Papers of John Adams, volume 12
Your Excellencys Letter of June 11. is yet unanswered.
I have the Honour to agree with your Excellency in opinion, that it is reasonable, that the Articles of Rent of the Hotel, Payment of Couriers, Postage of Letters, Salaries of Clerks, Stationary for the Bureau, and Feasts and Illuminations made upon publick occasions, should be deemed Expences of the States. Indeed otherwise it will be impossible, for American Ministers to live, in any such manner as is expected of them both by Europeans and Americans.
JA drafted another letter to Franklin on 4 Oct. that also dealt with his accounts. After making revisions he ultimately sent the letter under the date of 26 October. See the descriptive note to that letter, below.