1To John Adams from William MacCreery, 29 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the pleasure to write you from Burdeaux the begining of this Month, giving you what little information I had got, during the two Days that I had been there. Amongst other matters, I mentiond the Enimy’s having all their large Ships to the Amount of thirty and upwards Cruizing in the Channel and Bay of Biscay, but I have since learn’d, that their reason for sending them, was, that...
2To John Adams from William MacCreery, 10 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the Honour to write to you from Nantez the 29th ultimo and at the Same time forwarded Two News papers for you; I mentiond the Scarcity of Frigates in England but that they were fitting out Sixteen Gun Sloops, most of which I have Since Heard are Sheathing with Copper, so that you may Expect them on the coast of America this winter. They have lately fitted out Sloops which mount...
3To John Adams from William MacCreery, 25 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure lately to hear of your safe arrival at Paris, and that you were, on the 13th. Instant presented to his Majesty. Hope you have got safe thro’ the fateigues of ceremony attending Courts, which is so apt to be disagreeable to Republicans. It gives me great pleasure, and it will afford yourself not a little satisfaction, that you are not disposed to find fault with customs and...
4To John Adams from William MacCreery, 4 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Last night arrived here from Baltimore the Brigantine Saratoga, Captn. Murray, who has brought 2 Packets from Congress for the Honble. the Commissioners, and as many for Yourself. My Letters are of the 28th. May, at which time it was generaly understood there, that the Enemy were about embarking from Philadelphia with all haste, and that Genl. Washington was advanceing towards the City in...
5To John Adams from William MacCreery, 25 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of 10th. Instant did not reach me ’till this moment. I thank you kindly for your good wishes, and for the whole contents of it. There are three Vessels arrived here this Week from America two from Baltimore and one from Boston. Each have brought Letters &c. for each of our Honorable Plenipotentiaries all which have been deliverd to the Agent here. My latest Letters from Baltimore...
6To John Adams from William MacCreery, 9 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I this day received the Letter which you did me the Honor to Write me under the 31st. Ultimo. Your other Letter to me was still longer on the way —which I mention to shew you that from some cause of which you may be ignorant, they do not come in the regular course of the Post. I return you compliments of congratulation on the late Naval affair between the French and English Fleets—in my...
7To John Adams from William MacCreery, 30 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for yours of 19th. Instant and am glad to find that there is a prospect of an end being speedily put to the troubles which arise to us in the Sea Ports of this Kingdom from our differences with Seamen, by the appointment of Consuls. I have not lost less than £100 Sterling by the People of one little Vessel. These People too, are renderd useless to our Vessels...
8To John Adams from William MacCreery, 12 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
I Received the Letter which you did me the Honor to write me under the 7th. Instant, by todays Post and observe with concern, that your many efforts to effect an exchange of Prisoners, hath heretofore proved ineffectual. It gives me much concern to find that my suspiscions of our Public finances being low in this country, were so well founded. It must render the situation of yourself and...
9To John Adams from William MacCreery, 17 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
I did my self the Honor to write you a few Lines from Nantes about 8 days ago, and left it on Monday last. On my arrival here the day before yesterday, I found several Letters from Baltimore for me—the latest dates were the 13th July. They contain nothing new but they—with some Virginia Papers down to the 17th. of the same Month give me much more pleasure and satisfaction than the Copy of a...
10To John Adams from William MacCreery, 9 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the pleasure to write you a few Lines just before my departure from Nantes, and afterwards on my arrival at this place. Two Small Vessels arrived here from Baltimore a few days ago. They had both long passages, the latest dates I had by them was the 16th. of August, and the only news contained in them, That a large Number of Vessels had got into Chesapeak Bay, which occasion’d a...
11To John Adams from William MacCreery, 5 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
Meerly for want of something agreeable or interesting to communicate to you, It is now a very long time since I had the pleasure of paying you my respects. But as I have taken the liberty on a former occasion, to trouble you on the Subject of our Commercial Interests in this Country, I beg leave to mention to you some more particulars relating to it, which at this Port we find very irksome,...
12To Benjamin Franklin from William MacCreery, 27 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I lately took the liberty of writing to the Honorable Mr. Adams concerning the difficulty which the North-American Merchants have hitherto met with in shipping Salt at this Port; and their being considered as Strangers in fixing the Port Duties on their Goods and Merchandise; whereas by the treaty of Commerce they ought to be upon the same footing with the...
13To John Adams from William MacCreery, 5 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you in January, I have not been favour’d with a line from you. Since I heard of the change which lately took place in the Administration of our Affairs at this Court, I took the liberty to address Doctor Franklin, on the Subject of my last Letter to you. Having a large Ship now here, which I want to ballast with Salt, but can not unless furnish’d with an order from the Minister...
14To Benjamin Franklin from William MacCreery, 6 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the honor to address your Excellency some short time ago on the subject of Port Duties here chargeable on sundry goods shipp’d by the Subjects of the United States of America. Since that time the Ship Buckskin is arrived at this Port, and will be ready in a very short time to take her Cargo on board; and least your Excellency shou’d not be able to...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William MacCreery, 17 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received the Honor of your Excellencys letter of 18th. Ultimo: am sorry for your indisposition, & sincerely wish a speedy return, & long continuance of Good Health. In regard to the Duties paid on the exportation of Salt from the Ports of France in general , & on Shipping it to the French Colonies from this Port , your Excellencys information was pretty...
