriber, minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the honor to communicate to your High Mightinesses a resolution of the United States of America, in congress assembled, of the 5th day of October, 1787, by which he is permitted, agreeably to his request, to return to America at any time after the 24th day of February, 1788, and by which his commission and credentials to your High Mightinesses are on that day to terminate.

Nothing would have been more agreeable to the inclinations of the subscriber than to have passed over to the Hague, in order to have paid his final respects, and to have taken leave of your High Mightinesses, had not the shortness of the time, the severity of the season, and the tender state of his health, been opposed to his wishes.

The magnanimity and wisdom with which your High Mightinesses, in 1782, manifested your friendship to the United States of America, contributed to accelerate the general peace of the world, which has lasted so long; and the candor and goodness of your High Mightinesses, and of the whole republic, to the subscriber, as well as to his country, have made impressions on his mind which neither time, place, nor circumstance, can ever efface.

In finishing his course in Europe, and in taking a respectful leave of your High Mightinesses, he begs leave to express his ardent wishes for the happiness and prosperity of your High Mightinesses and your families, and his sincere assurances that, in whatever country he may be, he shall never cease to pray for the liberty, the independence, and the universal happiness and prosperity of the whole republic of the United Netherlands.

Done at London, this twenty-fifth day of January, ad 1788.

John Adams.

H. FAGEL TO JOHN ADAMS.

(Translation.)

The Hague, 12 February, 1788.

Sir,—

I have this day been honored with your letter, dated London, 25th January, of the present year, accompanied with a memorial to their High Mightinesses, and another to his Highness, with a request to deliver the same. I have ever experienced so many proofs of your friendship and good will, that I should have accounted it an honor and pleasure immediately to have complied with your wishes, although I rather wished that you had not taken leave, and always entertained hopes to have seen you here once more. Permit me, however, to inform you that, when I communicated your letter, addressed to their High Mightinesses, to the President and other members, they did not put any unfavorable construction upon the memorial of taking leave, which, in every respect, was found obliging and satisfactory, excepting that no letter of recall from congress to their High Mightinesses accompanied the same, which is customary; for, as a minister is credited by a letter of eredence (such an one as was received by their High Mightinesses on the 22d April, 1782, dated the 1st January, 1781), so, in like manner, a minister is recalled by a letter of recall, upon which a letter of recredence is returned. Perhaps this may have been occasioned by an omission of the secretary of congress, and this prevents my making use of your memorial, which ought to be delivered with a letter of recall from congress; and your Excellency will, I trust, not be displeased, that I find myself obliged to return to you the letter and memorial.

Your Excellency’s affairs not permitting you to come and take a personal leave, it will be satisfactory that a letter of recall from congress be transmitted with your memorial.

It will ever give me pleasure to learn of your welfare, and those connected with you; and to find opportunities of giving you proofs of the particular regard, with which I have the honor to be, &c.

H. Fagel.

P. S. His Highness being in the same predicament with their High Mightinesses, nothing can be done but to wait for a letter of recall from congress.

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

London, 12 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

I have received your letter of the 6th, and had before received the same information from Amsterdam.

I know not how to express to you the sense I have of the disingenuousness of this plot. The difficulty of selling the obligations, I believe to be mere pretence; and, indeed, the whole appears to me to be a concerted fiction, in consequence of some contrivance or suggestion of Mr. Parker, the great speculator in American paper, who, though I love him very well, is too ingenious for me. I feel myself obliged to write this in confidence to you, and to put you on your guard against the ungovernable rage of speculation. I feel no vanity in saying that this project never would have been suggested, if it had not been known that I was recalled.

