s 1785. June 2. To paid Petit 173. 8 Aug. 17. To pd mr Garvey’s bill 96. 16. 6 Nov. To cash by Colo. Smith. 768. 0. 0 1786. Jan. 5. To pd Barin for Suortout de dessert & figures &c 264.
32From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 21 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received duly the honor of your letter, and am now to return you thanks for your condescension in having taken the first step for settling a correspondence which I so much desired; for I now consider it as settled and proceed accordingly. I have always found it best to remove obstacles first. I will do so therefore in the present case by telling you that I consider your boasts of the...
33Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 11 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
Expecting Baron Polnitz to call every moment, I have only time to acknolege the receipt of your favor of Nov. 24. and to answer you on the subject of the bill for 319 livres drawn by Mr. Adams in favor of Mr. Bonfeild. I had never heard of it before, and Mr. Barclay calling on me this morning I asked of him if he knew any thing of it. He says that such a bill was presented to him, and he...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 16 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the happiness of receiving yesterday my daughter in perfect health. Among the first things she informed me of was her promise to you, that after she should have been here a little while she would go back to pay you a visit of four or five days. She had taken nothing into her calculation but the feelings of her own heart which beat warmly with gratitude to you. She had fared very well on...
35Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 21 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received duly the honor of your letter, and am now to return you thanks for your condescension in having taken the first step for settling a correspondence which I so much desired; for I now consider it as settled and proceed accordingly. I have always found it best to remove obstacles first. I will do so therefore in the present case by telling you that I consider your boasts of the...
36From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 11 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7th. was put into my hands the last night and as I received at the same time dispatches from Mr. Adams which occasion a great deal to be done for Congress to be sent by the Mr. Fitzhughs who set out tomorrow morning for Philadelphia as Mr. Preston the bearer of this does for London, I have only time to thank you for your kind attention to my commission and your offer of new...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 20 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honoured with your two letters of Octob. 19. and 25. by Mr. Fox and Doctor Rodgers since the date of my last. I am to thank you for your state of Stanhope’s case. It has enabled me to speak of that transaction with a confidence of which I should otherwise have been deprived by the different state of it in the public papers and the want of information from America. I have even...
38Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 30 August 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have omitted writing sooner to you in expectation that Colõ Smith would have taken this in his route: but receiving now information from him that he embarks from Lisbon, I avail myself of the opportunity by mr̃ Payne of thanking you for the disbursements you were so kind as to make for my daughter in London, and of stating to you our accounts as follows. £ s d Disbursements of mrs Adams as...
39From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 30 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have omitted writing sooner to you in expectation that Colo. Smith would have taken this in his route: but receiving now information from him that he embarks from Lisbon, I avail myself of the opportunity by Mr. Payne of thanking you for the disbursements you were so kind as to make for my daughter in London, and of stating to you our accounts as follows. £ s d Disbursements of Mrs. Adams...
40From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
An unfortunate dislocation of my right wrist has for three months deprived me of the honor of writing to you. I begin now to use my pen a little, but it is in great pain, and I have no other use of my hand. The swelling has remained obstinately the same for two months past, and the joint, tho I beleive well set, does not become more flexible. I am strongly advised to go to some mineral waters...
41[From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1787] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 7 Jan. 1787. Recorded in SJL under this date. Not found; but see Mrs. Adams’ reply, 29 Jan. 1787.]
42Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
An unfortunate dislocation of my right wrist has for three months deprived me of the honor of writing to you. I begin now to use my pen a little, but it is in great pain, and I have no other use of my hand. The swelling has remained obstinately the same for two months past, and the joint, tho I beleive well set, does not become more flexible. I am strongly advised to go to some mineral waters...
43Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams Smith, 15 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jefferson has the honour to present his compliments to Mrs. Smith and to send her the two pair of Corsets she desired. He wishes they may be suitable, as Mrs. Smith omitted to send her measure. Times are altered since Mademoiselle de Sanson had the honour of knowing her. Should they be too small however, she will be so good as to lay them by a while. There are ebbs as well as flows in this...
