31From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 7 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, September 17, 1782—Wrote to secretary Livingston—“You will naturally inquire, whether the neutral powers will continue their neutrality? or whether the neutral confederacy will be broken? No certain answer can be given to those questions. We must content ourselves with probabilities, which are indeed strong for the continuance of the neutrality.—Who indeed should break it? The...
32From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 28 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, September 12, 1782—wrote to Mr. Livingston: “Your letters express a desire that I should endeavor 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...
33From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 25 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, Sept. 6, 1782—Wrote to Mr. Secretary Livingston, “In your letter of the 5th of March, you ask, whether this power has entered into any treaty with France since the war, and whether any such thing is in contemplation? They have made no treaty, but a convention concerning recaptures, which you must have seen in the papers. The East India Company have concerted operations with France...
34From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 22 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, August 22, 1782—wrote tosSecretary Livingston—“Their high mightinesses have at length received their instructions from all the provinces, and I have this day been in conference with the grand committee, who communicated to me the remarks and propositions on their part. To this I shall very soon give my replication, and I hope the Affair will be soon ended. I was received in state,...
35From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
Another original letter of the Count de Vergennes to Dr. Franklin or sending him Mr. Adam’s correspondence. A Versailles Le 31 Juillet, 1780. Le caractére dont vous étes révétu, Monsieur, votre sagesse et la confiance que je mêts dans vos principes et dans vos sentimens, m’engagent à vos communiquer la correspondance, que je viens je avoir avec Mr Adams. Vous trouverez, Je pense, dans les...
36From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 31 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
The president De Thou introduces his history with “Pro veritate historiarum mearum deum ipsum obtestor.” Although I shall not follow the example of this great historian in this solemn appeal, in which perhaps he is singular, yet no man ought to commit any thing to writing as history, or as memorials to serve for history, without a strict regard to truth. I shall therefore designedly conceal...
37From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 26 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
I had prepared a memorial to the states general according to my instructions, but as the French ambassador procrastinated and the prospect of a negociation for peace with England opened, I grew daily more and more indifferent about the triple or quadruple alliance, and said no more upon the subject. The project which was written but never presented, was in these words: High and mighty lords,...
38From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 26 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
July, 1792. It appeared to me of some importance that my countrymen should be informed of the constitution of the bank of Amsterdam, and to this end I made all the enquiries in my power, in times that could be spared from other more important occupations, and prepared for congress the following sketch, which with the notes upon it, contained, as I was informed, a correct account of it. A...
39From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 24 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, June 15, 1782—Wrote to Secretary Livingston. “This morning, I made a visit to the grand pensionary of Holland, Mr Van Bleiswick, and had a long conference with him, concerning the plan of a treaty of commerce which is now under consideration, and endeavored to remove some of his objections; and to explain to him the grounds and reasons of certain articles which have been objected to...
40From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 12 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
AMSTERDAM, 26th April, 1782—The following note to Mr. Hodshon, omitted in the order of its date must not be ordered here because it is connected with one of the most intricate and vexatious transactions that I ever found to puzzle me in all my life. Mr. Hodshon is desired to make the necessary inquiries, and as soon as he will give me under his hand his engagement to furnish congress with four...