If I was to continue in Europe and in office, I would go to Amsterdam and open a new loan with John Hodshon before I would submit to it. The undertakers are bound, as I understand it, to furnish the money on the new loan. They agreed to this, upon condition that I would go to Amsterdam to sign the obligations. The truth is, that Messrs. Willink and Van Stap-horst have been purchasing immense quantities of American paper, and they now want to have it acknowledged and paid in Europe. It appears to me totally impossible that you or I should ever agree to it, or approve it; and, as far as I can comprehend, it is equally impossible for the Board of Treasury or congress to consent to it. You and I, however, cannot answer for them; but I think we cannot countenance any hopes that they will ever comply with it. The continental certificates and their interest are to be paid in America at the treasury of the United States. If a precedent is set of paying them in Europe, I pretend not to sufficient foresight to predict the consequences; they appear, however, to me to be horrid. If the interest of one million of dollars is paid this year in Europe, you will find the interest of ten millions demanded next year. I am very sorry to be obliged, at this moment of my retirement, to give opinions which may be misrepresented and imputed to motives that my soul despises; but I cannot advise you, by any means, to countenance this project. But it is my serious opinion that the judgment of congress, or the Board of Treasury, ought to be waited for, at all hazards. If the brokers, undertakers, and money-lenders will take such advantages of us, it is high time to have done with them, pay what is due as fast as we can, but never contract another farthing of debt with them.

If a little firmness is shown in adhering to the resolution of waiting the orders of congress, it is my opinion care will be taken in Amsterdam that our credit shall not suffer. The interest of our commissioners, of the brokers, undertakers, and money-lenders, all conspire to induce them to prevent a failure.

But, in my judgment, a failure had better take place than this project. I shall not write with the same frankness to Willinks, but I shall give them my opinion that the judgment of congress must be waited for.

My dear friend, farewell, I pity you. In your situation, dunned and teazed as you will be, all your philosophy will be wanting to support you. But be not discouraged. I have been constantly vexed with such terrible complaints, and frightened with such long faces, these ten years. Depend upon it, the Amsterdamers love money too well to execute their threats. They expect to get too much by American credit, to destroy it.

I am,

John Adams.

TO SECRETARY JAY.

Grosvenor Square, 14 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

I yesterday received Mr. Remsen’s letter of the 14th of December, with the journals and gazettes inclosed.

At the last conference at Whitehall, which were last Thursday, Lord Carmarthen thought proper to express a wish that this country had some sort of treaty of commerce with the United States of America, that it might be no longer necessary to take new measures from time to time, which looked hard. This observation his Lordship made, alluding to Mr. Grenville’s motion, in the house of commons, for making the regulation of the intercourse between America and the West India Islands perpetual. His Lordship then immediately said, “I presume, Mr. Adams, that the States will all immediately adopt the new constitution. I have read it with pleasure; it is very well drawn up.” All this oracular utterance was to signify to me, what has all along been insinuated, that there is not as yet any national government; but that, as soon as there shall be one, the British Court will vouchsafe to treat with it. You will see, by the Morning Chronicle of the 12th of February, inclosed, that Mr. Grenville’s speech is in the same strain; so that we may conclude it to be the concerted language of the cabinet. It is unnecessary for me to make any reflections upon it; the argument that arises out of it, in favor of the new constitution and a prompt acceptance of it, is but one among many. France and Holland furnish as many reasons as England. Mr. Jefferson must soon follow my example, and return to America, if that constitution is not accepted by all the States; and what will be the consequence of the clamors of all the officers in France who are creditors, of all the notables who may be pleased to cast reflections, and of all our creditors in Holland, for want of payment of interest and principal as they become due, must be left to every American citizen seriously to consider.

In preparing for my departure, I have been personally treated with the same uniform tenor of dry decency and cold civility which appears to have been the premeditated plan from the beginning; and opposition, as well as administration, appear to have adopted the same spirit. Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke, Lord Camden and the Duke of Richmond, Lord Hawkesbury and Lord North and Lord Stormont have all behaved alike. If this country can make such arrangements, that the King of Prussia may make a diversion of the French forces by land, and the native Indians or discontented subjects, another, of those of Spain in South America, you may easily believe that England will be eager for war. Let not our countrymen flatter themselves that they shall be able to maintain peace. Lord Carmarthen, indeed, said to me, that he did not see a possibility of a misunderstanding in Europe, and that he even hoped that peace would be made between Russia and the Porte. His Lordship is in profound ignorance of it, I presume, if there is really any probability of an alliance of France with the Emperor or Empress; Mr. Jefferson has informed you of his conjectures, as well as his intelligence, on that point.

