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{p. 401}
From the Duc de La Vauguyon
Docno: PJA12d313
Recipient: JA
Date: 1782-04-09
[dateline] La Haye ce 9 avril 1782
Je me Suis empressé Monsieur de transmettre a Monsieur Le Comte de Vergennes Les temoignages de franchise et de loyauté que vous m’avez donné. Ce ministre me repond qu’ils confirment de plus en plus sa confiance dans votre attachement invariable aux principes de l’alliance et il me charge de vous Communiquer des Détails tres interessants dont j’aurai L’honneur de vous faire part incessamment s’il m’est possible d’aller passer quelques jours a amsterdam ainsi que je me le propose.
[salute] Recevez Monsieur une nouvelle assurance des Sentiments inviolables d’attachement et de consideration tres distinguee avec lesquels j’ai lhonneur d’etre votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur
[signed] Le Duc De La vauguyon
The Duc de La Vauguyon to John Adams: A Translation
Docno: PJA12d314
Recipient: JA
Date: 1782-04-09
[dateline] The Hague, 9 April 1782
I was eager to convey the expressions of candor and loyalty you have given me to the Comte de Vergennes. The minister tells me that they more and more confirm his confidence in your unwavering attachment to the principles of the alliance, and that he is giving me the responsibility of communicating the very interesting details to you. I would have the honor of doing this very shortly if it is possible, as I propose, to spend a few days in Amsterdam.
[salute] Please receive, sir, renewed assurance of the inviolable sentiments of affection and of the very distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your very humble and very obedient servant
[signed] Le Duc De La vauguyon
RC
Adams Papers
; endorsed: “Le Duc de la Vauguion. 9. April 1782”; notation by CFA: “[The answer?] to this published—See Dip Corr. Vol. 6. p 329. but not this.” CFA’s reference is to The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, ed. Jared Sparks, 12 vols., Boston, 1829–1830, and JA’s reply to La Vauguyon of 10 April, below.
To the Duc de La Vauguyon
Docno: PJA12d315
Recipient: La Vauguyon, Paul François de Quélen de Stuer de Causade, Duc de
Date: 1782-04-10
[dateline] Amsterdam April 10th. 1782
[salute] Monsieur Le Duc
I have this moment recd. the letter which You did me the honor to write me yesterday, with a letter inclosed from Mr. Franklin.1
{p. 402}
The Approbation of Monsieur Le Comte de Vergennes is a great satisfaction to me, and I shall be very happy to learn from You, Sir, at Amsterdam the details You allude to.
I have a Letter from Diggs at London 2d. April, informing me that he had communicated what had passed between him and me to the Earl of Shelburne, who did not like the Circumstance that every thing must be communicated to our Allies. He says that Lord Carmaerthen is to be sent to the Hague to negotiate a seperate Peace with Holland. But according to all appearances Holland as well as America will have too much Wit to enter into any seperate Negotiations.
I have the pleasure to inform You that Gillon has arrived at the Havanna with five rich Jamaica ships as Prizes. Mr. Le Roy writes that the English have evacuated Charlestown.2
The inclosed fresh Requete of Amsterdam will shew your Excellency, that there is little probability of the Dutchmen being decieved into seperate Conferences.3
[salute] With the most profound Respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, &c
LbC
in John Thaxter’s hand
Adams Papers
.
1. Probably Franklin’s letter of 31 March, above.
2. Alexander Gillon and the South Carolina arrived in Havana on 13 Jan. with five prizes that he sold for £23,066, or approximately 150,000 Spanish milled dollars. Considerable controversy was generated by Gillon’s division of the proceeds from the sale, particularly the amount that he kept for himself and that which he alloted to the Chevalier de Luxembourg, the owner of the South Carolina. Not until 1854 did South Carolina reach a final settlement with Luxembourg’s heirs (Louis F. Middlebrook, The Frigate “South Carolina”: A Famous Revolutionary War Ship, Salem, 1929, p. 9; Laurens, Papers
, 16:12–13). Herman Le Roy’s report of Charleston’s evacuation was erroneous.
3. This was the tenth document included by JA in his letter of 19 March to Robert R. Livingston, calendared above. In their petition, the merchants of Amsterdam opposed the British offer of an immediate peace and acceptance of the Russian mediation of the Anglo-Dutch war, calling it the proposal of an exhausted enemy. To accept such an offer would preclude the Netherlands from participating in a general peace at which the British would be forced to offer better terms. For the British offer, see JA to van der Capellen, 6 April, and note 1, 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/