1From John Adams to the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Towns and Districts of Massachusetts Bay, 10 December … (Adams Papers)
Cambridge,10 December 1774. printed : Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours. William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety , Boston, 1838. , p. 69–72. Prepared by a committee appointed 12 October, originally composed of fifteen members: John Hancock, Joseph Hawley, Joseph Warren, Samuel Dexter, Artemas Ward, James...
2Report Relative to Assuming Civil Government, 10 December 1774 (Adams Papers)
Cambridge,10 December 1774. printed : Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours. William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety , Boston, 1838. , p. 73–74. This, the second report on this date of the Committee on the State of the Province, was framed in the form of three resolutions: that the adjournment on 29 October had...
3Elbridge Gerry to the Massachusetts Delegates, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Received the Letters, with which you were pleased to favor me per Mr. Fessenden on Saturday last being the 18th Instant, at a Critical Time for the Army posted at Cambridge. The Evening preceeding Orders were Issued in Consequence of a Consultation between the General Officers and Committee of Safety to take possession of Dorchester Hill and Bunkers hill in Charlestown which I must confess...
4To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 11 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received a Letter from the honorable Committee of Congress for collecting “a just and well authenticated Account of the Hostilities committed by the ministerial Troops and Navy in America since last March,” and beg leave to inform You that Colo. Palmer, Mr. Cooper and Colo. Thomson are appointed a Committee to subserve the purpose in this Colony in the Recess of the Court, which is this Day...
5To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favour of the 5th of Novr and the Enquiries relative to Vessels suitable to be armed, Commanders and Seamen to man the same, secure places for building new Vessels of Force &c. are important in their Nature, and to have the same effectually answered I propose to submit them as soon as may be to the Court that a Committee may be raised for obtaining the Facts from the Maritime...
The Congress being Inform’d by a Letter from Genl. Washington, that two Thousand of the Continental Troops at Cambridge and Roxbury are deficient in Fire Arms, and that he has not been able to Purchase the Same from the Inhabitants or Obtain them from the Assemblies of the New England Colonies, have directed the General to make Returns to the Assemblies of the Numbers of men Inlisted from...
7Elbridge Gerry to Samuel and John Adams, 21 – 22 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have been fully employed since Thursday Noon in obtaining some Knowledge of the State of the Army and conferring with the different Corps of Officers from the General to the Field officers, and have the pleasure to inform You that they appear to be in high Spirits for Action and agree in Sentiments that the Men’s as firm and determined as they wish them to be, having in View since the...
8Elbridge Gerry to Samuel and John Adams, 3 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote You from New York, I have spent most of my Time in endeavouring to get Information of the true State of Things in the eastern Colonies. With Respect to the Levies for New York and the northern Department they are nearly compleated. I have wrote to the president giving an Account of them and proposing an order of Congress for reinforcing the Army at New York with one of the...
9To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 8 January 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since You left Philadelphia many important Events have taken place in the Council as well as the Field; those that are publick You are undoubtedly informed of, the other I shall briefly hint as they occur to my Mind. Congress have ordered Arms and Equipage for 3000 Horse and 150 brass Field peices to be imported without Delay. The General to expedite Business is invested with Great Powers,...
10Massachusetts Delegates to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 21 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Gorham and Mr. Russel, Agents of the Town of Charlestown, have presented to Congress a Petition from the unfortunate Inhabitants of that Place, praying for a Compensation for their Losses. The Petition was drawn in very decent and handsome Terms, containing a lively Description of the Distresses to which the unhappy Petitioners are reduced, from a State of Ease and Affluence; and the...
11New England Delegates to George Washington, 2 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
As Congress have authorized your Excellency to send a proper Officer to take the Command in the northern Department; We take the Liberty to signifie to your Excellency that in our Opinion, no Man will be more likely; to restore, Harmony, Order and Discipline, and retrieve our Affairs in that Quarter, than Majr. Genll. Gates. He has on Experience acquired the Confidence, and stands high in the...
12To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 3 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favour of the 19th Novr on my Way to this Place; and the Business which your Friend Mr. Smith requested You to negotiate, shall be carefully attended to and performed. I thank You, for the Intelligence conveyed, and would endeavour to recollect in Return, what has transpired at Congress, had not our Friend Mr. Lovell, who as a faithful and accurate Intelligencer as well as on...
