Papers of John Adams, volume 7
1778-10-28
While we officially communicate to you the inclosed Resolve1 the Foundation of which you cannot remain a Stranger to, we must intreat you to be assiduous in sending, to those Commissioners who have left France and gone to the Courts for which they were respectively appointed, all the American Intelligence which you have greater Opportunity than they to receive from hence, particularly to Mr. Izard and Mr. Wm. Lee.2 We do not often send more than one Set of Gazettes by one Opportunity; and we hear of several Vessels which have miscarried.
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Congress must and will speedily determine upon the general Arrangement of their foreign Affairs. This is become, so far as relates to you, peculiarly necessary upon a new Commission being sent to Doctor Franklin. In the mean Time we hope you will exercise your whole extensive Abilities on the Subject of our Finances. The Doctor will communicate to you our Situation in that Regard. To the Gazettes and to Conversation with the Marqs. De la Fayette we must refer you for what relates to our Enemies; and close with our most cordial Wishes for your Happiness, Sir Your affectionate Friends
The enclosed resolution, signed by Charles Thomson and dated 22 Oct., informed the minister plenipotentiary at the French Court and the commissioners to other European courts that the congress desired that they cultivate “harmony and good understanding” among themselves (
JCC
, 12:1053). Clearly resulting from reports of dissension among the American representatives in Europe, the resolution was irrelevant to JA, because since Franklin's appointment he no longer held an official position.
The committee's request that JA transmit intelligence to Ralph Izard, Commissioner to Tuscany, and William Lee, Commissioner to the courts at Berlin and Vienna, indicates the degree to which it was uninformed of the status of American diplomacy in Europe. Neither Izard nor Lee had been able to carry out their missions, and by the date of this letter both were residing in or near Paris.
1778-10-29
Upon maturely considering the Letter and declaration which we have had the honor of receiving from you,1 we are of opinion that there are some propositions relative to that proposed treaty business which can only be properly discuss'd2 in a personal interview. We therefore wish that you, or a person authorizd by you, woud meet one of us at Aix la Chapelle, or any other place which you may judge more convenient for conducting this business with the most perfect Secrecy.
Shoud this proposal meet with your approbation, you will have the goodness to apprize us of the time and place you think proper for the interview. It may be proper that we shoud enquire for one another, wherever we meet, under fictitious names; the fixing upon which we also wish to leave to you.
We shall be glad of an answer as soon as is convenient for you; and 172have the honor to be, with great respect Sir most Obedt. & most humb Servts.3
For the declaration and the letter, both sent as enclosures in Dumas' letter of 2 Oct. (above), see van Berckel to the Commissioners, 23 Sept. and note 2 (above).
This word was interlined, for insertion at this point, above a word that was deleted and is illegible.
In a letter to Dumas of 22 Sept. (see Dumas to the Commissioners, 30 Oct., note 5, below), Benjamin Franklin indicated that JA and Arthur Lee had proposed that he undertake a mission to The Hague in the hope of cementing an alliance with the Netherlands and requested Dumas' advice. Dumas replied on 16 Oct. (PPAmP: Franklin Papers), indicating that the time was not yet ripe for such an effort and that it would be better if he remained the conduit for American initiatives. No later letter from Dumas to either Franklin or the Commissioners indicates any change in that opinion. That and the absence of a reply by van Berckel to this letter or any mention of it in any from Dumas, the logical means of transmission, makes it likely that this letter was a new proposal by Arthur Lee that was not approved by the other two Commissioners and, therefore, was never sent.