1111From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 19 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, December 1, 1781—wrote to Major Jackson: “Last night I received your letter of the 12th of November, and am very sorry to find that you were not likely to sail as you expected. My dear Mrs. Adams, who has heard that Charles is coming home in Gillon, has a thousand anxieties about him, which will increase every moment until his arrival. But when we trust ourselves to wind and waves...
1112John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 24 August 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
If I am neither deceived by the little Information I have, or by my Wishes for its truth, I Should Say that France is the most Protestant Country of Europe at this time, though I cannot think it the most reformed . In consequence of these Reveries I have imagined that Camus and the Institute , meant, by the revival and continuance of the Acta Sanctorum, to destroy the Pope and the Catholic...
1113From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 30 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Journal proceeds—1782 Nov. 29, Friday. Met Mr. Fitzberbert, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jay, Mr. Laurens, (for the first time) and Mr. Stratchy, at Mr. Jay’s Hotel D’Orleans; and spent the whole day in discussions about the fishery, and the Tories.—I proposed a new article concerning the fisheries. It was discussed and turned in every light and multitudes of amendments proposed on each side, and at...
1114John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I cannot be Serious! I am about to write You, the most frivolous letter, you ever read. Would you go back to your Cradle and live over again your 70 years? I believe you would return me a New England Answer, by asking me another question “Would you live your 80 Years over again”? If I am prepared to give you an explicit Answer, the question involves So many considerations of Metaphysicks and...
1115From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 24 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, June 15, 1782—Wrote to Secretary Livingston. “This morning, I made a visit to the grand pensionary of Holland, Mr Van Bleiswick, and had a long conference with him, concerning the plan of a treaty of commerce which is now under consideration, and endeavored to remove some of his objections; and to explain to him the grounds and reasons of certain articles which have been objected to...
1116From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 18 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
As my object is to deposit as much about information concerning an interesting period of our history, as remains in my possession, and that they may not be scattered like the season’s leaves and like my friend Samuel Adams’ papers, I think it proper to send you some other copies which happen to be in my power.— To B Franklin, Esq. Paris, 5th June, 1782. Sir—Mr. Laurens, while under confinement...
1117From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 16 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
AMSTERDAM, October 25, 1781—wrote to congress—“I see in the London Courant which arrived to day, an advertisement of a translation into English, of the address to the people of the Netherlands: so that this work is likely to be translated into all languages and read by all the world; notwithstanding the placards against it. I have before sent that of Utrecht: that of Holland is as follows. The...
1118From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 14 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
LEYDEN, March 10, 1781—wrote to Commodore Gillon: “I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the eighth of this month, requesting me to furnish you with fifty obligations of the United States, to enable you to discharge the debts of the ships, of which you have the command, in the service of the state of S. Carolina. I have considered your letter, sir, and all the...
1119From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 10 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, October 17, 1781—wrote to congress: “There is at present a fermentation in this nation which may arise to violent extremities. Hundreds of pamphlets have appeared, some against the Court, some against the city and sovereign magistrates of Amsterdam, all of which must be adjudged to be seditious libels. At length a large pamphlet has appeared in Dutch; and having been distributed...
1120From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
When the conferences between the British and American ministers were first opened, or very soon afterwards, the former demanded the cession of the whole Province of Maine. They pretended that it was no part of the province of the Massachusetts bay, and therefore no part of the American confederacy, and consequently not included in their commission nor in ours—that the boundary between the...
1121From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 15 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
All that I have written you, hitherto, upon the history of the Original of our Navy, was from Memory, without thinking of Book or Paper. But in the course of my lucubrations I thought of the Journals of the Congress; waste Paper, which Seems to be forgotten by Mankind, and which I myself with the rest of the fashionable World have rarely opened for 35 Years. I had a long time to Search among...
1122From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 15 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The instructions of congress to Mr Jay, as minister to the king of Spain, were never communicated to me. At least, I have no recollection, and can find no copy or memorandum of them. One link in the chain will therefore be wanting. But to furnish all in my power, and to shew to the attentive inquirer, the refinements and double refinements of the Comte de Vergennes’ policy, the following...
1123From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
Another original letter of the Count de Vergennes to Dr. Franklin or sending him Mr. Adam’s correspondence. A Versailles Le 31 Juillet, 1780. Le caractére dont vous étes révétu, Monsieur, votre sagesse et la confiance que je mêts dans vos principes et dans vos sentimens, m’engagent à vos communiquer la correspondance, que je viens je avoir avec Mr Adams. Vous trouverez, Je pense, dans les...
1124From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 1 March 1810 (Adams Papers)
AMSTERDAM, August 25, 1781—wrote to Dr. Franklin: “Last evening I received your excellency’s letter of the 16th of this month, accompanied with a letter from the president of congress containing the commission you mention. (That is, the commission of the 15th of June, printed in my last letter.) You desire to know what steps have already been taken in this business. There has been no step...
1125Memorandum Preceding Letter to George Wythe, January 1776, 21 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
In the beginning of the year 1776 There was printed, at Phyladelphia, a Pamphlet under the Title of Thoughts on Government in a Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend, if memory serves me. The Gentleman was Mr John Adams and his then a Member of Congress and his Friend now President of the United States and his Friend was Mr George Wythe then a Member of Congress from Virginia and now...
1126Three party indenture for distribution of property between JA and AA et al., 7 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
This indenture of three parts made and concluded this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & fourteen by and between John Adams Esquire and Abigail his wife in her right, of Quincy in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Richard Norton of Alexandria in the District of Columbia Esquire, William Norton of Weymouth in said County of Norfolk,...
1127Note Regarding Genesis of Thoughts on Government, 21 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
In the Winter of 1776 there was much discussion in Congress concerning the Necessity of Independence, and advising the Several States to institute Governments for themselves under the immediate Authority and original Power of The People. Great difficulties, occurred to many Gentlemen, in making a Transition from the Old Governments to the new, i.e from the Royal to Republican Governments. In...
1128To the Boston Patriot, 6 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
ON Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, 1782 I arrived in the night, at the Hotel de Valois, Rue de Richelieu in Paris, after a journey of ten days from the Hague, from whence Mr. John Thaxter and Mr. Charles Storer departed with me, on the Thursday se’night preceding. I have several times performed this journey of about three hundred and twenty-five miles in three days. But rains of unusual...