501[Saturday Feb. 17. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Saturday Feb. 17. 1776. The Committee to whom the Letters from Generals Arnold, Wooster, Schuyler and Lee were referred brought in their report, which was agreed to in the several Resolutions detailed in page 67. and 68 of this Volume of the Journals. Same day Resolved that Mr. J. Adams, Mr. Wythe and Mr. Sherman be a Committee to prepare Instructions for the Committee appointed to go to...
502From John Adams to James Warren, October 1775 (Adams Papers)
What think you of a North American Monarchy? Suppose We should appoint a Continental King, and a Continental House of Lords, and a Continental House of Commons, to be annually, or triennially or Septennially elected? And in this Way make a Supreme American Legislature? This is easily done you know by an omnipotent Continental Congress, and When once effected, His American Majesty may appoint a...
503John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. A. and Coll. Whipple, are at length gone. Coll. Tudor went off with them. They went away, about Three o Clock this afternoon. I wrote by A and Coll. Whipple too. By the latter I sent two large Bundles, which he promised to deliver to you. These middle States begin to taste the Sweets of War. Ten Thousand Difficulties and wants occur, which they had no Conception of before. Their Militia...
504From John Adams to William MacCreery, 13 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I never heard a Word of your Arrival, untill this Day. I sincerely congratulate you upon it, and hope the fine Cargo you have brought will Set you at your Ease. Pray how did you leave all Friends and all Things at Baltimore, and in the rest of America? What is become of my old Friends Johnson, Paca, Chase, and many others? Baltimore flourishes, it seems in trade, which I wish may be increased,...
505From John Adams to Henry Grand, 1 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
You cannot imagine how much I am obliged to you for your early Information of the glorious News. I have Since received ample details of it from America, but your Letter reached me several days Sooner. I last night recd yours of 23 Novr—and will write you more fully upon it soon. We shall agree in every Thing I believe but the Article of L 6857: 3s, which you charge me for 29 Feb. 1780, as an...
506From John Adams to Thomas Barclay, 9 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d the Letter you Yesterday did me the Honour to write me, and will lay before you, all the Accounts I have, which are little more than Sums of Money rec d. for my Salary as Soon as I can get at my Books and Papers, which are at the Hague. M r Grand will be able to furnish you with the Account of the Monies paid by him or by the House of Horneca Fizeaux & Grand at Amsterdam for the...
507From John Adams to Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol, 6 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
Upon my Return to Town, to day I found your Favour of the 5th. instant: that of 31. Ult I had recd before. Am curious to know what Use will be made in the States of overyssell of the Memorial of the Russian Ministers. Will it be used as a Pretext for delay? It is really a Serious Thing, that great affairs should be thus obstructed by little ones. This Memorial promises more than Mr Fox’s...
508[Fryday Feb. 23. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Fryday Feb. 23. 1776. Resolved that Congress will on Monday next resolve itself into a Committee of the whole, to take into Consideration the Letters from General Washington.
509From John Adams to James Lovell, 6 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Favours of 14 and 18 Novr. I received together, this Evening. I thank you, for your obliging Remembrance of me, and for your entertaining Anecdotes. Is there not Ground of Suspicion, that the Standards, Trophys, and other things, are concealed among, the Officers Baggage? But by the Convention Burgoignes Honour is to be relyed on, that nothing improper Shall be So concealed. A broken...
510Monday. 27. (Adams Papers)
Dined with Mr. Boulainvilliers, at his House in Passi, with Generals and Bishops and Ladies &c—In the Evening went to the French Comedy, and happened to be placed in the first Box, very near to the celebrated Voltaire who attended the Performance of his own Alzire. Between the Acts the Audience called out Voltaire and clapped and applauded him, the whole Time. The old Poet arose and bowed...
511From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 11 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
As there are certain particulars, in which it has appeared to me that the friendship of a French Minister has been problematical at least, or rather not to exist at all, I have freely mentioned them to Congress; because I hold it to be the first duty of a public Minister in my Situation, to conceal no important Truth of this kind from his Masters. But Ingratitude is an odious Vice, & ought to...
512May 18 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. La Frété’s Country Seat, at the Foot of Mount Calvare. The House, Gardens, and Walks are very spacious. It lies upon the Seine—nearly opposite to that Castle whimsically called Madrid, built by Francis I. —The Company Yesterday, were all single Personnes, except Mr. and Mm. La Frété and myself. Mont Calvaire, also called Mont Valérien, rises above the village of Suresnes, west of...
513From John Adams to Roger Sherman, 6 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
From the long Series of arduous services, in which We have acted together, I have had Experience enough of your accurate Judgment, in Cases of Difficulty, to wish very often that I could have the Benefit of it here. To me it appears that there will be no more cordial Friendship, nor for many Years to come any long Peace, between G. B. and America, and therefore the French Alliance is and will...
514John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Dr. Church has given me a Lotion, which has helped my Eyes so much that I hope you will hear from me oftener than you have done. Pray write me as often and particularly as possible. Send your Letters to the Care of the Committee of safety who will forward them. I long to know, how you fare, and whether you are often discomposed with Alarms. Guard yourself against them my Dear. I think you are...