The Marquis de la Luzerne is now ambassador at this Court from France, and has already met with humiliations not easily borne by ambassadors. Monsieur de Calonne appears at the levee and drawing room, and even at the table of the Marquis of Carmarthen, on the Queen’s birth day, with the French ambassador. The Chevalier de Ternant was presented by the French ambassador to the King and Queen, and treated with the most marked disgust by both. These things are hard to bear. I have had some conversation with this minister, with whom I made a voyage, in 1779, from L’Orient to Boston, in the Sensible, and could wish to have resided longer with him, for he will certainly be attentive and able; but my embarkation is fixed to the month of March, and I hope to be in Boston in May.

With great esteem and regard, &c.

John Adams.

SECRETARY JAY TO JOHN ADAMS.

New York, 14 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

As this letter will go by the way of Ireland, and may be exposed to accidents in the course of its route, I decline entering into particulars; but, as the long recess of congress, who are now again convened, makes it necessary that the inclosed letters of recall should be transmitted without delay, I think it best to send one set by this conveyance, and to forward duplicates by another vessel, which will sail about the last of the month for Bristol. Your letters by the packet are come to hand, and shall be particularly noticed in my next, which will go under cover to a friend, with directions to him what to do with it in case you should have left England before its arrival. Massachusetts has adopted the proposed constitution by a majority of nineteen.

I am, dear sir, &c.

John Jay.

(Inclosed.)

By the United States, in Congress assembled, October 5th, 1787.

On a report of the secretary of foreign affairs, to whom were referred two letters from the Honorable John Adams, of the 24th and 27th January last:

Resolved, That the Honorable John Adams, the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of London, be permitted, agreeably to his request, to return to America at any time after the 24th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1788, and that his commission of minister plenipotentiary to their High Mightinesses do also then determine.

Resolved, That congress entertain a high sense of the services which Mr. Adams has rendered to the United States, in the execution of the various important trusts which they have from time to time committed to him; and that the thanks of congress be presented to him, for the patriotism, perseverance, integrity, and diligence with which he hath ably and faithfully served his country.

Charles Thomson,Secretary.

TO SECRETARY JAY.

Grosvenor Square, 16 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

There is no maxim more clearly settled in all courts, and in all negotiations between nations, than that sovereign should always speak to sovereign, and minister to minister. I am not at all surprised, therefore, although I am much mortified, at having my memorials to their High Mightinesses, and to his Most Serene Highness, returned to me, with the letter inclosed from Mr. Fagel. I should have had a letter of recall, signed by the president of congress, by their order, and addressed to their High Mightinesses. There is a similar irregularity in my recall from the British Court; for, although my commission is limited to three years, yet my letter of credence to his Majesty has no limits at all. If the omission of a letter from congress to the King, upon this occasion, should not be taken as an offence, it will not be because it is not observed; but from motives too humiliating to congress, as well as their minister here, to be explained.

There is no alternative now left for me; home I must go, and leave all Europe to conjecture that I have given offence in Holland; and, in England, that I have misbehaved abroad, though my conduct has been approved at home. When the public shall hear that I have gone home, without taking leave, there will be no end of criticism, conjectures, and reflections.

All that now remains for me is, humbly to request that congress would be pleased to send me regular letters of recall, after my arrival in America, that I may then transmit my memorials to Europe, and take leave in form.

To a man who has taken the utmost pains to do his duty, and to fulfil every obligation to the smallest punctilio, nothing can be more disagreeable than such disappointments, especially as, in all my letters, I have so expressly and repeatedly requested regular letters of recall.

With great respect, &c.

John Adams.

