The Court of Rome attached to ancient customs, would be one of the last to acknowledge our independence, if we were to solicit for it But Congress will probably never send a Minister to his Holiness, who can do them no service, upon condition of receiving a Catholic Legate or Nuncio in return, or in other words, an ecclesiastical tyrant, which it is to be hoped the United States will be too wise ever to admit into their territories. The States of the King of Sardinia are poor, and their commerce is very small. The little port of Villa Franca will probably see few American vessels, nor will there be any close relations, either commercial or political, between this prince and us. The Republic of Genoa is scarcely known at this day in Europe but by those Powers who borrow money. It is possible that some small sums might be obtained there, if Congress would fall upon means of insuring a punctual payment of interest in Europe. Venice, heretofore so powerful, is reduced to a very inconsiderable commerce, and is in an entire state of decay. Switzerland is another lender of money, but neither her position. nor her commerce can occasion any near relation with us. Whether there is any thing in these remarks worth the trouble of reading I shall submit to the wisdom of Congress; and subscribe myself, with the highest consideration, your most obedient and humble servant, JOHN ADAMS. TO JAMES LOVELL. My dear Sir, Braintree, August 13th, 1779. Since I have had opportunity to converse a little in this country, and to read a few gazettes, I find that questions have been agitated here in the newspapers, and in private circles, as well as in Congress, concerning his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, and Mr. Arthur Lee, which seem to make it necessary that I should send the enclosed copies.* You can judge better than I whether it will be of any public utility to lay them before Congress. My first letter, and his Excellency's answer, I can see no objection to laying before Congress; * See these letters in Arthur Lee's Correspondence, vol. 1., pp. 542, 544. but as the rest* contain little else besides mutual compliments, perhaps it will be as well to conceal them. I submit the whole, however, to your discretion, and am with much esteem, &c., JOHN ADAMS. Sir, TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Braintree, September 10th, 1779. Looking over the printed journals of the 15th of last April, I find in the report of the Committee appointed to take into consideration the foreign affairs of the United States, and also the conduct of the late and present Commissioners of these States, the two following articles: 1. "That it appears to them that Dr. Franklin is Plenipotentiary for these States at the Court of France; Dr. Arthur Lee, Commissioner for the Court of Spain; Mr. William Lee, Commissioner for the Courts of Vienna and Berlin; Mr. Ralph Izard, Commissioner for the Court of Tuscany; that Mr. John Adams was appointed one of the Commissioners at the Court of France, in the place of Mr. Deane, who had been appointed a joint Commissioner with Dr. Franklin and Dr. Arthur Lee, but that the said commission of Mr. Adams is superseded by the plenipotentiary commission to Dr. Franklin. 2. "That in the course of their examination and inquiry, they find many complaints against the said Commissioners, and the political and commercial agency of Mr. Deane, which complaints, with the evidence in support thereof, are herewith delivered, and to which the Committee beg leave to refer." The word "said" in the second article, refers to the Commissioners mentioned in the first; and as my name is among them, I learn from hence that there were some complaints against me, and that the evidence in support of them was delivered to Congress by the Committee. I therefore pray that I may be favored with copies of those complaints, evidences, and the names of my accusers, and the * See the present volume, under the dates of February 16th, 1779, p. 576; February 21st, p. 579; February 27th, p. 580. witnesses against me, that I may take such measures as may be in my power to justify myself to Congress. I have the honor to be, &c., JOHN ADAMS. Sir, TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Boston, September 23d, 1779. I had yesterday the honor of your letter of the 7th of this month. I thank you, sir, for your obliging congratulations on my return to my family and country. The reason why my letters of the 27th of February and the 1st of March arrived so late was, that they were delivered at the time of their dates to gentlemen then bound to the sea-ports, who expected to sail directly for America, but were disappointed of passages, until the vessels sailed under the convoy of the Sensible. I have not my letter-book here, but I do not remember that they contained any thing of much consequence; so that I suppose the inconvenience of their late arrival was not much. You will be pleased to make my most respectful compliments to the members of Congress, and believe me, with great esteem, &c., JOHN ADAMS. TO JAMES LOVELL. My dear Sir, Braintree, October 17th, 1779. What shall I say to your favors of the 27th and 28th of September, which came by the last post? The unanimity of my