44From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 7 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
This will accompany a joint letter inclosing the draught of a treaty, and my private letter of June 22, which has waited so long for a private conveiance. We daily expect from the Baron Thulemeyer the French column for our treaty with his sovereign. In the mean while two copies are preparing with the English column which Doctr. Franklin wishes to sign before his departure, which will be within...
45To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 4 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
On receipt of your favors of Aug. 18. & 23. I conferred with mr̃ Barclay on the measures necessary to be taken to set our treaty with the pyratical states into motion through his agency. supposing that we should begin with the emperor of Marocco, a letter to the emperor & instructions to mr̃ Barclay seemed necessary. I have therefore sketched such outlines for these as appear to me to be...
46From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 20 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now to acknoledge the receipt of your favor of Jan. 25. Colo. Franks sailed in the packet of this month from Havre for New York. This arrangement of the packets opens a direct communication between Paris and America, and if we succeed as I expect we shall in getting Honfleur made a freeport, I hope to see that place become the deposit for our Whale oil, rice, tobacco and furs, and that...
47From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 12 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had just closed the preceding letter when M. de Blumendorf the Imperial Secretary of legation called on me with the answer to Doctr. Franklin. It was that of Sep. 28. 1784 which you remember as well as myself, wherein Count Merci informed us the Emperor was disposed to enter into commercial arrangements with us and that he would give orders to the Government of the Austrian Netherlands to...
48From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 24 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of Sep. 19. written the morning after Mr. Lamb’s arrival here, would inform you of that circumstance. I transmit you herewith copies of the papers he brought to us on the subject of the Barbary treaties. You will see by them that Congress has adopted the very plan which we were proposing to pursue. It will now go on under less danger of objection from the other parties. The receipt...
49To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of July 31. was lately delivered me. the papers inform me you are at the Hague, and, incertain what stay you may make there, I send this by mr̃ Voss who is returning to London by the way of Amsterdam. I inclose you the last letters from mr̃ Barclay & mr̃ Carmichael, by which we may hope our peace with Marocco is signed, thanks to the good offices of a nation which is honest, if it...
50From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5th. came to hand yesterday, and Colo. Smith and Colo. Humphries (by whom you will receive one of the 19th. from me) being to set out tomorrow, I hasten to answer it. I sincerely rejoice that Portugal is stepping forward in the business of treaty, and that there is a probability that we may at length do something under our commissions which may produce a solid benefit to our...
51From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 13th. and 20th. were put into my hands today. This will be delivered you by Mr. Dalrymple, secretary to the legation of Mr. Craufurd. I do not know whether you were acquainted with him here. He is a young man of learning and candor, and exhibits a phaenomenon I never before met with, that is, a republican born on the North side of the Tweed . You have been consulted in the...
52From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 23 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Frouillé, the bookseller here who is engaged in having your book translated and printed, understanding that you were about publishing a sequel to it, has engaged me to be the channel of his prayers to you to favor his operation by transmitting hither the sheets of the sequel as they shall be printed; and he will have them translated by the same hand, which is a good one. It is necessary for me...
53From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Baron Polnitz not going off till today enables me to add some information which I receive from Mr. Barclay this morning. You know the immense amount of Beaumarchais’ accounts with the U.S. and that Mr. Barclay was authorized to settle them. Beaumarchais had pertinaciously insisted on settling them with Congress. Probably he received from them a denial: for just as Mr. Barclay was about to set...
54To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 22 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
My last to you was of the 2 d. inst. since which I have received yours of the 3 d. and 7 th. I informed you in mine of the substance of our letter to Baron Thulemeyer. last night came to hand his acknolegement of the receipt of it. he accedes to the method proposed for signing, and has forwarded our dispatch to the king. I inclose you a copy of our letter to mr Jay to go by the packet of this...
55From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 13 November 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be delivered you by young Mr. Rutledge. Your knowledge of his father will introduce him to your notice. He merits it moreover on his own account. I am now to acknolege your favors of Oct. 8 and 26 . That of August 25. was duly received, nor can I recollect by what accident I was prevented from acknoleging it in mine of Sep. 28. It has been the source of my subsistence hitherto, and...
