1. Gouverneur Morris, the U.S. minister to France, was replaced by James Monroe, at the time a senator from Virginia. Morris had angered the French revolutionary government with his support for a constitutional monarchy and his involvement in an attempt to help Louis XVI escape. His recall was also part of a quid pro quo for the French recall of Edmond Genet. William Short, minister to the Netherlands, was already in Spain as a joint commissioner with then U.S. chargé d’affaires William Carmichael, attempting to negotiate a commercial treaty. After Carmichael’s recall, Short became the minister resident to Spain, clearing the way for JQA’s appointment as minister resident to the Netherlands (DAB description begins Allen Johnson, Dumas Malone, and others, eds., Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1928–1936; repr. New York, 1955–1980; 10 vols. plus index and supplements. description ends ).

2. JA wrote another short letter to AA on this same date, reiterating that his presence in Philadelphia was still necessary: “Those whose Principles are the same with mine whose Views of Public good coincide with mine, Say that if We keep together We shall succeed to the End of the Session as we have hitherto, done, in keeping off all the most pernicious Projects.” He particularly noted the budget bills under discussion in the House of Representatives and their potential to “accumulate a perpetual Debt, and lead to future Revolutions” (Adams Papers).