201From John Adams to Matthew Ridley, 25 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
I rec d , last Week, at Amsterdam, your Favour of Dec r. 27. and Sympathize, most Sincerely with you, in your Affliction but I Still hope, M rs Ridley will recover. As an Article in our Confederation, Stipulates, that “no State Shall confer any Title of Nobility” and as the Genius of our Governments is averse to all Such Distinctions, I am no Friend to the Errand of Major L’Enfant. I wonder,...
202To John Jay from John Adams, 16 May 1786 (Jay Papers)
Last night I was honored with your letter of April 7 th . and am happy to find that Twelve States, have granted to Congress the Impost. New York I am persuaded will not long withhold her Assent, because, that in addition to all the other Arguments in favour of the measure, she will now have to consider that all the Blame of Consequences must now rest upon her, and she would find this alone, a...
203From John Adams to John Cranch, 31 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the Seventeenth of this Month, was delivered to me, last night.— I left London on the third of this Month So that your kind Present of Game, afforded a Regall, to M r Stockdale in Piccadilly, but I am not less obliged to you for it, than if I had been so fortunate as to receive it myself.— I beg you sir to accept my Sincere Thanks for it. As the Nephew of my most valuable...
204London April 19. 1786. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
This is the Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, and of my Reception at the Hague, by their High Mightinesses. This last Event is considered by the Historians, and other Writers and Politicians of England and France as of no Consequence: and Congress and the Citizens of the United States in General concur with them in Sentiment. I walked to the Booksellers, Stockdale, Cadel, Dilly, Almon,...
205From John Adams to John Jay, 11 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
There is no better Advice to be given to the Merchants of the United States, than to push their Commerce to the East Indies as fast and as far as it will go. If Information from Persons who ought to know may be depended on, the Tobacco and Peltries as well as the Ginseng of the United States, are proper Articles for the China Markett, and have been found to answer very well, and many other of...
206John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 23 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
I receiv’d with Pleasure, your Favour of the 16 th. which informs me of the Engagement of the Undertakers for a Million. I have receiv’d Letters from Some respectable Gentlemen, at Amsterdam, containing a Remark upon the Plan, which I beg Leave to transmit you in the Words of one of the Letters. “Il me semble que selon la teneur dudit Plan, il ne convient guere, pour ne pas dire, point du...
207From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 6 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your Favour of 30. May with its Inclosures. You have Since that day no doubt received my Answer to yours of the 11 th. , in which I agreed perfectly with You in the Propriety of Sending M r Lamb to Congress without Loss of time. I am content to Send M r Randal with him but had rather he Should come to You first and then to me, and embark in London after We shall have had...
208From John Adams to John Jay, 24 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the Honour to transmit to Congress, a Letter from M r Harrison, with an Account of Disbursements for Captain Erwin and his Associates on their return to Cadiz from their Captivity in Morocco. Situated as M r Harrison was he had every motive of Humanity, and love of his Countrymen to relieve their necessities, and it would be too Severe, if not unjust, to leave the burthen upon him....
209To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 23 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We are just arrived, covered with Dust, and we have hired our Boat, to go over tomorrow at ten. No green Peas, no Sallad, no Vegetables to be had upon the Road, and the Sky is still as clear dry and cold as ever. The Flocks of Sheep and herds of Cattle, through the Country, stalk about the Fields like Droves of Walking Skeletons. The Sheep are pastured chiefly I think in the plowed grounds,...
210From John Adams to Rufus King, 14 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I had heard Sometime ago, of your Marriage with the amiable Daughter of my old Friend, M r Alsop, as well as of that of M r Gerry, and of both with the more Pleasure, probably as a good Work of the Same kind, for connecting Massachusetts and New York in the Bands of Love was going on here. Last Sunday under the Right Reverend Sanction of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of st Asaph...