Adams Papers
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Elbridge Gerry to Abigail Adams, 24 November 1783

Elbridge Gerry to Abigail Adams

Philadelphia Nov 24. 1783

My Dear Madam

Mr. Thaxter is arrived with the Definitive Treaty and I have the pleasure of receiving a number of letters from Mr. Adams.1 I think it will be Indispensably necessary to continue him in Europe, and shall therefore use my best endeavours for this purpose;2 but can form no Idea of what will be the determenation of Congress on the Occasion, as the Representation of the present year will be very different from that of the last.

Mr. Adams in one of his letters has desired if he is continued in Europe to send him his Family “for he is decided, God willing, never to live another year without you.” In another letter he desires me “to write you and advise you whither it is prudent to Come to him or not this fall or next spring.” I cannot think it advisable this fall as it is almost elapsed and a winters passage would be extremely disagreeable as well as dangerous, but I flatter myself before the Spring, the Bussiness of Congress will admit of an adjournment, or if not that our Foreign Arrangements will be compleat and leave you no doubt of the expediency of embarking as Mr. Adams wishes with your Family for Europe. Yours &c.

E. G—

Copy in Royall Tyler’s hand (Adams Papers); notation by Tyler: “Copy of a letter from E.G. Esqr. to Mrs Adams,” and “Copy of letter from E.G. Esqr to Mrs. A—”; notation by AA: “To be deliverd to your Pappa.” AA’s notation may have been a direction to AA2 to include the copy in a packet of letters that she would send to JA from Boston where she was staying in mid-December (see AA to JA, 15 Dec., and 3 Jan. 1784, both below). Or the notation could have been intended for JQA, then acting as JA’s secretary, and likely to open packets of letters from America.

1Probably those of 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 Sept. (MHi:Gerry II Papers [3d] Hoar Autograph Coll. [5th, 10th], Gerry-Knight Coll. [6th]; and DLC:Gerry Papers [photostat; 8th]; all LbCs, Adams Papers [Microfilms, Reels No. 106 and 107]). Those of 3 Sept., in full, and 9 Sept., in part, are in Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. description begins Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, Washington, 1889; 6 vols. description ends , 6:669–670, 684–685. John Thaxter had reached Philadelphia, via New York, on 22 Nov. (Gerry to JA, 23 Nov., Adams Papers).

2Gerry’s position here is sharply at odds with that taken in his letter to AA of 6 Nov., above, where he favors JA’s return to America.

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