Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 18, September 1 1781-July 31 1782

Delegates to Congress . Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 18, September 1 1781-July 31 1782
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James Lovell to To: John Adams

Sir
Philadelphia 1 Sep 1781

Enclosed you have some important instructions passed in Congress upon the 16th of last Month. (1) They will probably reach you first th[r]ough our Minister at Versailles an opportunity to France having earliest presented itself. Should that not be the case, you will be careful to furnish copies to Doctor Franklin and Mr Jay. I remain &c,

Signed James Lovell

Note: FC (DNA: PCC, item 79). In a clerical hand.

1 For Congress' August 16 instructions to Adams for negotiating an alliance with the United Provinces of the Netherlands, envisioned as an element of a possible triple or quadruple alliance with France and perhaps Spain, See JCC, 21:859, 876-80; and Thomas McKean to La Luzerne, August 20, 1781. The originals of Adams' instructions and commission-endorsed by him "Instructions of Aug. 16. Holland" and "Commission of 16 August 1781, to negotiate a triple or quadruple Alliance"-are in the Adams Papers, MHi.