515From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 24 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of a Letter from, your Excellency at Nantes, but as I was setting off for this Place could not then acknowledge it. I Staid, no longer at Nantes, than just to look about me, before I determined to see Captain Landais, that I might know, the state and Prospects of his Frigate. As you was so good as to desire Mr. Schweighauser, to consult with me, and Mr. Schweighauser wrote to...
5161779 December [5]. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
We are now supposed to be within 100 Leagues of Ferrol or Corunna, to one of which Places We are bound. The Leak in the Frigate, which keeps two Pomps constantly going, has determined the Captn. to put into Spain. This Resolution is an Embarrassment to me. Whether to travail by Land to Paris, or wait for the Frigate. Whether I can get Carriages, Horses, Mules &c. What Accommodations I can get...
517From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 9 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Some day next Week Mr. John Thaxter, will Sett off, on his Journey for York Town. You may remember, the Want of Secretaries and Clerks, which We suffered before I came away, and that I agreed to send you one or more. Mr. Thaxter is of a good Family, was educated at H. Colledge, and has Spent three Years in the study of the Law in my office, and was last Summer Admitted to the Bar. You may...
518From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Temple has held offices of such Importance, and a Rank so considerable in America, before the Revolution, that his Return to his native Country at this time, cannot fail to cause much Speculation, and it is to be feared some diversity of sentiments concerning him. As he came from London to Amsterdam and did me the honor of a visit, in which he opened to me his design of returning, and his...
51922 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at home with a great deal of Company. Went after Dinner to see the Misanthrope of Moliere, with Mr. Amiel. It was followed by the Heureusement.—Called at the Microcosme. Called at Mr. Amiels at the Pension.
520October 19. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
From Utrecht to Gorcum is 8 Leagues. Here we dined, at the Doele kept by Mr. Van Dongen. He told Us that as soon as We should get out of Town We should come to the River, near the Junction of the Maes with the Wahal, a Branch of the Rhine, that if We looked up the River We should have a full View of the Castle of Louvestein. We had accordingly a fair View of it. It stands upon an Island in the...
521The Hague July 23 1783. (Adams Papers)
I satt off in October for Paris where I arrived on the 26th of Oct. 1782, where the Peace has been made, and I returned here last Night. This memorandum appears in a letterbook entitled by JA “Holland Vol. 3” (Lb/JA/18, Adams Papers, Microfilms , Reel No. 106). Before the end of June JA was convinced that there was no hope of obtaining any commercial concessions from Great Britain, and an...
522John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
Artillery Election!—I wish I was at it, or near it. Yours of the 18th. reached me this Morning. The Cause that Letters are so long in travelling, is that there is but one Post in a Week who goes from hence to Peeks Kill, altho there are two that go from thence to Boston. Riding every day, has made me better than I was, altho I am not yet quite well. I am determined to continue this Practice,...
523From 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,...
524[October 1775] (Adams Papers)
Johnson. I should be for the Resolutions about Imports and Exports, standing, till further order. I should be vs. giving up the Carriage. The Grower, the Farmer gets the same, let who will be the Exporter. But the Community does not. The Shipwright, Ropemaker, Hempgrower, all Shipbuilders, the Profits of the Merchant are all lost, if Foreigners are our sole Carriers, as well as Seamen, &c. I...
525From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 30 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
On the 28 th. of this Month I rec d the Letter you did me the Honour to write me on the 13. of February, which arrived at the Hague inclosed with the Ratification of the Treaty with their High Mightinesses, which will be exchanged by M r Dumas, as the Conferences here for the definitive Treaty will not admit of my taking So long a Journey, at this Time. This Arrival in Season to exchange the...
526November 10. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Accordingly at 8 this Morning I went and waited on the Comte. He asked me, how We went on with the English? I told him We divided upon two Points the Tories and Penobscot, two ostensible Points, for it was impossible to believe that My Lord Shelburne or the Nation cared much about such Points. I took out of my Pocket and shewed him the Record of Governour Pownals solemn Act of burying a Leaden...
527From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 6 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of June 2d., I have just now received that of 27. May I duely received and the other inclosing—the curious Mess from London I received—all safe, in time and untouched. I have never missed a Letter from you. They all come Safe—and the seals in good order. You may write freely I am persuaded. It was, haste, or Inattention that I did not acknowledge them in the one of 28 ultimo. I am...
5281778 July [4]. (Adams Papers)
The Anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence. We had the Honour of the Company of all the American Gentlemen and Ladies, in and about Paris to dine, with Dr. Franklin and me, at Passi, together with a few of the French Gentlemen in the Neighbourhood, Mr. Chaumont, Mr. Brillon, Mr. Vaillard, Mr. Grand, Mr. Beaudoin, Mr. Gerard, the Abbys Challut and Arnold &c. I have omitted to...
529From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 1 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have taken my Pen, Simply, to thank you for Several excellent Letters, for the Pamphlets by Mr Myers and the Memoires by Mr Ridley, and to tell you that I am Sick. I Sometimes think I shall die a Martyr to the Dutch alliance, and I declare to you, if it had been the only action of my Life, I should have thought it a Life well Spent, Such are my Ideas of its Importance to the Cause of our...
530Household Accounts of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams at Passy, 9 April – 24 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
Debit Credit 1778 Livs. s d Livs. s d Brought forward 11706. 18. 11418. 17. 9 April To Commissioners by an order upon Monsr. Grand 4800. a Commissioner to Paris 1. 10.