John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

4. I had written yesterday a note to Count Romanzoff, requesting a conference with him, and this morning found on my table a note from him appointing this day at Noon, for that purpose. I went accordingly at that hour— The Count as I entered told me that he had just received a Courier, who had pass’d through Paris; but who came from Madrid. An aid de Camp of Prince Repnin the Minister appointed from Russia to reside near king Joseph, but who never went there— The aid-de-Camp had left Madrid after the king, who had now arrived at Paris, after having seen his brother the Emperor Napoleon at Rambouillet.— I thanked the Count for the packets which he had sent me brought by former Courier’s— He said he understood they were packets which he should be sorry for; as they were to occasion my return home— I told him that they contained notice of my appointment to an honourable Office in my own Country— But that there was some tie which attached me so strongly to this Country, that I should probably not go yet. I then mentioned the situation of my wife, which would make it impossible for me to embark for America, certainly untill very late in the Season, and probably before the next year— He asked me if the Office was of a nature which would admit of being long vacant— I answered that I considered it would not— That it ought to be filled as soon as possible, and as I could not go immediately to assume the discharge of its duties, I had written to the President of the United States, requesting him to excuse me from accepting it, and to appoint another person.— He then said that he should this Evening ask the Emperor’s permission to dispatch a Courier to Paris, and should probably send him in the course of the day after to-morrow— If I wished to send any letter or packet to the Chargé d’Affairs of the United States, he would be happy to forward it for me— I accepted his offer— And I then observed that from the idea which since my residence here I had formed of the importance and mutual benefit of the Commercial Relations between the United States and Russia, from the signal manner in which Russia had distinguished herself from all the other belligerent powers of Europe, in her treatment of the fair Commerce and neutral rights of America, and from a wish to increase and 255render still more advantageous the Commerce between the two Countries, the idea and desire had occurred to me of cementing still further their amity, by a Treaty of Commerce— I had suggested this idea to the American Government, and was now authorized to propose the Negotiation of such a Treaty, if it should be agreeable to the Emperor— I had thought it most advisable to make to him at first this verbal communication, instead of sending him an official note upon the subject— I requested him to consider it as confidential, so that at least it should be made known only where he thought it advisable; as I had communicated the knowledge of it to no person whomsoever.— The Count then asserted his great and long settled attachment to the United States— The desire which he had so many years entertained of favouring the American Commerce— It was not only a thing to which he was attached by Sentiment; but it had been with him long a maxim of policy. It was the interest of Russia to encourage, and strengthen and multiply commercial powers which might be the rivals of England, to form a balance to her overbearing power— Russia herself had not the advantages for it— She could not be a great naval power— Nature had in a great measure denied her the means— She ought then to support and favour those who had them— The propriety of extending this Spirit to the United States had become more obvious and strong, by the decay and disappearance of the old Commercial States— Holland for instance; how great a commercial Power she had been even within our memory. These Sentiments he had often expressed, with a strong sense of conviction to the Emperor, who had always received them well, and appeared impressed with the justice of them.— He referred me to Mr: Harris for the proof that such had always been his system; or indeed to some other person even in preference to him— I observed that I was fully sensible of it my self; that I had frequently had the demonstration of it; and that I could assure him the Government of the United States were by no means ignorant of it— He said that he would lay before the Emperor the proposition, which he presumed would meet with no difficulty whatsoever, unless indeed there was one; which he did foresee— Which was, that in the violent and convulsed State of Commerce and of the World at this time, he hardly conceived it possible to agree upon any thing, if he might be allowed the expression, that had common sense in it— But however, at any rate, this need not prevent him and me from debating the subjects which might be interesting to the Commerce of our Countries and coming to an agreement if we could— This is precisely the object of the American Government— He said he would make his report of this Conversation to the Emperor, and in a few days would send and ask me to call upon him again— Then he enquired how affairs stood between the United States and France on one part, and England on the other— I told him briefly the actual state of things— He asked if Mr: Erving