From John Jay to John Adams, 4 June 1780
To John Adams
Madrid 30 May ^Aranjues 4 June^ 1780
Dear Sir
There is a Distinction between Ceremony & Attention which is not always observed tho often useful. I Of the latter ^former^ I hope there will be little ^of it^ between us; of the latter much. public as well as personal Considerations, dictate this Conduct on my Part, and I am happy to find by your favor of the 15 Inst. ^Ult^,1 that you approve it in the same Light ^[illegible] ^^mean^^ not to ^^be^^ punctilious.^
The hints contained in your Letter2 correspond ^very much^ with my own Sentiments & I shall endeavour to render them more diffuse them, but [illegible]. ^This Court seems to have great Respect for the old adage^ “festina lente”3—at least as applied to our Independence—
The Count DFlorida Blanca has hither to pleased me. I have found in him a Degree of Frankness & Candor which indicates Probity, as w his Reputation for Talents is high—I was a little surprised that the Court [illegible] the policy of acknowg ^The Acknowledgmt of^ our Independence without Loss
of Time ^is obstructed ^^retarded^^ by Delays which in my opinion ought not to influence affect it^. The Influence it wd have ^The Influence of that Measure^ on the Sentiments & Conduct of our Enemy ^as well as the neutral Nations^ is certainly very evident and ^makes it an object very important to the Common Cause, I cannot think^ Its Suspension is not necessary to the Adjustmt. of the Articles of Treaty— They might just as well ^with equal Facility^ be settled afterwards— As America is and will be independent, in Fact, why not acknowledge it and such an acknowledgement wd. [illegible] ^the being so in [illegible] be ^^name can^^ [be] of no great Moment to her individualy. ^^but^^ Britain derives Hopes prejud[ic]iall from the Hesitation of Spain, very injurious to the common good Cause, and I am a little suprized that the Policy of destroying these Hopes does not appear more evident^ is of great Consequence— America will never purchase such acknowledgment ^it^ of any Nation by Terms She would not otherwise accede ^to^. Things not Names are ^being^ ^are^ her Objects.
If the Delay proceeds from such Expectations they will not be ^that they may affect the Terms of Treaty, it is not probable that^ they will be realized. She ^America^ is to be won ^attached^ by Candor Generosity Confidence and good Offices, not a contrary Conduct will not conciliate or persuade—
But [illegible] ^whatever may be the Cause of these mistakes on these Subjects, I must do them the Justice to say that this Court the general Assurances given me by the Count D F B. argue a very friendly Disposition in the Court^ towards ^us^, and that I believe the King and the Count ^minister^ to be sincerely our Friends ^I hope Facts will prove them to have been sincere^ They certainly must be convinced that of the Power of the united States added to that of Britain and under one ^her^ Direction, would enable the latter ^her^ to give Law to the western World, and that Spanish America & the Islands would ^then^ be at her mercy—ameri Our Country is at present so well disposed to Spain ^& such cordial Enemies to Britain^ that [illegible] ^it wd be a Pity this Disposition shd. not be^ cherished. [illegible] Now is the time for France and Spain to gain the Affections of that extensive Country— Such another ^opportunity^ may never offer—4 [illegible]
France has acted wisely— I wish similar Counsels may prevail here—would it not be a little extraordinary that ^if^ Britain should should be before Spain in acknowledging our Independence— If she had any wisdom left she would do it— She may yet have a lucid Interval, [illegible] ^tho she has been very long [illegible] ^^out of^^ her Senses^— Spain will be our Neighbour. We both have Territory enough to prevent our coveting each others and I should be happy to ^see^ that perfect Amity and cordial Affection established
between us, which would ensure perpetual Peace and Harmony between us ^to both^. [illegible]5 ^[in margin] I cannot write you particulars, but nothing here appears to be certain as yet. I shall in all my Letters advise Congress to rely principally on themselves, to fight out their own Cause ^^as they began it^^ with Spirit, and not to rely too much on the the Expectation of Events which may never happen—The only way [or on?] Supports that may fail them^
Have you recd any late Letters from Am[eric]a Mrs. Jay recd one from her Sister of the 10 April,6 which mentions several that had ^havg^ been sent to me by the Way of France— I hear of many Letters but recieve scarce any— I am Dear Sir Your most obt Servt
J.J.
P.S. my Compts to Mr Dana
His Exy John Adams Esqr
P.S. [illegible] the enclosed to Mrs Izard with whom I [presume?] you have the pleasure of [being?] acquainted7
Dft, NNC (EJ: 7439). Endorsed: “ . . . per post.” Tr, NN: Bancroft. This text contains numerous excisions, some several lines in length, that could not be deciphered. , 9: 373, suggests that, in light of its absence from the Adams papers and the lack of a reply, JA probably never received this letter. Since the final copy was apparently not encoded and was sent by the always intercepted post, it may have been intended at least as much for the Spanish court’s consumption as for JA’s.
1. See JA to JJ, 15 May, above.
2. See also JA to JJ, 13 May, above.
3. “Make haste slowly,” a saying of Caesar Augustus, quoted in Suetonius’s Augustus 25.4.
4. JJ’s arguments here counter those presented in the proposals that Sir John Dalrymple had recently presented to Floridablanca. See JJ to the President of Congress, 26 May, above. Dalrymple argued that the interests of England, France, Spain, and Portugal would be seriously threatened by American independence.
5. Here JJ deleted about ten lines of text and marked the marginal note for insertion at this point.
6. No 10 Apr. letter to SLJ from any of her sisters has been found.
7. JJ forwarded the letter for Mrs. Izard in his letter to JA of 17 July 1780, below.