close
Jean Luzac to John Adams: A Translation
Docno: PJA10d123
Recipient: JA
Date: 1780-09-27
[dateline] Leyden, 27 September 1780
[salute] Sir
Our sincere thanks for your kindness in sending us several interesting documents. I have the honor to send you back a few, and of asking your permission to keep the rest for a few more days, because I did not have enough time to copy them all at once, and I intend to use them as space will permit. The two Philadelphia letters have already been copied, but I was unable to publish their extracts.1 I hope that you will approve of the
{p. 184}
use I have made of these various pieces and that the information they contain will help rid Europe of a few of its misconceptions as to the state of things.
I had a copy made of the pamphlet you gave me for the press, and I am expecting that it will go to print next week.
I have the honor to be, with utmost respect, sir, your excellency's very humble and very obedient servant,
[signed] J: Luzac
1. Probably letters of 11 and 13 July from William Churchill Houston and Benjamin Rush, respectively (both above), that JA had sent to Luzac with his letter of 20 Sept. (LbC, Adams
Papers). But see also JA's letters of 17 Sept. to William Churchill Houston, and 20 Sept. to Samuel Adams, Samuel Cooper, and Benjamin Rush (all above).
To the President of Congress, No. 11
Docno: PJA10d124
Recipient: President of Congress
Recipient: Huntington, Samuel
Date: 1780-09-28
This is a summary of a document and does not contain a transcription. If it is available elsewhere in this digital edition, a page number link will be provided below in the paragraph beginning "Printed."
[dateline] Amsterdam, 28 Sept. 1780.
Received by Congress on 29 Jan. 1781, this letter contained the statements exchanged by Baron Willem van Wassenaer-Starrenburg and Catherine II, when Wassenaer-Starrenburg and his fellow minister plenipotentiary, Baron Dirk van Heeckeren van Brantzenburg, presented their credentials at St. Petersburg on 5 September. The Dutch minister noted the importance of the impending negotiations regarding mutual efforts to protect the neutral rights of Russia and the Netherlands under the armed neutrality and expressed his hope for their successful conclusion. Catherine replied that she appreciated the States General's action in sending representatives to St. Petersburg and that she too hoped for a successful outcome. John Adams presumably copied and translated the statements as they appeared in the Dutch newspapers. See, for example, the Gazette de Leyde of 29 September.
From Arthur Lee
Docno: PJA10d125
Recipient: JA
Date: 1780-09-28
[dateline] Lebanon Sepr. 28th 1780
[salute] Dear Sir
Having come here to converse with the worthy Governor, an opportunity of his Dispatch is afforded me of writing you a single line to inform you of my having left Mrs. Adams and all your friends well a few days since.1 Mr. Hancock is chosen Governor, much owing to your absence and the in-attention of those who wish well to their Country and will probably repent of their inactivity.
Measures are taking to support our credit and supply the Army, to augment which and give it permanency, notwithstanding the patriotic objections seems to be a prevailing doctrine as the only method of meeting our Enemies effectually. But I can assure you that unless our Ally and friend will contrive to send us a million sterling in specie,
{p. 185}
they will run a great risque of rendering all our efforts vain and forcing us from inevitable necessity to an accommodation.
The loss from our defeat under Genl. Gates is much less than was imagind, and we have reason to beleive the Enemy sufferd exceedingly as they have not advancd a step. Genl. de Kalb who was mortally wounded is the only Officer of rank lost. Genl. Gates is reforming his Army fast, and the Militia being put under continental Officers, it is hopd will all fight as well as the Regiment of N. C. militia under Colonel Dixon, which stood and fought bravely while their fellows were shamefully flying.2
My Compts. to Mr. Dana the Abbés & other friends.
Farewell.
1. Lee was in Lebanon, Conn., to visit Gov. Jonathan Trumbull and had left AA on or about 6 Sept. (from Arthur Lee, 10
Sept., above).
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/