John Philip Merckle to the American Commissioners, 1 November 1777
John Philip Merckle to the American Commissioners
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Amsterdam 1 9bre 1777.
Messieurs,
La presente vous sera remis par Monsieur H. Godet, beaufils du Gouverneur de St. Eustatius, qu’il sera bien aise de faire votre connoissance,7 comme je n’en doute pas, que vous m’aurez aussi bon grée vous l’avoire recomandé. Il est tres innutille de faire ses l’uenges [louanges], car sa Personne est assez distinguez est [et] recomandable, pour que je puise douter, que vous ne lui fairiés pas le meullieur acquéil, d’autant plus qu’il s’interresse beaucoup a tout ce qu’il vous est le plus cher. Le dit Monsieur Godet a fait Personnellement connoissence avec Monsieur Simon Deane, chez moi etant ici, cependent sans lui connoitre.8 J’ay l’honneur d’etre avec respect Messieurs votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur
John. Ph. Merckle
The Honnoble B. Franklin and Silas Deane Esqueiers
Addressed: The Honnble B. Franklin and Silas Deane Esqueiers Paris
Endorsed: Joh Ph Merckle Amsterdam 1 Nov. 1777
7. The Governor was Johannes de Graff; his ordering a salute to an American warship had touched off the Anglo-Dutch crisis of the previous winter: above, XXIII, 394 et seq. His son-in-law, Henricus Godet, was a St. Eustatius merchant with whom Congress had had extensive dealings: Smith, Letters, V, 380; VI, 291–3, 440, 556.
8. Without knowing, we take this to mean, about Simeon Deane’s mission, for which see the commissioners to Merckle above, Oct. 9. Godet either remained in or returned to Paris. On Feb. 26, 1778, he wrote to say that he was leaving for Holland, to ask for BF’s address if he wanted to write him from there, and to give his own in Amsterdam. APS. He did in fact write, twice in March and once the following July.