511From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 57, 2 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, In this letter, which Congress received on 19 Feb. 1781, John Adams included an English translation of a memorial presented by the French ambassador to the States General on 26 April (given as 10 April in Wharton) that announced the repeal of the fifteen percent tariff levied by France on most Dutch goods by various decrees in 1778 and 1779, together with the return of all duties...
512John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
A Gentleman, Mr. Boardman of Newbury Port, is going, and by him I send you a few Lines. In England nothing is talked of, but Admiral Keppell, whom they are daily trying by a Court Martial. His Defence, I suppose is our security, viz. the shattered Condition of their Navy. They are almost ripe for cutting each others Throats to all Appearance, yet they are about sending Reinforcements to...
513From John Adams to James Warren, 1 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Having an opportunity by So carefull an Hand as Captain Wentworth of Portsmouth, I have ventured to inclose you a copy of a Letter which appears to me to be of Consequence. You will make use of it with Caution, among such Friends only as can be trusted to make a discreete Use of it. Inclosed is also a state of the Stocks in Amsterdam, on the seventh and twelfth of November by which you will...
514From John Adams to James Warren, 21 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I believe I shall surfeit you with Letters, which contain nothing, but Recommendations of Gentlemen to your Attention, especially as you have So many important affairs to take up all your Time and Thoughts. But the Bearers, are Gentlemen, who come so well recommended to me that I could not refuse my self the Pleasure of giving them an opportunity of Seeing my Friend Warren, of whom you must...
515From John Adams to Bidé de Chavagnes, 24 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had last Evening the Honour, of your Letter from Brest, of the 16th. of this Month, and I thank you, sir for your kind Enquiries after our Health. Mr. Dana, Mr. Thaxter, the three Children and myself, are very well at present. Mr. Allen We left, in good Health at Bordeaux. We were all much incommoded with violent Colds and threatned with dangerous Fevers in Spain, arrising from bad Weather,...
516John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
It would give Pleasure to every Body your Way but the few, unfeeling Tories, to see what a Spirit prevails here. The Allarm which How was foolish enough to spread by his March out of Brunswick, raised the Militia of the Jersies universally, and in this City it united the Whiggs, to exert themselves under their new Militia Law, in such a Degree that nobody here was under any Apprehensions of...
517From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 22 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 13. is received, and I thank you, for the Trouble you have taken concerning my son, and I beg you to present my most hearty Thanks to the Duke de la Vauguion for the Compassion he had for me in my affliction and for the Trouble he has taken, in writing to the Minister of France at Hambourg, and to M r D’Asp for writing to Stockholm Elsineur and Copenhagen.— I have within a few...
518From John Adams to Joseph Ward, 17 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yesterdays Post brought me your Letter of the 8th. instant with Several others containing Intelligence of a Nature very interesting to me. The Prevalence of the Small Pox in Boston, is an incident, which I cannot but esteem fortunate for the public, atho the Stake I have in it, having all my nearest Connections among the earliest Adventurers makes me feel an Anxiety too private and particular,...
519From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 4 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hare, a Brother of Mr Robert Hare, the Porter Brewer in this City is bound to Boston. He has boarded, Sometime in the Same House with me, and is very desirous of seeing the Town of Boston. He is travelling to Boston merely from the Curiosity of a Traveller, and meddles not with Politicks. He has an Inclination to see the public Buildings, your Church and the Chappell particularly. I Should...
520From John Adams to the President of Congress, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 13 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 283–285. LbC Adams Papers . printed : JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot Correspondence of the Late President Adams. Originally Published in the Boston Patriot. In a Series of Letters , Boston, 1809[–1810]; 10 pts. , p. 546–549. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an...
521From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 23 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your Favour of the 17 th. and the former Letters mentioned in it. I approve of your Paying to Mess s John De Neufville & son the seven Coupons, which you will please to charge to the United States. I Should think it best for the Holders of those Seven Obligations, to deliver them to you and take new ones from you to Save themselves as well as Mess s Deneufvilles Trouble in future....
522From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 21 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 12 and yesterday, the Rum was brought here consisting of forty Eight Bottles. Two I Suppose had been used to wet the Whistle of the Porters. I paid Seventy five Livres and the Man was or pretended to be wroth that I gave him no more. Mr. Alexander Shall have his Dozen and his Packet and Dr. Bancroft, his. I beg of you to draw upon me for the Cost of the Rum...
