Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 12

From Benjamin Franklin

From François Adriaan Van der Kemp
From Edmund Jenings, 26 November 1781 Jenings, Edmund JA From Edmund Jenings, 26 November 1781 Jenings, Edmund Adams, John
From Edmund Jenings
Brussels. Novr. 26th. 1781 Sir

Give me leave to Congratulate your Excellency on the late Glorious News received from Virginia and Carolina. It seems to be of the last Importance. The English here are Confounded by it, and I should think the Court of London will not be less so, when it receives it, altho it has had for some Time reason to expect it.1 The English Minister here sent a Messenger immediately on the receipt thereof to his Master the Consequence of which may be the delaying of the delivery of the Letters by the post until after next Wednesday. However some care has been taken to Convey the News by the way of Margate that it may come a propos on the first day of the meeting of Parliament for the amusement of the Ministers, among whom, it is said, there is a great Division and Distraction. It is said, that the Bedford Party will move for the making of Peace. There is a strong party raised against Lord G Germaine.

I take the Liberty of sending to your Excellency the Receipt of the five poor fellows in Mill prison and likewise one which Mr Sawrey omitted to send to my Correspondent before.2

I am glad to find by the American Papers that Mr. Brush is arrived at Boston.3

89

I Hope your Excellencys Health is perfectly reestablished.

I am with the greatest Respect Sir Your Excellencys Most Obedient Humble Servant Edm: Jenings

RC (Adams Papers).

1.

For the British ministry’s reaction to the news of Yorktown, see Mackesy, War for America , p. 434–435.

 2.

The receipt has not been found, but see Jenings’ letter of 28 Oct., above. Miles Saurey, a linen draper in Plymouth, England, had provided assistance to American prisoners since early 1778 (Laurens, Papers , 15:469).

 3.

Eliphalet Brush arrived at Newburyport on 27 Sept. (Boston Independent Chronicle, 27 Sept.). Brush, a New York merchant, carried JA’s dispatches for Congress and informed AA that CA had sailed for America on board the South Carolina ( Adams Family Correspondence , 4:217–219).