T. JEFFERSON TO J. ADAMS.

Paris, 20 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

I am in hopes daily of receiving a letter from you in answer to my last. The delay of the letters which contained the proposition to the Board of Treasury takes away all probability of their answering in time, and I foresee that I shall be closely pressed by circumstances on that point.

This letter will probably find you near your departure. I am in hopes it will be only a change of service, from helping us here to help us there. We have so few in our councils acquainted with foreign affairs, that your aid in that department, as well as others, will be invaluable. The season of the year makes me fear a very disagreeable passage for Mrs. Adams and yourself, though we have sometimes fine weather in these months. Nobody will pray more sincerely than myself for your passage, that it may be short, safe, and agreeable; that you may have a happy meeting with all your friends, be received by them with the gratitude you have merited at their hands, and placed in such a station as may be honorable to you and useful to them. Adieu, my dear sir, and accept assurances of the unchangeable esteem and respect with which I am

Your friend and servant,

Thomas Jefferson.

TO SECRETARY JAY.

Grosvenor Square, 21 February, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

Yesterday I had my audience of leave of his Majesty. I shall not trouble you with any particulars of the previous steps to obtain this audience (which you know are always troublesome enough), nor with any detail of the conversation, farther than the public is immediately interested in it. The substance of my address to his Majesty was no more than a renewal of assurances, in behalf of the United States, of their friendly dispositions, and of their continued desire to cultivate a liberal intercourse of commerce and good offices with his Majesty’s subjects and states, thanks for the protection and civilities of his Court, and good wishes of prosperity to his Majesty, his royal family, his subjects, and dominions.1 The King’s answer to me was in these words. “Mr. Adams, you may, with great truth, assure the United States that, whenever they shall fulfil the treaty on their part, I, on my part, will fulfil it in all its particulars. As to yourself, I am sure I wish you a safe and pleasant voyage, and much comfort with your family and friends.”

This was the answer in ceremony. His Majesty was then pleased to ask me many questions about myself and my family, how long I had been absent from them, &c., which were intended, I suppose, to be very gracious and flattering, but are of no consequence to the public, and, therefore, will be here omitted. It now remains to take leave of the Queen and the Princess, the cabinet ministers, and corps diplomatique, a species of slavery, more of which, I believe, has fallen to my share, than ever happened before to a son of liberty; and I much fear that the omission of a letter of recall, and the offence taken at it in Holland, will oblige me to go over to the Hague to repeat the same tedious ceremonies there. At this season of the year, so near the equinox, to have the passage from Harwich to Helvoet to cross twice, is a punishment for sins to me unknown.

I am extremely afflicted, my dear sir, at the news of your ill health; but I hope you will be soon restored, for the public, at this moment, has great need of your experience and abilities.

With much affection, &c.

John Adams.

TO THE EARL OF AILESBURY.

London, 28 February, 1788.

Sir,—

It was my earnest desire to have obtained an audience of leave of the Queen, that I might have had an opportunity of presenting to her Majesty, before my departure for America, my most humble thanks for the civilities that myself and my family have received at her Majesty’s Court, and my best wishes for every blessing and felicity to her Majesty, and to every branch of her Majesty’s royal family; but the indispensable necessity I am under of making a journey to Holland, before my embarkation for America, so presses me in point of time, that it is now become impossible to repeat my request of an audience.

I am extremely sorry for the disarrangement of her Majesty’s health, which has deprived me of the honor I solicited for three drawing rooms, and must now beg the favor of your Lordship to make my most respectful excuses, wherever they may be necessary.

With great respect, I remain, &c.

John Adams.

A MEMORIAL.

To their High Mightinesses the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands.

High and Mighty Lords,—The subscriber, minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the honor to communicate to your High Mightinesses an act of the United States of America, in congress assembled, by which he is recalled from his mission to your High Mightinesses and permitted to revisit his native country.

