I should only desire, that you would be so good as to communicate to me the
Article, before you send it. As to the Full Power, which authorizes you
to negotiate a Treaty of Commerce with the Court of
London, I think it will be prudent, to make no communication of
it to any Person whatsoever, and to take all possible Precautions, that the
English Ministry may not have any Knowledge of it prematurely. You will
surely perceive, of yourself, the Motives which induce me, to advise you to
this Precaution, and it would be superfluous in me to explain them.
As to what relates to your Instructions, Sir, I am certain, that they have
for their essential and invariable Basis, the Treaties subsisting between the
King and the
United States; Mr. Gerard has assured
the King of this in the most positive manner, and his Majesty renders too much
Justice to the Rectitude of Congress, and to the Stability of Sentiments, which
it has hitherto manifested, to have ever had, and for ever to have, the
smallest doubt in this respect. This manner of thinking, Sir, will convince
you, that We have no Necessity to see your Instructions, to estimate their
Principles and their disposition relative to
Great Britain.
I have the Honour to be, most perfectly, Sir your
most humble and most obedient Servant
De Vergennes
Mr. Adams.
I again request the particular Attention of the Reader to this Letter. The
Count evades ingeniously enough his improper Attempt to draw out my
Instructions, from their concealment. But his Anxiety to have my Commission to
negotiate a Treaty of Commerce with
Great Britain, concealed, excited some Surprize and some perplexity. I was not clear that I
suspected his true Motives. The
United States were clearly, at as full Liberty to negotiate
concerning Commerce as concerning Peace. In both they must be governed by their
Treaties with
France. But not in one more than the other. However Time brought
to light, what I but imperfectly suspected. The Count meditated at that time no
doubt, what he soon carried into Execution with too much Success, his Intrigues
with Congress at
Philadelphia, to get my Commission to negotiate a Treaty of
Commerce, annulled, without renewing it to the five Commissioners whom they
afterwards appointed to negotiate Peace. It was intended to keep Us embroiled
with
England as much and as long as possible, even after a Peace. It
had that Effect for Eleven Years. The
United States never had Spirit, decision and Independence, to
remove this Obstacle to a friendly Understanding with
England till 1794, when Mr. Jay
sacrificed, and Mr. Washington diminished his
Popularity by a Treaty which excited the insolent Rage of
France without a Colour of justice. The
Members of Congress, who suffered themselves to become the Instruments of the
Count, and His Minister the Chevalier De La
Luzerne and his Secretary Mr. Marbois, in this
humiliating and pernicious Measure of annihilating the Power of negotiating on
Commerce, I am not able to enumerate very exactly. I have heard mentioned
Mr. Livingston, Mr. Madison
and Dr. Witherspoon. Those who are disposed to investigate this Subject are at Liberty to do it. If it would diminish the disposition which has long prevailed and still prevails in too many Individuals to sacrifice the honor and Interest of their country to their Complaisance to France, it would answer a good Purpose.
and Dr. Witherspoon. Those who are disposed to investigate this Subject are at Liberty to do it. If it would diminish the disposition which has long prevailed and still prevails in too many Individuals to sacrifice the honor and Interest of their country to their Complaisance to France, it would answer a good Purpose.
I thought it most prudent at present to conform to the Counts Advice,
although it was not in this particular satisfactory to me, and wrote him
accordingly. Although I could not perceive any candid, equitable or
honourable Motives for concealing one of my
Commissions more than the other, I did not think proper to tell him so.
Paris
25 February 1780.
Sir
I had last Evening the Honour of your Excellencys
Letter of Yesterdays Date, and shall conform myself to your Advice.
I shall esteem myself highly honoured by a
Presentation to the King and Royal Family, and shall wait your Excellencys
Directions concerning the time of it. I shall not think myself at Liberty to
make any publication of my Powers to treat of Peace, untill it shall have been announced in the Gazette; after
which I shall transmit to your Excellency any Paragraph which may be thought
proper to publish in the Gazettes of
Holland, and take your Advice upon it, before it is sent. My
other Powers shall, be concealed, according to your Advice; and I shall have
the honour, to pay my respects to your Excellency very
soon at
Versailles. I have the honour to be
with the greatest respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble Servant
John Adams
His Excellency the Comte De
Vergennes.