was now our Minister in France— I said Mr: Russell was the Chargé d’Affairs— Mr Erving’s mission was to Denmark— He said he had understood that Mr: Erving had some arrangements to make in France which would detain him still some time at Paris— How were we likely to come out with England? I told him that it would depend altogether upon England herself— That my letters from America did not appear to indicate an expectation of War there; but that the late Accounts from England seemed to manifest hostile dispositions— He said he thought that was very probable— England no doubt would decide according to the ministerial opinion of what was most for her interest, and that would now more than ever be of adherence to their system— Their recent successes were calculated to give great strength to the Ministry, and to repress the opposition far more than had been seen for many years in that Country— Indeed he must say that for many years England had not exhibited such talents, as those by which she was now governed— The two brothers Wellesley had certainly proved themselves extraordinary men— Not only by the greatness and perseverance of the plan which they had pursued, and which seemed now to have at hand a great result— The Denouement, in Spain and Portugal was apparently not distant— But by the success with which it was likely to be attended— If to be sure it was only to begin over again, they would not appear to have done much; but if the issue should be as important as now appeared probable, it would certainly be much to their credit— They would also be much elated by their successes, and he did not consider them as men, who would be restrained by any principle from any enterprize that they might judge to be expedient— I told him I did not rely at all upon the expectation that principle would restrain them; but there might perhaps be an interest to restrain them— If Spain and Portugal should be entirely evacuated by the French, the people there would as much as ever need supplies of grain and other provisions, and the English could hardly resolve to intercept them without famishing their allies, and even their own armies— The Count asked whether they could not obtain the same supplies from other quarters—particularly from the Coast of Barbary— I said that they undoubtedly had part of their supplies from that quarter; but it did not suffice; and if they lost the American market, there was none that could take its place; unless it were that of the Baltic; from Dantzick to Riga— And that I believed 256had been to a certain extent always open to them.— He said that their supplies from thence had been very small indeed— At least there had been scarcely any exportation from thence.— That I replied was at least their only resource; and if they opened that it could only be by coming to terms of accommodation with Russia— And if they made Peace with Russia, in the name of Heaven what motive could they have for quarreling with America— The Count smiled and said that it reminded him of something that had been said by another person, and which therefore he could not give as his own— It was, that there were Sea madmen as well as land mad men (des enragés de mer, comme des enragés de terre) and the English were the Sea mad men— Here we rested the matter for the present— I mentioned the launching of the ships, which had failed last Saturday, and I had heard was intended for this day— He said he believed it would be to-morrow— That the Minister of the Marine had told him he should have him waked at six in the morning to give him the notice— But he had authorized the Notification to be opened at the Department, so that the foreign Ministers might be notified in time, without his having the trouble of being roused at that hour— He said the lowness of the Water at the lower Admiralty was the Cause of the launch having been postponed on Saturday; and that great complaints had been made at the time of the selection of that spot for a navy-yard on account of its being exposed to such accidents— On leaving the Count I called at the French Ambassador’s but he did not receive me— I then went to Count Stedingk’s, and sat half an hour with him— This is one of the most agreeable and respectable old men that I ever knew— I had much interesting conversation with him— He told me that he expected in a very few days the vessel that was to take him home; and he was resolved to stay no longer. He gave me some account of the revolution which dethroned the late king of Sweden, in which he refused to take a part— He said that they had published his name as having signed the memorial of the Officers, but he had not signed it; he had positively refused; but he was the only one— He had afterwards been prevailed upon by dint of intreaties from the present king to negotiate the Peace, and put his name to that ignominious Treaty which ceded Finland— He had consented to come here for one year— He had given them one year more; but now it was time it should finish— He must go home to his family— After leaving him I called on Mr. Harris, and while I was with him Mr: Dana came in— I returned home and wrote untill the Evening— Then I took a walk and was overtaken by the rain— Met and walked with Mr: Prevost, who explained to me the cause of the delay to the reception of Mr: de Chateaubriand at the French Academy— Home about eleven at Night.