From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 30 November 1786

To Thomas Jefferson

Grosvenor Square Nov. 30th. 1786

Dear Sir

By Dr Gibbon a young Gentleman of Philadelphia whom I beg Leave introduce to you,1 I have the Honour to send you a few more Copies of the Prussian Treaty: and to inclose in this, a Resolution of Congress of september 26. annulling Mr Lambs Commission & Instructions.2 Mr Jay desires me to transmit it to him, and although I hope Mr Lamb is on his Passage to New York or already arrived there, it is proper to send it along to Mr Charmichael who will be so good as to convey it, if Mr Lamb should not be departed. The favour of transmitting it to him let me ask of you.

You ask me in your last Letter3 my Opinion who should be sent to exchange the Treaty with Morocco? I am content that either Mr Barclay or Mr Franks should go, or to leave it to Mr Barclay to go in Person or send Mr Franks as you shall judge best. But I wonder the Treaty has not arrived, to you.

Dont be allarmed at the late Turbulence in New England, The Massachusetts assembly had in its Zeal to get the better of their Debt, laid on a Tax, rather heavier than the People could bear. but all will be well, and this Commotion will terminate in additional Strength to Government.

With great and sincere Esteem, I have the / Honour to be, sir your most obedient and / humble servant

John Adams

RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address: “His Exy Mr Jefferson”; endorsed: “Adams John. Nov. 30.” LbC (Adams Papers description begins Manuscripts and other materials, 1639–1889, in the Adams Manuscript Trust collection given to the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1956 and enlarged by a few additions of family papers since then. Citations in the present edition are simply by date of the original document if the original is in the main chronological series of the Papers and therefore readily found in the microfilm edition of the Adams Papers (APM). description ends ); APM Reel 112.

1. Dr. John Hannum Gibbon or Gibbons (1759–1795) graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1786 and returned to Philadelphia, where he opened a medical practice on Arch Street and joined the University of Pennsylvania’s medical faculty (Francis Randolph Packard, The History of Medicine in the United States, Phila., 1901, p. 188–189).

2. The 26 Sept. congressional resolution regarding John Lamb’s commission directed John Jay to “take the necessary measures for directing Mr. Lamb immediately to repair to New York.” Jay sent another copy of the resolution with his 14 Dec. letter to Jefferson (JCC description begins Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, ed. Worthington Chauncey Ford, Gaillard Hunt, John C. Fitzpatrick, Roscoe R. Hill, and others, Washington, D.C., 1904–1937; 34 vols. description ends , 31:692; Jefferson, Papers description begins The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, and others, Princeton, N.J., 1950– . description ends , 10:597).

3. Of 23 Oct., above.

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Source Project: Adams Papers
Title: From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 30 November 1786
Author: Adams, John
Recipient: Jefferson, Thomas
Date: 30 November 1786

Reference

Cite as: “From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 30 November 1786,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-18-02-0271. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 18, December 1785–January 1787, ed. Gregg L. Lint, Sara Martin, C. James Taylor, Sara Georgini, Hobson Woodward, Sara B. Sikes, Amanda M. Norton. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016, p. 514.]

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