John Adams Seeks to Establish the First U.S. Embassy in Russia

In November 1780, in Amsterdam to obtain a treaty of friendship and commerce between the U.S. and the Netherlands, Adams sends his aide to St. Petersburg to seek similar support from Russia.

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Adams also sends his son, John Quincy; this was the young Adams’s first diplomatic assignment, and these monies were likely used in part to benefit not only Dana but Quincy Adams also

In November 1779 John Adams was sent to France by the Continental Congress as minister plenipotentiary to negotiate the end...

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John Adams Seeks to Establish the First U.S. Embassy in Russia

In November 1780, in Amsterdam to obtain a treaty of friendship and commerce between the U.S. and the Netherlands, Adams sends his aide to St. Petersburg to seek similar support from Russia.

Adams also sends his son, John Quincy; this was the young Adams’s first diplomatic assignment, and these monies were likely used in part to benefit not only Dana but Quincy Adams also

In November 1779 John Adams was sent to France by the Continental Congress as minister plenipotentiary to negotiate the end to the war with Britain, and Francis Dana was sent with him as his aide. The men remained in Paris about a year, but the time for such negotiations was not yet ripe. With Benjamin Franklin already firmly ensconced in Paris, at the end of July 1780 Congress gave Adams a new assignment – commissioner to the Netherlands. Moving to Amsterdam later that year, Adams was charged with the task of obtaining political and financial support in the form of a treaty of friendship and commerce. Seeking to cultivate the Dutch made sense, as support for the American Revolution was strong in the Netherlands, where the ideas of ‘The Age of Reason’ were extremely popular and hopes for greater freedom were excited. After France recognized the new American republic in 1778 and declared war on Britain, a strong party developed that wanted the Dutch government to follow the same policy. Many proponents of a pro-American policy were merchants willing to open trade with the fledgling United States and to negotiate a loan that would provide additional capital and allow the country to be more independent of France. But the Netherlands and Great Britain had been official allies for a hundred years and support for America was not universal, as ruling families and some merchants feared that an alliance with America might imperil trade, since British sea power could easily disrupt it.

When planning to give Adams his new assignment, Congress passed a resolution requiring Franklin to pay the drafts of Adams and Francis Dana for their salaries. In early October, Franklin wrote Adams hoping that Adams was raising money to support his efforts without requiring Franklin to fund him: “I shall be glad to hear if you are like to make any Progress in the Affair of a Loan…I send you enclosed a Copy of a Vote of Congress, respecting your Salaries. I hope you will be able to do without my Assistance. If not, I must furnish you.”

Adams’s initial task in Holland was to persuade the Dutch government to recognize him as the formal diplomatic representative of the United States. He met with formidable obstacles, not the least of which was that Count Vergennes, the French foreign minister, was working behind the scenes to block Dutch recognition and thus maximize American dependence on France. The war was not going well at home either, and the simple military facts initially hindered his mission. Yet it was necessary to finance his embassy; so for the cash-starved American representatives in Amsterdam that meant borrowing money. Since no loans were yet arranged from the Dutch, they must turn to the banker handling the American account in Paris, Ferdinand Grand. He in turn worked with the banking firm of Horneca, Fizeaux & Co in Amsterdam. On November 4, 1780, Adams received 6,812.14 livres from Horneca, Fizeaux & Co. for his own salary and expenses. On November 28, he received an additional 2400 for Francis Dana.

This is that very document. Autograph document signed, November 28, 1780, to “Messrs. Horneca and Fizeau & Co., Bankers in Amsterdam”. “Gentlemen: Please to pay the Honorable Francis Dana Esq. Two Thousand four hundred Livres Tournoirs, on account of Mr. F. Grand at Paris.” At top left we see that 2400 French livres was equal to 1102.10 Dutch guilders. Dana notes “November 29th 1780. Received the above sum of Messrs. Horneca- Fitzau & Co. F.M. Dana.” On the verso, the docket states: “Order on Messrs. Horneca Fizeau & Co. in favor of Mr. Dana for 2400 F[rench] livres equal to 1102.10 Holland. 28th November 1780.”

The same day as Adams ordered this payment, he wrote Benjamin Franklin explaining that he would need Franklin’s Paris connections to finance things for the time being. “I thank You, Sir, for inclosing the Resolution of Congress respecting my Salary and Mr. Dana’s. I wish I could see a prospect of relieving You from this Burthen…but at present there is not a prospect of obtaining a Shilling. What Turn Affairs may take, it is impossible to foresee. Some Gentlemen tell me that a few Months or indeed Weeks may produce Events which will open the Purses to me; but I think that our Want of Credit here, is owing to Causes that are more permanent…I have received Money of the House of Horneca, Fitzeau and Grand, on account of Mr. F. Grand of Paris, for my Subsistence, and if You have no Objection, I will continue in this Way…”

Adams was sending Dana to be the first U.S. Minister to Russia, and these funds were his salary (and expenses for that mission as well). Russia was then ruled by Catherine the Great, making this a difficult if not impossible mission, as she was not likely to recognize the American Revolution. Adams also sent his son John Quincy Adams along with Dana to act as his secretary, this being the young Adams’s first diplomatic assignment. Dana and Adams Jr. first went from Amsterdam to Paris, and from there to St. Petersburg. Catherine kept them cooling their heels and the mission was not successful in obtaining a treaty between the U.S. and Russia.

Adams own mission yielded results. On April 19, 1781, he wrote a 16-page letter proposing that the Netherlands and U.S. enter into a treaty, suggesting that such a treaty would result in profitable trade relations and considerable financial gain for the Netherlands. He also drew parallels between the American and Dutch Republics, writing “In the liberality of sentiments in those momentous points of freedom of inquiry, the right of private judgment and the liberty of conscience…the two nations resemble each other more than any other.” The document was translated into English, French and Dutch and widely distributed as a pamphlet. In the words of biographer David McCullough, when the Dutch government refused to accept his diplomatic credentials, Adams “took his case to the people of the Netherlands,” urging the Dutch public to petition its government to recognize the United States. He lobbied States-General delegations, visiting personally representatives from 18 cities in the province of Holland alone. In every place, McCullough writes, “the reception was the same – approval, affection, esteem for the United States.” But the odds against him were long, and he yet had no results to show.

Then, in October 1781, British forces under General Lord Cornwallis surrendered to a combined French and American force at Yorktown, Virginia, and on November 23 word reached Amsterdam. This event convinced many in Europe that the Americans were likely to prevail in the war, but the Dutch were the first to act. In February 1782, the province of Friesland instructed its States General delegates to move to acknowledge Adams as an official diplomatic representative; soon other provinces followed suit. Now the picture had changed. On April 12, 1782, Adams negotiated with the Netherlands to receive a loan and for recognition for the United States. Then, on April 19, occurred an event that Adams labeled “the most Signal Epocha, in the History of a Century.” The Netherlands recognized the United States and admitted Adams as its ambassador, becoming the first European nation (aside from American ally France) to do so.

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