To John Adams from Edmund Jenings, 31 January 1781
From Edmund Jenings
Brussels Janry 31. 1781
Sir
Four mails arrived yesterday, by them we find that Eleven East Indiamen are arrived at Brookhaven in Ireland. A Ship is arrived from N York, but no news transpires. The English Minister seems to be ready to pardon the Dutch on condition they submit. He treats them as He did the Americans, and will I Hope receive the same Treatment as from our Countrymen. One of the Court news papers says there is an appearance of matters being settled with Holland, as England will deliver out no more letters of Marque. If this is true, it may perhaps be produced by the remonstrance of the Russian Minister, who is abused grosely in the English Papers. The Troops are shipped for the fleet going to America as I beleive those are for the East Indias. Lille and Antwerp are too near to one Another. A Correspondence may be easily Kept up between those two towns.1 It ought to be attended to.
I am Sir Your Excellencys most faithful & obt. Hb. Sert
Edm: Jenings
Be pleased to turn over.
P.S. I find the Translation of the Memorial &c. is published in England.2 It comes out in a good Time. A very Hearty good sensible Friend desires He may have the Authors leave to publish Notes and Additions, if it goes to a Second impression—his Integrity Principles and Knowledge may I think be trusted.3
RC (Adams Papers).
1. Jenings’ meaning here is unclear. He may be referring to a possible correspondence between Sir Joseph Yorke, who had been at Antwerp (from Dumas, 15 Jan., above), and the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, whom Jenings had reported to be at Lille in his letter of 24 Jan., above.
2. This is JA’s A Translation of the Memorial to the Sovereigns of Europe upon the Present State of Affairs Between the Old and New World into Common Sense and Intelligible English, London, 1781. For its origins and JA’s drafting of it, see vol. 9:157–221; Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 2, above; and JA’s letter to Jenings of 11 Feb., below.
3. Jenings may be referring to the publisher of the pamphlet, John Stockdale, but the Translation received no second printing.