John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

2. VII:30. Mr Saunders, a black man, who has been some years a Schoolmaster at Boston, and who came from America in the same vessel with my sons, called and paid me a visit this morning, and brought a ticket for the admission of two persons, at the anniversary meeting of the British and foreign school Society, to-morrow at 12 O’Clock. A Mr Austin of Ramsgate came to recommend himself as Consular Agent for American vessels at that Port. I visited Mr Clay and Mr Gallatin, and we received visits from Dr Post of New-York, and his brother, who came with Mr Remsen, from Earl Fitzwilliam, Count Nicolas Pahlen, and Lady Mackintosh to Mrs Adams. Sir James & Lady Mackintosh had invited us to their house to-morrow Evening— Our trunks were at last this day sent up to us from the Olga; but the wine and the band boxes have not yet been unladen— I went to the Counting House of Messrs: Baring Brothers, and delivered the Letter of Credit to them from the Secretary of State— I enquired whether they had received the remittance of 25000 dollars from the Treasury, mentioned in it— They had not received it, but they offered to advance me all the monies which I might want, upon it, as freely as if they had. Mr. Alexander Baring who was there, told me that they were in advance to the Government sixty or seventy thousand pounds Sterling, but that on the Diplomatic fund, peculiarly applied to the drafts of the Ministers they had a balance of about £1600 due to the Government— I enquired at what rate they received the Dollar, in their transactions with the American Government. He said they received all their remittances and made all their payments in the British Sterling, (paper) as to the value of the dollar, that was an affair between me and the Government— The principal Clerk at the Counting house said the dollar was estimated at four shillings and sixpence Sterling— But as the silver dollar is current for five shillings and six pence there would be a loss of about twenty per Cent, upon every sum that I should now draw here.— I have therefore concluded to draw in preference upon Amsterdam.