523John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
This day I received yours of the first of March from Bilbao, with the Journals &c.—the Postage of this Packet, is prodigious. I would not Advise to send many Journals, or Newspapers, this Way, or by Holland, but cut out pieces of Newspapers, and give me an Account of any Thing particularly interesting in the Journals, in your Letters, by such Conveyances, and send large Packetts of Journals...
524From 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...
525From John Adams to James Warren, 19 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have but a moments Time to write and nothing of Importance to say. Mr. Randolph, our former President is here, and Sits very humbly in his Seat, while our new one, continues in the Chair, without Seeming to feel the Impropriety. Coll. Nelson, a Hunter, Mr. Wythe, a Lawyer and Mr. Francis Lightfoot Lee, a Planter, are here from Virginia, instead of Henry, Pendleton and Bland. Henry is General...
526From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 26 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour, by my Friend Collins, never reached me till this Evening. At Newport, concluding to go by Water, he put it into the Post office, least it Should meet with a Fate as unfortunate as Some others. I call them unfortunate after the manner of Men for, altho they went into Hands which were never thought of by the Writer, and notwithstanding all the unmeaning Noise that has been made...
527The Commissioners to John Ross, 3 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 3 May 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:89–90 . Composed in two drafts, one dated 22, the other perhaps as early as 23 April ( DLC : Franklin Papers), with no indication of why the letter was apparently not sent until 3 May, the date that appears on the Letterbook copy (...
528John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
This is King Tammany’s Day. Tammany was an Indian King, of this Part of the Continent, when Mr. Penn first came here. His Court was in this Town. He was friendly to Mr. Penn and very serviceable to him. He lived here among the first settlers for some Time and untill old Age and at last was burnt. Some say he lived here with Mr. Penn when he first came here, and upon Mr. Pens Return he heard of...
529From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 20, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 18 March, 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 329–332). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:557–558. The first two-thirds of the letter, which was read in Congress on 22 July, was taken from the Gazette d’Amsterdam and included almost...
530John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Monsieur Chaumont has just informed me of a Vessell bound to Boston: but I am reduced to such a Moment of Time, that I can only inform you that I am well, and inclose a few Lines from Johnny, to let you know that he is so. I have ordered the Things you desired, to be sent you, but I will not yet say by what Conveyance, for fear of Accidents. If human Nature could be made happy by any Thing...
531From John Adams to the Marquis de Lafayette, 10 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Proceedings, of late in the British Parliament, I think abundantly prove, that the British Troops will evacuate N. York and Charlestown, and go to Quebeck Hallifax and the West India Islands provided they can escape in the Course of the ensuing Summer. It cannot be a Question, with any Sensible Man, whether it will cost most Time, Blood and Treasure to France and Spain to take them all...
532From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 17 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the Sixteenth instant I received last night by Mr Fynje. In order to give as general Satisfaction As may be and in order to bring this Business to a Conclusion, I shall agree to the Terms proposed in it, with the following Explanation and alteration, which are indespensibly necessary. The Explanation is this, that my “Promise to open no other Loan at any other House or Houses in...
533From John Adams to William Temple Franklin, 7 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I duly recieved your favour of the 6th of November, and ought to have acknowledged it before. I am glad to find by his Excellency’s late Letter, that his Health has returned. The Gout I fancy has done the Business of a Physician, and laid the foundation for fine Health and Spirits, for the ensuing dull Winter. I could wish for the Gout too, or any thing else, to make the Scene agreable to me,...
534John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Church setts off, tomorrow Morning. I have sent this Morning by Mr. William Winthrop, about half a dozen Letters containing Papers &c. Have nothing new to write. We have been very busily engaged for 4 or 5 days in procuring Assistance for Boston. Congress has at last voted three Additional Battallions for Boston and that the five old ones be filled up, and We shall send you a Major General...
535From John Adams to Gabriel de Sartine, 6 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
The Sensible intending to Sail in a few Days, it is my Duty to embrace the Opportunity of acknowledging my Obligations to his Majesty and to your Excellency, for the Favour of a Passage, in this Frigate, which was rendered the more honourable and agreable to me, by the Company of his Excellency the Chevalier De la Luzerne and Mr. Marbois, two Characters that I have every Reason to believe,...
