1From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
I was glad to see in your paper of the 7th of this month, the extract from the Baltimore Federal Republican , for many reasons, which may be explained in due time; one or two may be stated now. 1. I was pleased with the candid acknowledgment, that “Mr. Adams never was a favorite with the leading men of the federal party." The words leading men will require some explanation and some limitations...
2From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
The institution of an Embassy to France in 1799, was made upon principle, and in conformity to a system of foreign affairs, formed upon long deliberation, established in my mind, and amply opened, explained and supported in Congress, that is a system of eternal Neutrality, if possible, in all the wars of Europe, at least eighteen years before President Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality...
3From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
FROM Mr. Murray, the American Minister at the Hague, who had been appointed by President Washington, I received assurances from the French government similar to those in Mr. Barlow’s letter and so many others. They were conveyed from the French Directory to Mr. Pichon, Secretary of Legation and Charge des Affaires of the French Republic near the Batavian Republic, in the absence of the French...
4From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 22 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
WHEN I had received that authentic act of the sovereign authority of France, a copy of which is inserted in my last letter to you, communicated by their Secretary of State, through their Secretary of Legation and Charge des Affaires and our Minister at the Hague, fully complying with all my requisitions, upon mature deliberation I determined to nominate a Minister to France. Some of the...
5From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 25 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
A few words more on the subject of pressing. In strictness, we have nothing to do with the question, whether impressments of seamen in England are legal or illegal. Whatever iniquity or inhumanity that government may inflict on their own subjects, we have no authority to call them to an account for it. But when they extend that power to us, a foreign nation, it is natural for us, and it is our...
6From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 26 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
THE gentlemen of the Senate informed me, that they came to confer with me on the subject of the nomination of Mr. Murray to France; that there was a considerable dissatisfaction with it, and they desired to know for what reasons I had preferred Mr. Murray to so many others abroad and at home. My answer to the gentlemen was, that I thought Mr. Murray a gentleman of talents, address and...
7From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 2 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
THE message mentioned in my last letter, was in these words: Gentlemen of the Senate , The proposition of a fresh negociation with France, in consequence of advances made by the French government, has excited so general an attention and so much conversation, as to have given occasion to many manifestations of the public opinion, from which it appears to me, that a new modification of the...
8From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 9 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
At first I intended to encumber your paper with no Documents but such as were absolutely necessary for my own vindication. But as the peace with France in eighteen hundred was not only an event of great importance in itself, but produced demonstrations of the prejudices, passions, views, designs and systems of parties, more perhaps than any other; I hope you will allow me room for such other...
9From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 9 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, in his famous pamphlet, page 23, says, “the conduct pursued bore sufficient marks of courage and elevation to raise the national character to an exalted height throughout Europe.” “Much it is to be deplored that we should have been precipitated from this proud eminence, without necessity, without temptation.” It is the habitual practice of our parties, to affirm or deny, as they...
10From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
On the 6th of March a letter was written by the Secretary of State by my order, in the following words, to Mr. Murray : Philadelphia, March 6, 1799. Sir, I enclose a commission constituting you, in conjunction with the Chief Justice Elsworth and Patrick Henry , Esq. of Virginia, Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary to the French Republic.—By the President’s direction, I enclose...
11From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 12 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
In a A Letter from Alexander Hamilton concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams Esq. President of the United States printed at New York for John Lang, by George F. Hopkins, 1800. Copy right Secured; the Subject of the Negotiation with France in that year is considered. In the twenty fourth page it is Said that “The Session which ensued the Promulgation of the Dispatches of our...
12From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 17 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Another of my crimes, according to my great accuser, page 28, was nominating Mr. Murray, without previous consultation with any of my ministers. To this charge I shall say but little at present. In England the first magistrate is responsible for nothing; his ministers for every thing: Here according to the practice, if not the constitution, the ministers are responsible for nothing; the...
13From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 18 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, in his pamphlet, page 28, speaking of Talleyrand’s dispatches, says, “overtures so circuitous and informal, through a person who was not the regular organ of the French government for making them, to a person who was not the regular organ of the French government for receiving them, &c. were a very inadequate basis for the institution of a new mission.” Here, again, Mr....
14From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 26 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
In pamphlet , page 27, it is said that the great alteration in public opinion had put it completely in the power of our executive to control the machinations of any future public agent, of France. Therefore Philadelphia was a safer scene of negotiation than Paris. Mr. Hamilton’s erroneous conceptions of the public opinion may be excused by the considerations that he was not a native of the...
15From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 29 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hamilton , in his pamphlet, page 21, speaks of the anterior mission of Messieurs Pinckney, Marshall and Gerry, and says, “it was resolved to make another, and a more solemn experiment in the form of a commission of three.” When I first read this sentence, I am not certain whether it excited most of astonishment, indignation, contempt, or ridicule. By whom was this Measure resolved ? By...
16From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 5 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
IN page 25, is a strain of flimsy rant, as silly as it is indecent. “The supplement to the declaration was a blameable excess.” It waved the point of honor, which after two rejections of our ministers, required that the next mission, should proceed from France. Where did he find this point of honor? If any such point had existed, it had its full force against the second mission: and its...
