Sender: Richard Henry Lee
Recipient: John Adams

My Dear Sir,

I am exceedingly happy to hear of your safe arrival, and I hope agreeable
accommodations at Paris. At first, I doubt not, the splendid gaity of a
magnificent Court, accorded not so well with the temperate manners of a
sober Republican. But use reconciles most things. It may soon happen
that you be desired to visit Holland, where I believe they yet retain
much of that simplicity of manners which first raised that people to
greatness. Our finances want the support of a Loan in Europe.
81,500,000 of dollars with increasing demands as depreciation advances
with emission, cannot be cured by the slow working of Taxes. The latter
is, I believe, deeply gone into by all the States.

I have seen your letter to our common friend Mr. S. Adams, and do most
thoroughly accord with you in sentiments.¹
The battle of Monmouth in June last, and the subsequent arrival of
Count d’Estaing has kept our enemies in pretty close quarters this
Campaign at N. York – The better opinion is, that they mean shortly to
abandon that City. But where they intend next we are at a loss to
guess. Indeed they have such a choice of difficulties, that it is not
an easy matter for themselves to determine what course they shall
steer. Never did Men cut a more ridiculous figure than the British
Commissioners have done here. Their last effort is a formal application
to each State, and to all the people in each, by a Manifesto sent in
Flags of Truce. We consider this as a prostitution of the Flag, and
have recommended the seizure and imprisonment of the people, and the
publication of their Manifesto. In some instances, the Sea has saved us
the trouble by previously swallowing up these silly Missives. I shall
be at all times extremely glad to hear from you,