241From John Adams to the President of Congress, 26 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Emperor appears to be more intent at present upon taking a fair Advantage of the present Circumstances, to introduce a flourishing Commerce into the Austrian Flanders, than upon making Treaties with England or waging War in its favour. His Imperial, Royal, and Apostolical Majesty, has condescended to take off and break the Shackles which restrained the Commerce and the Communication of the...
242From John Adams to the President of Congress, 14 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
The first public Body, which has proposed a Connection with the United States, is the quarter of Oostergo, in the Province of Friesland. The Proposition is in these words: “Every impartial Patriot has a long time percieved, that in the direction of affairs relative to this War with England, there has been manifested an inconcievable Lukewarmness and Sloth: but they discover themselves still...
243From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 91, 7 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 7 July 1780. Dupl, both text and signature in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 177–180). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:839. This letter, read by Congress on 26 Dec., contains the text of a petition that Amsterdam merchants trading with the...
Paris, 15 February 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, 1, f. 243; docketed: “No. 4 J. Adams Esqr. Paris Feby. 15th: 1780 Read May 15. arrival in France. interesting News.” LbC Adams Papers . LbC in Thaxter’s hand Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No. 4.” For a discussion of the presence of two Letterbook copies in the Adams Papers , see...
Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
246From John Adams to the President of Congress, 7 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 7 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 264–265. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:549. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an English translation of a resolution that the...
247From John Adams to the President of Congress, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 13 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 283–285. LbC Adams Papers . printed : JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot Correspondence of the Late President Adams. Originally Published in the Boston Patriot. In a Series of Letters , Boston, 1809[–1810]; 10 pts. , p. 546–549. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an...
248From John Adams to the President of Congress, 5 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 5 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 254–261. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:540–543. This is the first of a series of letters to Congress that John Thaxter composed in John Adams’ name during Adams’ absence at...
It is necessary that I should inform Congress, in what manner I have been able to procure Money to defray my Expenses, in my long Journey through the greatest Parts of Spain and France, to this City. On my Arrival at Ferrol, I was offered the Loan of Money by the French Consul Mr. De Tournelle, but at the same Time told me there was a Gentleman at Corunna Mr. Michael Lagoanere, who had...
250From John Adams to the President of Congress, 6 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
This Day the Skipper of a Trech Schuit, brought me, your Excellencys important Dispatches by Coll. Laurens. The Coll. delivered them to Mr. Dana at Paris, with perfect Propriety. Mr. Dana with equal Propriety delivered them to a Gentleman of Character, who undertook to deliver them at Amsterdam, but unfortunately forgot them at Valenciennes. From Valenciennes they travelled partly by Post,...
251From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 38, 7 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 7 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 425–431) printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:599–602. In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, Adams provided accounts of the arrival of Russian couriers at The Hague on 30 March with...
252The Commissioners to the President of the Congress, 20 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 20 July 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:168–170 ; also, with “The Function of Consuls” enclosed, in Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 2:650–653. The...
253The Commissioners to the President of the Congress, 7 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have the Honour to inclose a Copy of the Declaration concerning the 11 and 12 Articles of the Treaty of Commerce, which we have received from his Excellency the Secretary of State for foreign Affairs, in exchange for a similar one signed by us, in Pursuance of the Instructions of Congress. We have also the Honour to inclose Copies of a Correspondence with his Excellency Mr. de Sartine, the...
254The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 22 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Massachusetts Archives, National Archives (two); two transcripts: National Archives This will be delivered to you by Mr. Jonathan Loring Austin, who was sent the last Year express to France with the News of the Convention of Saratoga. He has resided chiefly in this Kingdom from that time, and has been employed, in...
255The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 17 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, September 17, 1778: Since our last letter, July 20, there has been an important naval battle in which, in our opinion, the French had a manifest and great advantage. Both fleets are again at sea. The British public is amused and the public funds supported by rumors of peace. We are in a state...
256From John Adams to the President of Congress, 7 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 7 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 262–263. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:550. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an English translation of an article that appeared...
257From John Adams to the President of Congress, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 13 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 287–288. LbC Adams Papers . printed : JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot Correspondence of the Late President Adams. Originally Published in the Boston Patriot. In a Series of Letters , Boston, 1809[–1810]; 10 pts. , p. 544–546. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It provided an...
258From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 99, 23 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have been amused sometime with dark and unintelligible hints in Letters from London of some Messenger sent from Lord North to Madrid. Three weeks ago, I waited on the Comte de Vergennes at Versailles to acquaint him that I had an intention of making a Journey to Amsterdam for a few weeks, as I flattered myself I might form some Acquaintances or Correspondences there and collect some...
259Franklin and John Adams to the President of Congress, 23 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Harvard University Library, South Carolina Historical Society (two); transcript: National Archives <Passy, July 23, 1778: We are informed by the Count de Vergennes that the British cabinet plans to offer independence to the United States if it will make a separate peace. M. de Vergennes requests us to inform Congress that war between Britain and France, though...
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
261The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 19 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, May 19, 1778: We enclose for the consideration of Congress a copy of a letter from the comte de Vergennes, and of a letter enclosed with it.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 103. That above, May 15, about the misconduct of an American privateer.
262From John Adams to the President of Congress, 10 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 10 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 268–269. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:556–557. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an English translation of an article that...
263From John Adams to the President of Congress, 21 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 21 July 1781. RC and signature in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 331–332. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:596–597. John Thaxter wrote this letter during John Adams’ absence at Paris. It contains an English translation of an article...
264From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 58, 3 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 3 May 1780. RC ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 15–17). LbC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Adams Papers ); notation by Thaxter: “N.B. Nos. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58 were delivered the 7th of May by Mr. Adams to Dr. Franklin, who was to send them with his own Dispatches to Captain John Paul Jones.” printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary...
We have just received a Message from Monsr. Le Comte De Vergennes, by his Secretary, acquainting Us; that Information is received from England of the Intention of the Cabinet there, to offer (by additional Instructions to their Commissioners) Independence to the United States, on Condition of their making a Separate Peace, relying on their Majority in both Houses, for Approbation of the...
266The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 9 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
In our last of Dec r. 15 we had the honour of communicating to Congress our letter to the Ambassador of Portugal which accompanied the draught of the treaty of Amity & Commerce proposed on our part. Since that date he addressed to us the letter N o. 1. acknowledging the receipt of ours & informing us that he had forwarded it to his court. The Baron de Thulemeier also, the Prussian Minister at...
267The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 29 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and one transcript: National Archives Mr. Livingston received a Commission from us as first Lieut. of the Boston and made a Cruise in her in which she had the good Fortune to take four prizes. He is now obliged to leave the Ship, but we have the pleasure of a Letter from Capt. Tucker in which he gives us an handsome Character of Mr....
268The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 20 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and one transcript: National Archives <Passy, July 20, 1778: The Spy brought us the ratified treaties with France. On the 17th we exchanged ratifications with the count de Vergennes; copies are enclosed. War is not yet declared but hostilities have already commenced, the British and French fleets are at sea, and we hourly expect news...
269The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 7 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, South Carolina Historical Society, National Archives (two); two transcripts: National Archives <Passy, November 7, 1778: We enclose copies of our declaration concerning articles 11 and 12 of the Treaty of Commerce, correspondence with M. de Sartine on rescues and recaptures, and correspondence regarding negotiations with the...
270The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 16 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society <Passy, July 16, 1778: We enclose a letter from M. de Sartine that we promised to communicate to Congress. We have no doubt— > See the preceding document and Sartine’s letter of July 14. The draft, without the incomplete second sentence, is published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 164. This letter, as explained there, was never sent; the...