56To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 30 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
In my letter of the 11 th. instant I had the honour of inclosing you copies of letters relative to the Barbary affairs. others came to hand three days ago, of some of which I now send you copies, & of the others the originals. by these you will perceive that mr̃ Randall and mr̃ Lamb were at Madrid, that the latter means to return to Alicant & send on a courier to us. mr̃ Randall does not...
57From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I returned about three weeks ago from a very useless voiage. Useless, I mean, as to the object which first suggested it, that of trying the effect of the mineral waters of Aix en Provence on my hand. I tried these because recommended among six or eight others as equally beneficial, and because they would place me at the beginning of a tour to the seaports of Marseilles, Bourdeaux, Nantes and...
58From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I formerly had the honour of mentioning to you the measures I had taken to have our commerce with this country put on a better footing; and you know the circumstances which had occasioned the articles of whale oil and tobacco to be first brought forward. Latterly we got the committee, which had been established for this purpose, to take up the other articles, and on their report the King and...
59To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 13 November 1787 (Adams Papers)
This will be delivered you by young mr̃ Rutledge. your knowledge of his father will introduce him to your notice. he merits it moreover on his own account. I am now to acknolege your favors of Oct. 8. & 26. that of August 25. was duly received, nor can I recollect by what accident I was prevented from acknoleging it in mine of Sep. 28. it has been the source of my subsistance hitherto, & must...
60From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Doctr. Franklin sets out this morning for Havre from whence he is to cross over to Cowes there to be taken on board Capt. Truxen’s ship bound from London to Philadelphia. The Doctor’s baggage will be contained in 150. or 200 boxes &c. We doubt that the laws of England will not permit these things to be removed from one vessel into another; and it must be attended with great difficulty, delay...
61From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 23 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The Notables met yesterday. The king opened the assembly with a short speech, wherein he expressed his inclination to consult with them on the affairs of his kingdom, to receive their opinions on the plans he had digested, and to endeavor to imitate the head of his family Henry IV. whose name is so dear to the nation. The speech was affectionate. The Guarde des sceaux spoke about 20 minutes,...
62To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 5 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 2 d. of Aug. and of adding a P.S. of Aug. 6. you will have known since that that the interposition of Denmark, as auxiliary to Russia against Sweden, has been suppressed magisterially by England and Prussia. this seemed to prove that these two powers did not mean to enter into the war; that on the contrary they wished seriously to quiet things on the...
63To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 14 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
I now do myself the pleasure to inclose to you a copy of the Arret explanatory of that of Sep. 28. on the subject of our whale oils. mr̃ Necker in a letter to me has renewed the promise of taking off the 10. sous per livre at the end of the next year. but at the same time he observes that whenever the national fishery shall be able to supply their demand for whale oil we must expect a repeal...
64To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 20 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am now to acknoledge the receipt of your favor of Jan. 25. Col o. Franks sailed in the packet of this month from Havre for New York. this arrangement of the packets opens a direct communication between Paris & America, and if we succeed as I expect we shall in getting Honfleur made a freeport, I hope to see that place become the deposit for our Whale oil, rice, tobacco & furs, & that from...
65To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 2 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of May 23. and the two of May 27. came safely to hand, the first being open. that of the 22 d. from Montreuil sur mer had been received and answered on the 25 th. The day before the receipt of the letters of the 27 th. we had had your cases brought to the barrier of Paris in order to get the proper officer to go that far to plumb them. From there they were put on board the boat...
66To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 26 September 1786 (Adams Papers)
My last letter to you was dated the 27 th. of August, since which I have recieved yours of Sep. 11 th. — The letter to m r. Lamb therein inclosed I immediately signed & forwarded. In mine wherein I had the honor of proposing to you the mission of m r. Barclay to Algiers, I mentioned that my expectations from it were of a subordinate nature only. I very readily therefore recede from it in...
67From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 30 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the 11th. instant I had the honour of inclosing you copies of letters relative to the Barbary affairs. Others came to hand three days ago, of some of which I now send you copies, and of the others the originals. By these you will perceive that Mr. Randall and Mr. Lamb were at Madrid, that the latter means to return to Alicant and send on a courier to us. Mr. Randall does not...