13To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 8 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since my last the Situation of the Camp has prevented the Committee of Congress from transacting the Business of their Appointment. The Enemy, the Evening after the Date of my letter, marched out with their whole Force, which is said to consist of twelve thousand five hundred Effectives. We received Information of their preparations, a Day or two before, by persons who left the City; and the...
14To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 25 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have attended to your Sentiments on the Subject of Money and am equally unhappy with You “to see Injustice, both to the publick and Individuals so frequent”; but how to remedy it, “hic Labor, hoc Opus est.” The Mode proposed by an Act allowing Depreciation or Appreciation on Specialties may releive a few, but I fear, that it would not have a general good Effect. The comparative Value of...
15To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 24 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time by this Days post to express the pleasure I feel on the News of your safe Arrival to your Family and Friends, and the prospect of an agreable and early Interveiw with You. The Letters to me which You mention in your’s to Mr. Lovell never came to Hand, or I should certainly have acknowledged the Receipt of them; altho I have been under the Necessity of giving up my most...
16To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 29 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
It is with the greatest pleasure, that I inform You of the late Arrangement of our foreign affairs, in which You are appointed to negotiate the Treaties with G Britain and our Friend Mr. Dana to be your Secretary. Mr. Jay is to negotiate with Spain, Mr. Carmichael to be his Secretary, and Colo. John Laurens, Son of the late president Laurens, to be Secretary to Doctor Franklin. I shall not be...
17To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 12 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have received from Mr. Lowell your Accounts and Vouchers, and shall deliver them to the Board of Treasury; how far they will be able to comply with the proposition of returning the latter, which is contrary to their usual Practice, I am unable to say, but will use my best Endeavours to accomplish it. Having lately explained to You some Matters, relative to our internal political Manoeuvres,...
18To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 5 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
It gave me great Pleasure to learn by Your Letter of the 11th. Decr. that You had safely arrived, and had met with so agreable a Reception in Spain: and I hope soon to have the Satisfaction of hearing from You at Paris. Mr. Lovell informs me that he shall transmit You the Journals of Congress and News Papers by the latter of which You will perceive that the Enemy have invested Charlestown, and...
19To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 10 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
In June last I returned to this State, and have since been favoured with your several Letters of the 23d. and 29th. of Feby., 19th. of March, 28th. of April, 23d. of May and 24th. of June, with the pamphlet by the Baron de Arundl, whom I have not had the Pleasure of seeing. Mr. Dalton informed me in July last that notwithstanding the Friendship of yourself and Doctor Franklin, in the Affair of...
20To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 23 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r Thaxter arrived here last Evening, by the Way of New York, with the definative Treaty, having narrowly escaped a severe storm by reaching that Port on Wednesday Evening— your Favours by him I have received with great Pleasure, as I was in Want of the Information they contain, as well as of your Sentiments on several important Subjects— Governor Reed will probably deliver You this, & my...
21To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 14 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
The definitive Treaty is this Day ratified by Congress, & I have but a few Moments, by Colonel Hermer, who is charged with the Delivery thereof, to inform You that M r Dana is arrived & requested to attend Congress. I have suggested to some of my Friends the good policy of appointing him to a Seat in Congress, & to him the Advantages to be at this Time expected from the Measure; & I flatter...
22Elbridge Gerry to John Adams, 16 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Here I am after a six Months Session at Annapolis, on my Way to Massachusetts, & altho my Opposition to the same System in America, which you have opposed in Europe, has perhaps rendered me equally obnoxious here to the aristocratic Party, yet I assure You the Pleasure resulting from a Reflection on the Measures adopted by Congress, overballances every trifling Consideration of the loss of...
23Elbridge Gerry to John Adams, 14 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
This will be delivered by Mr Jarvis lately of Boston, but formerly of this City, Son in Law to Mr Broom, whom You probably know. I have but two of your Letters unanswered; one of the 27 th of June last, the Objects of which have I think been fully complied with, & the other of Nov r 4, in which I find no Mention of a Letter I wrote You from philadelphia in July last. Congress met in November...
24Elbridge Gerry to John Adams, 24 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
I informed You a few Days since, that Yourself, M r Chancellor Levingston, & M r J Rutledge, were in Nomination for the Court of London, since which many Attempts have been made to determine the Choice, & this Morning it was effected & devolves on Yourself. I am happy to give You this Information, both on publick Consideration, & on the Score of Friendship, the former however being on every...