536John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 January 1777; 18 January 1777 (Adams Papers)
After a March like that of Hannibal over the Alps We arrived last Night at this Place, Where We found the Utmost Difficulty to get Forage for our Horses, and Lodgings for ourselves, and at last were indebted to the Hospitality of a private Gentleman Coll. Brinkhoff Brinckerhoff , who very kindly cared for Us. We came from Hartford through Farmington, Southington, Waterbury, Woodbury, New...
537From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 16 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Le Roy the Bearer of this, is a young American educated in Amsterdam where he has good Connections. He wants mercantile Connections in America. I wish he could give you hopes of any usefull Connections between our Country and this. If he can, it is more than I am able to do. The armed Neutrality turns out little better than a Bubble. But as We have little to hope from it, We have nothing...
538From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 3 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday were presented to me two other Bills of Exchange on Mr. Laurens drawn 6th. July 1780, Numbers 40 and 41 for 550 Guilders each, which I wait your Excellency’s orders to accept. I have never been informed of the exact amount of the Bills drawn on Mr. Laurens on that day; but there are by the Numbers which have appeared probably many not yet arrived. I have the honor to make your...
539From John Adams to Henry Grand, 19 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
In Answer to your Letter, give me Leave to inform you that I have written this day to Mess rs Willinks, Van staphorsts and De la Lande and Fynje, my Advice to remit you the four hundred Thousand Livres more, as you desire. I run a Risque in this, because M r Morris has informed them of Bills which he has drawn upon them, which there is danger that they will not have Funds to Satisfy. if it...
540From John Adams to F. & A. Dubbeldemuts, 21 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
I had, this morning, the Honour of your Letter of the Seventeenth of June, and have read over, attentively, the Papers enclosed. It does not appear, by the Record of the Tryal that any Person claimed the Vessel, or any Part of the Cargo, on behalf, of the owners; although it appears, by the Protest of the Master that his Mate was Sent, in the Sloop to Charlestown. Nor do I See, in the Papers...
541From John Adams to Francis Dana, 18 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your Favour of March 12. O.S.— It has for Sometime been my Intention to embark for the Blue Hills as soon as the definitive Treaty should be Signed, or even Sooner if the Acceptance of my Resignation, which I transmitted on the 8 th day of last December, Should arrive before that Event. M r Vanberckel will Sail from the Texel in June, and it would be agreable to me to go...
542From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 29 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have a great Mind to envy your Situation or to wish myself with you in Congress where I Should have less Anxiety and more health, if not an opportunity to do more good. The Mynheers have overcome most of their Terrors and are now well fixed, in the good System. They will hearken to no Seperate Proposals, and therefore will make an important Diversion in our favour although they Should not...
543From John Adams to Jean George Holtzhey, 2 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have this Morning rec d. the Letter, You did me the honor to write me on the 20 th. of Oct r. together with the Present of a Medal, in Commemoration of the great Event of the 19 th. of April 1782. The Medal is ingeniously devised and is very beautiful. Permit me to beg your Acceptance of my Thanks for it. I think You would find a Sale for many of them at Boston and Philadelphia. When I...
544From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 15 January 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 225–227. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:233. In this letter, read in Congress on 19 Nov., John Adams provided a much condensed translation, probably from a French text such...
545From John Adams to Henry Laurens, 10 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of a very agreable private Letter from you, while in Paris, which I answerd, having executed your Orders, as soon as received. Whether you received my Answer I dont know. I have had a Stormy Voyage, but not more so than the Scaene you have been in, at Land. I wish I may have escaped with as much Hon our, as you have done: but have little Reason to believe it, for I can...
546The Commissioners to John Bondfield, 4 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 4 June 1778. printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:127 . Replying to letters (not found) from Bondfield of 26 and 30 May, the first enclosing accounts for the purchase of supplies for the Boston , and the second reporting on the conspiracy against the Boston and enclosing an affidavit...
547John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
I think I have sometimes observed to you in Conversation, that upon examining the Biography of illustrious Men, you will generally find some Female about them in the Relation of Mother or Wife or Sister, to whose Instigation, a great Part of their Merit is to be ascribed. You will find a curious Example of this, in the Case of Aspasia, the Wife of Pericles. She was a Woman of the greatest...
