Papers of John Adams, volume 12
1782-04-11
I have just now recd. your kind favor of the 9th. and thank You for the Communication of Dr. Waterhouse’s Letter, which has been a very agreable Entertainment to me.1 I am very glad of Gillon’s success, and that so candid and sensible a Judge as the Dr. still retains his Charity for him.
Am much obliged by your Congratulations on the prosperous Appearance of our affairs. I have just recd. authentic Information of the unanimous Resolution of the States of the Province of Utrecht, taken yesterday in favor of my Admission to an Audience. Guelderland and Groningen2 are all that remain, and I hope that ten or twelve days at furthest will produce a perfect Unanimity. I have the honor to be with great Esteem, Sir, your obliged & ob. Servt.
Freeman wrote from Rotterdam on 9 April (Adams Papers), describing himself as “a Merchant and Citoyen du monde.” He enclosed a letter, apparently from Benjamin Waterhouse, and requested that it be returned after JA read it.
In fact, Groningen acted on 9 April and Gelderland would do so on the 17th. See JA to Robert R. Livingston, 19 April, below, and A Collection of State-Papers, 1782, p. 86–87, 90–91.
1782-04-11
I am honored with your letter of the 5th. instant, and thank You for your polite Invitation to Hambourg, a Journey which it would give me pleasure to make, but which various Occupations will oblige me at least to postpone for sometime.
In Answer to your Inquiries, Sir, I have only to say that at present I have no Powers from the United States of America to treat with the Hanseatic Cities: but their Situation is such that there will be infallibly a considerable Trade between them and America, and therefore I know of no Objection against the Congress entering into Negotiations with them.
If any Gentleman authorized by them should have any Proposals to make, I will transmit them with Pleasure to Congress for their Consideration, only desiring that they may be either in the English or French Language, as the German is unknown to me and to most of the Members of Congress.1
405
No proposals were submitted to JA for transmission to Congress.