The wisdom and magnanimity with which your High Mightinesses manifested your friendship to the United States of America, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, contributed to accelerate that general peace of the world which has lasted so long; and the candor and goodness of your High Mightinesses, and of the whole republic, to the subscriber, as well as to his country, have made impressions on his mind, which neither time nor place can ever obliterate.

In terminating his residence in Europe, and in taking a respectful leave of your High Mightinesses, he begs leave to express his thanks for all indulgences and attentions to himself, and his ardent wishes for the happiness of your High Mightinesses and your families; and his sincere assurances that, in whatever country he may be, he shall never cease to pray for the liberty, the independence, and the universal prosperity of the whole republic of the United Netherlands.

Done at the Hague, this sixth day of March, ad 1798.

Signed, John Adams.

(Translation.)

Extract from the record of the resolutions of their High Mightinesses the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands.

Thursday, 6 March, 1788.

Mr. de Wassenaar Catwyke, the president of the assembly, brought forward and made known the fact to their High Mightinesses, that Mr. Adams, minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, had been at his house this morning, and had delivered to him, sealed up, a resolution adopted the 5th of October, 1787, by the United States of America, in congress assembled, by which it was allowed to Mr. Adams, at his request, to return to America, and to close his commission as minister plenipotentiary near their High Mightinesses; and that he had, at the same time, presented a memorial, by which

lf1431-08_figure_002

MEDAL Presented to John Adams on his taking leave as Minister By the States of Holland 5 March 1788.

he takes leave of their High Mightinesses, which memorial is in the terms following:—

(fiat insertio.)

Whereupon, it having been considered, it seemed good, and was hereby ordered, that leave be taken of the said Mr. Adams, at the same time declaring that his person and conduct have been agreeable to their High Mightinesses, and that the usual present of a chain and medal of gold, of the value of thirteen hundred florins, be transmitted to him; the jeweller de Koning having it in charge to prepare the same forthwith.

And a copy of this resolution of their H. M. shall be delivered to the said Mr. Adams by the agent Slicher.

(Signed) W. F. H. Van Wassenaar.

A true copy.
H. Fagel.

JOHN AVERY, JR., TO JOHN ADAMS.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Council Chamber, Boston, 6 June, 1788.

Sir,—

Agreeably to the directions of the two branches of the General Court, I have the honor to inform you that you have been, this day, elected a delegate from this Commonwealth to serve in the congress of the United States for one year, to commence on the first Monday in November next.

I am, with great esteem, &c.

John Avery, Jr.,Secretary.1

TO THEOPHILUS PARSONS.

Braintree, 2 November, 1788.

Dear Sir,—

From the conversation that passed between you and me, when I had the pleasure to see you for a few moments at this place, I am apprehensive that you may think of me for a senator, as I find that some other gentlemen have done and continue to do.

You know very well, how ungracious and odious the non-acceptance of an appointment by election is; and, therefore, let me beg of you not to expose me to the necessity of incurring the censure of the public, and the obloquy of individuals, by so unpopular a measure.

I have long revolved, in an anxious mind, the duties of the man and the citizen; and, without entering into details at present, the result of all my reflections on the place of a senator in the new government, is an unchangeable determination to refuse it.

With great respect and esteem, I am dear sir, &c.

John Adams.

[1 ]The following is the address, as found in Mr. Adams’s papers.

Sir,—As the period of my mission to your Majesty is on the point of expiring, I have solicited the honor of this audience, that I might have an opportunity of repeating, in behalf of the United States of America, their assurances of their friendly dispositions, and of their continued desire of a liberal intercourse of commerce and good offices with your Majesty’s subjects and states.

In taking leave of your Majesty, I beg leave to present my most humble thanks to your Majesty for the protection and civilities I have received at your Majesty’s Court; and my best wishes for every blessing to your Majesty, your Majesty’s royal family, subjects, and dominions.

[1]The following vote of the House of Representatives is found among the papers.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In the House of Representatives, 18 June, 1788.

Ordered, That a chair be assigned to the Honorable John Adams, whenever he may please to attend the debates of the House.

Attest. George R. Minot,Clerk.