1From John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of May 9th. and 17th. are now before me; and I consider them as the Commencement of a Correspondence, which will not only give me Pleasure, but may be of Service to the public, as, in my present Station I Stand in need of the best Intelligence, and the Advice of every Gentleman of Abilities and public Principles, in the Colony which has seen fit to place me here. Our worthy...
2From John Adams to James Sullivan, 6 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with your Letter of the 24. of July and feel myself under Obligations to you for it, So much the greater as it contains freer Sentiments than most of my Friends ever write me, and as it is almost the only Letter, I received by that Conveyance, except from my Family. My Friends Sir have almost forgotten me, by Way of Retaliation I Suppose for my Apparent Neglect of them. I have...
3John Adams to James Sullivan, 20 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged by your Favour of the 21. of December. it is a great Pleasure to learn that the Treaty of Peace gives Satisfaction. The Preservation of the Fishery, is the more prescious, as it appeared for Several Years together to be in great danger. In danger I mean of being given up, by the United States themselves, for the Sake of Peace.— it is not in our Power to do any Thing...
4John Adams to James Sullivan, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received within a few days your obliging Favour of Nov: 22. The Removal of Congress to New York, where their residence will probably be uninterrupted for sometime will I hope have a good Effect, towards raising the Respect to that august Assembly, and reconciling the People, to such general Measures as are indispensable. The People will be less jealous, if Mr: Gerry’s aversion to an...
5From John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday at the Marquis de la Fayette’s, he told me, that he had received a Letter from M r: Gerry, in which he was surprized to be informed that the French Chargé des Affaires had demanded M r: Longchamps to be given up. This was unexpected to him, he said, as he had understood at Court that the Ministry were pretty well contented with the Sentence against M r: Longchamps. He thought too...
6From John Adams to James Sullivan, 16 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your favor of June. 7 th. and the day before I received from Boston the Navigation-Act of Massachusetts. It is probable that our People flatter themselves that this act, and other measures tending to the same end in other States will intimidate the English Nation & force them into an advantageous treaty of Commerce. If such are their views they will be disappointed, as far...
7From John Adams to James Sullivan, 18 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 10 th. and am obliged to you for a free Communication of Your sentiments upon some important points. The situation of Rhode-Island, North Carolina and Vermont, must be disagreable to themselves as well as to their neighbours. Congress is not inattentive to either. What measures they may think proper to take is as yet to be determined— It is reported here that...
8From John Adams to James Sullivan, 14 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the second of this month. The report I mentioned to you in a former letter, was spoken of to me by gentle n: from Rhode Island, who are good citizens. One of these assured me of the fact as of his own knowledge, that there was an intimate intercourse between some of the leading antifederalists in their State and some of the same character in Massachusetts,...
9From John Adams to James Sullivan, 17 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
In your letter of the 18 th of August, you ask why we may not have as much paper in circulation in proportion to our circulating silver and gold, as Great Britain has in proportion to hers? Give me leave to answer you without hesitation. We may as soon as we shall have any credit.— We have none. No man of common sense will trust us. As soon as an unlimited democracy tyrannized over the rich,...
10From John Adams to James Sullivan, 21 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 23 of July remains unanswered. There is in the United States and the regions to the southward of it a body of people, possesed of too much of the public confidence who are desperately in debt, and therefore determined all or any government, which shall have power to compel them to pay. Untill the property possesed by some of these men shall change hands, no government will...
11From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 31 July 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Mr. Sullivan and thanks him for the perusal of the pamphlet he was so kind as to send him. He sees with great pleasure every testimony to the principles of pure republicanism; and every effort to preserve untouched that partition of the sovereignty which our excellent constitution has made, between the general and particular governments. He is firmly...
12From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 8 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I was yesterday honored by the receipt of your letter of June 2. on the subject of Mr. Letombe’s continuance in the consulship, and am sorry to inform you that an appointment had taken place three days before and the Exequatur had issued. I should with pleasure have handed in your testimony in favor of Mr. Letombe had it not been too late; in which I should have been gratified in rendering a...
13From John Adams to James Sullivan, 2 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received; last Evening the Letter you did me the honour to write me, the 30th of July, and am ready to give you all the Information in my power Mitchel’s Map s was the only one, which the Ministers Plenipotentiary of The United States and The Minister Plenipotentiary of great Britain made use of in their Conferences and Discussions relative to the Boundaries of the United States, in their...
14From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 9 February 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I have many acknolegements to make for the friendly [anxiety you are pleased] to express in your letter of Jan. 12. for my undertaking the office to which I have been elected. The idea that I would accept the office of President, but not that of Vice President of the US. had not it’s origin with me. I never thought of questioning the free exercise of the right of my fellow citizens to marshall...
15From John Jay to James Sullivan, 28 July 1797 (Jay Papers)
I have been favored with your’s of the 30 th . of last month, informing me of the necessity of my being at Boston on the 14 th . of august next, to give Testimony to the Commissioners appointed to determine what River was intended, by the River S t . Croix in the Treaty of Peace. If on further Consideration my personal attendance should be judged indispensable, I shall certainly think it my...
