1201Oct. 3. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Vanderdussen, Lt. General of the Cavalry, in Company with Mr. De Llano Minister of the King of Spain and Mr. De Renovalis, Secretary of his Legation, Mr. and Madame Boreel, Mr. and Madame Geelvink, Madam Dedel, the Rhinegrave de Salm, Mr. Saumase, a descendant of the famous Salmasius whom John Milton disputed with. Mr. Boreel is a Deputy to the States General for the Prov. of...
1202The Hague October 5. 1782. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
In conference with the G rand Pen sionary Bleiswick. He told me, it was determined to sign the Treaty of Commerce, on Monday next at Noon. That I should not find the Greffier Fagel for that being Saturday, he would spend it at his Country Seat and not come to Town. That the Revolution in the Crimea and the commotions among the Tartars would probably find Employment enough for Russia. That...
1203Oct. 7. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. D umas has been out, upon the Discovery.—Neither Mr. V. nor Mr. G. could guess the Reason, why their H igh M ightinesses had sent their Agent De Spieringshoek to desire me to postpone the Signature of the Treaty untill tomorrow. Mr. B. whom he met in the Street explained it. He says the Prince had sent Word to their High M. that he desired a Conference with them to day, and as the...
1204Oct. 8. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. D. is indefatigable in his Way. He visits, every Day, the French Am bassador , Mr. G., Mr. V.—and occasionally Mr. K. and sometimes the Prince de Gallitzin, Mr. D’Asp, &c. No American Minister could do this. It would ruin his Character. I dont know whether it would do for a Secretary of Legation to do this. I can, however, make an excellent Use of him in this Way. I can get or communicate...
1205October 9. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Went this Morning to the Secretary Fagel and returned him the original Treaty, and the original Convention which was designed for their High Mightinesses. The others designed for Congress, I kept. We run over together the few litteral Variations, and corrected all, indeed all the Inaccuracies were found to be in my Copy which I kept to compare. Mr. Fagel said that one day this Week he would...
1206Oct. 10. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
The Comte de Sanafé wrote a Card to Mr. Dumas desiring a Copy in French of the 22d Article. Said that I had read it to him in french but his Memory had not retained it. I desired Mr. Dumas to send it. —Mr. D. at my desire had asked the Duke de la Vauguion what was the Usage in my Case, who am going to Paris. He brought me Answer, to take Leave of the President, Secretary Fagel and Grand...
1207Oct. 11. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
C.S. came in familiarly at Breakfast, and I had a hours Conversation with him upon the foregoing Extract. I shew him some Papers. He thinks the American Cause ought to come in. Walked to the House in the Wood. Near 3 O Clock Mr. Fagel came in Person, and in Ceremony to make me a Visit, and delivered to me, the four other Copies of the Treaty attested by himself, to be sent to America....
1208Oct. 12. (Adams Papers)
Spent the day in signing Obligations and packing the Treaties and dispatches.
1209Oct. 13. (Adams Papers)
Sent 3 Copies of the Treaty of Commerce and as many of the Convention concerning Recaptures, by Mr. Storer to Amsterdam to go by three different Vessells. Finished packing my Papers for my Journey to Paris. Mr. Storer is to prepare every Thing for Us to set off, from the Arms of Amsterdam, on Fryday Morning. Mr. Thaxter and I are to be there on Thursday night. Walked the Tour of the Wood...
12101782 Oct. 14. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Not long after my Reception here I was invited by Mr. Le Vaillant At Amsterdam, to dine with him in Company with Mr. Van Berckell, Mr. Bikker, and their Connections. When, according to the Ton in this Country, We came to that Period of the Feast, when the Toasts begin, Mr. Le Vaillant produced a beautifull Glass, round the Rim of which was engraved Aurea Libertas. He filled it, and first...
1211Oct. 15. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
This Morning at 10 made my Visit to the President Van Randwick of Guelderland to take Leave of their H igh M ightinesses and presented Mr. Dumas as Chargé des Affairs in my Absence. Went next to the Hotel de Dordrecht to take Leave of Mr. Gyselaer, and next to that of Amsterdam, to take Leave of Mr. Vischer, who was more bold and open than ever I knew him. Said it was the Statholder who was...
1212Oct. 16. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Dined with the Baron De Linden de Blitterswick, the first Noble of Zealand. Llano, Almeida, Thulemeyer, Mirabel, Gallitzin and Markow, were all there. Geelwink, Sarsefield, Heyden, Boreel &c. 16 in all. Mr. De Linden told me that their H.M. had lately consulted with all their Amirals and best Master Builders and had endeavoured to discover the best possible Model of a Ship, and that he would...
1213Oct. 17. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Began my Journey to Paris from the Hague, dined at Harlem and drank Tea at five O Clock at Amsterdam. Paid Mr. Bromfield 200 Ducats 1050 Guilders and took his Receipt upon Account.... Met Mr. Willink upon the Road, going to the Hague, with a Lady. He has left for me a Letter of Credit upon Paris, unlimited. He wished my Journey to Paris might have a Tendency towards Peace. Suspension points in...
1214October 18. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Sat off, at ten from the Arms of Amsterdam with Mr. John Thaxter and Mr. Charles Storer. Refreshed our Horses at Loenen a Village, half Way to Utrecht, passed the Villages Bruykelen, Massen and Suylen. It is 8 hours, Stones, or Leagues from Amsterdam to Utrecht. The Village of Suylen and its Neighbourhood is full of Brick Killns. The Clay is found in that Neighborhood, and they burn the Bricks...
