511From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
You have very much obliged me, by the Act and the Bill. It is to the last degree Astonishing to see, that perfect Ignorance, of the United States of America, which still prevails in old England. They willfully Shut their Eyes, that they may be Sure not to See. My Bowells of Compassion begin to be moved for this blind, debauched, devoted old Woman Britannia. Is there no possibility of reforming...
512From John Adams to Jean Henri David Uhl, 9 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I received this Morning, the Letter, which you did me the Honour to write me, on the first of this Month, and if it were in my Power to give you any Advice or assistance, in your affair, it would give me Pleasure to do it. If the Vessell and Cargo were Sold at Martinique, it is probable it was in Consequence of a regular Proscess in the Court of Admiralty there, and by Virtue of a Decree of...
513A Memorial to the Sovereigns of Europe, 5 – 8 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
This War has already continued so many Years, been extended to so many Nations, and been attended with so many unnatural and disagreable Circumstances that Every Man, who is not deficient in the Sentiments of Philanthropy, must wish to see Peace, restored upon just Principles, to Mankind: I shall therefore make no other Apology, for the Liberty I take in Writing this Letter, not in a public...
514From John Adams to John Jay, 8 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Duke de la Vauguion has this Moment, kindly given me Notice, that he is to Send off a Courier this Evening at Eleven, and that the Dutch Fleet has Sailed from the Texel this Morning. I shall take Advantage of the Courier Simply to congratulate you, on your Arrival at Paris, and to wish you and Mrs Jay, much Pleasure, in your Residence there. Health, the Blessing which is Sought in vain,...
515From John Adams to Jean de Neufville & Fils, 8 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I return you the Bills Ns. 84 and 85 for 5.50 Guilders each accepted, which you Sent me in yours of 5. July. As to the Accounts, I know of no Reasons, for concealing those Accounts, from the Gentlemen I desired to pay them. And if you will present them to Messrs Wilhem & Jan Willink Nicholas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and De la Lande and Fynje or either of them, they will pay them and take the...
516To John Jay from John Adams, 8 July 1782 (Jay Papers)
The Duke de la Vauguion has this Moment, kindly given me Notice, that he is to Send off a Courier this Evening at Eleven, and that the Dutch Fleet has Sailed from the Texel this Morning. I shall take Advantage of the Courier Simply to congratulate you on your Arrival at Paris, and to wish you and M rs Jay, much Pleasure, in your Residence there.— Health, the Blessing which is Sought in vain,...
517John Adams to John Boylston, 5 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind Letter of the 28 June, and thank you for your Congratulations. British Politicks, it is true, are in a Labyrinth. There is never the less, one clue, and but one, which is to acknowledge American Independence, by an express Act of Parliament. This, once done, they would not find it difficult to make Peace. Those who lend Money to the United States of America in this...
518From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Will you be so good as to inclose the inclosed to your Friend B and tell him that your humble servant is not the ill natured Mortal that Anonimous Gentry represent him. Pray what is the News about Peace? You know I presume the whole History of it. I know nothing. Is Mr Jay arrived at Paris? Is, the U. S. of America a belligerent Power? Where is the combined Fleet? Is Gibraltar to be relieved?...
519From 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...
520From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 5 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to inclose Copies in Dutch and English of the Negotiation, which I have entered into, for a Loan of Money. My Commission for borrowing Money, promises to ratify what I should do; and the Money Lenders, require Such a Ratification, which Messrs Willinks, Van Staphorsts, and De La Lande and Fynje, have engaged Shall be transmitted. Authentic Copies of the original Contracts, in...
521From John Adams to Edward Rutledge, 4 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I do my self the Honour to inclose these Papers relative to the Chester, to you, and to beg the Favour of your Attention and Advice, to the Gentleman who bears them. The owners are very confident that Injustice has been done them. There was no Claim; and they say that the Privateers, contrary to their Bonds, Sent away the Master, and other Persons who could have claimed for them. That no...
522From John Adams to Philip Mazzei, 3 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, which you did me the Honour to write me the 21. May, and thank you for your Congratulations, on the Tryumph the American Cause has gained, in this Country. I call it a Tryumph because, it prevailed over great obstacles, long Habits of Friendship, vast Interests of Capitalists in the Stocks, intimate ancient and modern Connections of ruling Families, and multifarious...
523From John Adams to Jean de Neufville & Fils, 3 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of Yesterday, and as to the Bills of Exchange, you will please to Send them to me, for Examination and Acceptance. As to your Accounts; I called, at your House, the Morning I left Amsterdam, with the Cash in order to discharge them, but not finding you within I was obliged to come away to this Place, from whence I wrote to Messrs Willinks &c desiring them to pay...
524John Adams to Richard Cranch, 2 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
“I am among a People, whose slowness puts all my Patience to the Tryal, and in a Climate which is too much for my Constitution: I love this Nation however, because they love Liberty.—You will have learn’d the Progress of our Affairs here, which has been slow but sure. —This Dutch Legation has very nearly cost me my Life, and has taken away forever much of my Strength, and some of my Memory....
525From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 2 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Well! how do you find yourself, after a little Repose? Are you married? or making Fortune in Trade? or Still buried in Politicks, and publick Good? I am in a longing Condition for your Letters, because they used to give me, the most comprehensive Ideas of affairs. You ought to remember me, for it was you, who sent me abroad in quest of Adventures, which have ruined me de fond en comble —I am...
