We lodged at Cou
Cou, and in the Night it rained and froze at the same
time, untill the Roads were become a glare Ice. The
Postillions informed Us, it was impossible for their Horses, which in this
Country are never frosted, to travel.
As this was the second time I travelled this road from
Bourdeaux to
Paris I shall pass over the remainder of the Journey. On the
fifteenth of Feb. I wrote to Congress
Paris
15. February 1780
Sir
I have the honor to inform Congress, that on the ninth of this Month, I had
the good fortune to arrive in this City from
Ferrol, where I arrived on the Eighth of December with
Mr. Dana, Mr. Thaxter and
the rest of the Company in tollerable health,
after a journey of near four hundred Leagues in the dead of Winter, through bad
roads and worse Accommodations of every kind. We lost no time more than was
indispensable to restore our health, which was several times much affected and
in great danger: yet We were more than twice as long in making the journey by
Land, as We had been in crossing
the Atlantic Ocean.
The next Morning after our Arrival in
Paris, Mr. Dana and my self went out to
Passy and spent the day with Dr.
Franklin His Excellency Dr. Franklin,
who did Us the honour the next day to accompany Us to
Versailles, where We had the honour to
wait on their Excellencies the Comte De Vergennes,
Mr. De Sartine and the Comte De
Maurepas, with each of whom We had the honour of a short Conference, upon the State of Public
Affairs. It is sufficient for me at present to say in general, that I never
heard the French Ministry so frank, explicit and decided, as each of these
were, in the Course of this Conversation, in their declarations to pursue the
War with vigour and afford effectual Aid to the
United States. I learned with great Satisfaction, that they are
sending under Convoy Cloathing and Arms for fifteen
thousand Men to
America: that seventeen Ships of the Line are already gone to
the
West Indies under Monsieur De Guichen, and that
five or six more at least are to follow in Addition to ten or twelve they have
already there.
I asked Permission of the Comte De Vergennes
to write to him, on the Subject of my Mission, to which he
chearfully and politely agreed. I have
accordingly written to his Excellency and shall forward Copies of my Letter and
of his Answer as soon as it may be safe to do so.
The English are to borrow twelve Millions this Year, and it is said the Loan
is filled up. They have thrown a Sop to
Ireland, but have not appeased her Rage. They give out exactly
such Threats, as they did last Year, and every other Year, of terrible
Preparations: but Congress knows perfectly well how those Menaces
Page 2
have been
executed accomplished. They will not be more fully
executed next year than the last; and if
France and
Spain should throw more of their Force, expecially by Sea, into
America the next Year,
America will have no essential Injury to fear.
I have learned, since my Arrival at
Paris, with the highest pleasure, the Arrival of
Mr. Jay, Mr. Gerard and
Mr. Carmichael at
Cadiz, for whose Safety We had been under very great
Apprehensions. I have now very sanguine hopes that a solid Treaty will soon be
concluded with
Spain; hopes which every Thing I
saw and heard in that Country seemed to favour.
The Allyance Frigate, now under the Command of Captain
Jones, with Captain Cunningham on board, is arrived
at
Corunna, where She is to be careened; after which She is to
return to
L'orient, and from thence to go to
America, as I am informed by Dr.
Franklin.
Mr. Arthur Lee and Mr.
Izzard are still in
Paris, under many difficulties in procuring a Passage home.
Mr. William Lee is at
Brussells. Mr. Izzard has been to
Holland to obtain a Passage from thence, but unfortunately
missed his Opportunity and returned disappointed.
I have the Honor to be &c.
John Adams.
His Excellency Samuel Huntington
Esqr. President of
Congress.
The first insinuation of the Propriety, Expediency, and necessity of
appointing a Minister Plenipotentiary to reside in
Europe, ready to negotiate a Peace whenever he might be invited
to it, was made to Congress, a year before this time by Mr.
Gerard the French Minister at
Philadelphia by the Authority of the Count
De Vergennes. But Congress had neglected it, whether from a general
Opinion that the time had not yet arrived when there was a necessity for it, or
whether from the difficulty of agreeing on the Minister, I know not. The
Suggestion was renewed by the Chevalier De La
Luzerne, upon his Arrival in
Philadelphia. In both Cases it was the Expectation of the
French Ministry that Dr. Franklin would be
elected. In this respect Congress disappointed them. Alone as I was in
the In another point too, Com that is in the Commission to
make a Treaty of Commerce with
Great Britain Congress had gone farther than the French Ministry
intended. Alone as I was in both Commissions, and feeling the whole Weight of
the Trust reposed in me, I determined to proceed with the utmost Caution,
deliberation and Prudence; to do nothing which should excite the smallest
jealousy in the French Court, or give our Ennemies
the English the least Advantage of The
United States or their Allies. But something appeared to be
incumbent on me to do. Accordingly I began by writing to the
Count De Vergennes the following Letter.
