41From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 6 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of 5th. 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 Re-captures, which You must have seen in the Papers. The East India Company have concerted Operations with France in the East Indies; and the Prince, by the Resolution of the...
42From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 21 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
I know very well the Name of the Family where I spent the Evening with my worthy Friend Mr. — before We set off, and have made my Alphabet accordingly: but I am on this occasion as on all others hitherto utterly unable to comprehend the sense of the Passages in Cypher. The Cypher is certainly not taken regularly under the two first Letters of that Name. I have been able sometimes to decypher...
43From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 27 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
A few Vessells have arrived in England from various Parts of America, and have probably made the Ministry, Merchants and Manufacturers less anxious about a present Arrangement of Commerce. Whether these Vessells have rashly hazarded these Voyages against the Laws of their Country, or whether they have Permission from Congress or their States We are not informed. It would have been better no...
44From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 25 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is the general opinion here both among the Members of the States, and the Hotel de la France, that the Delays of the definitive Pacification, are contrived by the Court of London, in order to set all their Instruments at work, in this Republic, to induce it to renew its ancient connections with Great-Britain, particularly their Alliance offensive and Defensive, by which each Power was bound...
45From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 3 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
On the last Ambassador’s day, w h: was last Tuesday, D r: Franklin, M r: Jay & myself, waited on Mons r: de Vergennes, who told us he tho’t he had agreed with the Duke of Manchester, but that his Grace had not yet rec d. the positive approbation of his Court— The Comte advised us to make a visit, all together, to the Ambassadors of the two Imperial Courts. Accordingly yesterday morn g: we...
46From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 22 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
Upon a sudden notification from the Comte de Vergennes, M r. Franklin and myself, in the Absence of M r. Jay and M r. Laurens, went to Versailles, and arrived at the Comte’s Office at 10. o Clock on Monday, the twentieth of this Month At eleven arrived the Comte d’Aranda & M r. Fitzherbert. The Ministers of the three Crowns signed & sealed the Preliminaries of Peace, and an Armistice, in...
47From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 27 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
Friesland has at last taken the Provincial Resolution to acknowledge the Independence, of which United America is in full Possession. It is thought that several Cities of Holland will soon follow their Example, and some say it will be followed forthwith by the whole Republick. The first Burgomaster of this City has said within a few days past, that in six Weeks at furthest, the Independence of...
48From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 25 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r. Jay has favoured me with a Sight of your Letter of the 4 th. January, & I am happy to find you had rec d from him a Copy of M r. Marbois Letter— This Letter contained nothing unexpected to me; because I have been several years convinced in my own mind, that the Sentiments it contains were the real secret designs of the French Minister of foreign Affairs— I have lost too much Sleep in...
49From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 19 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to transmit, the following Resolutions of the respective Provinces, relative to my Admission in Quality of Minister Plenipotentiary, together with two Resolutions of their High Mightinesses upon the Same Subject, all in the order in which they were taken. Extract from the Register Book of the Lords the States of Friesland. “The Requisition of Mr Adams, for presenting his...
50From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 31 July [1783] (Adams Papers)
The last Evening, at Court, in the House in the Grove, where all the foreign Ministers supped, the Comte Montagnini de Mirabel, the Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of Sardinia, took an opportunity to enter largely into Conversation with me. As he and I were at a Party of Politicks while the greatest Part of the Company were at Cards, for two or three hours, We ran over all the World,...