To Thomas Jefferson from C. W. F. Dumas, 2 February 1787
From C. W. F. Dumas
The Hague, 2 Feb. 1787. Is “toujours en peine de 3 choses”: the healing of TJ’s hand; the fate of a letter he sent some time ago through Du Muy for Lafayette; and the fate of two letters, especially the second, that he wrote to TJ and entrusted to Ambassador Brantzen. He writes at the Hôtel de France, “un moment avant que Mr. l’Ambr. ferme son paquet et expédie Son Courier.”
RC (DLC); 2 p.; in French; endorsed. Recorded in SJL as received 9 Feb. 1787. The postscript to TJ’s letter of 9 Feb. in reply to this suggests that, though not indicated in the text of the present letter, Dumas had accompanied this with certain papers for America; since TJ was Dumas’ usual medium for dispatching his communications to Jay and Congress, it is probable that at least one enclosure was Dumas’ letter to Jay of 26 Jan. 1787 (brief extract in Dumas Letter Book, Rijksarchief, The Hague; photostat in DLC).
The letter for Lafayette was one of 8 Dec. 1786; the letter of 5 Jan. 1787 to TJ was entrusted to Brantzen; possibly the second letter referred to was that of 23 Jan. 1787.