25Elbridge Gerry to John Adams, 5 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
Since my last, informing You of the Circumstances of your Appointment to the Court of London, Congress have elected Col o Smith of this State, Secretary to the Legation. several Candidates were presented to Congress, & my Friend & Collegue, M r King of Newbury port (whom I shall hereafter speak of, & whom I wish to introduce to your Confidence & Friendship) was of Opinion with myself, that it...
26To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 25 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am favoured my dear sir by the last post with yours of the 9 th of september & 12 th of December, since the Date of Which some Arrangements which I communicated in my last, & which You are probably e’er this officially informed of, correspond with your Wishes— I feel the Force of your observations respecting the Salaries of our Ministers; but Congress in point of œconomy, are very different...
27To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 14 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have lately returned to this City after four Months Absence, & am favoured with your several Letters of the 31 st Jany 9 th of March & 13 th of April, in neither of which is any Mention of several Letters I wrote to You in Jan y Feb y & March last— You wish to be informed when “You are to be one of Us”? the Answer is easy, when You please. I have enquired of my Friend King whether any Order...
28To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 3 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
The packet has given her Signal this Morning for sailing & I have but an half Hour to write. You son Mr Adams delivered me your Favours of the 25 th & 28 th of April, & these were More acceptable as they were received from his Hands. I think him a promising Character, that will make a Figure in publick or private Life, & be an Honor to his Country as well as to his Connections. He has had much...
29To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 8 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Since my last of the 3 d of August I am favoured with yours of the 26 th of June, 6 th of July, 26 th of August & 11 th of September, & am much obliged to You for the papers inclosed in the July Letter, as well as for the useful Information contained in all of them. The Conduct of the Court of London, clearly indicates, & convinces Us on this Side the Atlantic that they have an unfriendly...
30To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 12 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
A few Days since, I rec d your Letter of the 13 th of Decr last, without either of the Arrets therein referred to. from the Cover of the Letter, which is inclosed for your Inspection, I suspect it has been opened, previously to my receiving it; if so, I should be well pleased to know who the person is that is so very curious as to loose his Sense of Honor in this Matter. When I left New York,...
31To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 20 September 1787 (Adams Papers)
The proceedings of the Convention being this day published, I embrace the Oppertunity of transmitting them by a Vessel which is to sail this morning for London. There were only three dissentients Governor Randolph & Col o Mason from Virginia & your friend who now addresses you, from Massachusetts. The objections you will easily conceive without their being enumerated: & they will probably be...
32To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I find on enquiry that you are elected Vice-president, having three or four times the number of votes of any other candidate. Maryland threw away their votes on Col o Harrison & South Carolina on Governor Rutledge, being with some other states which were not unanimous for you, apprehensive that this was a necessary step to prevent your election to the chair— in this point they were mistaken,...
33To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 26 July 1790 (Adams Papers)
As you were so obliging on saturday last as to inform me of your design to recommend my brother Samuel Russel Gerry to the office of collector for the port of Marblehead, I think it necessary to inform you that of all the candidates, he is the only one who has received any appointment under the State & he has received three offices commissary, naval officer, & collector of excise. in the two...
34To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 30 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Gerry presents his respectful compliments to the President of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Massachusetts & incloses him a letter from Mr. Carmichael Chargé des Affairs at the Court of Madrid, part of which was by him intended to be communicated to the Academy. MHi : Adams Papers.
35To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 7 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
This you will receive by Mr Wilder of New-Hamshire who proposes soon to embark for Europe to transact some important concerns in that country. The nature of these he will communicate to you & to facitate his negotiations & give credit to his engagements he has a certificate signed by some of the first characters in that State, which bears an honorable testimony of his reputation. in addition...
36To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 30 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
Nothing could give me greater pleasure than the opportunity I had of annexing my signature to the number of those which have destined you to the “forlorn hope” of the presidential chair, a post the most honorable in the gift of your country, & rendered particularly so at this time by the difficulties attending it. if my conduct in this instance has been erroneous, you must impute it to the...
37To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 3 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
The newspaper, which you did me the honor to inclose, containing Mr Pickering’s letter to Mr Pinkney on the subject of Mr Adets letter to the former, I have carefully perused; but, a further examination of it, with the documents & Mr Adet’s letter, is necessary to obtain a clear idea of the subject. That part of it which discusses the claim of gratitude made by France, I consider in a certain...
