1From John Adams to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 22 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Abilities, Integrity, Prudence, and Patriotism, I have nominated and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate do appoint you the said Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry, jointly and severally Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the French Republic, authorizing you...
2From John Adams to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 22 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Know Ye, That for the purpose of terminating all differences between the United States of America and the French Republic, and of restoring and confirming perfect harmony and good understanding and re–establishing a commercial and friendly intercourse between them; and reposing a special Trust and Confidence in the Integrity, Prudence and Abilities of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall...
3From John Adams to John Marshall, 20 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letter from John Lasher resigning his office of surveyor & inspector of the customs for the port of N York I receiv’d last night. I believe you have blank commissions in your office one of which I pray you to fill up with the name of Wm S Smith of N.Y. or if you have not a blank, you will please to make out a commission for him & send it to me for signature. for it is my judgment...
4From John Adams to John Marshall, 5 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 24th of June & thank you for transmitting to the Secretary of the Treasury a commission for Mr. Smith. If Mr. Smith for any reason should decline this appointment, my opinion is that Mr. William Morris of N. York, at present Deputy collector is next in the line of merit & you may send a commission to him.—I concurred with you & the gentlemen you consulted in...
5From John Adams to John Marshall, 10 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are a number of petitions for pardons of fines & imprisonments, which cannot be granted. They ought however to be filed in the office of State I am with great regard yours MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
6From John Adams to John Marshall, 11 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received only last night your favor of the 30th of June. There is no part of the administration of our government, which has given me so much discontent, as the negotiation in the Mediteranean—our ill success in which I attribute to the diffidence of the agents and ministers employed in them, in soliciting aid from the French & the English and the Prussians. Mr. D’Engestrom has too much...
7From John Adams to John Marshall, 14 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed German letter I received yesterday but as the language is illegible & unintelligible to me I inclose it to you, that if any of your clerks can read it, they may translate it for your edification & that of your humble servant. I have not opened it—but give you full authority for that purpose. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
8From John Adams to John Marshall, 19 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are letters proper to be deposited in your office & submitted to your consideration 1. from Mr Jonathan R Wilmer solliciting the office of Marshall of Maryland 2 A letter from Judge Chace 3d. A letter from Mr Luther Martin recommending Thomas Chase Esqr. 4. A letter from Richard Raynall Keene, with a number of papers inclosed, which I pray you to inclose to him after you have read...
9From John Adams to John Marshall, 21 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from General Forrest, recommending his nephew Mr. Joseph Forrest to be marshall, in the place of Mr Grabell deceased & another letter from Mr. Wilmer, soliciting the place for himself. The letter of Mr. Wilmer is so confidential in its nature and so liable to the imputation of indelicacy, if it should be seen by uncandid persons, that I pray you to return it to me, after...
10From John Adams to John Marshall, 23 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received this morning Mr. Wagners letter of the 12th & return the blank commission signed, to be filled up in your office. I have read all the letters and recommendations and continue inclined to fill the blank with the name of Thomas Chase Esqr, according to the recommendation of his father & Mr Martin, but if you are aware of any serious objection or give a decided preference to any other,...
11From John Adams to John Marshall, 25 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received Mr. Wagners letter of the 15th, inclosing a certificate of the Mayor of Baltimore, Mr. Calhoun in favor of Mr. Cornelius Howard Gist to be Marshall & a letter from Mr. Hollingsworth, to the same effect, to Mr Wolcott. These papers I return inclosed. I have since received a letter of Mr. Wagner of the 16, inclosing a letter of Mr Wm. Wilson, requesting to be appointed Marshall,...
12From John Adams to John Marshall, 27 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received Mr. Wagners letter of the 17 & have read Mr. W Mathews’s application for the office of Marshall & Mr. Mc. Henry’s letter to you in favor of Mr. William Wilson. These papers I return inclosed together with the passport for the Ann Maria signed with great esteem MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
13From John Adams to John Marshall, 30 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 21st and have read the respectable recommendations inclosed in favor of Mr Lloyd Beal & Mr. Kent Rawlings to be Marshall of Maryland. I return all these letters to you in this. With the advantages of Mr. Thomas Chace in the opportunity to consult his father & Mr. Martin, I still think that his appointment is, as likely to benefit the public, as that of any of...
14From John Adams to John Marshall, 31 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Last night the consul of Spain, Mr. Stoughton, came out to Quincy upon the important errand, of delivering to me in my own hand, according to his own account of his orders, the inclosed letter, demanding of the government, a fulfillment of the fifth article of our treaty with Spain. Although I see no sufficient reason in this case, for deviating from the ordinary course of business, I shall...
15From John Adams to John Marshall, 31 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
In the night of the 29, your favor of the 21st was left at my house. Mr Kings letter shall be soon considered. At present I shall confine myself to the dispatches from our Envoys in France. The impression, made upon me, by these communications, is the same with that, which they appear by your letter, to have made upon you. There is not sufficient grounds, on which to form any decisive opinion...
