Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 7

The Commissioners to John Gilbank, 10 November 1778 Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur JA First Joint Commission at Paris Gilbank, John The Commissioners to John Gilbank, 10 November 1778 Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Adams, John First Joint Commission at Paris Gilbank, John
The Commissioners to John Gilbank
Sir Passy Novr. 10. 1778

We have received your Letter of October the sixth, and wish it was in our Power to do more for officers in your situation than We do, altho that amounts in the whole to a large sum. But as We have al-202ready lent you as much Money as We have lent 1 been able to lend to other officers of your Rank and in your Circumstances, it is not in our Power 2 we cannot without a blameable Partiality to lend you any more. We, are, sir your most obedient humble servants3

LbC (Adams Papers).

1.

The following four words were interlined by Benjamin Franklin.

 2.

The following two words were interlined by Benjamin Franklin.

 3.

On 12 Sept. the Commissioners had ordered that 360 livres be paid to Gilbank (vol. 6:360). Their refusal to provide additional funds was not unusual, for on 11 Nov. (LbC, Adams Papers) they wrote an almost identical letter to Capt. William Hamilton and Lt. John Welch who, through payments approved on 30 Sept. and 10 Oct., had together received 1,032 livres (vol. 6:361).