548From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 19 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have been informed, that the State of Maryland, have named Mr. Charmichael, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Williams, Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Jennings, as proper Persons, out of whom they have desired, your Excellency to choose one, in order to draw out of the English Funds a Sum of Money, they have there, for which the Agent is to have two and an half per Cent. Mr. Charmichael, is otherwise employed, Mr....
549From 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...
550From John Adams to the Duc de La Vauguyon, 10 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment recd. the letter which You did me the honor to write me yesterday, with a letter inclosed from Mr. Franklin. The Approbation of Monsieur Le Comte de Vergennes is a great satisfaction to me, and I shall be very happy to learn from You, Sir, at Amsterdam the details You allude to. I have a Letter from Diggs at London 2d. April, informing me that he had communicated what had...
551From John Adams to Joseph Mathias Gérard de Rayneval, 9 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment the Honour of your Billet of this Days Date: and will do myself the Honour, to wait on his Excellency the Comte de Vergennes, at his office, on Wednesday next at Nine of the Clock in the Morning, according to his Desire. I have the Honour to be with much Esteem sir Your humble and obedient servant RC ( Arch. Aff. Etr., Paris, Corr. Pol. , E.-U., vol. 17:312); endorsed: “ na...
552From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 13, 5 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 5 Oct. 1780. Dupl in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 281–282). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:82. In this letter, received by Congress on 29 Jan. 1781, John Adams indicated that he had no news regarding his commission to negotiate a Dutch...
553From John Adams to Johann Ulrich Pauli, 11 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with your letter of the 5th. instant, and thank You for your polite Invitation to Hambourg, a Journey which it would give me pleasure to make, but which various Occupations will oblige me at least to postpone for sometime. In Answer to your Inquiries, Sir, I have only to say that at present I have no Powers from the United States of America to treat with the Hanseatic Cities: but...
554From John Adams to James Lovell, 24 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
I cannot omit this opportunity of acknowledging the Receipt of your kind Favours of 27 or 28 Novr. I Say one or the other of those days, because although the Letter has no date yet it Says it was written on the Day when a certain Commission was voted me, and both the Commissions are dated the 27, altho the Copy of the Resolution of Congress by which I was appointed is dated the 28. I should...
555From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 23 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am desired to inclose, the within Copies to your Excellency: although I doubt not you have received the original, and although I know not what may be in your Power to do, for the Relief of Messrs. Curson and Governeur. Their pretended offence, is Sending warlike Stores to America altho the London Papers Say, it was corresponding with me. I never received a Line from either of those...
556From John Adams to Francis Dana, 5 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your’s of December 30 th. , I recieved last Night. Orders are long since gone from M r. Grand to his Correspondent at S t. Petersbourg, to furnish You the Money You want.— You will find our Treaty inaccurate and blundering, but You will pardon all our Bulls, when You know the Haste and the Danger We were in, and think that We have done very well. I should advise You not to hesitate a Moment...
557From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 81, 10 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 10 June 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 106–117). LbC ( Adams Papers ) notation by John Thaxter: “June 18th. 1780. This day delivered Mr. Hall of Virginia No. 81—to go by Way of Amsterdam.” This is the first letter in Lb/JA/12 ( Adams Papers, Microfilms , Reel No. 100). For this Letterbook, see part 2 of the Introduction: “John Adams and His Letterbooks” (above)....
558From John Adams to Matthew Ridley, 8 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I recd your favor of 29 Ult, with its Inclosure, last night. Great News indeed. Inclosed is an answer. This Day at Noon, I Am to meet the Lords the Deputies of their High Mightinesses, to Sign the Treaty. It has been delayed Sometime, in order to have the Silver Boxes for the Seals made with Suitable Elegance and Dignity for the Taste of these magnificent Republicans, too much of the Dignity...
559From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 35, 4 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 4 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 409–410). printed : various American newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette of 12 July and the Boston Independent Chronicle of 3 Aug. 1780. In this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, John Adams provided the text of a resolution adopted by the City of London on 22 March concerning the maintenance of a...
560From John Adams to the President of the Congress, 14 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inclose to Congress a few of the public Papers, which contain all the News that is passing. As it is uncertain by what Vessell the Gentleman will go who takes this, the Conveyance is too precarious, to send any Thing which ought not to be known to the Enemy. We are waiting with an impatient Anxiety, to hear from America, the last Accounts from thence having been brought by...