Papers of John Adams, volume 10

From Henry Grand, 15 December 1780 Grand, Henry JA From Henry Grand, 15 December 1780 Grand, Henry Adams, John

From Henry Grand

Sir Paris Dbe. 15th. 1780

I have been honoured with your's 7th. instant,1 Serving to inform me that in case Messrs. Bondfield at Bordeaux and J. Williams at Nantz should draw upon our house for your Account, to pay due honour to their drafts, which shall be punctually done. In the Interim I have to inform that the Madeira Wine for which they will have to draw is just got home and incurred the following charges for which your account is debited, vizt.

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£	6.	5		to M. Fleury & Desmadiere their charges
	37.	12		for carriage
	44.	8.	9	for Duties
	7.	4		petty charges at the Custom house, Keeping and Porterage
£	95.	9.	9

I have not had time to examine that Wine Yet but you may depend on all endeavours to get the most of it.

Being likewise without news I remain Most respectfully Sir Your most obt hble sert

Hy. Grand

I lately received a large packet containing smaller ones for you and M. Thaxter which I have forwarded but there remains a very big one which it would cost a great deal of Money to send by Post.2 It is directed to Messrs. J. Adams and Fr. Dana for publick service. For this last Consideration I should have sent it immediately had I not expected M. Dana's arrival here soon, for which he desired me to send him no more letters to Amsterdam.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “à Monsieur Monsieur J. Adams. à Amsterdam”; endorsed: “Mr H. Grand ans. 20. Decr. 1780.” The reply of 20 Dec. has not been found. There is slight damage to the text where the seal was cut away.

Grand accurately summarizes JA's letter of the 7th (LbC, Adams Papers), but see also Grand's letter of 24 Nov., and note 1 (above). For the wine sent by John Bondfield, see his letter of 28 Oct. (above).

The editors have been unable to determine the content of either the small packets forwarded to JA and Thaxter or the large one retained by Grand.

Certification of C. W. F. Dumas’ Oath of Allegiance to the United States, 16 December 1780 JA Searle, James Certification of C. W. F. Dumas’ Oath of Allegiance to the United States, 16 December 1780 Adams, John Searle, James

Certification of C. W. F. Dumas' Oath of Allegiance to the United States

Amsterdam December 16. 1780

Charles William Frederick Dumas, personally appeared before Us and took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America, upon the holy Evangelists of Almighty God.1

John Adams Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States James Searle Member of Congress for the Commonwealth of Pensylvania 416

MS (DLC: Dumas Papers); endorsed by Dumas: “Amst. 16e. Dec. 1780. Acte de mon serment de fidélité, aux EtatsUnis. d'Amérique, prêté personnellement entre les mains de leur Min. plénipe. Jn. Adams, à Amsterdam. NB. NB. J'avois dejà prêté Serment de fidélité dans ma premiere Lettre au Congrès en acceptant leur Agence accréditée par leur committé, datée du 9–12 Décembre 1775. V. la Lettre du Dr. Franklin. Cwf Dumas.” No letter of 9–12 Dec. 1775 from Dumas to Congress has been found, but the letter to Franklin may be that of 14 Dec. 1780 in which Dumas informed Franklin of his decision to take the oath of allegiance, a copy of the certificate for which he sent to Franklin on 21 Dec. ( Cal. Franklin Papers, A.P.S. , 2:323, 325).

The oath taken by Dumas was as follows: “I do acknowledge the Thirteen united States of north america to be Free Sovereign and Independant States, and I do hereby Declare and acknowledge myself a Subject of the Said States only, and that I will do nothing prejudicial to the Freedom, Sovereignty and independence of the Said States but will promote the Same by all lawfull means” (PCC, No. 101, f. 132).