151From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is of Importance to the People of America to observe how much lighter their own Burthens are than those of their Enemies, and for this Reason, I have every Year since I have been in Europe taken Notice of the new Taxes laid annually in Perpetuity upon the People of Great Britain by Parliament, in Support of Tyranny, in addition to all former Debts and Taxes. One sixth Part of the new Taxes...
152From 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,...
153From John Adams to the President of Congress, 3 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
On the first of May I went to the Hague, and wrote to his Excellency Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr. Grand Pensionary of Holland, that having something of Importance to communicate to him, I proposed to do myself the Honour to wait on him the next Morning at half after eight, if that Time should be agreable to him: but if any other Hour was more convenient, I requested his Excellency to mention it....
154From John Adams to the President of Congress, 7 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
On the fourth of May I did myself the Honour to wait on Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr., Grand Pensionary of Holland, and presented him a Letter containing a Copy of my Memorial to the States General &c. His Excellency said that it was necessary for me to go to the President and Secretary of their High Mightinesses, and that it was not customary for foreign Ministers to communicate any thing to the...
155From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Copies of the Memorials, which I had the honor to present on the fourth instant to the President of their High Mightinesses, and to the Secretary of his most Serene High ness. The former has been published in English, French and Dutch; and has been favourably recieved by the Public: but the public Voice has not that Influence upon Government in any part of Europe,...
156From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
There has been much said in the public Papers concerning Conferences for Peace, concerning the Mediation of the Emperor of Germany and the Empress of Russia &c. &c. &c. I have never troubled Congress with these Reports, because I have never recieved any official Information or Intimation of any such Negotiation, either from England or France, or any other way. If any such Negotiation has been...
157From John Adams to the President of Congress, 17 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 17 May 1781. 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. 455. This letter is not in the PCC and was probably never sent. It contains a list, according to nationality, of vessels paying tolls to Denmark in 1780 for passage...
158From John Adams to the President of Congress, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 21 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 151–157. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:424–427. This letter contained an English translation of Frederick II’s ordinance of 30 April regarding navigation and commerce. The preamble to the...
159From John Adams to the President of Congress, 23 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 23 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 159. 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. 465. This letter requested Congress to offer relief to the owners of an unnamed Dutch vessel captured by a British warship or...
160From John Adams to the President of Congress, 24 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 24 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 163–168. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:431–433. In this letter John Adams provided an English translation of Amsterdam’s address of 18 May to the States of Holland. The city’s deputies...
161From John Adams to the President of Congress, 25 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 25 May 1781. RC PCC , No. 84, III, f. 169–170. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:435–436. John Adams provided an English translation of a convention signed at Versailles on 1 May by the Comte de Vergennes and the Dutch ambassador, Lestevenon van...
162From John Adams to the President of Congress, 27 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 27 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 173–176. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:448–451. John Adams provided an English translation of a report made to the States General regarding the Dutch East India Company’s request for...
163From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
The English, by the capture of St. Eustatia, seem to have committed the most compleat blunder of all. There was found in that Island a greater quantity of Property belonging to the Britons themselves, than to the French, Dutch, or Americans. They have broke up a Trade, which was more advantageous to them, than to any of their Enemies, as it was a Channel through which British Manufactures were...
164From John Adams to the President of Congress, 31 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 181–182. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:461. John Adams provided an English translation of a memorial presented to the States General on 28 April by the Danish envoy, Mestral de Saint...
165From John Adams to the President of Congress, 31 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 185–187>. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:463–464. John Adams provided Congress with English translations of declarations by the cities of Dordrecht and Haarlem in support of Amsterdam’s...
166From John Adams to the President of Congress, 5 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 5 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 193–195. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:468–469. John Adams included an English translation of a statement made to the States of Zeeland by the deputies from the city of Middelburg on 14...
167From John Adams to the President of Congress, 11 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 11 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 197–205. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:487–491. John Adams included English translations of a petition to the city of Antwerp by its merchants and inhabitants and of an essay by Antoine...
168From John Adams to the President of Congress, 12 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 12 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 209–217. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:495–498. John Adams provided an English translation of a piece that originally appeared in a Dutch newspaper, probably the Gazette d’Amsterdam , but...
169From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The long expected Courier has at last arrived at the Hague from Petersbourg. The Contents of his dispatches are not publick, but all hopes of immediate assistance from the armed Neutrality seem to be dissipated. The Question now is what is to be done next. Some are for Alliances with the House of Bourbon and America: but a thousand fears arise. France, the Emperor and the Republick have...
170From John Adams to the President of Congress, 23 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The answer from Petersbourg, as it is given to the Public, is this. Her Majesty, the Empress of all the Russias, declares: That as much as She been satisfied with the Zeal with which their high mightinesses have accepted her mediation, so much and more has her compassionate Heart been affected with the difficulties formed by the Court of London, in referring the reconciliation with the...
171From John Adams to the President of Congress, 23 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 23 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 228–230. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:515–517. This letter consists of an English translation of a memorial that the regency of the city of Zierikzee presented to the States of Zeeland...
172From John Adams to the President of Congress, 26 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Rubicon is passed. A step has been at last taken by the Regency of Amsterdam, which must decide the fate of the Republick. The City of Amsterdam, finding that their proposition of the 18th. of last month was not sufficient to change the conduct of administration, have ventured on another maneuvre. On the 8th. of this month, as soon as the States of Holland were seperated, two Burgomasters...
173From 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...
174From John Adams to the President of Congress, 27 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Major Jackson has been sometime here, in pursuance of Instructions from Colo. Laurens, in order to dispatch the purchase of the Goods, and the shipping of the Goods and Cash for the United States, which are to go by the South Carolina. But when all things appeared to be ready, I recieved a Letter from his Excellency Dr. Franklin informing me, that he feared his funds would not admit of his...
175From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 29 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 246–251. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:525–527. This letter consists of an English translation of the letter presented to the States General on 21 June by Louis Ernst, Duke of...
176From 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...
177From 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...
178From 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...