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To the President of Congress
Docno: PJA11d375
Recipient: President of Congress
Recipient: McKean, Thomas
Date: 1781-07-14
I have the honor to inclose Copy of a Letter to the Comte de Vergennes, and Copy of Articles and an Answer.2
Peace is so desirable an Object, that humanity as well as Policy demands of every Nation to hearken with Patience and Sincerity to every Proposition which has a tendency to it, even only in appearance. I cannot however see any symptoms of a sincere disposition to it in the English. They are endeavouring to administer soporificks to their Enemies: but they will not succeed. Peace however will never be made by the English while they make any Figure in the United States.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest Respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble Servant.
[signed] J. Adams
RC
and enclosures in John Thaxter's hand
PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 375–407; endorsed: “Letter July 14. 1781 Paris J. Adams Read Octr. 3. Covering a Discussion of the Propositions of the mediating Powers”; “Paris July 14 1781. J. Adams.” A second copy of this letter and enclosure (PCC, No. 84, III, f. 291–312), written by JA at Paris, reached Philadelphia on 1 March 1782. For the enclosures that went with the two letters, see note 2.
2. The recipient's copy is accompanied by JA's letter to Vergennes of 13 July and its enclosed response, above, and also by JA's letters to Vergennes of 16, 18, 19, and 21 July and Vergennes' letter of 18 July, all below. The second copy, written at Paris, is accompanied only by copies of JA's letter to Vergennes of 13 July and its enclosed response.
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/