election surprises me, as much as the delicacy, importance, and danger of the trust distress me. The appointment of Mr. Dana to be Secretary pleases more than my own to be Minister, Commissioner, Negociator, call it what you will. I have communicated to him your letters in confidence, and all other material intelligence I had, and hope he will not decline; but you know the peculiarities of his situation, and if he should refuse, I hope you will not force your name out of nomination again. I did not suppose that such characters would be willing to go as Secretaries, because I did not know your plan; otherwise I should not have mentioned Mr. Jennings to Mr. Gerry for one to Dr. Franklin. Your mastery of the language, and your indefatigability would make you infinitely useful in any of these departments. I rejoice that you produced my letter to the Count de Vergennes, and his answer before the choice, because it contained a testimony in favor of Mr. Lee, which was his due.* I am very much affected at his recall, because I know his merit, and, therefore, I am glad I was not placed in his stead, for suspicions would have arisen and reflecl tions would have been cast upon me, as having favored his removain order to make room, which I certainly did not. I am infinitely obliged to you for those letters, and for that received post before last, but I really tremble for your health. Let me entreat you, for the sake of our country, to take care of it. If I was to apply myself as you do, I should soon go to study politics in another sphere. Yet I am so selfish as to beg the continuance of your favors to me, and I pledge myself to you I will not be in debt any more than may be made by the intrinsic difference in the value of the letters, which will be unavoidable. I thank you for the extract from Mr. Izard's letter. I am not a little surprised at its contents. It was written, I see, to his friend, and I suppose intended in confidence. I am fully persuaded he did not intend that the whole should have been laid before Congress.† I utterly deny that I ever used to him any such language as the indecent paragraph that closes what he says about me. Indeed, that is manifestly his own inference, and in his own words, from what he says he had heard me say, and he draws the same from what Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane had said upon the same subject. I further deny that I ever threatened him with the displeasure of Congress for writing his opinion concerning these articles to Congress, or for suggesting them to the Commissioners. But to enter into all the conversations that have passed between Mr. Izard and me respecting those articles, and many other points, in order to give a full and fair representation of those conversations, would fill a small volume. Yet there never was any angry or rude conversation between him and me, that I can recollect. I lived with him on good terms, visited * See these letters in Arthur Lee's Correspondence, vol. 1., pp. 542, 544. him and he me, dined with his family, and his family with me, and I ever told him, and repeated it often, that I should always be obliged to him for his advice, opinions, and sentiments upon any American subject, and that I should always give it its due weight, although I did not think myself bound to follow it any further than it seemed to me to be just. As Congress have declined giving me the charges against me by their authority, and have upon the whole acquitted me with so much splendor, it would look like a littleness of soul in me to make myself anxious, or give them any further trouble about it. And as I have in general so good an opinion of Mr. Izard's attachment to his country, and of his honor, I shall not think myself bound to take any further notice of this fruit of his inexperience in public life, this peevish ebullition of the rashness of his temper. I have written a few other observations to Mr. Gerry on the same subject. You and he will compare these with them for your private satisfaction, but be sure that they are not exposed where they will do harm to the public, to Mr. Izard, or me, unnecessarily. If I should go abroad, cannot you lend me twenty or thirty complete sets of the journals? They are much wanted in Europe. A set of them is a genteel present, and perhaps would do me and the public more service than you are aware of. If Congress or some committee would order it, I should be very glad. I am, &c., JOHN ADAMS. TO SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Sir, Braintree, October 19th, 1779. I had in Paris an opportunity of procuring information concerning the British whale fishery on the coast of Brazil, which it is proper to communicate to Congress, that if any advantage can be made of it the opportunity may not be lost. The last year and the year before the English carried on this fishery to a very great advantage, off the river Plate in South America, in the latitude of 35° south, and from thence to 40°, just on the edge of soundings, off and on, as the sailors express it, and about longitude 65° from London. They had about seventeen vessels in this fishery, which all sailed from London in the months of September and October; all the officers and men Americans from |