Adams Papers

C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams: A Translation, 29 May 1781

C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams: A Translation

The Hague, 29 May 1781

Sir

I have the honor to send you the enclosed copies of the memorial in case you do not have enough. Since I am frequently asked for them, I will distribute the remaining copies.

Thank you for the explicit and frank response to my concerns. I will have the honor to write to you at length, in order to justify my last two letters regarding my situation, and what I believe you know of it.1

Next time I see you, sir, I would like you to read my letter to Congress of 4 October 1780, in which I give accounts of political affairs, my situation, and my needs.2 I see absolutely nothing in my letter that could explain what Mr. Lovel intends by his words: you make no Remarks upon Mr. Dumas’s Concordia. All that I know about it, and all that Messrs. Searle and Dana know about it, is, that in my numerous letters to the committee, I signed the word Concordia instead of my name. I only sign my name when writing directly to the president.

I await the dissolution of the current Assembly of Holland before sending news to you at Amsterdam. Meantime, I am with respectful affection, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant

Dumas

This packet, sir, will be delivered by Mr. Van Arp, to whom I sent about twenty copies of the memorial in the three languages. He asked for these copies in addition to the ones I sent previously to him.3

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “à Son Excellence Monsieur J. Adams, Min. Plenipo: des Etats-Unis, &c. &c. Amsterdam.”

1JA’s letter of 26 May responded to those from Dumas of 23 and 24 May, all above.

2PCC, No. 93, I, f. 472.

3Written on a separate slip of paper, this note of transmittal was probably enclosed with the memorials, but is now attached to the letter.

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