31John Adams to the president of Congress, 27 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inclose Copies of three Notes which I have receiv’d from the Prussian Minister, the Baron de Thulemeier, by which Congress will see, that the King has agreed to take our Treaty with Sweeden for a Model, reserving to each Party the right of suggesting such alterations as shall appear to him convenient— My Request to Congress is, that they would be pleased to send...
32John Adams to the president of Congress, 9 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
On the Eighteenth of February the Baron de Thulemeyer, Envoy Extraordinary to their High Mightinesses from the King of Prussia, did me the Honour of a Visit, but as he found I had Company, he soon took his Leave, and as I accompanied him to the Head of the Stairs, he told me, he had Something to propose to me from the King and desired to know, when he might call again. I offered to return his...
33John Adams to the president of Congress, 10 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
I had Scarcely finished my Dispatches, to go by M r Thaxter with the definitive Treaty, when I was taken down with a Fever at Paris, and reduced so low as to be totally unable to attend to any Business for a long time. When I grew so much better, as to be able to ride, I was advised to go to England.— As I had nothing to do at Paris, and an Attempt to reside in Holland, would probably have...
34From John Adams to the President of Congress, 14 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to congratulate you, on your Election to the Chair, and to wish you and the Members of Congress in general much Satisfaction at Anapolis. on the Fifth of this Month, Cap tn Jones arrived at my Lodgings in Piccadilly, with Dispatches from the late President M r Boudinot.— The Letters addressed to “the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States” I opened, And found a Set of...
35From John Adams to the President of Congress, 13 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
If any one should ask me what is the System of the present administration? I should answer, “to keep their places”— Every Thing they say or do appears evidently calculated to that End, and no Ideas of public Good no national Object is suffered to interfere with it. In order to drive out Shelburne, they condemned his Peace which all the Whig Part of them, would have been very glad to have made,...
36From John Adams to the President of Congress, 9 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
About the fourteenth of September I was seized at Paris with a Fever, which proved to be a dangerous one, and brought me, very low, so that I was unable to attend to any business for some time.— on the twentieth of October, in Pursuance of the Advice of my Friends, I sett out from Auteuil a Village in the Neighbourhood of Passy for London, which City I reach’d by slow Journeys, the twenty...
37From John Adams to the President of Congress, 14 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
I beg Leave to introduce to your Civilities M r: Thaxter, who goes home with the definitive Treaty of Peace, and the original Treaty with Holland. M r: Thaxter will present you a Medal, a Present to Congress, from the Province of Friesland, he will also present another to your Excellency of which I beg your acceptance. These were sent as Presents to me and I have no more, otherwise I should...
38From John Adams to the President of Congress, 10 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
As I am to remain in Europe for sometime longer, I beg Leave to take a cursory view of what appears necessary or expedient to be further done in Europe, for I conceive it to be not only the Right but the Duty of a foreign Minister to advise his Sovereign according to his Lights and Judgment, although the more [extensive Information], and Superior Wisdom of the Sovereign may frequently [see]...
On the third Instant, Definitive Treaties were concluded, between all the late belligerent Powers, except the Dutch, who the Day before settled and signed Preliminary Articles of Peace with Britain. We most sincerely & cordially congratulate Congress and our Country in general, on this happy Event, and we hope that the same kind Providence which has led us thro’ a vigorous War, to an honorable...
40From John Adams to the President of Congress, 8 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday morning, M r. Jay informed me, that D r. Franklin had recieved, & soon afterwards the D r. put into my hands the Resolution of Congress of the first of May, ordering Commission and Instructions to be prepared to those Gentlemen and myself, for making a Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain. This Resolution, with your Excellency’s Letter, arrived very seasonably, as M r. Hartley was...