1From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 10 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am favor’d with your Letter of the 4 December accompanying one from Mr Morris. I have acquainted that Gentleman by this conveyance that his Resignation is accepted. Tho I regret much the occasion of your leaving Philadelphia I shall be happy to see Mrs Livingston and yourself at this place on your way to the Manor—you will be so obliging as to make Mrs Washingtons respects to Mrs Livingston...
2From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 7 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
After the Preliminaries had been settled and ratified, the Spanish Embassador informed me that his Court was ready to recieve me not only in Form, but “tres honnêtemont”. He then expected full Instructions relative to the proposed Treaty. The Marq s . de la Fayette in his Journey thro’ Madrid manifested great Zeal to serve us there. A Copy of a Letter from him to the Minister will be sent you...
3From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 13 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 2d came to Hand by the last post. Before this Time, you will have seen the report I made to Congress of the Interview with Sir Guy Carleton—I am very sorry the result proved so indecisive—that this, however, arises from the Cause you mention, I am not fully persuaded—I believe, a want of Information from his Court, which had been for some Time without an Administration, has...
4From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 18 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 16th Inst., I received to day. Tho I am & shall always be happy in your Favors, I feel with you but too sensibly, the cause giving rise to our present intercourse. But we must look forward to more fortunate events—The Evacuation of our posts on the Lake has taken place, and cannot be recalled. Agreable to the Idea you have so obligingly hinted to me, I have written to the...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 15 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : New-York Historical Society I have just received your No 11. dated the 22d. of May. This Line serves chiefly to recommend to your Civilities two of my English Friends, who will probably pass through Philadelphia in their Way to Virginia. As they are lately from London, they can give you a good Account of the State of Parties there, and the general Disposition of the Nation respecting...
6From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 23 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge, & thank you for your favor of the 16th which covered a Letter from the Marqs de la Fayette dated the 30th of Jany. That letter does not contain any News of considerable moment relative to public affairs—Altho’ the Marquis does not pretend to speak of the plan of the Campaign; his sentiments in general appear to be—That Britain will make a desperate effort to prosecute...
7From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 16 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
However great the merits of the Marqs de la Fayette may be. however important his Services to this Country. And however strong my friendship for, and inclination to serve him—it never was my intention to promote his wishes at the expence of the interest, policy, or dignity of our National character. If my last to you therefore, conveyed an idea repugnant to these sentiments, I beg it may be...
8From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 22 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
While the Qr Master is endeavouring to furnish the bearer (who is said to be charged with important dispatches for Congress from France) with a fresh Horse, I set down to acknowledge, in haste, the Receipt of your favor of the 30th Ulto, & to thank you for the information which it contains. We wanted no fresh opiate to encrease that Stupor into which we had fallen; but I much fear that the...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 26 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Two LS , press copies of each LS , and transcript: National Archives I have just received your No. 15. dated the 9th of August, which mentions your not having heard from me since March. I have however written sundry Letters, viz. of Apl. 8th. & 12th. June 25th & 29th, Augt 12th and Sept. 3d, and sent Copies of the same, which I hope cannot all have miscarried. The Negotiations for Peace have...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 7 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and transcript: National Archives I but this moment hear of this Opportunity, by which I can only send you a Line to acquaint you, that I have concluded the Treaty with Sweden, which was signed on Wednesday last. You will have a Copy by the first good Opportunity. It differs very little from the Plan sent me,—in nothing material.— The English Court is in Confusion by another Change of...
11From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 13 October 1782 (Jay Papers)
I hope my Letter to you of the 18 th September, of which I also sent a Duplicate, has come safe to hand, for it contained important Matter— namely a Copy of a Letter from Marbois to the Count de Vergennes against our sharing in the Fishery This Court advised and persuaded us to treat with Oswald under his first Commission, I positively refused Aranda will not or can not exchange powers with...
12From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 25 October 1779 (Jay Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your very friendly Letter— It recalled to my Mind many Circumstances on which it always dwells with Pleasure. I should have been happy in a personal Interview before my Departure, but since that has become impossible, let us endeavour to supply it by a regular and constant correspondence. To render this the more useful & satisfactory a Cypher will be necessary— There are...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 24[–25] December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS and transcript: National Archives Sundry Circumstances occurring since mine of the 5th & 14th. have hitherto retarded the Departure of our Dispatches. They will now go under the Security of a British Passport, be accompanied by a Sum of Money, and by some farther Intelligence from England, which show the still unsettled State of Minds there, and, together with the Difficulties and small...
14From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 30 May 1783 (Jay Papers)
It cannot in my opinion be long before Congress will think it expedient to name a minister to the Court of London. Perhaps my Friends may wish to add me to the number of Candidates for that office— If that should be the Case I request the Favor of you to declare in the most explicit Terms that I view the Expectations of M r Adams on that head, as founded in Equity & Reason, & that I will not...
15From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 12 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters express a Desire that I Should endeavour to form an Acquaintance with the Representatives of Crowned Heads, and you Seem to be of opinion that much may be learned from their Conversation. It is very true that Hints may be dropped, Sometimes which deserve to be attended to, and I Shall not fail to avail myself of every oppertunity of learning any Thing from them, that may occur....
