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To Hendrik Bicker
Docno: PJA11d139
Recipient: Bicker, Hendrik
Date: 1781-03-01
[dateline] Arms of Amsterdam March 1. 1781
[salute] Sir
I received your Letter at Leyden,1 inclosing the Copy I had the Honour to Send you, and thank you, for your candid Judgment of its Extent and Import.
I have now the Honour to inform you, that on my Return to Amsterdam the 25 of Feb. I received a Letter from Congress inclosing another Commission in proper Form, containing full Powers to treat with their High Mightinesses, and to conclude and Sign a Treaty. I received also Authority to acceed to the Principles of the Armed Neutrality.2
I should now be Still more obliged by your candid Opinion what is the best Course for me to take.3 I have the Honour to be with great Esteam, sir &c.
1. Of 21 Feb., above.
2. Although JA indicates here that he received Congress' letter of 1 Jan., above, on 25 Feb. at Amsterdam, in 1809, when his letters appeared in the Boston Patriot, JA wrote, following his letter of
[ca. 19] Feb. to Bicker, above, that “At this time I gave up my lodgings at Amsterdam, and removed to Leyden, where on the 25th of February, 1781, I received from the president of congress the following letter.” JA then inserted the letter of 1 Jan. and indicated that its enclosures had included his commission as minister to the Netherlands and the resolution of 5 Oct. permitting the U.S. to accede to the armed neutrality. He then declared that “Soon after the receipt of them, I returned to Amsterdam, and took lodgings again in the city tavern,” or Arms of Amsterdam (JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot
, p. 390–391).
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2007.
http://www.masshist.org/ff/
http://www.masshist.org/ff/