Page 3
Paris, Hotel de Valois, Rue de Richlieu
Feb. 12.
1780
Sir
Having obtained Permission from your Excellency, Yesterday when I did myself
the honour to wait on you at
Versailles, to write on the Subject of my Mission, I have now
the honour to acquaint you, that on the twenty ninth
day of September last, The Congress of the
United States of America did me the honour to elect me their Minister Plenipotentiary, to
negotiate a Peace with
Great Britain, and also to negotiate a Treaty of Commerce with
that Kingdom, and the Honourable Francis Dana
Esqr. a Member of Congress, and of the
Council of
Massachusetts Bay, Secretary to both Commissions.
As I was not at Congress, when this Transaction took place, I am not able to
inform your Excellency, very particularly of the Rise and Progress of it. But
from Conversation with Gentlemen at
Boston, who were Members of Congress and from private Letters I
learned in general, that it was not the Result of any sudden deliberation, or
the Effect of any particular Event of War, prosperous or adverse: but a Measure
that had been more than a Year under consideration, and finally adopted, upon
this principle, that as it was uncertain at what time the belligerent Powers
might be disposed to treat of Peace, which could not be concluded, without a
Minister from the
United States, it would save a great deal of time, for this
Power to have a Minister in
Europe, fully authorized to treat, and in concert with Ministers
from the other Powers at War, to conclude a Peace with
Great Britain, and a Treaty of Commerce consistent with that
already made with his Most Christian Majesty, and such others as might be made
with other Powers.
I am persuaded, it is the Intention of my Constituents and of all
America, and I am sure it is my own determination, to take no
Steps of Consequence in pursuance of my Commissions, without consulting his
Majestys Ministers. And as various Conjectures have been and may be made
concerning the nature of my Appointment and Powers, and as it may be expected
by some that I should take some measures for announcing these to the Public, or
at least to the Court of
London, I beg the favour of your
Excellencys Opinion and Advice upon these questions.
1. Whether, in the present Circumstances of Things, it is prudent, for me to
acquaint the British Ministry, that I am arrived here, and have such
Commissions, and that I shall be ready to treat, whenever the belligerent
Powers shall be inclined to treat.
2. Whether it is prudent for me to publish, in any manner, more than the
journals of Congress may have already done, the Nature of my Mission?
Page 4
3. Or whether, to remain, upon the Reserve, as I have hitherto done, since
my Arrival in
Europe?
If any Propositions should be made to me, directly or indirectly, from the
British Ministry, I shall not fail to communicate them, without Loss of Time,
to your Excellency: and I beg the favour of your
Excellency, as I am the only Person in
Europe, who has Authority to treat of Peace, that if any
Propositions on the Part of
Great Britain, should be made to his Majestys Ministers, that
they may be communicated to me, at least as far as they may relate to the
Interests of the
United States.
Although I am not confined by my Commissions, nor Instructions, nor by any
intimation from Congress, to reside in one place in
Europe rather than another; Yet my own Inclinations, as well as
those of the Public, would be most gratified, and the public Service most
promoted by my residing here. I must therefore request his Majestys Protection
and permission to reside in this Kingdom for some time, either with or without
assuming any Public Character, as your Excellency may think most adviseable. I
have the Honour to be &c.
John Adams
His Excellency The Comte De
Vergennes.
I shall insert here the Answer of the Count de
Vergennes, although it is not exactly in the order of Dates. It was
in French, and the following is a litteral
Translation of it.
Versailles
the 15 of February 1780
I have received, Sir, the Letter, which you did me, the honor to write me,
on the twelfth of this month. I think, that before I resolve the different
Points on which you consult me, it is convenient to wait for the Arrival of
Mr. Gerard, because he is probably the Bearer of
your Instructions a and he will certainly, have it in his Power
to give me Explanations, concerning the Nature and Extent of your Commission;
but in the mean time, I am of Opinion, that it is the part of Prudence, to
conceal your eventual Character and above all to take the necessary
Precautions, that the Object of your Commission remain unknown to the Court of
London. Moreover, Sir, you may be assured, that The King sees
you with Pleasure, in his Dominions, that you shall constantly enjoy his
Protection, and the Prerogatives of the Law of Nations, and that I, in
particular, will exert myself to give you Proofs of my Confidence, as well as
of the Sentiments with which I have the honour to be,
most perfectly, Sir, your most obedient and most humble Servant.
De Vergennes
M. Adams.