68To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of July 16. and 18. came to hand the same day on which I had received Baron Thulemeier’s inclosing the ultimate draught for the treaty. as this draught, which was in French, was to be copied into the two instruments which Doct r. Franklin had signed, it is finished this day only. mr̃ Short sets out immediately. I have put into his hands a letter of instructions how to conduct...
69From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Our instructions relative to the Barbary states having required us to proceed by way of negotiation to obtain their peace, it became our duty to do this to the best of our power. Whatever might be our private opinions, they were to be suppressed, and the line marked out to us, was to be followed. It has been so honestly, and zealously. It was therefore never material for us to consult together...
70To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 6 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
The Commissioners of the treasury have given notice to Willincks & Van Staphorsts that they shall not be able to remit them one shilling till the new government gets into action; and that therefore the sole resource for the paiment of the Dutch interest till that period is in the progress of the last loan. Willincks & V.S. reply that there is not the least probability of raising as much on...
71From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 6 February 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The Commissioners of the treasury have given notice to Willincks and Van Staphorsts that they shall not be able to remit them one shilling till the new government gets into action; and that therefore the sole resource for the paiment of the Dutch interest till that period is in the progress of the last loan. Willincks & V.S. reply that there is not the least probability of raising as much on...
72To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 17 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have been duly honoured with your’s of the 10 th. inst. and am happy to hear of the success of your journey to Amsterdam. there can be no doubt of it’s ratification by Congress. would to heaven they would authorize you to take measures for transferring the debt of this country to Holland before you leave Europe. most especially is it necessary to get rid of the debt to the officers. their...
73To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
The Notables met yesterday. the king opened the assembly with a short speech, wherein he expressed his inclination to consult with them on the affairs of his kingdom, to receive their opinions on the plans he had digested, and to endeavor to imitate the head of his family Henry IV. whose name is so dear to the nation. the speech was affectionate. the Guarde des sceaux spoke about 20 minutes,...
74From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 18 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 10th. came safely to hand and I delivered the one therein inclosed to Mr. Grand. It was a duplicate of one he had before received. You will have heard of the safe arrival of Doctr. Franklin in America. Strange we do not hear of that of Otto and Doradour. If you know of the safe arrival of the packet in which they went, pray communicate it to me, as Madame de Doradour, who is...
75To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Our instructions relative to the Barbary states having required us to proceed by way of negotiation to obtain their peace, it became our duty to do this to the best of our power. whatever might be our private opinions, they were to be suppressed, and the line marked out to us, was to be followed. it has been so honestly, & zealously. it was therefore never material for us to consult together...
76To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
Frouillé, the bookseller here who is engaged in having your book translated and printed, understanding that you were about publishing a sequel to it, has engaged me to be the channel of his prayers to you to favor his operation by transmitting hither the sheets of the sequel as they shall be printed; & he will have them translated by the same hand, which is a good one. It is necessary for me...
77Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 19 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Supposing that you would receive from Congress a direct communication of the powers given to yourself, Doct r. Franklin & myself, I have deferred from day to day writing to you, in hopes that every day would open to me a certainty of the time & place of my departure for the other side of the Atlantic. Paris being my destination I have thought it best to enquire for a passage to France...
78From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 28 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter is come to hand since I had the honour of addressing you last. Will you be so good as to forward a copy to Mr. Jay? The assembly of Notables is held to secrecy, so that little transpires and this floats among so much incertain matter that we know not what can be depended on. 80. millions more of annual revenue and provincial assemblies are the certain objects. The giving to...
79From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 6 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors by Colo. Franks have come safely to hand. He will set out from hence the 8th. inst. the packet being to sail from Havre the 10th. I inclose you the copy of a letter lately received from Mr. Barclay, and of the paper it inclosed. In a letter from Mr. Carmichael is a postscript dated Dec. 25. in the following words ‘since writing the preceding, the Portuguese Ambassador has pressed...
80From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 22 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 2d. inst. since which I have received yours of the 3d. and 7th. I informed you in mine of the substance of our letter to Baron Thulemeyer. Last night came to hand his acknolegement of the receipt of it. He accedes to the method proposed for signing, and has forwarded our dispatch to the king. I inclose you a copy of our letter to Mr. Jay to go by the packet of this...