[judykott]

Another Letter from the Library of Congress mentioning Illuminati in Russia, John Adams letter to Jefferson.
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Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

Item 2 of 5 The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence --J. Adams to Jefferson.* PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, Volume 3
J. Adams to Jefferson.*

[Note *: * 7 J. Adams' Works, 210.]

Paris, June 29, 1780.

My Dear Sir: Mr. Mazzei† called on me last evening to let me know he was this morning at 3 to set off on his journey to Italy. He desired me to write you that he has communicated to me the nature of his errand, but that, his papers being lost, he waits for a commission and instructions from you; that being limited to five per cent., and more than that being given by the powers of Europe, and, indeed, having been offered by other States, and even by the ministers of Congress, he

[Note †: † Philip Mazzei was born in Tuscany in 1730, and from 1755 to 1773 was engaged in business in London. In December, 1773, he came to Virginia, with a party of Italians, with the view of superintending the introduction of grapes and other fruits and of silk culture in Virginia. When in America he became intimate with Jefferson, Madison, and Adams. In 1779 he went to Europe for the purpose of obtaining arms for Virginia; and when in Paris came in conflict with Franklin, who discountenanced all movements on behalf of separate States to obtain European aid. This produced in him a prejudice against Franklin, afterwards deprecated by Jefferson. Mazzei revisited the United States in 1784, but afteward returned to Europe, where he attained political preferment in Poland. In 1802, when the Emperor Alexander was interested in the illuminati, to whose mystical views Mazzei approached, Mazzei received a Russian pension, which, strange as the inconsistency may appear, he seems to have enjoyed till his death. It was to Mazzei that Jefferson wrote a famous letter (April 24, 1796, 4 Jeff. Works, 139), which, as translated (for the original never was produced) seemed to imply that Washington was affected by the reaction towards Congress then exhibiting itself in the United States. With Madison Mazzei was in constant correspondence (see 1 Madison's Writings, 44, 444), and he appears to have been on friendly terms with Patrick Henry (id., 77). His visit to the United States in 1784 was, in part, to obtain a foreign consulate, in which he was disappointed. "Mr. Adams is the only public man whom he thinks favorably of, or seems to have associated with; a circumstance which their mutual characters may perhaps account for." (Madison to Jefferson, April 25, 1784, id., 78.) From this letter, and from that of Jefferson, to which it is a reply, it appears that Jefferson looked with no favor on Mazzei's political utterances. Neither Madison nor Jefferson had any idea that Mazzei was then a Russian pensioner. Mazzei published in 1788 a work on America, which, from its ultra radicalism and its misconception of the American system, Madison severely condemns in a letter to Mazzei of December 10, 1788. (Id., 444.)
Mazzei--for Mazzei's correspondence with John Adams, see John Adams' Works, vol. 7, p. 608; vol. 9, p. 552.
An interesting letter, dated April 16, 1781 of Patrick Henry, recommending Mazzei is in the Dreer Collection in Philadelphia.
The only letter on record from Franklin to Mazzei was written before Franklin left for France, and relates mainly to Mazzei's plans for silk and fruit culture in America. Mazzei's abandonment of his silk and fruit enterprise in Virginia arose from his inability to obtain Italian experts in consequence of the breaking out of the Revolution. The estate of Collei, near Monticello, which was bought for him by an American company as a vineyard for experiment, has since been shown to be in a climate suited for that culture. This neighborhood brought about Jefferson's acquaintance with him, and the obnoxious passage about reaction, above alluded to, which Mazzei selected for publication, was given at the end of a long answer by Jefferson to enquiries by Mazzei as to his private affairs. It may be a mistake to distrust Mazzei's professions of radicalism, but his relations to the Emperor Alexander and his bitter antagonism to American statesmen of democratic tendencies make his sincerity open to doubt.]

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has little hopes of succeeding at so low an interest; that he shall, however, endeavor to prepare the way in Italy for borrowing, and hopes to be useful to Virginia and the United States.

I know nothing of this gentleman but what I have learned of him here. His great affection for you, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Mason, and other choice spirits in Virginia, recommended him to me. I know not in what light he stands in your part; but here, as far as I have had opportunity to see and hear, he has been useful to us. He kept good company and a good deal of it. He talks a great deal, and is a zealous defender of our affairs. His variety of languages and his knowledge of American affairs gave him advantages which he did not neglect.

What his success will be in borrowing money I know not. We are impatient to learn whether Virginia and the other States have adopted the plan of finances recommended by Congress on the 18th of March. I think we shall do no great things at borrowing, unless that system or some other, calculated to bring things to some certain and steady standard, succeeds.

Before this reaches you you will have learned the circumstances of the insurrections in England, which discover so deep and so general a discontent and distress, that no wonder the nations stand gazing at one another in astonishment and horror. To what extremities their confusions will proceed no man can tell. They seem unable to unite in any principle, and to have no confidence in one another. Thus it is, when truth and virtue are lost. These, surely, are not the people who ought to have absolute authority over us in all cases whatsoever; this not the nation which is to bring us to unconditional submission. The loss of Charleston has given a rude shock to our feelings. I am distressed for our worthy friends in that quarter. But the possession of that town must weaken and perplex the enemy more than us.

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By this time you know more than I do of the destination and the operations of French and Spanish armaments. May they have success, and give us case and liberty, if the English will not give us peace.

I have the honor to be, with affectionate respect, etc.,

John Adams.