The United States of America have experienced so much Friendship from the French Court and Nation, and I have myself as their Representative heretofore received so many Civilities from many Gentlemen of your Nation, that those I had the Honour to receive from you at Ferrol and Corunna, Instances of Politeness and Attention from a french Gentleman were nothing new to me: But the particular Marks of Attention that I had the Honour to receive from the French Consul at Ferrol and Corunna, was Marked with so much Kindness, that I think it my ought to return you my best Thanks, which I beg Leave 310to do in this manner, and to request you to accept them as the only Return I am at present able to make you.

I shall ever have an agreable Remembrance of the Social Hours, I was so happy as to pass with you at Ferrol and Corrunna as well as on the Way from the one to the other: and a grateful one of that Assiduity with which you exerted yourself for my Assistance. If it should ever be in my Power either in Europe or America, of returning to you or any of your Friends, similar Civilities, and Assistance, I beg you would command me, and believe me to be with great Esteem and Respect, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.

We arrived here last night, all alive, but not very well having all taken, in Spight of all the Precautions in our Power, very great Colds. Mr. Michel Martinus, our Guide and Mr. Raymond San, and the other People with them, have done all they could, for our Comfort, and We have been well satisfied with their Conduct.

We have concluded to dismiss them at this Place and mount on Mule back for Bayonne, as the Distance will be lessend more than half in Point of Place and more than four times in point of Time.

We have had the Pleasure to find in Mr. Gardoqui and sons at this Place Friends ready to assist Us, in all respects. This however does not lessen our Obligations to you, for that particular Attention and Essential Assistance which you did Us the Honour to render Us at Corunna for which I beg you to accept of my Thanks, and my assurances, that if it should ever be in my Power to return the Obligation either in Europe or America, I should do it with the highest satisfaction. I shall take another Opportunity to answer more particularly your Letter to me.1 I am with great Respect and Esteem, sir your most humble and obedient servant.

Bilbao, Spain, 16 January 1780. RC in John Thaxter's hand PCC No. 84, I, f. 234; docketed: “No. 3 Letter from John Adams Bilbao 311Jany 16 1780 Read April 7.” LbC Adams Papers. LbC in Thaxter's hand Adams Papers; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No.3.” For a discussion of the presence of two Letterbook copies, see part 2 of the Introduction: “John Adams and his Letterbooks” (above).

Adams described the hardships of his journey through Spain and the reasons for his decision to bypass Madrid. He then wrote at length about the civil and military institutions of the Province of Galicia and the potential for trade with the United States if obstacles could be removed. He also commented on the special privileges of the three Basque provinces (although he did not call them that), and on the trade with other countries that they enjoyed, suggesting what markets America might find there if successful negotiations could be entered into.