11To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 13 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
On my return the night before last from a Journey to the State of Newyork, I found you favours of the 6 th: 7 th: 17 th: 17 th: 23 d: September, they contain important and useful information, and that particularly of the 6 th: is replete with matter, which deserves an attention, that I lament the not having it in my power to give it at this moment, as the Express by which this goes to...
12To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 30 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
After I had wrote the letter of yesterday and sent it off, I recieved your favours of the 4th. 21. 27 of Feby, 10. &c. 11 of March; the three last I laid before Congress this morning, that of the 21st. I have kept by me for further consideration, tho’ I think upon the whole, as you have submitted them to my discretion, that I shall lay it also before Congress. I know they have been very...
13To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 23 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Enclosed resolution will advise you that Congress have thought it adviseable to new model their Department of foreign Affairs, by the Appointmt. of a Secretary, thro’ whose hands the Communications with their Ministers abroad are to pass. Tho’ they did me the honor to Elect me So long Since as August last, I but lately determined to accept, and did not Enter upon Business till Two days...
Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account brôt by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter N o. 1. to S r. Guy Carleton, & N o. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers N o. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they wrote to the Minister of France, in answer to similar Communications made by him, were still more so, and...
15Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive...
16Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New York Public Library; transcript: National Archives On the morning of March 12 Congress learned from the hand of Joshua Barney, captain of the packet General Washington , that the American peace commissioners had signed conditional preliminary articles with Great Britain on November 30, 1782. In addition to delivering the provisional...
17To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 5 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have now before me your letters of the 15th, 17th and 18th of October last. I am sorry to find that your Health has suffered by the climate, but hope that the setting in of the winter has e’er this reestablished it—I am not directed to return any answer to your request to come home, should I obtain the sense of Congress upon it before this is closed, it will be transmitted by this...
18To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 18 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Since my Letter of the 6 th , Congress have been pleased to appoint M r Jefferson, one of their Ministers plenipotentiary for negociating peace— I have not yet received an answer to my Letter informing him of this event, tho’ I have some reason to believe he will accept the appointment— I believe I mentioned to you that Congress had refused to accept M r Laurens’s resignation— Many members...
19From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 23 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
I ought not to omit to inform Congress, that on the 23d. of April the French Ambassador made an Entertainment for the whole Corps Diplomatick, in Honor of the United States, at which he introduced their Minister to all the foreign Ministers at this Court. There is nothing I suppose in the whole voluminous Ceremonial, nor in the idle Farce of Etiquette, which should hinder a Minister from...
20To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 22 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
It is so important to let you know that the late change in the British Ministry and the conciliating measures they propose have occasioned no alteration in the sentiments of people here, that tho’ I am too much hurried, (this conveyance going sooner than was intended,) to take particular notice of the letters we have received from you, and which remain unanswered, yet I cannot but avail myself...