Adams, John, Second President

Autograph letter signed ("John Adams"), 3 pages (9 x 7 1/4 in.; 229 x 184 mm), Quincy, 5 February 1811, to Henry Guest, musing on Louis XIV's stratagems at the close of the Spanish War of Succession and expressing concern that Napoleon will succeed much as Louis did in negotiating the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht; light scattered staining, 2 minor fold tears and 2 small holes at center of each page along the fold.

Autograph letter signed ("John Adams"), 3 pages (9 x 7 1/4 in.; 229 x 184 mm), Quincy, 5 February 1811, to Henry Guest, musing on Louis XIV's stratagems at the close of the Spanish War of Succession and expressing concern that Napoleon will succeed much as Louis did in negotiating the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht; light scattered staining, 2 minor fold tears and 2 small holes at center of each page along the fold.
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"It is not at all improbable that I may 'get the start of you to the world of souls.' There we shall have neither Snow Storms nor political Earthquakes, no Politicians, no Conquerors, no Philosophists, as i hope and believe." Snowed in by a Nor'easter that has been raging for six days, Adams draws up to his fireside and begins a lengthy but leisurely disquisition to his good acquaintance, Henry Guest (whom he addresses as "Venerable Sir"), on the stratagems employed by Louis XIV at the close of the Spanish War of Succession. But first he continues some remarks on Guest's latest invention.  In Adams's previous letter of 5 January (see previous lot), he wrote: "Of your Instrument which will strike twenty strokes in a minute, and your coat of Mail that secures the Breast and Bowels from the Power of Swords and Bayonets weighing two Pounds, I can give no opinion as I have not seen these Surprizing Inventions and know nothing of their Construction." In the present letter, Adams jokes presumably about the instrument that can strike twenty strokes a minute: "Don Onis's motto for your Invention is excellent. 'Libertad o La Muerte,' is admirable for a War Flail."

Adams then embarks on a recollection of the last great imbalance of power in Europe: The Spanish War of Succession, and rhetorically asks whether Napoleon or Louis was the greater tyrant in their quest to annex European possessions to France. The ostensible issue of the war in the seventeenth century was the accession of Louis XIV's grandson to the Spanish throne, which would make possible an enormous increase in the power of France. England thereupon determined to crush Louis and took the lead in forming a coalition against France.  The War of Succession was thus a continuing struggle among the powers for territorial aggrandizement.

"Fifty years ago I saw an History of Mesnager, an Emissary that Louis 14th sent over to England, under pretence of sounding the disposition of the British Ministry to make Peace, of his Intrigues and Negotiations for that purpose in pursuance of Instructions from Louis himself."  Nicholas Mesnager was an expert on trade in the Spanish colonies. In August 1711 he was sent on a secret mission to London to detach England from the alliance against France, and succeeded in securing the adoption of eight articles which formed the basis of the Treaty of Utrecht.

Court intrigue and inflammatory leaks to the press. "Mesneger [sic]," Adams continues, says that after some secret conferences with the secret agent of the Ministry, and finding that Terms of Peace were not to be had upon Louis's conditions, he had resort according to his Instructions to Ulteriour Measures. He made Inquiry after the fine Writers ...  he engaged a Number upon which they thought generous to write for him. As the Passion of the English is, for war, he studied to gratify it ... Immediately the newspapers appeared full of Paragraphs and Speculations, recommending a vigorous Prosecution of the War, especially in Spain. Bulky Pamphlets issued from the press urging and elaborately proving the Policy and Necessity of a vigorous Prosecution of the War, and especially in Spain. The Conversation of the same Men of Letters and all other Persons at the Coffee Houses was, now is the time to humble the House of Bourbon by a vigorous Prosecution of the War, especially in Spain ... In due course of Time, the speech [of the Queen] was answered by the House of Lords and House of Commons, assuring her Majesty of the Zealous support of her faithful and loving Subjects in a vigorous Prosecution of the War, especially in Spain.

"The war was prosecuted till the Allies were exhausted and compelled to consent to the Spanish Succession in the Treaty of Utrecht," finishes Adams.  Louis had sought to end the war from 1708 and was willing to give up the Spanish inheritance to the House of Habsburg. The British, however, insisted on the unrealistic demand that Louis use his army to remove his own grandson from Spain. Louis refused, broke off negotiations, and resumed hostilities. Two developments in 1711, however altered the situation in favor of France. Archduke Charles became heir to all the Austrian Habsburg possessions, but the British and the Dutch had no intention of allowing him to resurrect the old empire of Charles V.  In Britain, the enemies of Marlborough persuaded the Queen to remove him from his command in late December 1711. With the collapse of the alliance, peace negotiations began in 1712. Because of conflicts of interest each former ally treated separately with France. While Louis's grandson remained King of Spain and renounced any title to Louis's throne in France, the Treaty of Utrecht marked the rise of power of Britain and the British colonial empire at the expense of both France and Spain. Gibraltar and Minorca were ceded by Spain and from France Britain received Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Hudson Bay territory.

"Of the [present] war in Spain, or at least of its Issue and termination I can form no competent Judgment ... I fear Napoleon is pursuing Mesnagers policy and that he will have Mesnagers Success." Adams is no doubt referring to the various decrees regarding neutral commerce that Napoleon instituted during this period. But Napoleon's campaign in Spain would culminate in utter failure, as Napoleon the statesman had allowed Napoleon the soldier to rush into an invasion and place a Bonaparte on the throne rather than a Bourbon puppet, thus compromising popular support. The lesson to be derived from Adams's exposition vis-à-vis the events in Spain, is that military conquest in itself cannot bring about political victory.