Papers of John Adams, volume 16
In conformity to our Promise of last Thursday,1 we have now the Honour to advise your Excellency, that the Ballance of the Account of the United States now in our Hands amounts to. . ƒ 1301760. 4 –
| from this must be deducted the following | ||
| Sums for Payments, which are at hand | ||
Intrest of the last Loan due 1th feb̃: |
ƒ 65986. 4 — | |
| Premiums of the Same . . . . . . . . . . . . . | ″ 50000 — | |
Accepted drafts of Mr. Morris . . . . . . . . |
″ 200000 — | |
not appeared drafts of do . . . . . . . . . . . |
″ 12150 — | |
| ″ 328136. 4 — | ||
| Remains . . . | ƒ 973624 — |
So it appears from this that there is still to the disposition of Congres a Capital of nine hundred Seventy three thousand Florins Current Money.
The Sums that at present are in the Hands of each House or their Bankers amount to, viz.
| Wilhem & Jan Willink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | ƒ 575000 — |
| Nic. & Jacob Van Staphrost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | ″ 525000 — |
| De La Lande & Fynje . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | ″ 200000 — |
| together the abovementioned Ballance of . . . . . . . | ƒ 1300,000 — |
The whole number of Bonds, which are at present unsold in our Hands is 252 of the 5 per Co. Loan of 5 Millions, viz
| Wilhem & Jan Willink have in their possession . . . . . . . | 110 |
| Nic. & Jacob Van Staphorst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 135 |
| De la Lande & Fynje . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 7 |
| in all . . . | 252 Bonds2 |
We hope Sir, that this very particular Account of the State of Business of the United States trusted to our Care will give you Satisfaction, and we now expect your orders, whether you desire that 485 we shall put the whole Ballance or part of it into the Bank of Amsterdam or not, in the meantime we have the Honour to Subscribe ourselves, with a Sincere Esteem / Sir / Your most humble & Obedient Servants
Nic
s.& Jacob van Staphorst.
de la Lande & Fynje
The sum that exceeds the neat amount in our hands as last adviced proceeds from the obligs. that Since were delivered to the undertakers, whch. have entirely liquidated the engaged Sums with Messrs. Willink, also with Messrs. de La Lande & fynje but those liquidating with Messrs. van Staphorst must in the two following month yet receive of them 127 Obt. so your Excelly in disposing the Money in Cash will be pleased to give direction also abt. the sums, whch. will be received, if we had not happily Contracted With the undertakers before the differences with the Emperor, it should not succeed at present, and the remainder 125 Obt will not soon be disposed on acct. of our present political circumstances.
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “To His Excellency John Adams Esqr.”; endorsed: “6 Jan. Ansd. 16 Feb. 1785.”
In their letter of 30 Dec. 1784, above.
That is, ƒ252,000 worth of obligations or bonds from JA’s 11 June 1782 loan remained to be sold (vol. 13:110, 112–114, 116).
th:1785.
In answer to your favour from Rochfort of the 25th Ult: I may inform you, entre nous that if I should go to England, Dr: F and Mr: J: will go with me: we shall go all together upon the business of our Commission. But whether we shall go or not is yet problematical, and depends upon an Answer, as yet to be received from the British Ministry. In all Events I think we shall not go before you return. I hope we shall not, for it would be very disagreeable to me, to go out of France, again with my accounts unsettled.
I am of your Mind, that two days, would be sufficient to settle my Accounts, upon the Grooms Maxim, that a short Horse is soon curried. for although a space of five or six years is included, I have avoided as much as possible meddling with the public Money, immense sums of which have been at my Command, so that my Accounts contain little besides the Receipts of my Salary. If I could 486 charge a Commission upon the Money I have obtained, my settlement with you would make a Figure. a Commission upon Seven Hundred Thousand Pounds sterling would be very clever, and that, very nearly is the sum, that I have borrowed in Holland. But it was fore-ordained that I and my Children should be poor that others may be immensely rich. I hope for the Pleasure of seeing you, very soon, and am, dear Sir &c.
Inclosed is a Letter which Mr: Heukelom inclosed to me, I know not for what Reason.
LbC in JQA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr: Barclay.”; APM Reel 107.