17From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 6 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
In page 28, Mr. Hamilton acknowledges that "the President had pledged himself in his speech, (he should have said in his message) to send a minister, if satisfactory assurances of a proper reception were given." Notwithstanding this, Mr. Hamilton, and all his confidential friends, exerted their utmost art and most strenuous endeavors to prevail on the President to violate this pledge. What can...
18From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 7 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
In page 26, Mr. Hamilton says, that the mission “could hardly fail to injure our interests with other countries.” This is another of those phantoms which he had conjured up to terrify minds and nerves as weak as his own. It was a common place theme of discourse, which, no doubt, the British faction very efficaciously assisted him in propagating. I know it made impression on some, from whose...
19From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
IN page 20, Mr. Hamilton says, my "conduct in the office of President was a heterogeneous compound of right and wrong, of wisdom and error." As at that time, in my opinion, his principal rule of right and wrong, of wisdom and error, was his own ambition and indelicate pleasures, I despise his censure, and should consider his approbation as a satire on my administration. “The outset," he says,...
20From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
IN page 29. Mr. Hamilton says, "when an ordinary man dreams himself to be a Frederick," &c. To this I shall make but a short answer. When a Miss of the street shall print a pamphlet in London, and call the Queen of England an ordinary woman, who dreams herself a Catharine of Russia, no Englishman will have the less esteem for his queen for that impudent libel. There is something in the 24th...
21From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 22 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
In a former letter, it was suggested that I found myself obliged to say something of the peace of 1783. Mr. Hamilton, in his pamphlet, page 7, says, "The principal merit of the negociation with Great Britain, in some quarters, has been bestowed on Mr. Adams; but it is certainly the right of Mr. Jay, who took a lead in the several steps of the transaction, no less honorable to his talents than...
22From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 23 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
On the 17th day of November, 1779, I embarked for Europe, with the hon. Francis Dana, Esq. and Mr. John Thaxter. The former was appointed by Congress, secretary of legation to my two commissions.—There could not have been found in the United States a gentleman in whose education, connections, talents, integrity and personal friendship, I had more entire confidence. The latter I had taken from...
23From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 3 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
On the 13th of July I wrote to the Comte De Vergennes the following letter: Paris July 13, 1781. Sir, I have the honor to inclose to your excellency, some remarks upon the articles to serve as a basis of the negociation for the re-establishment of peace, which you did me the honor to communicate to me. As I am unacquainted, whether you desired my sentiments upon these articles, merely for your...
24From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
DESIROUS to inform Congress of every step of my proceedings, I wrote a letter, on the 15th in these words, to the President: Paris, July 15, 1781. Sir, I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter to the Comte De Vergennes, and of certain articles and their answers. The British Court proposed to the Imperial Courts, a congress, upon two preliminary conditions, the rupture of the treaty with...
25From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 12 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
THE next day I wrote another letter to the Comte. Paris, July 19, 1781. In my letter, sir, of the 18th, I had the honor to mention some things that lay upon my mind; but still I am apprehensive that in a former letter I have not conveyed my full meaning to your excellency. In my letter of the 16th, I submitted to your excellency’s opinion and advice, whether an American minister could appear...
26From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 14 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
I mentioned in a former letter that Congress had separated from me my friend, Mr. Dana, and sent him as a public minister to the court of Russia, from whence he communicated to me the following correspondence. A Letter from the French Minister at St. Petersburgh, to Mr. Dana, St. Petersburgh, August 22, O. S. 1781. Sept. 2, N. S. Sir , I have received the letter which you did me the honor to...
27From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 14 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
Not long after the foregoing letter, but I know not how long, the Marquis of Verac communicated to Mr. Dana the following: Exract from the Answer of the Court of France to the Propositions made on the subject of the re-establishment of Peace by the Courts of Petersburgh and of Vienna. PROPOSITION. Il Sera traité á Vienne, entre la Grande Bretagne, et les Colonies Americaines, du retablissment...
28From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 18 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
Project of an answer to the three Belligerent Courts. Answer Mutatis Mutandis. THE courts of Versailles and of Madrid, having caused to be transmitted to the two Imperial Courts, their respective answers to the articles to serve as a basis to the negotiation which had been communicated to them, as the court of London had communicated her answer to them on the 15th of June last, they think they...
29From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 27 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
HAVING laid together the negociations with the Comte De Vergennes, relative to that sublime machine for demolishing our independence, the mediation of the two Imperial Courts and the congress at Vienna, I shall now go back to my first arrival in Holland. Mr. Laurens had been long appointed agent to borrow money, and I expected to meet him in Holland, and consult with him on every thing...
30From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 30 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
Though I thought I was negociating for peace , to better purpose in Holland than I could in France, yet as I could not be responsible for that, I was obliged to depart. The adventure of a journey, which, in the hands of Sterne, would make a sentimental romance, are of no importance here. On the 7th day of July, 1781, I wrote the following note to the Comte de Vergennes. Versailles, July 7,...