United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783; Jay, John, 1745-1829
Summary
Copy in the hand of William Temple Franklin; filed in Jay Papers. Adams
has received the commissions. He has done nothing to accomplish his previous commission,
except for the journey he made to Paris at Vergennes' invitation to see certain articles
proposed by the mediating courts. Adams wrote to Vergennes on July 13, and he enclosed
an answer to these articles. Franklin can get copies from Vergennes. Thinks that the new
commission will be as useless as the old one. Britain will not think of peace until
every British soldier in America is dead. The British ambassador in Russia received an
answer from his court to the articles. The content can be conjectured from the King's
speech. Includes a translation of the Empress's note to Holland concerning the proposed
mediation. Desires Franklin to send him anything he learns of negotiations. If Britain
persists in her two preliminaries, what will be the outcome? "Will the two Imperial
Courts permit this grand plan of a Congress at Vienna, which is public and made the
common talk of Europe, to become another sublime bubble, like the armed neutrality?" The
Dutch have found the only method negotiating with the British -- fighting them. "If I
ever did any good since I was born, it was in stirring up the pure minds of the Dutchmen
and setting the old Batavian spirit in motion, after having stopped so long . . . . My
talent, if I have one, lies in making war."
