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

JAMES LOVELL TO JOHN ADAMS. (Confidential.) - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

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. 9.

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

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


JAMES LOVELL TO JOHN ADAMS.

(Confidential.)

Philadelphia, Monday, 27 September, 1779.

Not knowing, my dear Sir, how certain things now in agitation may this day be terminated here, I choose to state at this time some proceedings, two days old, that I may not be thought to give them a gloss in the style of an after-prophet turned historian or painter. For a groundwork I refer you to the report of the committee of thirteen, with its consequent yeas and nays, which is certainly now in your hands in print;1 and also to what you must have somehow or other come to the knowledge of, respecting a long struggle about cod and haddock;1 and further, to your own reading and judgment concerning the parliamentary propriety of appointing a man to carry into effect, by all the powers of skilful negotiation, a measure to which he has been opposed tooth and nail in the whole preparatory progress of it. Nor can I omit to call to your mind what I already must have written either to you or the lovely Portia, that the lentor of proceedings here should account for the appearances of injustice done you by an assembly, nine tenths of which profess, and probably have, an esteem for you.

Two things are to be transacted with Britain, a major and consequent minor, as soon as her madness and folly begin to subside. But only one agent is to manage them. The commissions are drawn, and instructions also. The blanks are to be filled. Dr. Franklin was nominated, out of order. This led one man to suggest that he should find himself obliged, when such a nomination should again be attempted, and done in order, to follow it with the nomination of Dr. Lee, as a much more suitable character, which he would endeavor to make plain by various testimonies in his possession, part known and part yet unknown to the Assembly. A question was then moved by a gentleman in that company, named Matthews, and seconded by one named Lovell,2 that no member, while there acting, or for nine months after, should be elected to a place, for which he, or another for him, received any salary, &c. By yeas and nays the nine months’ part3 was lost; and the other part, by the previous question. J. Adams was nominated by Mr. Laurens, and J. Jay by Mer. Smith. Adjourned to meet on the next day (Sunday) at 10 o’clock. Met. Balloted, five for J. A., four for J. J., three could not agree. On a second trial, six for J. A., four for J. J., one could not agree. The mover of the motion above, not being likely to consent with his colleague to carry it into effect, the balloting was postponed.

It had been frequently pressed on the members to order some resolves now on the table, and but very lately passed, respecting points on which the temper of Spain towards us greatly depends, to be forwarded to the commissioner at that court, as answers to the questions which he hinted to us in six days after the treaties with France, again on the 2d of April, again plainly and urgently for our answer on August 27th, again more urgently on October 19th, again on December 5th, &c., &c. A cut-and-dried commission, such as must pass hereafter, was produced, moved for, and seconded, out of order. A motion was then made and seconded for choosing a minister plenipotentiary to do exactly what a commissioner is now fully authorized to do; as much so, exactly, as were the three at the Court of France. The pretence for this was the accepted second paragraph of a report (vide April 15th), that ministers plenipotentiary were only necessary at Versailles and Madrid; the spirit and intent of which paragraph lay in the word only, and not in a technical use of ministers, as settled by France and us on the arrival of Mr. Gerard. Some good and not young men, on this question, saw not the trap under the chaff. Who could deny that we have assented to additional parade and expense in a minister above a commissioner? Who could deny that two persons would be in pay, for a time, at once, to do the same business? Who could deny that A. Lee’s complete vindications were on the table of Congress? This last matter and all characterizing was said to be untimely, as much as in a question about creating a Quartermaster-General, when we had a Quartermaster. For that A. Lee stood as fair for nomination to the new commission as any man else, and then we should be allowed full liberty to speak to character. A majority can thus kill, but it requires seven to make alive. But seven thus killed. For Mr. Laurens, though he spoke against the question, voted for it, and then nominated A. Lee. This act of his, in such a desperate case, does not make up for depriving a much injured man of the advantage of showing that he was artfully knocked down by six upon a presumption that seven could not be found to assist in recovering him from the violence of the blow. Mr. J. Adams was also nominated for Spain by Mr. Paca, Mr. J. Jay by Mr. Mercer of Virginia.

This accommodation scheme had been proposed in whispers early in the morning, to provide places for the two nominated the day before. One to have a post of the highest honor, and the other to take the post of a man murdered on purpose to make room. Are not these doings a complete appendix to the report of the committee of thirteen, and the proceedings thereon months ago? Look at the names! Here I must join in an old exclamation of F. L. L., when he had seen a whole day wasted, “What d—d dirty work is this of politics!”

I will now state the votes, remarking that, being Sunday, Mr. McKean was able to attend; but your sworn friend, the farmer,1 will alone finish it. New York is represented by Mr. Jay and Mr. Lewis, not by one. New Jersey by Mr. Fell and Mr. Houston, Connecticut by Mr. Huntington or Mr. Root.

First ballot.2

J. A.New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware,5
J. J.New York, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,4

Second ballot.

J. A.New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania,6
J. J.New York, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey,5

Vote for a minister for Spain.

Yea:Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,7
Nay:New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Delaware,3
Divided:Rhode Island, Pennsylvania,2

[1 ]See the Journal of Congress for 1779, pp. 29, 149, 150, 157-167, 179, 246-251.

[1 ]Secret Journals, vol. ii. pp. 130-145, 149-167, 173-189, 201-210. An abstract of these proceedings is to be found in the valuable report lately made for the Treasury Department, by Mr. Sabine, on the American fisheries, pp. 149-151.

[2 ]According to the secret journal, Mr. Gerry seconded this motion.

[3 ]This was presented in the shape of an amendment to the original motion.

[1 ]John Dickinson.

[2 ]These ballots are not given in the journal.