Papers of John Adams, volume 13

From Francis Dana, 4 October 1782 Dana, Francis JA From Francis Dana, 4 October 1782 Dana, Francis Adams, John
From Francis Dana
Septr: 23d. 1782 4 October N.S. Dear Sir

Please to forward the enclosed letters three in number, by the earliest different opportunities.1 Do not send either in the same enclosures with any others you have already received from me or shall receive hereafter. If you have the same Cypher sent to you, and you 511have patience to do it, decypher one of them. They contain a matter I have hinted to you long since as presenting a clue to a certain piece of advice given to me wh. I did not follow—You will recollect it at once as you also disapproved of it.2 Your picture not yet come to hand. From your Friend & Humble Servant.

RC (Adams Papers).

1.

These are the original, duplicate, and triplicate of Dana's letter of 20 Sept. 1 Oct. N.S. to Robert R. Livingston that, according to Dana's letterbook, were enciphered and sent with the post of 23 Sept. 4 Oct. N.S.. The letter of 1 Oct. is not in the PCC, and Dana wrote in the margin of the Letterbook copy that “This letter is not to be found on the Files of the Office of Foreign Affairs, among my other letters.” Not mentioned, but also enclosed, were the duplicate and triplicate of Dana's 18/29 Sept. letter to Livingston (MHi: Francis Dana Letterbook, Official Letters, 1781–1782).

2.

The letter was enciphered because it discussed provisions of a proposed commercial treaty between France and Russia, which Dana took up in considerable detail in his letter of 26 Oct. to JA, below.

From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 4 October 1782 Staphorst, Nicolaas & Jacob van (business) JA From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 4 October 1782 Staphorst, Nicolaas & Jacob van (business) Adams, John
From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst
Amsterdam the 4th. Oct. 1782 Sir

The opportunity, by which we take the Liberty to write your Excellency these few lines, is, that we've seen a Letter from London by the last mail, where in the writer assures that it was decided the 23 Septr. in the Kings Councel, by a unamity of all the Ministers, to declare the Independency of the United States in America, and that the Act, passed under the great Seal, should immediately be forwarded. Since as much as we know this is not confirmed by other letters, we must doubt of its authenticy. If it is true we suppose it will be known to your Excellency, and as it would be of much value to us, as well for the Intrest of the American Loans, we would wish to be informed by your Excellency, wether you received about it Any intelligence or not, and there fore we beg the favour to receive a few words in answer upon this Question.1

Our hopes that the Undertakers will soon ask the third Million of the Loan are still increasing. Two or three of them have already spoken about it. Since our demand in favour of the Maryland Loan is declined in Council,2 it remains an undecided Problem, wether the Credit, which it would have give to said Loan, would have been of a good influence upon the General.

We have the honour to be with much esteem Sir of your Excellency, the most humble & Obedt. Servts. Nics. & Jacob van Staphorst
512

RC (Adams Papers).

1.

See JA's reply of 5 Oct., below.

2.

In addition to the Staphorsts, Wilhem & Jan Willink wrote on 5 Oct. (Adams Papers) to report that the Regency of Amsterdam had refused to subscribe to the Maryland loan.