3301John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you Things from Bilbao, by Captain Babson, and a small present by the M. de la Fayette, another by Mr. Lee, another by Mr. Wharton, and shall send another by Mr. Brown, another by Mr. Izard, and perhaps another by the Viscount de Noailles, and the Alliance will bring you and your Neighbours, what you and they wrote for. I intend to tax every Gentleman who goes from here, towards...
3302John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Brown, whom I left at Passy, when I returned to you, and whom I found here, upon my return to Paris, will deliver you this and another Letter which I intended to have sent by the Viscount de Noailles, and two small Bundles containing a Piece of Chintz each. The Price is horrid, Sixty Livres a Piece, but I cannot trade, I suppose others would get them at half Price. If you will make me buy...
3303From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from London: I have recieved another from Mr. Jennings, who says he inclosed a Letter for you lately, but does not mention the Date, in one to the House of Mr. Grand, and desires me to enquire there, for some things of his, particularly some Maps which You left there. I have enquired of Mr. Grand and his Son Henry, but they know nothing of it. There is Room to hope that...
3304From John Adams to Richard Henry Lee, 15 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
After my last Embarkation for Europe, Your Letter of October the eighth was brought me on Board the French Frigate the Sensible, just upon the point of sailing, so that I had no Opportunity to answer it in America, and since my Arrival in Europe, I have gone through a Land Journey from Ferrol in Spain to Paris little short of four hundred Leagues, in the dead of Winter, in such Roads and such...
3305John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have never answered your Letter of the 8th. of June, that I remember, and there is nothing in it that requires a particular Answer but it affects me, with a Pleasure and a Tenderness and an Anxiety and a Pain, that I cannot describe to you, as all your Letters ever did and ever will, that describe your own sentiments and your own Distresses as well as those of our Country. They are the...
3306John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have not particularly answered your amiable Letter of 10 Decr. Your tender Anxiety distresses me, much: I hope your Faith however, has returned before now with your Spirits. If Captain Trash arrived safe from Corunna you have heard from me, or if Babson from Bilboa. Your delicate Charles is as hardy as a flynt. He sustains every thing better than any of Us, even than the hardy Sailor his...
3307John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your Favour of December the 12, and thank you for your Attention to the Widows, whose Letters came safe by the same Conveyance. The Way of Spain is a very good one to send light Letters containing any interesting Intelligence, but large Packetts mount the Postage so high as to make it too heavy. The Method of cutting out from Newspapers interesting Paragraphs, and inclosing...
3308From John Adams to James Lovell, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received, Since my Arrival here, your Favour of the Sixteenth of November 1779. I shall take proper Notice of your Remarks upon the 19 and 13 Articles of the Treaty. They are, both of Importance and as to the last I wish for an Instruction upon it, because there is no doubt to be made, that whenever a Serious Negotiation shall be commenced, great Pains will be taken for the banished,...
3309From John Adams to William Vernon Sr., 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival, here, I have recieved yours of the 17th of December 1778, and 10th of April 1779. The News of so many Captures made by our Navy would have been useful Intelligence, if I had recieved it here in Season. I beg You however, to continue me your favors in the same Kind; for there is no News more agreeable, or interesting than the Success of your Board, and our Privateers. It is by...
3310From John Adams to James Warren, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 13th. of June last, is not answered—not recieved ’till my Arrival here. You will be so overloaded with News about the Time this will reach You, that I will not add to the Heap. We have none from America a long Time—none since Christmas. You say I was envied—perhaps so: but they would not have envied me in the Gulph Stream, nor when chased forty eight Hours by three British...
3311John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter, giving an Account of your Studies for a day. You should have dated your Letter. Making Latin, construing Cicero, Erasmus, the Appendix de Diis et Heroibus ethnicis, and Phaedrus, are all Exercises proper for the Acquisition of the Latin Tongue; you are constantly employed in learning the Meaning of Latin Words, and the Grammar, the Rhetorick and Criticism of the...
