31From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 1 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favour of 28 Novr.—and shall take the proper Care of the Papers enclosed. I must beg your Pardon for not having regularly answered your Correspondence, lately as I ought, but I have had too little Health, and too many other affaires, to be punctual to pay my debts to my friends. I thank you, Sir, for your Humanity, Patriotism and Friendship in advancing 100£ for the...
32From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 29 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favours of the 14 and of the 26. I thank you for the Extract, and hope you will discover by whom and to whom it was written. That they do not give to me, a very blind Confidence is true. That they have given orders to some Persons to Spy me, may be true. That they know me to be an honest Man, and inflexible in the cause, and perhaps some times too ardent, I am certain. That I...
33From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 29 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favours of 14 and 26. I thank you for the Extract, and hope you will discover by whom and to whom it was written. I dont See the Virtue nor the Wisdom, nor the Honour of writing Such Things to the English. It would be Sufficient, one should think to write them to America. However, just as they please. As long as they pursue with tryumphant success, the System, which was urged...
34From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 24 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have never answered your favor of August 22d. As to the Letters inclosed, I can say nothing. I cannot advise your Friend to take much Trouble about the Affair, because I think Congress will not be able to attend much to such things until the War is over. It is wholly out of my department, and I can do nothing in it, unless it be to inclose these or any other proposals to my Constituents. I...
35From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I was favoured, in due time with yours of 17. Septr, but have not been able to acknowledge it, till now. The late Transaction you allude to is this, a new Commission for Peace. J. Adams, B. Franklin, H. Laurens, J. Jay, and T. Jefferson are the Ministers. I dont See that this is any Tryal at all of Spirit and Fortitude,—it is more honourable than before and, much more easy. I assure you it has...
36From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 29 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer of this Mr. Winslow Warren, is the Son of my Friend Major General Warren of the Massachusetts. He is, on all Sides of Families the most ancient and honourable and meritorious of that Part of America. And the Young Gentn. himself is amiable and has Merit. I should be vastly obliged to you, if you would shew him Brussels. Pray shall We have the Pleasure to see you here in a few days?...
37From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 27 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 22. Will you be so kind as to give me the Address of your Nephew, that I may be able to convey to him, Letters for America, as I may have opportunity before he Sails. At present I know not what to write from this Country. We are now to wait untill the 20th. of June and then see great Things. The Packets you mention reached me, the Sixth of this Month, after many...
38Enclosure: Draft of an Article, 23 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is often Said in this Country, “We have nothing to gain by this War.” But who is to gain? If Holland has nothing to gain, it has much to loose, and the Question now is not what is to be gained, but was it to be Saved and defended. This Republick, may loose all her Possessions in the East and West Indies: she may loose her Navigation and Commerce: she may loose her Baltick Trade: her...
39From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 22 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
With great pleasure have I recieved yours of the 19th, with its Inclosures. I wish I could answer more at large, but in addition to a thousand other Objects crowding upon me at present, I have had to write my obscure Name nine and twenty thousand times to Obligations and Coupons, which I expect will give me before it is ended a great Name at least, if not a great deal of Money. I am...
40From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 12 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of 5. You will honour and oblige me much sir, by your Thoughts upon the Subject of European Jealousy and Caprice, hinted at. You will see that the Empress has undertaken to mediate between E. and Holland, but she will not join the Emperors Mediation but on two Conditions Sine quibus non. These are 1. an Acknowledgment by England of American Independance. 2. An...
41From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 11 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Translation, which came to hand yesterday. I do myself the Honour to inclose you, a Pamphlet, translated from the third Edition of the Dutch. It was written by Mr. Calkoen they pronounce it Kalkoon, a Lawyer of the first Character here, with whom I am very well acquainted. The Pamphlet is a consummate Justification of Van Berkel, Tamminck and all the Rest. It is amazing...
42From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have this day the Honour of yours of 5. It would be unwise in Congress, to neglect any Effort to induce other Powers of Europe to acknowledge our Independancy, and therefore I am fully of opinion that at least one Minister Should be sent to treat with the Maritime Powers, or rather the neutral Union. For these Powers will all acknowlege our Independance at once, and none of them will do it...
43From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 31. Jan. is arrived. A Courier is arrived from Petersburg, who carried the Notice of Sir Yorkes leaving the Hague. All’s well in the north. The Courtiers in England, who indeed compose the nation, flatter themselves they shall raise the Devil in Holland. They may raise a Spirit but it will be a good one. The Symptems are very Strong. If popular Rage gets loose it will not dewitt, John...
44From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 31 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of 24 is received. I wish that Madrid would put an End to Husseys and Cumberlands Masquerades. They do no good, if they do no harm. I think it is pretty certain that the English Ministry, are Seeking a Connection with the Emperor, but as there is nothing to be gotten by a Connection with them but broken Bones if he has as much Sense as he is reputed to have, he will rather choose...
45From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 20 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your Favour of the 18th., and thank you for the good News. I dont believe any Thing of the story of the French Fleet and Army, at Carolina, but the Tide is turned and the Torrent will soon flow in the south. The Actions of Trenton, Bennington and Kings Mountain are enough to shew, the total Impractibility of subduing America or any Part of it. In times of the greatest...
