Papers of John Adams, volume 10
This Letter is intended to go, by Monsieur Le Veillard,1 a Young Gentleman bound to America, with Design to travail with engage in the service of Mr. Holker or to lay the Foundations of a mercantile House either in France or America, as Circumstances may be.
I have the Pleasure to know his Father and his Family and the young Gentleman very well: They are all worthy and amiable, and have on many Occasions been very civil to me.
I wish him therefore, success, and to this End as good Acquain-266tance as may be in our Country. I take the Liberty to recommend him to you Attention, and Civilities.
Mr. Laurens is in England—I wish he were here. I cannot yet learn with Certainty how he is treated, the Accounts are So contradictory, Some Saying he is in the Tower and others that he is not yet arrived in London. I am Sir, with much Affection and Respect, yours
This is Louis Le Veillard, who sailed for America in March 1781 (
Cal. Franklin Papers, A.P.S.
, 4:52). He was the son of Louis Guillaume Le Veillard, a close friend of Benjamin Franklin and keeper of the mineral baths at Passy, whom JA had met while residing with Franklin at Passy in 1778 and 1779 (Franklin, Papers
, 23:542; JA,
Diary and Autobiography
, 2:303, 317; 4:47, 63, 143). The elder Le Veillard wrote to JA on 3 Oct. (Adams Papers) to request letters of recommendation for his son. In his reply of 13 Oct. (LbC, Adams Papers), JA thanked Le Veillard for writing and the opportunity to send letters to America. JA also recommended the younger Le Veillard to Benjamin Rush in a letter of 13 Oct. (LbC, Adams Papers). In that letter, JA reported that the British intended to prosecute the war more vigorously, but did not mention Henry Laurens' capture.