Thomas Jefferson Papers
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VII. Letter of Credit, 6 October 1785

VII. Letter of Credit

Grovenor Square
Westminster Octr. 6. 1785.

The United States of America in Congress Assembled on the 14th. day of Febry. last resolved, that the Ministers of the United States who are directed to form Treaties with the Emperor of Morocco and the Regencies of Algiers Tunis and Tripoli be empowered to apply any Money in Europe belonging to the United States to that use: As you are appointed to proceed to Morocco1 as Agent for forming such Treaty with the Emperor you are hereby authorized and empowered to draw Bills of Exchange to the amount of a sum not exceeding twenty2 thousand Dollars, at one or two usances, upon “John Adams Esqr. Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the court of Great Britain, residing in Grosvenor Square, at the corner between Duke Street and Brook Street,” who will regularly accept and pay the same either at the house of R. & C. Pullen in London or of Wilhem & Jan Willink & Nicholas & Jacob Staphorsts at Amsterdam.3 Your Bills are however to be always accompanied with a letter of Advice in your own hand writing to Mr. Adams, a duplicate of which you will also send by some other conveyance.4 With great respect We have the honour to be Sir Your affectionate friends & humble Servants,

Grosvenor Square London Octr. 6. 1785. John Adams
Paris Octr. 11. 1785 Th: Jefferson

Tr (DNA: PCC, No. 87, i); in Humphreys’ hand; at foot of letter: “The Honble. Thos. Barclay Esqr. Agent to the Emperor of Morocco,” followed by a note indicating the substitutions made in the letter for Lamb, agent to Algiers. Tr (DNA: PCC, No. 107, i); at head of text: “No. 6.” Tr (DNA: PCC, No. 91, ii); in Humphreys’ hand; at foot of letter: “Mr. John Lamb,” followed by a note which quotes the variant portion of Barclay’s letter. FC (DNA: PCC, No. 117); an imperfect text.

These letters of credit to Barclay and Lamb were drawn by Adams and enclosed in his of 2 Oct. 1785; he had previously authorized Barclay to draw directly upon the Holland bankers, but with Lamb’s arrival this different method was arranged for both (Adams to TJ, 15 Sep.; TJ to Adams, 24 Sep.; Adams to W. & J. Willink and N. & J. van Staphorst, 12 Sep. 1785, MHi: AMT; N. & J. van Staphorst to TJ, 20 Oct. 1785, note).

1Lamb’s letter reads: “Algiers.”

2Lamb’s letter reads: “Forty.”

3At this point Lamb’s letter reads: “as you shall find most for the interest of the U.S.”; this variation is not recorded in the note appended to Barclay’s letter.

4Instead of the words “in your own hand … conveyance,” Lamb’s letter reads: “and as your hand writing is wholly unknown to Mr. Adams, these letters of advice are always to be in the hand writing of Paul R. Randal Esqr. who accompanies you, whose hand writing is left in the custody of Mr. Adams as a check and a proof by comparison. The letters however are to be subscribed by you.”

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