Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-05-21
AEE0D0TAL LITERATURE.
Contributed to tie Independent
by w. G..

DV w, Y.
John Adams was the first Minis
ter Plenipotentiary, sent by our
then young republic to the court of
st. James, and he relates his inter-
view with King George III as fol-
lows
The MARQUEE of Caermarthen con.
Quoted me to the kings apartment
and introduced me to His Majesty.
] went with his lordship through
the levee-room into the kings clos.
ct (private ROOM The door was
closed, and I was left with His Maj
esty and Secretary Of State alone.
made three reverences-one at the
door, another about half way, and
another before the presence, accord
ing to the usage established ut this
and the Northern Courts of Europe,
and then / addressed myself to his
Majesty in the following words:
"Sir: The United States have APP
pointed rue Minister Plenipotentiary
to your Majesty, and have directed
me to deliver this letter, which con-
tains the evidence of it. 1t is in
obedience to their express command
that | have the honor to assure
your Majesty of their anani-
nous disposition and desire to cul.
tivate the most friendly and liberal
intercourse between your Majesty's
subjects and their citizens, and of
their best wishes for your Majesty's
health and happiness, and for that
of your family.
The appointment Of minister
from the United States to your Ma
jestJ 5 court will form an epoch in
the history OF England and America.
think myself more fortunate than
all my fellow citizens, In having the
distinguished honorto be the first
to stand 10 your Majesty's royal
presence in diplomatic character;
and / shall esteem myself the happi-
est Of men if can be instrumental
in recommending more and more to
your majesty's royal benevolence,
and of restoring an entire esteem,
confidence and affection, or, in bet
ter words, 'the good old nature
and the good old humor,' between
people who, though separated by an
ocean, and under different govern.
ments, have the same language, a
similar religion, of a kindred blood.
I beg your Majesty's permission to
add, that although l have some.
times before been instructed by my
country, it was never, in my whole
life in manner so agreeable to N.Y.
self."
rhe king listened to every word l
sai& with dignity, it is true, but
witb\apparent emotion. Whether it
was ny visible agitation, (for felt
more ban I could expressly that
touehed Min, l cannot say but he
was mpcN affected, and answered me
with more Nremor than l had spok-
en- with, and>Ssaid
"sir. the fsssanstaacss Of this au-
dienee are so extraordinary, the Ian
guage you have now held is 80 ex-
tremely proper, and the. feelings you
have discovered so justly adapted to
the occasion, that / not only receive
with pleasure the assurance of the
friendly disposition OF the United
States, but l am glad that the choice
has fallen upon you to be their min
lister. l wish you, Sir, to believe,
that it may ba understood in Amer
lea, that l have done nothing in the
late contest but what / thought my.
self irdispensably bound to do, by
the duty which l owed my people.
will be frank with you. | was the
last to conform to separation but
the separation having become inc
vitable, l Lave always said, as /
now say, that l would be the first to
meet the friendship of the United
States, as an independent power.
The moment [ see such sentiments
and language as yours prevail, and
disposition to give this country the
preference, that moment | shall say,
let the circumstances of language,
religion, and blood have their nat.
ursl, full effect"
dare not say that these we're the
kings precise words and it is even
possible, that I may have in some
particulars, mistaken his meaning
for, although his pronunciation is as
distinct as ever heard, be hesitates
sometimes between members of the
same period. He was, indeed, much
affected, and / was not less so and
thereto l cannot be certain that
was so attentive, heard so clearly,
and understood go perfectly, as to
be confident of bis words Or sense.
This l do say that the foregoing is
the Msjesty's meaning as l then
understood it.
The king then asked me whether
came last from France, and upon
my answering him in the afTirma-
tive, be put on an air of familiarity,