981From John Adams to James Lovell, 24 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 4 May is received—it is the first from Philadelphia. Mr. Mease and your Friend shall have all the attention and assistance I can give them. I thank you for sending the Journals by the Way of Braintree: but hope you will continue to send them from Phila. also. Your Plan of a Cypher I cannot comprehend—nor can Dr. F. his. You have made me very happy, by acquainting me with Proceedings...
982From John Adams to James Warren, 15 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have Time only to tell you that I am yet alive, and in better Spirits than Health. The News, you will learn from my very worthy Friend Gerry. He is obliged to take a Ride for his Health, as I shall be very soon or have none. God grant he may recover it for he is a Man of immense Worth. If every Man here was a Gerry, the Liberties of America would be safe against the Gates of Earth and Hell....
983John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
By your Uncles Letter of 26 feb., he could not hear of any Letters from me by Trash. I certainly wrote by him from Corunna, so did the Children. I wrote to Congress, as well as to you. I wrote also by Babson, who carried some Things for you, from Bilbao. I hope the letters are not lost. I went a few days ago to Biçetre, to see the Curiosities of that Place. It is a Bedlam for the Mad, a Prison...
984From John Adams to Gabriel de Sartine, 14 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just received from London, the Letters, Extracts of which are inclosed. They may possibly contain Some particulars, of Use to your Excellency. I beg your Pardon, sir, for troubling you with Intelligence which you undoubtedly have Much sooner, in greater detail, and with more Authority than mine. But in such Times as these, great Effects are sometimes produced by, small particulars of...
985From 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...
986From John Adams to Joseph Gardoqui & Sons, 20 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
If you will be so good as to send to America, on Board of Either each of the Vessells now here to the Amount of Twenty Pounds sterling in Articles for the Use of my Family, and consign them to my Adress, and to the Care of Isaac Smith Esq of Boston, I will pay your Bills, with Pleasure and hold myself obliged besides. The Articles I wish to have sent are, become very scarce in America LbC (...
987John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
My Barber has just left the Chamber. The following curious Dialogue was the Amusement, during the gay Moments of Shaving. Well, Burn, what is the Lye of the day?—Sir, Mr. just told me, that a Privateer from Baltimore, has taken two valuable Prizes, with Sixteen Guns each. I can scarcely believe it.—Have you heard of the Success of the Rattlesnake of Philadelphia, and the Sturdy Beggar of...
988From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 17 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am lodged at Mr. Henry Schorns in this City, to which place you may direct your Letters, for Some Weeks to come. You may continue to Send the Pamphlets to Paris, or Send them here, which you please. The Bearer will tell you all the News I know. Pray what do the Politicians on your Side the Water think of the Plan of Russia, Sweeden and Denmark? Do they think the dutch will acceed to it?...
989From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 71, 23 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 23 May 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand with postscript by JA ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 71–73). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:698–699. In this letter, read in Congress on 21 Aug., John Adams sent extracts from newspaper accounts originating in Stockholm,...
990From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 13 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved the Letter which You did me the honor to write me on the 11th, of this Month in which You agree to accept the Terms of four and one quarter per Cent for the Remedium and other Charges. To this I answer, that I understand your meaning to be, to accept of 4 1/4 per Cent for recieving and paying the Money at first, for re cieving and paying off the annual Interest, and for...
991From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 25, 1 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 1 Dec. 1780. Dupl in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 321–324). LbC almost entirely in JQA ’s hand ( Adams Papers ). printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:176–177. This letter, received by Congress on 19 Nov. 1781, contained the order of battle of...
992The American Commissioners to John Young, 2 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society You will receive by Mr. Moylan dispatches for Congress, which you will secure ready for sinking in Case of Danger. On your Leaving the River Nantes it has been recommended as the safest to keep well in with the Coast of France until you can leave the Continent intirely. Of this you will be the best judge. We advise you to avoid speaking with every Vessel on...
993From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 13 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
D r: Franklin I suppose has written to London & consented to exchange Sir J. Jay, for L t: Coll o: Dundas— He rec d. a letter fm. the late Advocate of Scotland, proposing such an Exchange—which he communicated to his Colleagues & we advised him to agree to it— M r: Brantzen is greatly & justly respected here, and is as friendly & communicative to me as I desire— You have known a little of my...
994From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 4 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
The resolve of Congress of the 10 October, that you have inserted in your No. 62 is another Forgery. It has internal Marks of it enough. 1. Congress are not so much allarmed. They know the Ennemy have not the Power, tho they very well know they have the Will to do the Mischief. 2. Congress, would never recommend the building of such Hutts. There are Houses enough in the Country to receive the...
995From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 63, 10 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 10 May 1780. RC ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 39–40). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:668–669. In this letter, read in Congress on 20 Sept., John Adams described Henry Grattan’s effort in the Irish House of Commons on 19 April to overthrow Poyning’s Law (10 Hen....
