To John Adams from Henry Grand, 15 December 1780
From Henry Grand
Paris Dbe. 15th. 1780
Sir
I have been honoured with your’s 7th. instant,1 Serving to inform me that in case Messrs. Bondfield at Bordeaux and J. Williams at Nantz should draw upon our house for your Account, to pay due honour to their drafts, which shall be punctually done. In the Interim I have to inform that the Madeira Wine for which they will have to draw is just got home and incurred the following charges for which your account is debited, vizt.
| £ | 6. | 5 | to M. Fleury & Desmadiere their charges | |
| 37. | 12 | for carriage | ||
| 44. | 8. | 9 | for Duties | |
| 7. | 4 | petty charges at the Custom house, Keeping and Porterage | ||
| £ | 95. | 9. | 9 |
I have not had time to examine that Wine Yet but you may depend on all endeavours to get the most of it.
Being likewise without news I remain Most respectfully Sir Your most obt hble sert
Hy. Grand
I lately received a large packet containing smaller ones for you and M. Thaxter which I [have] forwarded but there remains a very big one which it would cost a great deal of Money to send by Post.2 It is directed to Messrs. J. Adams and Fr. Dana for publick service. For this last Consideration I should have sent it immediately had I not expected M. Dana’s arrival here soon, for which he desired me to send him no more letters to Amsterdam.
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “à Monsieur Monsieur J. Adams. à Amsterdam”; endorsed: “Mr H. Grand ans. 20. Decr. 1780.” The reply of 20 Dec. has not been found. There is slight damage to the text where the seal was cut away.
1. Grand accurately summarizes JA’s letter of the 7th (LbC, Adams Papers), but see also Grand’s letter of 24 Nov., and note 1 (above). For the wine sent by John Bondfield, see his letter of 28 Oct. (above).
2. The editors have been unable to determine the content of either the small packets forwarded to JA and Thaxter or the large one retained by Grand.