Papers of John Adams, volume 6
My Father in law has just now comunicated me the Honble. Mr. Lee's Letter of the 4 Instant which he received Yesterday, together with sundry extracts which would greatly alarm me, was not I consious of my Innocence.1 I will not take too much upon those precious moments which you so laudably dedicate to your Country, to refute the false accusations contained in the anonimous Letter, but beg you would judge whether or not a Merchant happy in his situation in life and free from any kind of conscern in Vessells as is my Father would for the sake of others send his only Son as a Spy in so well an administered a Kingdom as is France And whether it is probable, that I who have my Establishment here, my Wife, Child and Relations would sacrifice my all to give advices to People who are almost Stangers to me, as I was sent very Young to School in England, and at my return staid but a very short time at Guernsey before I came here, where I have now been three Years—as to Jersey I have laid there one night by stress of Weather and hardly know any body in that Island. Is it possible that I should have carried on the treachery I am accused of, so long unpunished—is it not natural that if I found success in this dirty business that my Relations aught to have reaped the benefit whereas none of them have armed any Privatiers as you may yourselves learn if you would be indulgent enough to make inquiries. The Chevaillier de la Poterie and the Chevaillier de Villevocque2 arrived Yesterday from thence and gone of
My Worthy Father in law's nomination to the Agentcy (altho' he never asked it) has created him a number of deceitfull Ennemies who through the vilest Jealousy have since constantly endeavoured to hurt him, but his well established reputation and his unstained upright Character have set him above all their Machinations and having none to find but the Place of my birth that one has been attended to. The Continual hurry of Business and above all my Father in law's Rheumatism hinders my setting off for Paris, nevertheless I would do it imediately was I persuaded that it might help to set things in their true light. If you indulge me with an answer3 be obliging enough to give me your much valued opinion and if so I will gladly and instantly take Horse to undergo any examination and if culpable ask to be dealt with with the utmost severity but if on the contrary I shall insist upon a publick Reparation of Honour from the Wretch who has so scandalously slandered mine, fully persuaded how ready you are to lend your helping hand to injured Innocence. I have the honor to be with the utmost veneration and respect Honourable Gentlemen Your most humble most obedient most devoted Servant,
Dobrée, a native of Guernsey, was the son-in-law as well as partner of J. D. Schweighauser, the American commercial agent at Nantes. An anonymous letter enclosed in one from Jacques Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont to Benjamin Franklin of 5 July charged that Dobrée was an English spy, sending information on vessels bound for America to his father on Guernsey so that they might be intercepted by privateers fitted out there, some reportedly by Dobrée's father. It also questioned Schweighauser's competence and William Lee's judgment in appointing Schweighauser, considering Dobrée's background. Arthur Lee, perhaps because of the reference to his brother, was given Chaumont's letter and enclosure and opened a correspondence with him on the matter. Lee demanded the informer's name and additional proof, while Chaumont restated the charges and upheld the veracity of their author. Lee's letter to Schweighauser of 4 Aug. has not been found, but it provoked in its recipient the same outrage as in Dobrée and brought a letter to Lee, also on 36711 Aug., in which Schweighauser gave biographical information on Dobrée and strongly defended himself and his son-in-law (this and the other letters mentioned above, including Arthur Lee to Chaumont, 12, 22 July; Chaumont to Lee, 13, 27 July, are in MH-H: Lee Papers). Although the charges were serious in view of Chaumont's close relations with the Commissioners, particularly Franklin, and the successes of the Guernsey privateers, apparently nothing came of them. It is worthy of note, however, that despite Dobrée's and Schweighauser's denial that the elder Dobrée had any interest in privateers, Robert Niles wrote to the Commissioners on 22 Jan. 1779 (PPAmP: Franklin Papers) that his vessel had been captured by a Guernsey privateer owned in part by Dobrée's father.
Both men are also mentioned in Schweighauser's letter of 11 Aug., but there is no indication that the Commissioners ever consulted them.
No answer from the Commissioners has been found. Dobrée wrote a second letter to the Commissioners on 20 Aug. that contained essentially the same plea (PPAmP: Franklin Papers).
Your favour of 17 June is before me. I thank you, sir for your kind Congratulations on my safe arrival at Paris.
Before this arrives you will have learn'd that War is commenced in Earnest between France and England. Never was a Nation in higher Spirits than the French, or lower than the English. The Events of War, it is true are always uncertain, but there have been few Conjunctions in human affairs, when Nations have had more promising Prospects, than the two Allies have at present. Poor old England is the Cry, at present on board the British fleet, as well as in the City of London, and well it may be. I am &c.
Your kind favour of July 1st. is before me, and I feel myself much obliged to you for it, as well as for your generous Endeavours, to console my dear Mrs. Adams under her anxiety. Our Ennemies discover the Meanness of their Souls in nothing more than in the low Lyes they make and propagate merely to distress, private Families. A very great Number, have been fabricated, Simply to afflict that Lady and her Children, at least I never could divine any other Cause Motive.1
I have Sent, by several late opportunities, Such particular Accounts of the State of Affairs here, that I can transmit you 368nothing new at this Time, except that some french Men of War at Toulon have made Som valuable English Prizes, that the Brest fleet is again put out, and that the Spaniards, by their Activity and Expence in arming at sea, are thought by the World in general to be giving unequivocal Proofs of their Intentions: altho their Court is so deeply profoundly secret, that nobody can Say from any Thing that comes directly from them, what they mean.
That the End of our Contest will be glorious, I have no doubt, and I wish with all my Heart it may Speedily arrive: Yet I cannot Say I am very confident it will be very Speedy. If there was the least Reason in the World, to believe that the Councils of the British Court would be wise, We might depend upon Peace, but We know that the very Reverse of what they ought to think of, they will do.
Keppell has been Sadly mauled. Byrons Fleet is probably ruined by sickness and by Tempest, and God grant that D'Estang may have captivated How. Yet we are very anxious for News from D'Estaing. He sailed through the straights the Sixteenth of May, and We have no Intelligence of him, Since. This Nation is now very anxious and impatient to hear from him. I must refer you to the public Papers, which will go by this Conveyance, and wish you a good Night. Yours most Sincerely
With the exception of the final sentence, the remainder of this letter was printed in the Independent Chronicle for 7 Jan. 1779.