From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 8 May 1787
To Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst
Grosvenor Square May 8. 1787
Gentlemen
I have this Moment, four O Clock, your Letter of the 4.— I have this forenoon Sent to the Post Office two Letters for you.1 The Board of Treasury have not been unmindful of you: But you will See, that I am miserably disappointed. The Interest must at all Events be paid at the day, if possible. You must, I think be convinced, that before another Year, there can be no difficulty. Can a new Loan be opened for Money enough to pay the Interest in June and again in Februry? if it can I will Sign the Contract by Virtue of my Full Power, and Congress will no doubt ratify it. Perhaps five hundred thousand Guilders might be obtained. or two or three hundred only. You must advertise the Interest to be paid at the day at all Events, provided the Money can be borrowed of others, or advanced by yourselves.
LbC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Messrs Willinks & Vanstaphorsts.”; APM Reel 112.
1. In a second letter to the Willinks and Staphorsts of 8 May, JA noted that he had decided to send the original bills to the consortium rather than return them to the board. “You will consider what is best to be done. The Board of Treasury will be responsible to you, and you will please to write them the Result of your Reflections upon the Business,” JA wrote (LbC, APM Reel 112).