Extract from Thomas Jefferson’s Draft Autobiography
| Mar. 16. [1821] |
on my presentation as usual to the King and Queen, at their leveés, it was impossible for any thing to be more ungracious than their notice of mr Adams & myself. I saw at once that the ulcerations in the narrow mind of that mulish being left nothing to be expected on the subject of my attendance; and on the first conference with the Marquis of Caermarthen, his Minister for foreign affairs, the distance and disinclination which he betrayed in his conversation, the vagueness, & evasions of his answers to us, confirmed me in the belief of their aversion to have any thing to do with us. we delivered him however our Projet, mr Adams not despairing so much as I did of it’s effect. we afterwards, by one or more notes, requested his appointment of an interview and conference, which, without directly declining, he evaded by pretences of other pressing occupations for the moment. after staying there seven weeks, till within a few days of the expiration of our commission, I informed the Minister by note that my duties at Paris required my return to that place, and that I should with pleasure be the bearer of any commands to his Ambassador there. he answered that he had none, and wishing me a pleasant journey, I left London on the 26th & arrived at Paris the 30th of April.