526From John Adams to James Warren, 2 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time Since I had a Line from you, and from Sickness, and various Engagements it is long since I had the Pleasure of Writing to you. I Suppose that Milton Hill, furnishes you with Amusement enough, in your beloved science and Practice of Agriculture. I wish I had Fortune enough to purchase me an equal Farm upon Pens Hill, and enter into an Emulation with you, which should make his...
527John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your charming Letters of April 10 and 22d were brought me, Yesterday. That of 22d is upon Business. Mr. Hill is paid I hope. I will honour your Bill if you draw. But be cautious—dont trust Money to any Body. You will never have any to lose or to spare. Your Children will want more than you and I shall have for them. The Letter of the 10 I read over and over without End—and ardently long to be...
528John Adams to Richard Cranch, 17 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
“I can tell you no secrets about Peace—a Mr. Forth, a Mr. Aswald Oswald and a Mr. Greenville have been at Paris, to sound the Dispositions, but I cannot learn that they have sufficient Powers, or that they have made any serious Propositions. The work of Peace is very difficult to accomplish. The pretentions of so many Nations, are to be adjusted, that my Hopes are faint. It serves the Stocks...
529From John Adams to James Warren, 17 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Broken to Pieces and worn out, with the Diseases engendered by the tainted Atmosphere of Amsterdam operating upon the Effects of fatiguing Journeys dangerous Voyages, a Variety of Climates and eternal Anxiety of Mind, I have not been able to write you so often as I wished: But now I hope the fine Season and the pure Air of the Hague, will restore me. Perhaps You will say that the Air of a...
530John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I find that the Air of the Hague, and the Return of warm Weather, tho later than was ever known, is of great Service to my Health. I mount on Horseback every Morning, and riding is of Use to me. I have not escaped the “Influenza,” as they call it, which began in Russia and has been epidemical, in all Europe. Mr. Thaxter too has at last submitted to this all subduing Climate and had a Fever,...
531From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 15 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
The ill Health, contracted in Amsterdam, which began with a violent nervous Fever, last August, and which left me with Gout and Scurvy, and a complication of Disorders, which are scarce yet cured, have prevented me from Writing to my Friends so often as I wished. It was necessary that I Should take my Station, at Amsterdam, in the Time of it, for the Sake of the Society of my Countrymen, and...
532From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 15 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
This Morning, I made a Visit to the Grand Pensionary Mr Van Bleiswick, and had a long Conference with him concerning the Plan of a Treaty of Commerce, which is now under Consideration, and endeavoured to remove some of his objections, and to explain to him the Grounds and Reasons of certain Articles which have been objected to by others—particularly the Article which respects France and that...
533From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 14 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, 14 June 1782. RC ( PCC , No. 84, IV, f. 89–93). LbC ( Adams Papers ). printed : Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , ed. Francis Wharton, Washington, D.C., 1889; 6 vols. , 5:493–494. Livingston received this letter on 11 Sept. ( PCC , No. 185, III, f. 41). In it, JA
534From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 13 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I had Yesterday, at Amsterdam, the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of June 2. The Discovery that Mr Grenvilles Power, was only to treat with France does not Surprize me, at all. The British Ministry, are too much divided among themselves, and have too formidable an opposition against them, in the King and the old Ministers, and are possessed of too little of the Confidence of the...
535From John Adams to John Hodshon, 13 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I called the day before Yesterday at your House, but had not the good Fortune to find you at home. My Business was to pay you my Respects, and to present you my Sincere Thanks for your Kindness and Politeness to me, in assisting my Removal from Amsterdam to the Hague, and to pay you the Expence of it. But not finding you at home and being obliged to return to the Hague, I do myself the Honour...
536From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 13 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I must beg the Favour of you, to call on Send to Mr De Neufville, and pay him, an Account he has against the United States, for Services done under my Direction amounting to better than 2000 Guilders, and take his Receipt upon the Account and charge it in your Books to the United States of America. He has also a Small an Account against me in my private Capacity, to which should be added the...
537From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 13 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
There is a Person, by the Name of Joseph Stevens in Amsterdam, a Native of America, who has attended me, through many a dangerous Voyage and painful Journey; but who has fallen in Love with and married a young Woman in Amsterdam, which obliged him to leave my service. I wish well to the Man, and should be glad to assist him if it were in my Power, in getting a Living. But I knew of no better...
538To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 13 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society I had Yesterday, at Amsterdam, the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of June 2d. The Discovery that Mr Grenvilles Power, was only to treat with France does not Surprize me, at all. The British Ministry, are too much divided among themselves, and have too formidable an opposition against them, in the King and the old Ministers, and are...
539Contract for a Loan with Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 11 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Translation from the Dutch minuted on a Seal of 48 Stivers. (Signed.) Van Hole Notarÿ . On the Eleventh daÿ of June in the ÿear one thousand Seven hundred and eightÿ two appeared before me Pieter Galenus van Hole Notarÿ of Amsterdam admitted bÿ the honble. court of Holland. The Honble. John Adams Esqr. Minister plenipotentiarÿ on the part of the united States of America bÿ their high...
540From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 10 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inform you, that I have this day drawn upon you, in favour of Messrs Fizeau Grand & Co for the Amount of Six hundred and twenty five Pounds sterling being for my Salary, for one Quarter of a Year, which you will please to charge to the United states, according to the Resolutions of Congress. I hope I shall not have occasion to draw upon your Excellency for any further Sums...