close
From Thomas Barclay
Docno: PJA12d349
Recipient: JA
Date: 1782-04-22
[dateline] Amsterdam 22d. April 1782
[salute] Dear Sir
I most heartily and sincerely Congratulate your Excellency on the Events of Friday and saturday last, and I rejoice the more because you are destined to reap the fruits of what you have sown with so much industry and attention.
I am persuaded you are now rewarded for the Exercise of patience which you have Exhibited on this occasion, and I hope an agreeable prospect is now opened for the adjusting those very important points that are before you.
I had a letter a few days ago from Germany, requesting that I wou’d hint to you the necessity of some stipulation being made with the States General, for using the River Rhine in the Transportation of the German Manufactures for the Consumption of America, and that the Transit duties shou’d be settled on as favourable terms as possible. I am not sufficiently a Judge of the matter to say more of it, but I am sure you will excuse any thing that occurs on this subject. Mr. Bromefield told me you shew’d him a letter relative to the American Trade from the Directors of the East India Company under the Emperor.1 If there is nothing improper in the request, I shall
{p. 446}
be much obliged to you for a sight of it—and for permission to write to the Gentlemen. It might turn out an advantage to my House at Philadelphia, and if any good plan of business can be struck out, I will do every thing in my power to incourage it. I beg leave to assure your Excellency of my being most sincerely, Dear Sir your [Affect.] & obed Servant
[signed] Thos Barclay
RC
Adams Papers
; endorsed: “Mr Barclay”; docketed in an unknown hand: “April 22nd 1782.”
From Hendrik Bicker
Docno: PJA12d350
Recipient: JA
Date: 1782-04-22
[dateline] Amsterdm. 22 Avril 1782
[salute] Monsieur & tres honore Ami
Vous aves vú chez Moi il y a quelques sepmaines Le Courtier Saportas,1 a la vive sollicitation je n’ai pú lui refuser un mot de Lettre en sa faveur pour vous repetter que je Le reconnois poúr un parfait honnet Homme et qui pourra contribuer en bien, si tot ou tard vous charger quelque Maison ici de faire pour vos Souverains une devis d’argent et que vous voudres faire a cette Maison mention de Lui.
[salute] J’ai l’honneúr d’etre avec la plus haute estime Monsieur Votre tres humb & tres obeiss:
[signed] Serviteur H: Bicker
Hendrik Bicker to John Adams: A Translation
Docno: PJA12d351
Recipient: JA
Date: 1782-04-22
[dateline] Amsterdam, 22 April 1782
[salute] Sir and very honored friend
A few weeks ago you met Mr. Saportas,1 the broker, at my house. I could not refuse writing to you on his behalf and telling you again that I have come to know him as an honest man who could contribute in helping you secure a loan for your country, and who would like you to keep him in mind when you decide on a brokerage house here.
[salute] I have the honor to be with the highest esteem, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
[signed] H: Bicker
1. Samuel Saportas, an Amsterdam broker. At some point JA and Saportas apparently discussed his firm’s participation in the loan, but on 5 May Saportas wrote to JA that “a Conference with Sundry Gentlemen” about the loan had “not been attended with the desired success” (Adams Papers).
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/