Papers of John Adams, volume 8

To Michel Lagoanere, 18 December 1779 JA Lagoanere, Michel

1779-12-18

To Michel Lagoanere, 18 December 1779 Adams, John Lagoanere, Michel

To Michel Lagoanere

Sir Corunna December 18. 1779

I thank you for your ready Answer to my Letter of the Sixteenth and for the Itinerary.1

After deliberating as maturely as I can, upon the Contents of your Letter of the 17th, I have concluded, to go to Madrid, and therefore request that you would hire a Coach of four Places, and a Cabriolet of two Places, and Mules for the other four Persons as soon as possible. If a Cabriolet cannot be had there must be two other Mules.

We are all determined to Strip ourselves as bare of Baggage as possible and carry nothing but what is of indispensable Necessity. The rest We shall leave here in Chests which We shall ask the favour of the 301french Consul to send on Board the frigate the Sensible, to be transported to Brest there to be left in the Care of Mr. Constintin the American Agent, or Mr. Moylan at L'orient, or Mr. Schweighauser at Nantes or Mr. Bonfield at Bourdeaux, either of which Gentlemen will inform me at Paris of the Receipt of them. Captain Chavagne will readily take this Trouble upon himself. Or if the Consul can send them by any other Frigate it will be as well.

I shall Submit it to you entirely to make the best Bargain you can for the Carriages and Mules, and to give me a Copy of the Contract in Writing. And I pray, if it is possible that We may be ready to sett off, upon our Journey by Monday Morning.2 I have the Honour to be, with much Respect, sir your most obedient Servant

LbC (Adams Papers).

See JA's letter of the 16th, note 4 (above).

That is, the 20th. JA and his party did not leave, however, until the 26th. See Lagoanere's letter to JA of that date, and note 1 (below).

To M. Detournelle, 19 December 1779 JA Detournelle, M.

1779-12-19

To M. Detournelle, 19 December 1779 Adams, John Detournelle, M.

To M. Detournelle

~~Sir~~ ~~Corunna December 19 17791~~

I have received So many Civilities, of various Kinds from you, and the Vice Consul at Ferrol, that I shall ever hold myself under particular obligations to both, and I take this Method to express to you and to him my Thanks.

I should be obliged to you, if you would make a Memorandum of the Cash furnished me by the Vice Consul, and which may be furnished me by you, as also of all the Expences you have been at, on my Account and that of my family and let me have it, as soon as possible, that I may give you, some proper Voucher to insure you the Repayment of it.

Let me beg one favour more, and that is a List of the Titles of those Books you mentioned to me, concerning the Rights, Powers ~~and~~ Duties and Obligations of Consuls and Embassadors.2

LbC (Adams Papers).

The entire letter was canceled out with a large X. JA dined with Detournelle on the 19th, making a letter unnecessary.

See JA, Diary and Autobiography , 2:394, 406; 4:199