46From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 3 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 1st. of this Year, and thank you for your kind Congratulations, which I return with equal Sincerity. My Mind is, as you conjecture much engaged at present, and altho I am not able to do much towards midwifing the great Events, with which the Times are pregnant, yet I dont think the less, nor the less anxiously about them for that. Englands temporary Security,...
47From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 31 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour of yours of the 28. We have no Letters or Papers from London later than the 19 or 20, which leaves Us in the dark. There has been a Fermentation, here, which indicates War, the Apprehension of which is born by the Dutch at this time with more Firmness than I expected. The Motive of England, is to pick a quarrell upon a Pretext of an offence different from the armed...
48From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 11. The Inclosures I have packed with my Dispatches, and the Duplicate of Mr. Amorys, to go by the first opportunity. Sir Joseph will kick, and cuff and pinch this People untill he forces into them a little Spunk. They cry shame upon his last Memorial more than the former. However I believe he knows enough of the nature of them, to answer his End, which I...
49From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 6 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, for yours of 30 Nov. I return the two Letters from Mr. L. I had the Honour of one, from him, by each of those opportunities, nearly to the Same Purpose. Your kind concern for our Health is very obliging. I shall cover me with Flannels and Furs, like a Dutchman. A Mans Feelings, Soon remove all the Ridicule of it. The “Pensees” will Serve to excite a Curiosity after the Memorial....
50From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 1 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I thank You for your favour of the 20th. of November. I am really weary of reading such Follies as Motions to address the King for Peace. They are only delusions to the People of England, the People of America, and all the other Nations of the Earth. The Case of Mr. Laurens, and those of Mr. Trumbull and Tyler, among Millions of other Incidents shew, with whom We have to do. The States General...
51From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved yours of the first. Will You be so good as to explain to me, what is meant by “Instructions to endeavour to inspire American Agents at Madrid, with Distrust and Jealousy of one another, at present employed in Europe?” What the armed Neutrality will come to, I know not. I believe it would have been much easier to have negotiated all the Maritime Powers of Europe into an...
52From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 23 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your excellent Letter of the nineteenth I have recieved. Your feelings I find are in Unison with mine, upon the behaviour of Cornwallis, and the Treatment of Mr. Laurens. It is not however at all surprising to me. I have ever expected, whenever I have crossed the Atlantic, to be treated with the same and with greater Indignities, if I should have been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands...
53From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Bowdoin, a gentleman of Virginia, is passing through Brussells in his Way to France. He is a young American of good Character here, and I have the honour to recommend him to your Notice. Pray what think you, of the Face of affairs? According to present Appearances a year or two more, will probably deliver our country from the Ennemies within it, tho it may not bring Peace. The K. of...
54From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 23 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour, written after your Return from Spa and am very glad you had so pleasant a Tour and found So agreable a Reception. I find that my Friend in Philadelphia, reprinted the Letters on the Spirit and Resources of Great Britain: after which they were again printed in Boston, and much admired. A Gentleman from Boston, tells me, he heard there, that they were written by one...
55From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 6 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter from Antwerp, of the 5th. which I received last night by Mr. Douglas, was very agreable. The News it contains is very good. But there must be Letters and Papers, with all the Particulars, by such a Number of Vessells. The arrival of all these Vessells is a great Event to the French and American Commerce, and I hope in Time will convince both Parties of the importance of it, and of...
56From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just received yours of 15th. Mr. Gridleys News, was I suppose only The Fruit of the Tree of Cracovie. I have seen the Observations &c. in the general Advertiser. I thank you sir, for all your Trouble. The Lord knows what Compensation you will ever have for it all. I lay burthens upon you without Number, or Mercy, I think. But I cannot and will not be idle. I think We are serving our...
57From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just received the Court Gazette with Clintons Proclamations. I would give any Thing I had time to write you, a whole sheet about Carolina. The Party of Horse, that galloped out—what did they meet with? By the Return of killed, and Prisoners, it must have been the most obstinate and desperate defence that ever was made, or a barbarous and diabolical Massacre—take which you will, and what...
58From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 14 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Have just received yours of the 9th and I thank you. Waynes Agreement is thus explained. Gen. Arnold—Com. Jones, and many other officers of the American Army and Navy, have all along made it a maxim that the whiggish young Gentlemen ought to convert the Tory young Ladies. Accordingly the genteelest Part of the officers of Boston and Philadelphia used to keep up an Acquaintance with several...
59From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
In the 116 page of the inclosed Mercury, you will find the Strictures upon Lord G. Germaines nonsense. I dont see them in the English Papers. I suppose no Printer dares insert them. But I Swore they shall be seen, and therefore I beg you to get them inserted in the Leyden or Amsterdam or the Hague Gazette or all three. If it cant be done without pay let them be paid. I will repay in a moment....
60From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 4 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
After spending the day very happily with a Number of our Countrymen in Commemoration of our glorious Anniversary, I cannot close the Evening more agreably than by conversing with You. I have three Letters of yours before me—10th—18th—29th—June. The Letter from Clinton was indeed as I am told by some Americans lately arrived, a mere Sport of Wit. I am told it was written by a General Howe, of...