1To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 10 August 1788 (Adams Papers)
I receivd your favor, my dear Sir, by which I perceive you are once more a farmer at Braintree—a real Cincinnatus without being of that noble Body which resembles him in name alone. I am inclind to beleive that you also will be calld from your plough to fill the place of Vice President under the new Constitution. Virginia, I think, will return Gen l. Washington & yourself. If the four new...
2To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 4 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
Give me leave to congratulate you on your happy arrival in your native Country; & on the respectable reception that has attended it. I beg the favor of you to present my congratulations in the same account to M rs. Adams. Tho’ I am not an Admirer of the new Constitution, yet as you approve of it & as a great many wise & good men expect much honor & advantage to our Country from the adoption of...
3To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 3 October 1787 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you the long expected production of the Convention. I am inclind to think you will deem it somewhat too Aristocratic. An Olegarchy however I think will spring from it in the persons of the President & Vice President, who, if they understand one another, will easily govern the two Houses to their will. The omission of a Decaration of rights—the appointment of a vice President, whose...
4To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 6 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received, my dear Sir, your Republics, & am much honord with the office you assign me. I had before read them & nothing material occurrd to me as amendments. The title is the only thing exceptionable, because it applys to that particular part only which respects M. Turgot. But the work will undoubtedly be of very great service, in directing the consideration of our Countrymen to the defects...
5To George Washington from Arthur Lee, 13 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have receivd private information, that it is the intention of the meeting of the Cincinnati to re-elect you as their President, notwithstanding your letter. They think you are so plegd to them, by some of your letters that you cannot refuse the Presidency. The expected removal of Congress to Philadelphia, has again faild by one vote. I am inclind to think, that the more this step is...
6To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 30 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
My Nephew Tho s. Lee Shippen wishes to be recommended to your patronage; & I am satisfyd he cannot be under better protection. I therefore entreat you to let him find favor in your sight, & that you will have the goodness to assist him with your advice, in the conduct of his legal Studies which he purposes to finish at the Temple. Our finances are unhappily at as low an ebb, as they who think...
7To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 27 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Being at this place, on private business, I cannot omit the opportunity of writing to you. The critical & alarming situation of this Country, makes me extremely anxious to hear the issue of your negociations at S t. James’s. An obstinate adherence, on the part of the british, to thier present commercial system; will, for a time, involve us in great difficulties. But I am persuaded, the...
8Arthur Lee to John Adams, 6 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
I do not know whether I shoud congratulate you on your appointment to the Court of London; since it appears to me the most painful & difficult negociation you coud undertake. The intimate knowlege they have of us, together with the similitude of language manners, & habits will render it more difficult by far to gaurd against their instruments, than against those of any other Court. Besides you...
9To George Washington from Arthur Lee, 19 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure of enclosing you a Copy of the treaty lately concluded with the Six Nations, in which the carrying place & the fort of Niagara, together with a competent district round Oswego are securd to the U.S. By attempting a speedier rout down the Susquehannah, we have been thrown greatly back as to the time appointed for the 2d treaty. But I hope we shall have compleated that by the...
10Arthur Lee to John Adams, 12 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 6 th of April found me here two days ago, waiting for the necessary preparatives to a definitive treaty of peace & boundary, which in conjunction with some other gentlemen I have undertaken to negociate with the indian nations. To œconomize, by saving the expence of a monthly bounty to which the troops of Massachusetts & N. Hampshire, were entitled, A Majority of Congress...