16From John Adams to John Marshall, 1 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have twice read the dispatch of Mr. King, No. 67. inclosed in your favor of the 21st of July. I am glad to see that Lord Grenville expressed his opinion, that the new board ought to proceed in a different manner from their predecessors, by deciding cases singly one after another, instead of attempting to decide them by general resolves & in classes.—The idea of paying a gross sum to the...
17From John Adams to John Marshall, 2 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favor of the 24th of July. The letter to Mr. Adams dated the 24th of July, I have read & as I see no reason to desire any alteration in it, I shall give it to Gen Lincoln, the collector at Boston, to be by him sent to Hamburg or Amsterdam, by the first good opportunity. The duplicate & triplicate you may send by such opportunities as may be presented to you. Mr....
18From John Adams to John Marshall, 7 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from a worthy Clergyman of Braintree who has invented a very ingenious machine to facilitate that necessary domestic operation called Washing; which, by the concurrent testimony of those who have Used it, Saves, two days labour out of three. A Patent was granted him long ago: but by the inclosed Letter it was sent back for some Amendment. I pray you to send on his Patent...
19From John Adams to John Marshall, 7 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you a letter from Governor Trumbull of Connecticutt, a petition for a pardon from Isaac Williams, in prison at Hartford for privateering under French colors. His petition is seconded by a number of very respectable people. I inclose many other papers relative to the subject, put into my hands yesterday, by a young gentleman from Norwich, his nephew. The mans generosity to American...
20From John Adams to John Marshall, 7 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your favor of July 29th. The merit of Judge Chase of which I have been a witness at times for six & twenty years are very great in my estimation & if his sons are as well qualified as others, it is quite consistent with my principles to consider the sacrifices & services of a father, on weighing the pretensions of a son. The old gentleman will not last very long, & it can...
21From John Adams to John Marshall, 11 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
On Saturday I received your favor of the 26th ult. The German letter, proposing to introduce into this country, a company of schoolmasters, painters, poets &c all of them disciples of Mr. Thomas Paine, will require no answer. I had rather countenance the introduction of Ariel & Caliban, with a troop of Spirits the most mischievous from Fairy land—The direction, to deliver the Sandwich to the...
22From John Adams to John Marshall, 11 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Mr Frederick Butler of Weathersfield in Connecticutt requests a Patent for the Invention of a Tin Cook Stove the description of which is inclosed. He incloses the money necessary by Law. I pray your particular Attention to carry this Business through the offices and to send him a Patent. With great regard MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
23From John Adams to John Marshall, 11 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of Aug 21st. I wrote you, on the 7th of this month, my consent to the appointment of Major David Hopkins, to be Marshall conformably to the advice of Mr Stoddert. The letter from the Prince Regent of Portugal, announcing another birth, with the answer prepared for my signature, I find not among the papers. It has not arrived to me. I embrace with pleasure, the...
24From John Adams to John Marshall, 12 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I return inclosed the duplicate answers to the letter of the prince regent of Portugal signed. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
25From John Adams to John Marshall, 13 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
In answer to yours of the 2d I have agreed to the appointment of Major David Hopkins to be Marshall of Maryland, according to the advice of Mr Stoddert, although it was a great disappointment & mortification to me to loose the only opportunity I shall ever have of testifying to the world, the high opinion I have of the merits of a great majistrate, by the appointment of his son to an office...
26From John Adams to John Marshall, 14 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received but last night your favor of the 4th. I have read the papers enclosed. 1. the letter from Mr. Robert Waln 2. the letter from Gid. Hill Wells. 3d The representation of three masters of vessels, Thomas Choate, Robert Forrest & Knowles Adams relative to the consulate of Madeira.—If there is a necessity of removing Mr. John Marsden Pintard, a native American & an old consul, why should...
27From John Adams to John Marshall, 16 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letter from Cotton Tufts Esqr one of the most respectable men in our State I pray you to file with all other applications for consulships that it may be considered in due time. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
28From John Adams to John Marshall, 18 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I believe you will find in the office that either the original or a duplicate of Mr. Kings triplicate dispatch of Sept 11 1799 has been before received & perhaps your predecessor wrote to Mr. King upon the subject. Be this as it may. With you, I presume it was a mistake of the American Captains in thick & hazy weather. But still it is proper, that you should write to Mr. King in the manner you...
29From John Adams to John Marshall, 21 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your letter of the 16th. I am well satisfied with all its contents. The only thing which requires any observation from me, is the proposed instruction to Mr. King. As far as I am able to form a conjecture, five millions of dollars are more than sufficient, provided the British creditors are at liberty to prosecute in our courts, and recover all the debts which are now...
30From John Adams to John Marshall, 22 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 12 & I am very happy to find that a correspondence upon terms of friendship & good humor has at length taken place between the office of State & the Spanish minister. I am entirely of your opinion, & approve of all you have done. The diclaration of Mr. Liston & Lord Grenville are to me satisfactory. If the relation between American debtors & British...