1215October 19. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
From Utrecht to Gorcum is 8 Leagues. Here we dined, at the Doele kept by Mr. Van Dongen. He told Us that as soon as We should get out of Town We should come to the River, near the Junction of the Maes with the Wahal, a Branch of the Rhine, that if We looked up the River We should have a full View of the Castle of Louvestein. We had accordingly a fair View of it. It stands upon an Island in the...
1216Oct. 20. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Rising early this Morning and ringing for a Servant, was told that my Servant and most of those of the House were gone to Mass.—The Name of the Keeper of the Prince Cardinal is Van Opdorp. Spent the whole day in travelling from Breda to Antwerp, without eating or drinking. The Distance is only ten Leagues. Put up at the grand Laboureur, opposite the Church with the Statue of the Prophet Elias...
1217Oct. 21. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Went to the Cathedral Church, where We saw the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the famous Altar Piece of Reubens, the Figures and Colouring are beautifull beyond description—and the Descent of Jesus from the Cross. Reubens has placed in this Piece his three Wives and Daughter, and his own head. The Colouring is all gloomy, accommodated to the Subject. In this Church each Trade has its Altar. We...
1218October 22. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Visited Mr. William Lee, in the Place de St. Mitchell with Mr. Jennings. Mr. Lee said that the Swallow was a Sign of Summer. My Appearance denoted Peace. Mr. Jennings let me into the Character of Mr. Fitsherbert.... His Father was prevailed on by Ld. North to vote with him, but he was never easy in his mind about it, and finally cut his own Throat. The Gentleman at Paris is about 33, wholly...
1219Oct. 23. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Rode to Mons in a great Rain, dined at the Couronne De L’Impereur, very well and very cheap, rode to Valenciennes and found our Axletree broken again. Put up at the Post house. Walked about the Town, the Churches all shut, and nothing remarkable. All the Cities and Villages of Brabant are very different from those of Holland. The Streets very foul. The Houses very dirty, the Doors and Windows...
1220Oct. 24. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Visited the Church at Valenciennes. Saw a notre Dame De Hall. She appears pregnant. A Collection of Portraits ancient and modern, and a Picture of the Virgin Mary in the Air, sending by Angels a Cord round the City with an Inscription importing, Valenciennes surrounded with a Cord by the blessed Virgin, and saved from the Plague Anno 1008. Dined at Cambray, visited the Cathedral, saw the Tomb...
1221Oct. 25. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Gourney. Carriage broke again. Arrived at Night, at Pont-Sainte-Maxence, two Posts from Chantilly and one and an half from Senlis.
12221782 October 26. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Parted from Pont Sainte Maxence, for Chantilly. The distance is two Postes, and We found the Road very good. We went to see the Stables, and Horses. I had on my travelling Gloves, and one of the Grooms run up to Us, with 3 Whip Sticks, and presented them to Us. This is an Air which the Grooms give themselves, in order to get Something to drink. They do the same to the Prince of Condé himself,...
12231782 Oct. 27. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Went into the Bath, upon the Seine, not far from the Pont Royal, opposite the Tuilleries. You are shewn into a little Room, which has a large Window looking over the River into the Tuilleries. There is a Table, a Glass and two Chairs, and you are furnished with hot linnen, Towels &c. There is a Bell which you ring when you want any Thing. Went in search of Ridley and found him. He says F...
12241782. October 28. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Allen.
1225Oct. 29. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at the Hotel du Roi. Mr. R. dined with Us. In the Evening, I went out to Passy to make my Visit to Franklin. “Tuesday Oct. 29h: Called to see Mr. Adams. Dined with him. He is much pleased with Mr. Jay. Went in the Morning to see D: Franklin—did not know of Mr. Adams Arrival. Spoke to Mr. A. about making his visit to Dr. F. He told me it was time enough—represented to him the necessity of...
1226Oct. 30. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Jay. “Wednesday Oct. 30h: Dined at Mr. Jays, Dr. Franklin, Mr. Adams, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Strachey there—also two Mr. Vaughans. All Things do not seem to go clever. Strachey insisting on changing the boundaries, a Mr. Roberts is with him” (Matthew Ridley, Diary, MHi ).
1227Oct. 31. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Oswald. Dr. F., Mr. Jay, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Stretchy, Mr. Roberts and Mr. Whitford. Henry Strachey (whose name JA always had difficulty in spelling) was a British under-secretary of state who had been sent to Paris to stiffen what was thought to be a too pliant attitude on the part of Oswald; his instructions concerning the British right to Sagadahock (eastern Maine), western lands...
1228[November 1782] (Adams Papers)
Dined at Passy with Mr. F. Mr. Oswald, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Jay, Mr. Strechy, Mr. W. Franklin, dined with me at the Hotel du Roi, Rue du Carrousel. Almost every Moment of this Week has been employed in Negotiation, with the English Gentlemen, concerning Peace. We have made two Propositions. One the Line of forty five degrees. The other a Line thro the Middles of the Lakes. And for the Bound...
1229November 1. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Passy with Mr. F.
1230Nov. 2. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Oswald, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Jay, Mr. Strechy, Mr. W. Franklin, dined with me at the Hotel du Roi, Rue du Carrousel. Almost every Moment of this Week has been employed in Negotiation, with the English Gentlemen, concerning Peace. We have made two Propositions. One the Line of forty five degrees. The other a Line thro the Middles of the Lakes. And for the Bound between Mass. and Nova Scotia—a...