Papers of John Adams, volume 17
th:June 1785
We had the honour to write your Excellencÿ the 3th: instant, in consequence of which Mr: de la Lande hath been at the Hague to see everÿ thing in the Hotel of the United States properlÿ packed to be forwarded to Rotterdam; We since received your Excellencÿ’s favour of the 10th: and have according to your orders to send everÿ thing bÿ Mr: Lotter, forwarded the two Trunks to Rotterdam to the care of Mr: Lotter, who is to go from thence with all the goods under his Care; Mr: Dumas hath taken upon him to provide the necessarÿ passports, and if the goods can be time enough at Rotterdam, 194as we suppose theÿ will, theÿ are all to be shipped on board the Brittannia Captain John Coxon, who is to sail from thence to morrow the goods are addressed to the care of Messrs: C. & R. Puller in London, and we hope theÿ will all come safe and in good order to hands.1
We have the honour to be with profound respect / Your Excellencÿ’s / Most obedient humble Servants
Nich
s.& Jacob van Staphorst
de la Lande & fÿnje
Mr. C. Lotter applied to us for payment of ƒ839.5.2 being ƒ300.— for his Salary ƒ34.6.— for bills he had paid and ƒ504.7.2 due to him for discharged expences of your Excy’s. household, about which we’ll be glad to have your Excellency’s directions to pay it to him.2
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “To his Excellencÿ / John Adams Esqr. / Minister Plenipotentiarÿ / of the United States of America / at the Court of Great Brittain.”
This letter represents the culmination of the effort to transfer JA’s effects from the legation in The Hague to the new legation in London. The vessel carrying Christian Lotter, who accompanied JA’s effects, reached London on or about 27 June (
AFC
, 6:197).
For the settlement of Lotter’s account, see the consortium’s letter of 8 July and JA’s reply of the 16th, both below.
By the Seventh Article of the provisional Treaty of Peace, signed on the thirtieth of November, One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty two, confirmed by the definitive Treaty of September one thousand, Seven hundred and Eighty three, it was Stipulated, that his Britannic Majesty should, with all convenient Speed withdraw all his Armies and Garrisons from the United States of America and from every Port and Place, within the same.2 But, although a Space of near two Years, has elapsed, Since the Signature of the definitive Treaty, there is a number of Posts and a considerable Territory Still held by British Garrisons. as this is an Object in every Point of View, very interresting to the United States and concerning which I have particular Instructions I must ask the favour of your Lordship to inform me, whether any Orders are gone to the Governor of Canada or to the Commanding Officer of his Majestys Forces in America, to 195withdraw his Garrisons from all the Posts and Places in the United States and if Such Orders are not yet gone, whether his Majestys Ministers have come to any Resolution, or have fixed any time, for Such Evacuation.
I hope for the Honour of your Lordships Answer, as soon as may be convenient, that I may be able to transmit it to Congress.
With great Respect, I have the Honour to be, / my Lord, your Lordships most / obedient and most humble / Servant
RC (PRO:FO 4, State Papers, vol. 3, f. 385); internal address: “The Right Honourable / The Marquis of Carmarthen / Secretary of State for foreign / Affairs.”; notation: “[Co]py sent to / [Lo]rd Sydney.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 111. Some loss of text due to a tight binding.
This letter responds to Carmarthen’s request during his meeting with JA on 17 June that the American put his “Enquiries” about the evacuation of the frontier posts into writing (to John Jay, 17 June, at note 7, above). Carmarthen sent a copy of the letter to Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, the home secretary (
DNB
).
WSS noted in the Letterbook: “Copy to Mr. Jay—.” WSS copied this letter into his to John Jay of 20 June (PCC, No. 92, f. 13–15). There WSS also indicated that enclosed with his letter were JA’s letters to Jay of 2 June, which was encoded, and of 17 June, both above. Jay submitted WSS’s letter and the two from JA to Congress on 26 Aug. (
JCC
, 29:663).
JA quotes only the portion of Art. 7 relevant to the evacuation of the frontier posts. The entire passage reads, “his Britannic Majesty shall with all convenient Speed, and without causing any Destruction, or carrying away an Negroes or other Property of the American Inhabitants, withdraw all his Armies, Garrisons and Fleets from the Said United States, and from every Port, Place and Harbour, within the Same” (vol. 15:249).