16From James Madison to James Sullivan, 10 May 1802 (Madison Papers)
The establishment with the British Government of a proper boundary in the jurisdiction of the Islands in Passamaquody Bay and of proper regulations in navigations in navigating the channels between the same, is an object which for some time has engaged the attention of the Executive, and which, it appears by a late Resolution of the Legislature of Massachusetts is much desired by that State....
17Thomas Boylston Adams to James Sullivan, 23 October 1804 (Adams Papers)
Having waited some time in expectation of an answer to the last proposal, which I had the honor to submit to your consideration relative to the settlement of the dispute between the proprietors of the Middlesex Canal Company & the owners of the Teel farm at Medford, I am induced once more to call the attention of the Gentlemen of the Committee to this subject. The Season is already so far...
18From James Madison to James Sullivan, 8 November 1804 (Madison Papers)
I recd in due time your favor of the 8th. Ulto. No apology was necessary for its exercise of the right of every Citizen to intimate to his Govt. the result of his patriotic reflections, which ought to be welcome to every Govt. in proportion as the source is enlightened from which it proceeds. The President’s message of this day to Congress will best shew the posture & prospect of our affairs...
19From James Madison to James Sullivan (Abstract), 11 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
11 March 1805, Department of State . “The Secretary of the Treasury has handed me your letter of the 22d. ult. respecting the Ship Hibernia, in as much as the substance of it appertains to this Department. Should the indemnity due the owners of that Vessel & Cargo not be received under the Convention respecting Louisiana, it will be incumbent on those persons to carry into effect the decree of...
20From John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
In the Biographical Sketch, which you published, of his late Excellency Governor Adams, you have inadvertently admitted Some Errors of Fact in relating the Mission to Lord Howe, in 1776. In order to enable you to rectify those Inaccuracies, I do myself the honor to inclose, Some transcripts of familiar Letters, which I find in my old Letter Books, and request you to communicate them to the...
21From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 21 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
An accumulation of business which I found on my return here from a short visit to Monticello, has prevented till now acknolegement of your favor of the 14th. Ult. this delay has given time to see the result of the contest in your state, and I cannot but congratulate you on the advance it manifests, & the certain prospect it offers that another year restores Massachusets to the general body of...
22From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 26 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Apr. 21. came to hand at Washington while I was in the hurry of preparation for departure to this place on a visit of three or four weeks for recreation as well as private calls. the current of votes, after the date of your letter, set so favorably for republicanism that I thought it highly probable the final decision would be such. and so I still expect, for altho’ the issue is...
23From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 19 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
In acknoleging the reciept of your favors of the 3d. instant I avail myself of the occasion it offers of tendering to yourself, to mr Lincoln & to your state, my sincere congratulations on the late happy event of the election of a republican Executive to preside over it’s councils. the harmony it has introduced between the Legislature & Executive branches, between the people & both of them, &...
24From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 20 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
In one of your letters of the 3d. inst. you say that ‘in the days of your keen anguish you intruded on me one imprudent letter,’ which you ask me to consign to the fire. I certainly had never thought any letter recieved from you was of that description; and on revising them should not have been able to fix on the one you viewed as such, had I not found, in a letter of June 20. 1805. the...
25From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 31 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure to inclose to your Excellency a Report of the Secretary of State on the subject of your letter of the 18th. ult. and to renew to you the assurances of my constant & high respect and esteem. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
26From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 18 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favor of the 8th. instant, covering, at the request of the General court of Massachusets, a Memorial to the Senate & House of Representatives of the US. on behalf of Benjamin Hichborn & others, with a desire that I would communicate & recommend the same to both Houses of Congress. I should avail myself with particular pleasure of every occasion of doing what would be...
27From John Adams to James Sullivan, March 1808 (Adams Papers)
Mr Pickerings Letter Neither Mr Pickerings claim to a Share of Attention, nor the republican duty to be jealous of public Men, if resonably interpreted, will be controverted, by me, upon this occasion. I must nevertheless acknowledge, that I am not one of those Republicans, who admire the Doctrine of the Duty and Virtue of Jealousy. Much Savage Brutality, I fear, has been introduced into the...
28From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 3 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 8. covering the resolutions of the legislature of Massachusets was recieved in due time. it is a circumstance of great satisfaction that the proceedings of the government are approved by the respectable legislature of Massachusets, & especially the late important measure of the embargo. the hearty concurrence of the states in that measure will have a great effect in Europe....
29From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 16 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of May 6. I asked the favor of your Excellency as I did of the Governors of other states not furnishing in their interior country flour sufficient for the consumption of the state, to take the trouble of giving certificates, in favor of any merchants meriting confidence, for the quantities necessary for consumption beyond the interior supplies. having desired from the Treasury...
30From Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 12 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of July 21. has been recieved some days; that of July 23. not till yesterday. some accident had probably detained it on the road considerably beyond it’s regular passage. in the former you mention that you had thought it adviseable to continue issuing certificates for the importation of flour until you could hear farther from me; & in the latter that you will be called from the...