From John Bondfield to John Adams, 28 August 1792
From John Bondfield
Bordeaux 28 August 1792
A Ship for Philadelphia sailing to morrow gives me the oppertunity to transmit you the papers of the Day too interesting not to be acceptable1
The reigning Spirrit appears determin’d on a change in that part of the Constitution that delagated the Executive Power in an Hereditary Cheif, The short space that has Elapst since the existence of his Power has demonstrated the Vice of that establishment tho checkt by a legitif controle too great means remaind to destroy the Harmony that ought to reign and introduce the Abuses that the Revolution tends to destroy2
Monsr Lafayettes political principals appears oposed to the present leading Members he has excerted his influence to check the progress of the reigning popular Spirrit and has drawn on him a General improbation, he is obliged to fly the thunder of the Senat is launcht against him3
Accept my renew assurance of respectful Attatchment
John Bondfield
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “The Honble John Adams Vice president In Congress.”
1. The enclosures have not been found. Bondfield likely sent this letter, his final extant correspondence with JA, via the John, Capt. Buckley. It reached Philadelphia by 12 Nov. (Philadelphia American Daily Advertiser, 12 Nov.; Philadelphia General Advertiser, 14 Nov.).
2. The French royal family’s flight to Varennes the previous summer stoked public fears of the monarchs’ desire for self-preservation and raised questions about their loyalty to the nation. As Bondfield reported, the political fallout continued at a swift pace. On 10 Aug. Louis XVI’s and Marie Antoinette’s powers were suspended by the French National Convention and awarded to a set of royal ministers meant to function as a provisional executive committee. Then, on 21 Sept., the convention formally abolished the monarchy (, p. 169, 172, 177, 178).
3. The Marquis de Lafayette fled France on 17 Aug. and surrendered to Prussian authorities; he was imprisoned in Austria until 1797 (William Doyle, The Oxford History of the French Revolution, Oxford, 1989, p. 190).