Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 7

The Commissioners to Gabriel de Sartine

From Jonathan Williams
207 The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 November 1778 Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur JA First Joint Commission at Paris Vergennes, Charles Gravier, Comte de The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 November 1778 Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Adams, John First Joint Commission at Paris Vergennes, Charles Gravier, Comte de
The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes
Sir Passy Novr. 12 1778

The Alliance between this Kingdom, and the United States of America, is an Event of such Magnitude in their History, that We conceive it would be highly pleasing to our Constituents, to have the Picture of their his Majesty their illustrious Friend and Ally, to be kept in some Public Place where the Congress sits.

We would carefully avoid every Thing which would be disagreable to the King and Queen, and would therefore submit this Proposal to your Excellencys Consideration: and if you should be of opinion that no offence would be given, We request, your Excellencys kind offices, to procure Us for the Benefit of our Constituents, the Pictures of their Majestys the King and Queen, that Posterity, as well as those of the present Generation who may never have an opportunity of seeing those Royal Personages, may become acquainted with the nearest Resemblances of them, which the Arts have devised.1

LbC (Adams Papers).

1.

If sent, this letter brought no results. It was not until 1784 that portraits of the King and Queen arrived in America, and then it was in response to the congress' request contained in its congratulatory message of 15 June 1779 to Louis XVI on the birth of his first child, Marie Thérèse Charlotte ( JCC , 14:737; 26:239–241).