3312From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
This will be sent or delivered by the Viscount de Noailles, a Son of the Duke D’Ayen a Brother of the Lady of the Marquis de la Fayette, an amiable and gallant young Nobleman as full of military Ardour as the Marquis. We have this Moment the News of the safe Arrival, of a Convoy and sixty Sail of Merchant ships of St. Domingo, which is a great Event, for this Country, and for Ours. It is also...
3313From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Marquis de la Fayettes Brother, the Viscount de Noailles tells me, he should be glad to take Letters to America, and I dont know to whom I can give him a Letter with more Propriety than to the General of Saratoga. I should be proud to return any Civilities you may shew him to any of your Friends, who may travell to Paris. I want very much to know, what Scope the Ennemy have from New York,...
3314From John Adams to Nathanael Greene, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Give me Leave, by the Opportunity of the Viscount de Noailles, to take this Method of reviving a Correspondence, which has been interupted almost three Years, but was one of the most pleasing I ever had. It is unnecessary to say any thing of the Expedition with which this Letter is intended to go, because I hope it will reveal itself to You, in Accounts which will make themselves heard and...
3315From 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...
3316From John Adams to James Warren, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Monsieur Jean Baptiste Petry Secretary to the Comte de Chatelet, a Marshall of the Camps and Armies of the King of France, is, as he says, going to America, and as he is connected with some Gentlemen to whom I am much obliged, I cannot but comply with his Desire, and give him a few Letters of Introduction. He is represented to be a worthy, sensible and agreable Man. The Marquis de la Fayette...
3317From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 19 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Convoy, with sixty Sail of Merchantmen from St. Domingo, is arrived safe, which shows that Rodney’s good Fortune is not to comprehend all things, and gives great Spirits in this Country. Pray what foundation do You find for the Report of a Quintuple Alliance, between Sweeden, Denmark, Russia, Prussia and the United Provinces for the reciprocal Protection of their Flags from Insults? What...
3318From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 19 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
The British Admiralty sent Orders to Portsmouth the 21st. Feby., for the Departure of a small Squadron of Frigates, which accordingly sailed on the 28th, under the Command of Captain Marshall of the Emerald of 32. Guns: The others are the Hussar of 32, the Surprize of 28, the Squirrel, and the Heart of Oak of 20: the Sloops the Beavers Prize of 14, the Wolf and Wasp of 8, with the Cutters the...
3319From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 21, 19 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 19 March, 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 333–335). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:560–561. In this letter, read in Congress on 22 July, John Adams repeated, almost verbatim, the newspaper accounts of British naval movements and the...
3320From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 22, 20 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 20 March 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 337–338). LbC ( Adams Papers ); notation: “No. 22 delivered Mr. Izard.” printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:561. With this letter, read in Congress on 1 Aug., John Adams sent copies of the London...
3321From John Adams to Alexander Gillon, 21 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I recieved yours of the 14th. which came very safe. I thank You for the News about the Northern Powers, but should have been glad you had been more particular. There are Reasons to suspect that some Letters are opened, but as the friends of our Country must communicate with each other, it will not do to interrupt Correspondences for fear our Letters shall be opened. We may write so...
3322From John Adams to William Lee, 21 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your Favour from Brussells of the 17th. of this Month, and I thank you for this Instance of your Attention to me. Considering the State of Ireland, and the Spirit which Seems to be rising in England, which has already attained Such an Height, as to baffle the Minister in the East India Company, and to carry many Votes in the House of Commons almost to a Ballance with him...
3323From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 21 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
In the letter which you did me the honour to write me the 24th. of February your Excellency proposed that the principal object of my Mission shou’d be inserted in the Gazette of France, when it shou’d make mention of my presentation to the King and Royal Family. In the answer to this letter which I had the honour write on the 25th. of February, I informed your Excellency that I shou’d not...
3324John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received your Letter, of Yesterday, and am very well pleased with it, because it is written with care, in an handsome Hand, and is prettily expressed, which shews that nothing is wanting but Pains and care, to make you an excellent Writer, for your Age. I am of Mr. Pechini’s Opinion that it is better to keep your Brother Charles to conjugating Verbs for some time, I agree...
