TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, December 31, 1786

Sir,

I had the honor of addressing you on the 12th of the last month; since
which your favor of October the 12th has been received, enclosing a copy
of the resolution of Congress for recalling Mr. Lambe. My letter by Mr.
Randall informed you, that we had put an end to his powers, and required
him to repair to Congress. I lately received a letter from him, dated
Alicant, October the 10th, of which I have the honor to enclose you a
copy: by which you will perceive, that the circumstance of ill health,
either true or false, is urged for his not obeying our call. I shall
immediately forward the order of Congress. I am not without fear, that
some misapplication of the public money may enter into the causes of
his declining to return. The moment that I saw a symptom of this in
his conduct, as it was a circumstance which did not admit the delay
of consulting Mr. Adams, I wrote to Mr. Carmichael, to stop any monies
which he might have in the hands of his banker. I am still unable to
judge whether he is guilty of this or not, as by the arrangements with
Mr. Adams, who alone had done business with the bankers of the United
States, in Holland, Mr. Lambe's drafts were to be made on him, and
I know not what their amount has been. His drafts could not have been
negotiated, if made on us both, at places so distant. Perhaps it may be
thought, that the appointment of Mr. Lambe was censurable in the moment
in which it was made. It is a piece of justice, therefore, which I owe
to Mr. Adams, to declare that the proposition went first from me to him.
I take the liberty of enclosing you a copy of my letter to Mr. Adams,
of September the 24th, 1785, in which that proposition was made. It
expresses the motives operating on my mind in that moment, as well as
the cautions I thought it necessary to take. To these must be added the
difficulty of finding an American in Europe fit for the business, and
willing to undertake it. I knew afterwards, that Dr. Bancroft (who is
named in the letter) could not, on account of his own affairs, have
accepted even a primary appointment. I think it evident, that no
appointment could have succeeded without a much greater sum of money.

I am happy to find that Mr. Barclay's mission has been attended with
complete success. For this we are indebted, unquestionably, to the
influence and good offices of the court of Madrid. Colonel Franks, the
bearer of this, will have the