Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 8

John Adams' Credentials to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention

From Benjamin Rush
To James Lovell, 13 August 1779 JA Lovell, James To James Lovell, 13 August 1779 Adams, John Lovell, James
To James Lovell
My dear Sir Braintree August 13 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 Comte De Vergennes and Mr. A. Lee which seem to make it necessary, that I should Send the inclosed Copies.1 You can judge better than I, whether it will be of any public Utility to lay them before Congress. My first Letter and his Excellencys Answer, I can see no Objection to laying before Congress: But as the rest contain little 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, your Friend

John Adams

RC (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 85); docketed: “Aug. 13. 1779 Hon. J Adams to James Lovell recd. 30 answd. 31st. with a Correspondence between Mr. Adams and Count de Vergennes concerning Mr. Deane's Publication of Decr. 5th. 78, Mr. Arthur Lee's Character and Mr. Adams Conduct in France. read in Congress and laid on the Table by Mr. Lovell Sepr. 27th. 1779.”

1.

JA's letters to Vergennes of 11, 16, and 27 Feb., and Vergennes' replies of 13 and 21 Feb. (all above). JA also sent copies on this day to Samuel Adams, saying that he had “been asked a Thousand Questions which may all be answered by 122the inclosed Copies” and telling Adams that he had transmitted copies to Lovell (NN: Bancroft Coll.). All the letters were laid on the table by Lovell the same day for inspection by the members, although the Journal for 27 Sept. makes no mention of the fact.