16From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 9 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed N o. 121 of the Politique Hollandais, having translated a few Sentences of mine, and the Author intending to insert more, as he has already inserted a good deal of the Same Correspondence, I think it proper to transmit You, a Short Relation of it. In 1780, at Paris, a Number of Pamphlets of M r Galloway were sent me from England. I wrote to a Friend an Answer to them. He Sent it...
17From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 30 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
On the 28 th. of this Month I rec d the Letter you did me the Honour to write me on the 13. of February, which arrived at the Hague inclosed with the Ratification of the Treaty with their High Mightinesses, which will be exchanged by M r Dumas, as the Conferences here for the definitive Treaty will not admit of my taking So long a Journey, at this Time. This Arrival in Season to exchange the...
18From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 24 December 1779 (Jay Papers)
My Letters from S t . Pierre a few Days ago will inform you of the Misfortunes that drove us here. Mons r . Le Mothe Piquet was yesterday so obliging as to order the Aurora a french Frigate of 36 Guns to carry us to France, and we are to sail on Tuesday next— so that we hope before the month of March to take Leave of the Ocean, to whose Civilities we are not half so much indebted as to the...
19From George Washington to Robert R. Livingston, 14 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a continuation of Mr Morris’s furlough for two Months; at the expiration of which, it may be well for him to consider that, the Regiment to wch he belongs is now very full of Men, and that the Officers of it will think it hard especially at a time when Congress are discontinuing Regimental Officers wch can scarcely be dispensed with. to perform his duty therein, while he is in the...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston: Two Letters, 28 January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two); press copy of LS and of copy: National Archives; (II) LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two); press copy of copy: National Archives I received at the same time your several Letters of Oct. 20, 24 & Novr 26. which I purpose to answer fully by the return of the Alliance. Having...
21From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 5 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
On the third day of this Month, about ten O Clock a Solemn Deputation, in three Coaches preceeded by twelve Messengers of State, went in Procession to the House in the Wood to enter into Conference, with the Statholder concerning the past Administration of the Marine, in Consequence of a Resolution of the States of Holland and West Friesland upon the Proposition of the City of Leyden. Military...
22From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 18 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote to you a short Letter on the 16 th . Instant. I have procured a Copy of the Gazette to be published To-morrow, and I send enclosed as much of it as contains the Articles of Capitulation for Fort S t . Philip. This Event takes place very opportunely, and will have a fine Effect in England. Things begin to look more promising; But I avoid particulars for a Week or two, that I may have a...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Robert R. Livingston, [13 August 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived here two days ago. Being in company with Mrs. Schuyler I was induced, in complaisance to her, to pass through New York. But I was sorry not to find any satisfactory ground to believe that the suspicions entertained of the arrival of the definitive treaty were well founded; though Rivington when it is mentioned to him shrugs up his shoulders and looks significantly; and Sir Guy has...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 23 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society; copy: Sächsisches Hauptstaatsarchiv This will be delivered to you by M. Thieriot, who goes to Philadelphia by order of his Court as Commissioner of the Commerce of Saxony, in order to establish a Correspondence between the two Countrys, that may, it is thought, be greatly advantageous to both. We have all along had many well-wishers in that Electorate, and I...
25From John Jay to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston), 14 May 1782 (Jay Papers)
A Letter from Doct r . Franklin calls me to Paris— I set off in about five Days—he has doubtless written to You on this Subject. Maj r . Franks is on the way to You with Dispatches from me— be pleased to direct ^ send ^ your future Letters for me, under Cover to Doct r Franklin— No Inconveniences will at present be caused by my absence. The Instructions intended for M r Del Campo are to be...
26From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 5 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Soon after my publick Reception by their High Mightinesses The Body of Merchants of the City of Schiedam, were pleased to send a very respectable Deputation from among their Members, to the Hague, to pay their Respects to Congress and to me as their Representative, with a very polite Invitation to a publick Entertainment in their City, to be made upon the occasion. As I had Several other...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 21 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two ALS and transcript: National Archives; press copy of ALS : Myron Kaller and Associates, Asbury Park, New Jersey (1991) I have just received your Letters of Novr. 9. & Decr. 3. This is to inform you, & to request you would inform the Congress, that the Preliminaries of Peace between France, Spain, and England were yesterday signed, and a Cessation of Arms agreed to by the Ministers of those...
28From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 15 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Copies of Papers, which have passed between M r. Hartley and the American Ministers. We have not thought it prudent to enter into any written Controversy with him, upon any of these Papers. We have recieved whatever he has offered us.— But he has offered nothing in the Name of his Court, has signed nothing, and upon Enquiry of him, we have found that he has never had Authority to...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Robert R. Livingston, 9 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; press copy of LS : National Archives; copies: National Archives, Library of Congress I have just received the honour of yours dated Jan 7. Your Communication of the Sentiments of Congress with Regard to many Points that may come under Consideration in a Treaty of Peace, gives me great Pleasure, & the more as they agree so perfectly with my own Opinions and furnish me...
30From John Jay to Robert R. Livingston, 13 January 1779 (Jay Papers)
Not a single Line have you rec d . from me since my arrival. This you may say does not look very friendly— I confess it: and what is more in my Favor feel it. Business I know cannot excuse a total Silence, tho it may palliate a partial one. I wont plead it, for I never admitted it—nor do I now write merely to keep fair with my own Principles— Inclination, more than Consistency, prompts me on...