Papers of John Adams, volume 16
J’ai eû l’honneur, Monsieur, de Vous adresser dès le 8. d’Octobre de l’année courante, conjointement avec Messieurs Francklin et Jefferson les Plein pouvoirs demandés, pour la conclusion du Traité de Commerce et d’Amitié, entre ma Cour, et les Etats Unis de l’Amérique. Depourvû de toute réponse quelconque, je ne serois pas 429 sans inquiétude, s’il etoit possible, que ma lettre qui a été expédiée sous le couvert de Monsieur le Chargé d’affaires Dumas, eut pû ètre egarée. Me permettriés Vous, Monsieur, qu’en qualité de Votre ancien Collègue, je m’adressasse particulierement a Vous, pour Vous prier de contribuer a accélerer l’arrangement definitif d’un Traité, qui donnera aux liaisons a etablir entre nos deux Nations la solidité que Nous desirons l’un et l’autre avec le mème interèt.
J’ai l’honneur d’ètre avec la Considération la plûs distinguée / Monsieur, / Vôtre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur
I had the honor, sir, of addressing to you as early as 8 October of this year, jointly with Messrs. Franklin and Jefferson, the requested full powers for the conclusion of the treaty of commerce and friendship between my court and the United States of America. Destitute of any response whatsoever, I would not be without concern if it were possible that my letter, which was dispatched under cover of Mr. Dumas, the chargé d’affaires, might have gone astray. Permit me, sir, as your former counterpart, to address you personally and to ask you to help to accelerate the final arrangements for this treaty, which will give to the ties to be established between our two nations the solidity that we both desire with the same interest.
I have the honor of being with the deepest respect, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Monsieur Adams Ministre Plenipotentiare / des Etats Unis de l’Amérique a la leur Versailles”; endorsed: “M De Thulemeyer / 12 Nov. 1784.”
Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr Adams, and enclosos a Paper left with him by the Secretary of the Portuguese Ambassador last Night, being an Extract of a Letter from the First Minister of that Court. No Notice is taken in it of the preceding Plan of a Treaty, and Mr. F. mentions for Consideration, whether it would not be right to send a Copy of the new Plan immediately to that Ambassador:1
There will be no Court at Versailles to-morrow.
RC (Adams Papers).
Franklin enclosed an extract from the 24 Oct. letter from the Portuguese prime minister, Aires de Sá e Melo, to his ambassador at Versailles, the Conde de Sousa Coutinho, regarding his reply to the commissioners’ 9 Sept. letter announcing their authorization to negotiate a Portuguese-American commercial treaty. The minister directed Sousa Coutinho to inform the commissioners that Portugal looked forward to better relations with the United States and was ready to entertain proposals toward that end, but he did not mention the draft treaty Franklin discussed with Sousa Coutinho during the summer of 1783 (vol. 15:106;
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 1:540; Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 6:583, 588–591). The commissioners sent a new draft treaty to the Portuguese ambassador on 30 Nov. 1784, below. For the commissioners’ 9 Sept. letter to Sousa Coutinho, see their letter of the same date to the Baron von Thulemeier, and note 3, above.