996John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Fleet is in Delaware Bay. 228 of them were seen, in the Offing, from Cape Henlopen, the day before yesterday. They come in but slowly. G eneral Washington, and the light Horse came into Town last Night. His Army will be in, this day—that is the two or three first Divisions of it—Greens, Sterlings and Stevensons Stephen’s . The rest is following on, as fast as possible. General Nash with...
997To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 23 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society The two inclosed Accounts have been compared with my List of Acceptations and found right. I am ashamed that they have not been sooner returned: but I have waited for my Clerk who keeps the Account of those Affairs to get well in order to assist me in the business, he having been long confined and disabled with the Fever of this Country, but is now well....
998John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
Price current.—Oak Wood £4:15s:od. Pr. Cord. Bad Beer, not so good as your Small Beer, 15d: Pr. Quart. Butter one Dollar Pr. Pound. Beef 2s:6d. Coffee a dollar a Pound. Bohea 8 dollars. Souchong £4: 10s. Hyson £6. Mean brown sugar 6s. 6d. a pound. Loaf sugar 18s. a pound. Rum 45s. a Gallon. Wine 2 dollars a Bottle. The Hounds are all still at a Fault. Where the game is gone, is the Question....
999From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 6 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
I recd. your kind Congratulations from Leyden on the glorious Captivity of Cornwallis, and have since recd. your favor of the third, inclosing two packets from America. You ask what News? I answer none. They were the Originals of Dispatches from General Washington, and General Knox, containing the Capitulation and other Papers which are public. A large Reinforcement is gone to my friend Green...
1000From John Adams to Henry Laurens, 12 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Last Night I received your Favour of 25. Ult. The Box I had received a few days before, and had delivered to M r Jay and the Comte de Moustier, the Articles addressed to them. The Spectacles fit my Eye very well, and I thank you Sir for your Care in procuring them. As soon as I shall have the Pleasure to See you, I will pay you the Cost of them according to the Receipt which came with them. I...
1001From John Adams to P. Hodinpyl, 7 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 30th. of March, and am much obliged to You for your kind Congratulations on the flattering prospect of public affairs. The formation of commercial and political Connections between our Countries is ushered in with so much solemnity, it is accompanied by such elaborate discussions of the Prosperity of the Measure, and triumphs at last in such an Unanimity, as will...
1002From John Adams to Thomas Cushing, 8 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had the Favour of a Letter from you some time ago which I answered immediately, but so many of my Letters are among the Fishes of the sea, that I fear that may be one. You know very well that is a long time that I have had a very bad Opinion of the Designs and Dispositions of the B. Court towards America. I assure you I have not conceived a more favourable Idea, since my Arrival in Europe....
1003From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Since the 25th of August, when I had the honor to write You, this is the first Time that I have taken a Pen in hand to write to any body having been confined and reduced too low to do any kind of business by a nervous Fever. The new Commission for Peace has been a great Consolation to me, because it removed from the Public all danger of suffering any Inconvenience, at a Time when for many days...
1004From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 18 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
We have ordered you to the Post of Honour, and made you Dictator in Canada for Six Months, or at least untill the first of October. — We dont choose to trust you Generals, with too much Power, for too long Time. I took my Pen, at this Time, to mention to you the Name of a young Gentleman, and recommend him to your Notice and Favour. His Name is Rice. This Gentleman is the Son of a worthy...
1005From John Adams to the President of Congress, 18 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
We have recieved at last Parkers Account of the Action with Admiral Zoutman: according to which, the Battle was maintained with a continual fire for three Hours and forty Minutes, when it became impossible to work his Ships. He made an Attempt to recommence the Action, but found it impracticable. The Bienfaisant had lost his Main-Top-Mast, and the Buffalo her Mizzen Yard, and the other Vessels...
1006From 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...
1007The Commissioners to John Ross, 13 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 13 April, 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:50–51 . In replying to a letter from Ross (not found) requesting compensation for monies spent and the return of papers taken by William Lee from the estate of Thomas Morris, who had died on 31 Jan., the Commissioners noted that...
1008From John Adams to Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 5 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening I had the Honour of yours of Yesterdays Date. It would give me Pleasure, if it were in my Power to confirm to you, the News contained in the Letter from London, which you have Seen vizt. That on the 23 Ult. it was decided in the Kings Council by an Unanimity of all the Ministers, to declare the Independancy of the United States of America, provided this Declaration were to be Sent...
1009John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
How do you do?—I hope you are in fine Health and Spirits. What Subject do your Thoughts run upon these Times. You are a thoughtfull Child you know, always meditating upon some deep Thing or other. Your Sensibility is exquisite too. Pray how are your nice Feelings affected by the Times? Dont you wish for Peace—or do you wish to take a Part in the War? Have you heard of the ill Nature and...
1010The Commissioners to John Lloyd and Others, 1 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
We have this Moment the Honour of your Letter of the Twenty Eighth of last Month, and shall give the earliest Attention to its im portant Contents, but We are unhappy to think that it is not in our Power to give effectual Relief. By the Treaty Consuls &c. are to be appointed, in the respective Ports, But the Power of appointing, Such important officers is wholly with the Congress—they have...