3325From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams fait mille Complimens sinceres a Monsieur Genet et Remerciamens pour les Gazettes Angloises. Monsieur Genet est prié de la part de M. A. de vouloir bien l’informer, quand, et a qui, le payment pour ces Gazettes doit etre faite. Au Surplus, M. A. souhaite de scavoir, si le Bruit qui etoit repandu hier, de quelque Changement dans le Ministere Anglois, ait quelque fondement. Et l’autre,...
3326John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet: A Translation, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams sends his sincere compliments to Mr. Genet and thanks him for the British gazettes. Mr. Adams would like Mr. Genet to please inform him when, and to whom, the payment for these gazettes should be made. In addition, Mr. Adams would like to know if the rumor spread yesterday concerning some change in the British ministry has any foundation. Also the rumor concerning a quintuple...
3327From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 23, 23 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose the English Papers of the eleventh thirteenth and fourteenth of March. The Courier de L’Europe and the Hague, Leiden and Amsterdam Gazettes. We are in hourly Expectation of great News from Holland, Ireland, England, Spain, and above all from America and the West Indies. I have not a Letter from America, since I left it, except one from my Family of the tenth of...
3328John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
This goes by Colonel Fleury, whom you know, who desires to carry a Letter to you. My three Boys dined with me Yesterday, being a Playday for them, in fine Health and Spirits. I long to hear, whether Captain Trash arrived from Corunna, who had Letters from me to you, or Captain Babson who had Letters and more. I dont know whether you have yet heard of our Arrival. There are a great Number of...
3329From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 24, 24 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Burke’s Bill not being as yet public, we are not yet informed of the Extent of it. But as it already appears, that it strikes at the Department of Secretary of State for America, at the Board of Trade, there seems to be little Reason to doubt that it goes further and strikes at the American Board of Commissioners, at all the American Judges of Admiralty, Governors of Provinces, Secretaries...
3330From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 25, 24 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 24 March 1780. RC ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 353–356). LbC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Adams Papers ); notation by Thaxter: “Nos. 24 & 25 deliverd Mr. Izard 25th. March 1780.” printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:570–572. In this letter, received by Congress on 31...
3331From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 26, 26 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 26 March 1780. RC ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 357–360). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:573–576. In this letter, received by Congress on 31 July and read on 1 Aug., John Adams used material taken from British newspapers to describe the celebrations on 2 March...
3332From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 27, 27 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 27 March 1780. RC ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 361–364). In this letter, received by Congress on 31 July and read on 1 Aug., John Adams wrote that war “is now generally considered as a Contest of Finances; so that the Nation which can the longest find Money to carry on the War, can generally hold out the longest.” Adams believed that Great Britain, because of its heavy taxation since 1774, had...
3333John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Izard goes off, the day after tomorrow, and will carry this, and all the News there is. We have none from America, a long time. I have only yours of 10 decr. since I left you. I hope you have received Letters from me, from Corunna and Bilbao. There are gone many for you, since my Arrival here, but I suppose are still detained at the Sea Ports. They will soon sail. My 3 Boys dined with me...
3334From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 28 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am almost ashamed to acknowledge, after ten days, the receipt of your favor of the 18th, and to thank You for the pains You have taken in searching the Treaties for Examples of Subsidies. I had understood that the House of Austria, altho’ one of the most powerful in Europe, and the constant Rival of that of Bourbon, not being a maritime and commercial Power, had always occasion for Money, to...
3335From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 28, 28 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 28 March 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 365–366). With this letter, received by Congress on 31 July and read on 1 Aug., John Adams sent newspapers and reported on John Jay’s arrival in Spain. See Adams to Edmund Jenings, 28 March , and note 3 (above). RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 365–366.)
3336From John Adams to James Lovell, 29 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
The States of the Province of Friesland, have come to a Resolution, that it was certain that Byland was not the Aggressor, but that Fielding, had not hesitated, to make Use of Force to visit the dutch Ships under Convoy, to stop those that were found loaded with Hemp, and to insult the Flagg of the Republic. That this Proceeding shows, that the Complaisance hitherto employed towards England,...
