1186. CEREMONY, Unnecessary.—
Mr.
Adams, your predecessor, seemed to understand,
on his being presented to the Court [of
St. James's] that a letter was expected for
the Queen also. You will be pleased to inform
yourself whether the custom of that
court requires this from us; and to enable
you to comply with it, if it should, I enclose
a letter sealed for the Queen, and a copy of it
open for your own information. Should its
delivery not be a requisite, you will be so
good as to return it, as we do not wish to set
a precedent which may bind us hereafter to
a single unnecessary ceremony.—
To Thomas Pinckney. Washington ed. iii, 441.
Ford ed., vi, 74.
(Pa.,
1792)
