Adams Papers

From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781

To Benjamin Franklin

Amsterdam October 4. 17811

Sir

Your Excellencys Letter of June 11. is yet unanswered.

I have the Honour to agree with your Excellency in opinion, that it is reasonable, that the Articles of Rent of the Hotel, Payment of Couriers, Postage of Letters, Salaries of Clerks, Stationary for the Bureau, and Feasts and Illuminations made upon publick occasions, should be deemed Expences of the States. Indeed otherwise it will be impossible, for American Ministers to live, in any such manner as is expected of them both by Europeans and Americans.

I have the Honour to be &

LbC (Adams Papers).

1. JA drafted another letter to Franklin on 4 Oct. that also dealt with his accounts. After making revisions he ultimately sent the letter under the date of 26 October. See the descriptive note to that letter, below.

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    Adams Papers
    Title
    From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781
    Author
    Adams, John
    Recipient
    Franklin, Benjamin
    Date
    4 October 1781

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-12-02-0003. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 12, October 1781 – April 1782, ed. Gregg L. Lint, Richard Alan Ryerson, Anne Decker Cecere, C. James Taylor, Jennifer Shea, Celeste Walker, and Margaret A. Hogan. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004, p. 3.]

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