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...
With great pleasure to ourselves we discharge our duty by inclosing to you your Commission for representing these United States at the Court of France. We are by no means willing to indulge a thought of your declining this important service, and therefore we send duplicates of the Commission and the late Resolves, in order that you may take one sett with you, and send the other, by another...
3The Foreign Affairs Committee to the Commissioners, 14 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Our Affairs have now a universally good appearance. Every thing at home and abroad seems verging towards a happy and permanent period. We are preparing for either War or Peace; for altho we are fully perswaded that our Enemies are wearied beaten and disappoint in despair, yet we shall not presume too much on that belief, and the rather, as it is our fixt determination to admit no terms of...
I shall endeavor to write largely to you, en Ami, but I will not risque the Sailing of the Vessel for that Purpose, at this moment. It is reported Mr. Searle is taken; our Affairs in Holland must in such Case be very bad as you will not have received any Powers for acting instead of Mr. Laurens who is too probably taken and carried to England from New foundland. And I also know of other...
Congress took into Consideration the Report of the Committee on the Letter of June 26th. from the Honble. John Adams, whereupon Ordered That the said Letter be referred to the Committee of foreign Affairs; and that they be instructed to inform Mr. Adams of the Satisfaction which Congress receives from his industrious Attention to the Interest and Honor of these United States abroad especially...
I do not find by President Huntington’s Letter Book that he has forwarded the within Resolve of July 12th. respecting your Powers of Sept. 29th. 1779 therefore I take the Opportunity of two Vessels which are to sail in a few Hours, to communicate it doubly. The whole of the Proceedings here in regard to your two Commissions, are I think, Ill judged but I persuade myself no dishonour was for...
While we officially communicate to you the inclosed Resolve the Foundation of which you cannot remain a Stranger to, we must intreat you to be assiduous in sending, to those Commissioners who have left France and gone to the Courts for which they were respectively appointed, all the American Intelligence which you have greater Opportunity than they to receive from hence, particularly to Mr....
This, with my affectionate wishes for your prosperity, may serve to acquaint you that Congress has this day resolved “That William Bingham Esqr. agent of the United States of America, now resident in Martinico, be authorized to draw bills of exchange at double usance on the Commissioners of the United States at Paris for any sums not exceeding in the whole one hundred thousand livres tournois,...
In Addition to other Papers respecting your Ministration I now forward an Act of Congress of this day. You know that it has been much if not intirely the Practice of the Comtee. of foreign Affairs to let the Resolves which they transmit speak for themselves. In the present Case however there is no danger of a too warm Expression of the Satisfaction of Congress even if, in performing singly the...
10Foreign Affairs Committee to the Commissioners, 21 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
The British Commissioners have arrived and transmitted their powers and propositions to Congress, which have received the answer you will see in the Pennsylvania Gazette of the 20th. instant. On the 18th. of this month Gen. Clinton with the British army (now under his command) abandoned Philadelphia, and the City is in possession of our Troops. The enemy crossed into Jersey, but whether with...
11To John Adams from James Lovell, 14 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
In my Letter of the 9th. I mentioned the Receipt of yours to the President of June 26. I inclose a Resolve passed in Consequence of the Report of a Committee: Lovell, Houston and a judicious amiable Col. Motte of Sth. Carolina. On the morning of the date of the Resolve a Duplicate of that Letter had been received covering two Papers more than had been inclosed in the Original; one of which was...
12To John Adams from James Lovell, 14 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you the decent Fashion in which we it was yesterday opinioned to let the World know Mr. Lee has a Successor. Pray strive by Mr. Issac Smith’s Knowledge of the Sailing of Vessels to let Arthur get the paper before his Foes. The 3 Ministers are to have per An: £2500 sterling. Their Secretaries £1000 in full of Services and Expences. To commence at Outset and finish in 3 months after...
13To John Adams from James Lovell, 20 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
The receipt of your letters of Decr. 24th variously directed gave equal and uniform satisfaction here yesterday. There was an error in the date of the Commission but it is judged to be of no importance. I send all the dispatches to you open as before that you may be acquainted with the contents, in case you should forward them before you sail yourself. I will endeavour to send your Chest by...
14To John Adams from James Lovell, 19 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I begin to be very impatient at not hearing from you; and this not barely from the Number of days elapsed since my Information of Sepr. 28 &c. &c. but from the Opinion dropped by Mr. Lowell that we should not be able to obtain your Consent again to trust us here. It is the Desire of many that you should execute an intermediate Negociation with Holland, and you are named but others think it...
15To John Adams from James Lovell, 2 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Favor of Sepr. 20th. reached me at Christmas. I inclose you a Resolve but am not able to give you a Copy of what I officially wrote to cover it by Col. Palfrey and by Way of Boston. You will oblige me by returning a Copy of that Letter which ought to appear in the Books of the Committee for foreign Affairs, those Books being soon I hope to be placed in some regularly established Office....
16James Lovell to John Adams, 5 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I did not omit to write by the Conveyance of one of the most amiable Women I ever knew. I only omitted to send my written Congratulations to you upon that Felicity which her Presence must afford after so long a Seperation. Capital Sacrifice to your Country thus pleasingly in part rewarded! The Consul Gen l. of France, my Neighbour, then informed me that M rs. Adams had sailed while I slept,...
