To John Adams from François D’Ivernois, 30 January 1787
From François d’Ivernois
ce 30 Janvier 1787 No 14 Vere street Oxford Road.
Monsieur
Lord Lansdown ayant satisfait mon impatience en me confiant votre defense of the American Constitutions; j’ai commencé cet ouvrage avec un plaisir et une attention, qui (dans le cas ou il y aurait une 2de edition) me feraient desirer d’avoir avec l’auteur un entretien sur la suisse en general et sur Geneve en particulier. En attendant cet honneur, j’ai celui Monsieur de vous envoyer un petit écrit qui vous convaincra que dans ce moment cy la suisse est encore plus loin des Americains pour tout ce qui concerne la liberté personelle que pour ce qui constitue la liberté publique c a d un juste equilibre des differénts pouvoirs.1 Je souhaite beaucoup Monsieur, que la tentative que j’ai faite pour developper aux suisses les principes les plus elementaires des Americains et des Anglais sur la Jurisprudence criminelle obtiennent votre suffrage.
J’ai l’honneur d’etre avec respect / Monsieur / Votre tres humble, / & tres obeissant serviteur
D’Ivernois
TRANSLATION
30 January 1787 No. 14 Vere Street, Oxford Road
Sir
Lord Lansdowne having satisfied my impatience in entrusting me with your defense of the American Constitutions, I started reading the work with a pleasure and an attention that (in the case of a second edition) makes me wish for a private conversation with the author on Switzerland in general and Geneva in particular. Awaiting such an honor, sir, I have the one of sending you a short piece which will convince you that, currently, in regard to everything concerning personal liberty, Switzerland still has at present more ground to cover with respect to the Americans than it does in what constitutes public liberty, that is to say, a just balance of different powers.1 I sincerely hope, sir, that the attempt I have made to expound for the Swiss the most basic American and British principles on criminal jurisprudence will win your favor.
I have the honor to be with all due respect, sir, your most humble and most obedient servant
D’Ivernois
RC ().
1. Swiss publisher and lawyer François d’Ivernois (1757–1842), of Neuchâtel, later Sir Francis d’Ivernois, was then best known as the printer of the complete (and oft-pirated) 1779–1782 “Geneva” edition of Jean Jacques Rousseau’s works. Knighted for his pro-British efforts in 1796, d’Ivernois supported war with France and trumpeted the success of William Pitt’s economic policies.
It is unclear if d’Ivernois ever visited the Adamses, but a number of his works are in JA’s library at MB, and he briefly resumed a friendly correspondence with JA in the 1790s. D’Ivernois, who criticized the system of Swiss jurisprudence as one mired in weak evidence and severe penalties, likely enclosed with this letter his Justification d’un magistrat accusé de vol, et suspendu de ses emplois, sans avoir été déclaré atteint et convaincu [Geneva, 1786] (; ; ).