16To John Adams from William MacCreery, 28 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 14th Instant from Nantes reached me to Day only. It was but very lately that I heared of your having left the Metropolis, and but now of your intentions of going to America. I have written to Doctor Franklin on the Subject you allude to, and have had the pleasure of an Answer from him, by which I perceive that at Paris they are not well acquainted with the Duties and imposts...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William MacCreery, 8 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the pleasure of addressing you by last Tuesdays Post, & forwarded some Maryland News Papers, which hope you received. The News Papers and Journals of Congress which I received for you from mr. Lovell I now send by Captain Fray who will have the Honor to wait upon you on his arrival at Paris. The Barron de Thuiliere who has just arrived from America,...
18To John Adams from William MacCreery, 7 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am not skill’d in writing introductory Letters—I must however write one to make you acquainted with a Gentleman whose conversation you will find, at least, very agreeable. In these intrigueing times, when Politicians are obliged to Speak with caution in all companies, look at all Men with a suspicious Eye, and speak to them with reserve, an introduction becomes very Necessary, as it is apt...
19To John Adams from William MacCreery, 11 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ it be the fate of persons high in power to be exposed to the importunity of the many, and they are obliged not only to suffer, but submit to it, I assure you I feel much repugnance in troubling you with this letter. The arrival of a Vessell here in the last summer with a number of German-passengers after a very tedious voyage, having communicated a contagious distemper to some of the...
20To John Adams from William MacCreery, 23 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
Previous to my departure from Baltimore for this place, I address’d a few lines to you at Philada. but learn’d afterwards that you had not then come forward from the Eastward. From the knowledge I had acquired from the commerce of this Country during the late War, I was fully perswaded that a commercial intercourse, to a much greater extent than has been carried on since the peace, might have...
21To John Adams from William MacCreery, 5 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
I address’d a few lines to you from Nantes in Februrary last, informing you the object of my present voyage & future intentions. The events which have since taken place in consquce. of the war becoming general in Europe, and a civil War kindled in this Country, renders the prosecution of my plan not only difficult, but dangerous—for altho’ I have not heard of the least violence offered to any...
22To James Madison from William MacCreery, 25 November 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 November 1804, Washington. “The paper which accompanies this, recommending Mr. Dewhurst, came to my hands last evening. “The trade betwixt Baltimore and Santa Cruiz has become very considerable, and, in my estimation, lucrative to us: I am therefore of the opinion that the prayer of the petition is reasonable; and although I have no personal knowledge of Mr. Dewhurst, I have implicit faith...
23To Thomas Jefferson from William MacCreery, 19 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
A number of Gentlemen of both Houses of Congress having express’d a great desire to see in print, the Sermon preach’d to us on the 9th. Inst. by the Reverend Mr. Glendy; and knowing how gratifying & flattering it woud be to that Gentleman to have your name & sanction to the measure; I take the liberty of enclosing a paper for that purpose; to which, shou’d you think proper to put your name,...
24To James Madison from William MacCreery, 25 January 1807 (Madison Papers)
A few days previous to my departure from Balte. in November last, I was applied to by the Messrs. Hoffmans for my opinion of an Operation they were then engaged in viz: the supplying of cloathing for the crews of two French ships of the line. I did not hesitate in giving my opinion that the French Goverment wou’d re imburse them & with thanks: at same time suggested the propriety of applying...
25To James Madison from William MacCreery, 23 February 1807 (Madison Papers)
When the law to prohibit intercurse with the Island of St. Domingo was passed last Session, the consequences of it were foreseen by many; and that none of those consequences cou’d in any degree gratify the wishes or expectations of France or of this Country, was predicted. The entire trade of that island is now at the disposal of G. Brit: and the immense proffits arrising from buying and...
26To Thomas Jefferson from William MacCreery, 5 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreeably to the conversation with which you honor’d me yesterday, on the Subject of the appointment of a successor to Mr. Christy, as collector of the Port of Baltimore, I now proceed to state on paper, distinctly & concisely the names & pretensions of those Gentlemen whom I then took the liberty of mentioning to you; and will begin now, as I did then, with my freind & Colleague Mr. Moore....
27To James Madison from William MacCreery, 20 May 1808 (Madison Papers)
It being understood that it is the intention of Government to Send a Vessel to Europe once a month, during the continuance of the present embargo; and that the despatches of Government shall be under the special care of one of our citizens, I take the liberty of mentioning Mr. J. C. Neilson, of this place, a friend of mine, who has Some business in England, as a person who wou’d, I think, pay...
28To James Madison from William MacCreery, 28 June 1808 (Madison Papers)
I had the pleasure of recieving the obliging letter you honored me with last month on the subject of Mr. Neilso n’s desire to take charge of Such dispatches as Government mig ht think proper to send to England in one of its own Vesse ls. Mr. Neilson now finds that he can not wait for Such an opportunity, and purposes Sailing in the Packet which is to go from New York in eight or ten days. May...