From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 25 December 1787
To Thomas Jefferson
London Decr. 25. 1787
Dear Sir
By the last Post I answered your Letter of the 12, and Yesterday received yours of the 16.— Com. Jones has before now delivered you dispatches that will Serve no doubt for your direction. Mr Van staphorst, will have no Objection to an handsome Commission, for paying off, the Debt Mr Fizeaux mentions: and Mr Fizeau, will be glad to have it paid off, that the Money Lenders not knowing what to do with their Money may be tempted to put it into his French loan. But I am persuaded the Money Lenders on receiving their Interest would very willingly let the Principal remain, till the Arrangements of Congress can discharge it.— it will cost the United States Eight Per Cent, to transfer this debt, and four or five thousand Guilders are worth Saving.
It would rejoice me in my soul to meet you, before I embark for America. But I am so ill, of an uncommon Cold,1 the present Weather is so formidable and a Journey to Holland in the Winter is So cruel, that I am obliged to excuse myself from taking leave in Person of the States general, and shall Send a Memorial.2 The Time for me is short and there are many Things to do, so that I must confine myself to London, but if you could venture over here and See the August Spectakle of Mr Hastings’s Impeachment, you would make us all very happy.3
I Should advise you, by all means to make a Journey to Holland: but not before the Month of May. a Letter to some of the Corps Diplomatique, will introduce You to them and to Court. and Messrs Willinks and Vanstaphorsts will Shew you Amsterdam, and explain to you Money matters.
With Sincere Esteem and Affection, I am / Dear sir your most obedient and most / humble servant
John Adams
RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address: “H. E. Mr Jefferson”; endorsed: “Adams John.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.
1. JA suffered from a severe cold that “disabled me from every thing for three weeks” (to Thomas Brand Hollis, 4 Jan. 1788, below).
2. In a 25 Jan. letter to Hendrik Fagel (, 8:470), JA enclosed separate memorials of the same date to William V and to the States General, both below. In a 12 Feb. letter to JA, below, Fagel wrote that he could not accept the memorials and returned them, compelling JA to travel to The Hague and take his leave in person on 7 March.
3. For the trial of Warren Hastings, see JA’s letter of 3 Feb. 1787 to John Jay, and note 3, above.