Adams Papers

From Edmund Randolph to John Adams, 16 January 1794

From Edmund Randolph

Philadelphia, January 16. 1794.

Mr. Randolph presents his respectful Compliments to the Vice-President of the United States, and president of the Senate—

In the Communications, made by the President this morning, is an Act of the National Convention of France in the original.1 It’s length prevented an attempt to translate it; as it would occasion too much delay. But if on this or any other occasion when originals are, from the pressure of time, forwarded, it shall be the pleasure of the Senate, that they should be translated, it shall be done with as much expedition, as the course of such business will permit—

The Vice-President will perceive, that this note is not of consequence enough to be laid before the Senate; but is wished to be made known to the Members informally—

RC (Adams Papers).

1. For the enclosures related to Edmond Charles Genet, see George Washington’s 8 Jan. letter, and note 1, above. Washington also sent a copy of the French National Convention’s decree of 23 May 1793, which exempted U.S. ships from its 9 May decree authorizing the seizure of neutral vessels “bound to an enemy’s port, or having on board merchandise belonging to an enemy.” The terms of the 9 May legislation had contravened Art. 16 of the 1778 Franco-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce (vol. 7:index; Amer. State Papers description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States, Washington, D.C., 1832–1861; 38 vols. description ends , Foreign Relations, 1:244; Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States [1789–1824], Washington, D.C., 1834–1856; 42 vols. description ends , 3d Cong., 1st sess., p. 31).

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    Adams Papers
    Title
    From Edmund Randolph to John Adams, 16 January 1794
    Author
    Randolph, Edmund
    Recipient
    Adams, John
    Date
    16 January 1794

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From Edmund Randolph to John Adams, 16 January 1794,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-21-02-0175. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 21, March 1791–January 1797, ed. Sara Georgini, Sara Martin, R. M. Barlow, Gwen Fries, Amanda M. Norton, and Hobson Woodward. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2022, p. 247.]

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