38To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 7 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with your letters of the 13th & 20th of Feby, the former of which, being an answer to my last, shall be first attended to. After I had sent that letter to the post office, it occurred to me, that what I had viewed as a studied neglect might have been intended as good policy; & being convinced it was so, by reflecting on the subject, I was highly gratified by the explanation with...
39To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 27 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
A social friend, but not one whose politicks have been much in unison with mine, has suggested to me the policy of your sending Mr Jefferson, at the present crisis, as a minister to France. at first blush, the measure struck me forcibly: Mr Jefferson being much in the confidence of France, & of her officers & adherents in the United States; the antipode of her enemies amongst us; possessed of...
40To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 25 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with your letter of the 6th, which I took from the cover without breaking the seal. The secret shall not escape me; but, from the circumstance mentioned, I shall not be surprized to find, that it has transpired on it’s passage. If the tho’t of sending Mr. Jefferson proceeded from both parties, it wears the appearance of “a natural one”, otherwise, coming from so many of one party,...
41To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 28 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
The sailing of the Packet on which we are to go to New Port, being unexpectedly deferred till this afternoon, gives me an opportunity of inclosing a copy of No 3, & of adding a few words. I know that your ideas now are the same which they were in 1776 respecting a vigorous executive: I then & for several years afterwards tho’t the necessity for one so powerful would not exist within half a...
42To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 28 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
Being here on a few days visit with Mrs. Gerry to her aged parents, & having left six small children, the eldest of whom has the care of the rest and of the domesticks, I am deprived of the honor of paying my personal respects to you at this time. When I wrote to Mr. Monroe, I supposed he was in Philadelphia: it being so announced in the news papers, his conduct in making an inmate of Paris...
43To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 3 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
The information communicated by the Secretary of State, of my appointment to the office of an envoy extraordinary & minister plenipotentiary to the French republick, afforded me the highest gratification: inasmuch as it manifested the confidence of that political character, for whom, from my first acquaintance, I have ever had the highest respect. judge then, Sir, of my feelings when I inform...
44To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 10 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
It was always my sincere intention, but you have made it my indispensible duty, to support your administration. a good disposition is requisite, & so is ability. diplomatic politics I am not much versed in, & my inexperience will demand assiduity. If I should err then, you must not impute it to the want of attachment; for in such a case I would certainly retire: conceiving as I do, that the...
45To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 14 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am honored by your letters of the 7th and 8th instant. The satisfaction which you are pleased to express at my acceptance of the mission, is the most flattering circumstance of my political concerns. I have taken passage in the ship Union for Rotterdam, & expect to sail in ten days; having notified Mr Pinckney by two vessels which are to sail this day & tomorrow, of this circumstance, & of...
46To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 23 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am honored by your letter of the 17th, & sincerely thank you for the information it contains. Nothing is more essential to a public officer, than to be apprized of the imputations against him; for if well founded, he will thus have a fair opportunity of correcting his errors, & if unfounded, he will by the same means be better prepared for self defence. in addition to the great difficulties...
47To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 23 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you, that I have just received, by Capt Eaton, the dispatches from the department of State; containing two large & two Small packets—I have the honor / to be my dear Sir with / perfect respect—your sincere friend / & very huml. serv MHi : Adams Papers.
48To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 17 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my arrival here, I have not had the honor to address you: the want of health part of the time, the particular details of our official letters, the uncertainty of our residence for a week & sometimes for a day, & the painful situation in which I have been, have combined to produce a suspension of my correspondence untill I could communicate to you something agreable, but that period I am...
49To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 24 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you on the 17th by Mr Hopkins; & being informed by Mr. Putnam of Boston, that Mr. Morgue, who has long resided with him, & has his confidence will depart in a day or two for Philadelphia, I embrace this opportunity of informing you that our affairs will be brot to a crisis in a day or two, & that we shall all leave France immediately, unless I should be obliged to...
50To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 16 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
This I expect you will receive by my collegue General Marshal, who carries with him the last letter of Mr. Tallyrand to the american envoys & their answer. on the day when we sent the latter, I received a letter from the minister, a copy of which & my answer is inclosed. I have not sent these to the Secretary of State, because I have not time to prepare a letter to accompany them. indeed I...