Browsing: Papers of John Adams, Volume 7

5. The recipient's copy of Franklin's letter has not been found. However, in an enclosure to this letter Dumas supplied a much more extensive extract from the Franklin letter than he inserted above. From that it is clear that Dumas' presentation to the Grand Pensionary was accurate, but with two significant differences. The first was Franklin's continuation of the fifth sentence which there reads: “At least that would be my opinion; for I think that a young State like a young Virgin, should modestly stay at home, and wait the Application of Suitors for an Alliance with her; and not run about offering her Amity to all the World, and hazarding their Refusal.” The second was his request for Dumas' advice on whether, if he should undertake a mission to The Hague as proposed by JA and Arthur Lee, he would be received as “a Minister of the States of America.” See also the Commissioners' letter to van Berckel of 29 Oct. (above).