Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 12

To the President of Congress

To the President of Congress
From Henry Grand, 15 January 1782 Grand, Henry JA From Henry Grand, 15 January 1782 Grand, Henry Adams, John
From Henry Grand
Paris Jany 15th. 1782 sir

I have before me the two Letters you honoured me with in date of Decr. 1st. and 10th. and am made sensible by what you are pleased to tell me that you have L6857.3 to claim, not of me however, as I have given you credit and M. Dana by your order, for the whole sum Dr. Franklin charged me to pay to you personally the 12th. feby 1780, as appears by the inclosed Copy of his order.1 But as M. Dana in his Accounts with Congress, no doubt given in to Dr. Franklin, must192 have acknowledged haveing received L6857.3 it makes it plain, the Doctor not having paid them, nor given an order on me for the same, that he is indebted to you for it.

Beside your giving credit to Congress for L24000.
Mr. Dana for " 6857. 3
makes a sum of L30857. 3
exceeding of the difference due to you, Doctor franklin’s order for L24000.

I am going to Passy to settle that Matter if possible, at all rates please to write to M. Franklin by return of Post, to make an end of it;2 I shall also take on me to demand a fresh order on account of your Appointments, imagining the Freedom of Amsterdam must be kept up and ravituaillée as every where else.

I remain most respectfully sir Your most obt. hble st. Grand

RC and enclosure (Adams Papers); addressed: “A Son Excellence Monsieur Adams Ministre Plenipotentiaire des Etats unis a Amsterdam”; endorsed by John Thaxter: “Mr. Grand 15th. Jany. 1782.” For the enclosure, see note 1.

1.

Grand copied Franklin’s order of 12 Feb. 1780 on the third and otherwise blank page of the letter. Grand was directed to pay JA 24,000 livres to the value of 1,000 pounds sterling, the payment to be carried on the general accounts. For the record of payments to JA and Francis Dana from 12 Feb. 1780, see DNA:RG 39, Foreign Ledgers, Public Agents in Europe, 1776–1787, p. 266.

 2.

No letter to Benjamin Franklin on this matter has been found, but see Grand’s letter of 11 March, below.