17To John Adams from James Lovell, 21 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter from one of the most lovely of Women in your Quarter of the Continent, I find you are engaged about a governmental Constitution for Massachusetts Bay. And by another Letter from a Friend of a different Sex I find that, after a free and full Discussion of Principles you have determined to constitute a free Republick. From the unanimous Result of your past Deliberations I am led to...
18To John Adams from James Lovell : Confidential, 27 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
Not knowing, my dear Sir, how certain Things now in agitation may this day be terminated here, I chuse to state, at this time, some Proceedings two days old, that I may not be thought to give them a Gloss in the Stile of an After-Prophet turned Historian or Painter. For a Ground Work I refer you to the Report of the Committee of 13 with its consequent Yeas and Nays, which is certainly now in...
19Enclosure: James Lovell to John Adams, 13 June 1779 (Adams Papers)
I shall not look through my Almanac to see whether I have written to you 22 or 24 Letters, I shall go upon the easier task of acknowledging all I have had from you—Decr. 6 1778 received Feb. 16 1779 answered 17th. and Sepr. 26. 1778 received Mar 4 1779 answered Apr. 28th. 3 months ago Mr. Gerard communicated to us in a private audience that Spain was mediating and that we ought to take speedy...
20To John Adams from James Lovell, 6 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope the Papers which you will receive by this opportunity will give you personal Satisfaction as well as facilitate the Purposes of your Commissions. I have already sent several Copies of the Diary of Congress of Decr. 12th. 1780 as follows. “Congress took into Consideration the Report of the Committee to whom was referred the Letter of June 26 from the honorable John Adams, whereupon...
21To John Adams from James Lovell, 7 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your many Letters to Congress up to June 2d. have been read with Pleasure and I have received two from you—March 16. 29 received July 20th. Mr. Lee is not yet in Philada. perhaps he may have another for me. You will not learn any agreable Things respecting your native Country. However, the defeat of Genl. Gates on the 16. of Augst. was not so bad as we at first had reason to think. Perhaps...
22To John Adams from James Lovell, 28 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jay having resigned the Chair on account of other public Engagements, the Honble. Mr. Huntingdon was Elected President of Congress. Tomorrow, will be chosen Secretaries for France Spain and the Negociator {nominated Peter Scull { Mr. Carmichael { Jno. Trumbull by by by Mr. Atlee Mr. Hewes Mr. Laurens Col. John Lawrence Mr. Searle Jona. Trumbull by
23To John Adams from James Lovell, 8 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Herewith goes a Letter which I this day received from Mrs. Adams with a Request that I would superscribe it and deliver it to the Care of Colonel Palfrey, or of some other, he being gone. The Discontent in the Pensylvania Line of the Army can give the Enemy no solid Satisfaction; for, an evident Proof that it does not rise from Disaffection to our Cause has been given by a Discovery and...
24To John Adams from James Lovell, 20 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am to acknowledge the Receipt of your Favors of Decr. 19, Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 the 1st. on the 16th, the two latter yesterday by Mr. Partridge. I ought also to profess myself obliged by your long Letter this day read in Congress dated at Braintree. I am quite pleased with finding I had formed a just Opinion of the several Character mentioned in these your Letters to me; And should have...
25To John Adams from James Lovell, May 1778 (Adams Papers)
In aid to your scrutiny after the real robber of the Commissioners Dispatches, I send what I think a good Confirmation of Folgiers honesty. By comparing the Governor’s letter with Folgier’s Examination you will find the Governor led into a mistake about the number of Seals broken, by Folgiers forgetting that the outside Cover of the whole had anything more than “Dispatches” wrote on it. He...
26To John Adams from James Lovell, 19 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
Though I know your extreme Delicacy as to any Interference in the executive Affairs of the U.S s. yet to you I must apply; for, Heaven & Secretary Jackson know I may be chagrined in an Attempt to address the President. I am in Dread least an Action should take Place which will renew the Vigour of the Opponents & damp the Spirit of the Friends of Government: And, it will be out of Time to await...
27To John Adams from James Lovell, 31 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received yours of May 14 from L’Orient and Aug. 13th. from Braintree with several valuable Papers. I hope to be able to write shortly to you on those Topics which are the Subject of your Correspondence with de Vergennes. At present, as I have been for several days past, I am engaged in a severe wrestling Match with a Chap who has laid many on their Backs here lately. He is known in...
28To John Adams from James Lovell, 24 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
I was not a little surprized Yesterday at seing a Letter from you to Mr. S. Adams by Mr. Archer, in which you make no sort of Acknowledgement of any of my numerous Scrawls; 14 or 15 have at least gone on the Way to you. I have felt myself lately under the Necessity of letting you go by guess as to what we are doing here. Congress have the Papers of the Committee for foreign Affairs on their...
29To John Adams from James Lovell, 8 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
Yours of Janry. 9th is before me. Deane had inclosed to Congress a long minute corresponding history of what you sent me. He doubted whether Mr. R M had communicated to us what had been sent of the kind formerly therefore he wrote to him lately with flying seals under cover to the President. Mr. R M had been indiscreet in remarking to T.M. upon the Conduct of the Commissioners as not acting...
30To John Adams from James Lovell, 10 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
The week after Mr. C—— was appointed secretary, I saw the P.S. of a letter to Mr. S.A. in which he is said to be a very unworthy person, but he has so good a Character in the estimation of Congress and from Maryland Gentlemen, that I did not think proper to move for a power of Suspension to be given to the Commissioners, as I find it is the opinion of some here that the secretary should be...