J’ay eu unne Conversation assez interessante avec M. Adams pour que Son Excellence M. Le Comte de Vergennes en Soit informée, et J’ay L’honneur de vous en remettre Le precis pour que vous ayez la Bonté de le remettre au ministre, Si vous jugéz qu’il meritte Son attention. Je Croyois que M. Adams etant isolé de M. Lée verroit autrement que Lors qu’il etoit inspiré par ce dernier, mais il parait...
I have had a conversation with Mr. Adams that is of sufficient interest that it should be brought to the attention of His Excellency M. the Comte de Vergennes. I have the honor of sending you a summary that you would have the goodness to place before the minister if you judge that it merits his attention. I thought that Mr. Adams, being isolated from Mr. Lee, would see things differently from...
Relation d’unne Conversation que J’ay en avant hier avec M. Adams. J’ay été chez M. Adams pour luy faire part que les Nouvelles recues de Cadiz etoient fulminantes Contre Le Congrès americain parcequil a fixé La valeur du dollars en papier a quarante pour une piastre en Especes. J’observay a M. Adams que le Commerce etoit fondé a se ple a indre et Surtout Les Negotiants francais qui avoient...
4Enclosure: Leray de Chaumont to Joseph Mathias Gérard de Rayneval: A Translation, 17 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Account of a conversation that I had with Mr. Adams the day before yesterday. I went to see Mr. Adams to inform him of the news from Cádiz, which fulminated against the American congress for having set the value of its paper dollars at the rate of forty for one dollar in specie. I observed to Mr. Adams that the commerce justified the complaint, especially since the French merchants, who have...
5From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 16 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just recieved a Letter from Nantes brought in a Ship from New London. I inclose your Excellency a Newspaper inclosed in it, and an Extract of the Letter, which is from a Gentleman who is a member of the Assembly and one of the Judges at Boston. This is all the News I have. I hope your Excellency has more by the same Vessel. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Arch. Aff. Etr., Paris, Corr. Pol....
6Editorial Note (Adams Papers)
The dispute between John Adams and the Comte de Vergennes over Congress’ revaluation of its currency provides a revealing glimpse of the dynamics of the Franco-American Alliance. It makes clear the inherent conflict between Adams’ view of the United States as an equal partner with France and Vergennes’ confident assumption that France would dominate the relationship. But why did a dispute over...