To John Adams from Lewis R. Morris, 6 November 1782
From Lewis R. Morris
Philadelphia 6th: November 1782.
Sir
Since January last Bills drawn Quarterly for the amount of your Salary have been transmitted to Doctor Franklin by every Conveyance— I have now the honor of sending one drawn for the amount of the sum due you—from the United States from the first of July 1782. to the 30th: Septr: following, the amount of which draft is sixteen thousand, six hundred and sixty six Livres thirteen sols Tournois; this Bill has been purchased at the same price as those sent Doctor Franklin Vizt six shillings and three pence currency for five Livres—1
Duplicate Copies of the Letters I had the honor to address you on the subject of the Bills drawn for your Salary in favor of the Honorable Robt: R Livingston and endorsed over by him to Doctor Franklin you will find enclosed—the Bills being drawn in his name makes him accountable to the United States for their amount, and renders your receipt indispensably necessary for his security—2 you will be so obliging as to send an account of the Salary you allow your private Secretary and the contingent Expences of your Office3
I have the honor to be / with great Respect / your most obedt. humble servt.
L R Morris
RC and enclosure (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Honorable John Adams—”; endorsed by Charles Storer: “Mr. L. R. Morris / 6th. Novr. 1782. / Amount of my Salary from 1st. July / to 30th. Septr. 1782.” Dupl (Adams Papers).
1. For the bill that Morris enclosed with this letter, see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 2, above; and for the basis for his calculations converting Pennsylvania dollars into livres tournois, see vol. 13:166, note 1.
2. Morris presumably enclosed copies of one or more of his letters dated 6 July (vol. 13:165–166), 9 Aug., and 23 Oct. (both Adams Papers). There are multiple copies of each in the Adams Papers, but which of them may have been included with this letter cannot be determined. For JA’s comments on the bills drawn on Franklin for his salary in response to Morris’ request here and Livingston’s in his letter of this date, above, see JA’s letter to Livingston of 23 Jan. 1783, below.
3. For these accounts, see JA’s 6 Nov. letter to Robert Morris, and note 3, above.