3337From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 29, 29 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 29 March 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 369–372). LbC ( Adams Papers ); notation by Thaxter: “Nos. 26, 27, 28 & 29 were delivered to Mr. Izard 29th. March 1780.” printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:578–580. This letter, received by...
3338From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 30, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, March 30 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 383–384). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:581–582. Read by Congress on 11 Sept., this letter contained an account of a confrontation in February between several corps of Irish volunteers and a...
3339From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 31, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose to Congress Copies of certain Letters, which I have had the Honor to write to the Comte de Vergennes, and of others which I have recieved from him. It seems that the Presentations of the American Commissioners and Ministers Plenipotentiary have not been inserted in the Gazette, which occasioned some Uneasiness in the Minds of some of our Countrymen, as they thought...
3340From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour of your Excellency’s letter of this day, in answer to mine of the 21st. of this month. Untill the receipt of it, I had taken it for granted that the presentation of every Ambassador was regularly inserted in the Gazette of France; and untill very lately, several days since the date of my letter to your Excellency of the 21st. of this month, I had supposed that the...
3341From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 31 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your’s of the 26th, and that of the 15th. of this Month. I inclose a Copy of the Letter You desire. Mr. Garnier is gone into the Country, and I have not seen him since I arrived here. Mr. Iz. however has seen him and will give You a satisfactory Account of what he says. If I were to apply to the other Gentleman, You know what would be the Consequence. It would fly very soon to...
3342John Adams to Abigail Adams, April – May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday We went to see the Garden of the King, Jardin du Roi, and his Cabinet of natural History, Cabinet d’Histoire naturell. The Cabinet of natural History is a great Collection, of Metals, Mineral s , shells, Insects, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and presscious stones. They are arranged in good order, and preserved in good condition, with the name of every thing beautifully written on a piece...
3343From John Adams to Jeremiah Allen, 2 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received yours of the 27 of March from Libourne, which gave me great Pleasure, and relieved my Mind from a Burthen as I had been under Anxiety least you should have been sick, as I had made many Enquiries after you, and could hear nothing, not even where you was. Mr Thaxter never received your letter. The Report you mention is but one of a Million lies, that are circulated by...
3344From John Adams to John Bondfield, 2 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have had particular Reasons, which rendered it my Duty, to say little about my Mission to Europe, until lately, when these Reasons were all removed, by the settlements of certain Points, needless to mention. I am now therefore at Liberty to inform You that I have the Honor to be a Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, vested with full Powers to treat and conclude with...
3345From John Adams to John Bondfield, 2 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have Occasion for a Cask of Bordeaux Wine, of the very best Quality, such as You sent Us, when I was at Passy. I wish You would be so good, as to send it me, as soon as possible, as I am in great distress for want of it, having none, and being able to get none so good for daily Consumption. Your Bill for the Money shall be paid punctually. Another favor I have to ask of You, and that is a...
3346From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 2 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
After Settling a Point or two here, I now think myself at Liberty to inform you, that I have indeed the Honour, to be a Minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, “vested with full Powers and Instructions to confer, treat, agree and conclude with the Ambassadors or Plenipotentiaries of his most christian Majesty and of his Britannic Majesty, and those of any other Princes or...
3347From John Adams to William Lee, 2 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 30th. of March, is just come to Hand, and I thank you for it. I did not Suspect construe any Thing in your last into a design of drawing from me, any of the Secrets of my mission, indeed there is no secret in it, but my Instructions, which will I hope forever remain so, untill they are executed if that time should ever come. I have had Reasons, however for saying nothing...
3348From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 32, 3 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 3 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 395–400). LbC ( Adams Papers ); notation by Thaxter: “No 32 delivered Capt. Landais 3d. April.” printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:593–596. In this letter, which was read in Congress on 11 Sept.,...
3349From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 33, 3 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 3 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 387–394). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:588–592. John Adams began this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, by paraphrasing the first portion of William Lee’s letter of 30 March...
3350From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 34, 4 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 4 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 405–408). 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 paraphrased the resolutions praising Henry Grattan for his efforts on behalf of Ireland in the Irish Parliament...