1To Thomas Jefferson from “Monitor”, 7 May 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
A report has reached Virga. that since your V. Presidency you made in the City of Philadelphia a declaration nearly in the following words viz “That war with France might be expected unless america made Compensation and Concessions for injuries alledged to have been received by the former: also resinded the British Treaty, and that your exertions would be to effect those measures before you...
2From Alexander Hamilton to Arthur Lee, Walter Livingston, and Samuel Osgood, [14 September 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Having in consequence of my appointment as Secretary of the Treasury determined on William Duer Esquire as my Assistant, I have concluded from his situation with the late board that a delivery of the books papers and seal belonging to the department should be made to him. If this mode is agreeable to you I need only add that he is authorised on my part to carry it into execution. I have the...
3To George Washington from Arthur Lee, 21 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
It is not without great apprehension of presuming too much on the favor you have always shown me, that I offer you my Services, as a Judge of the Supreme Court which is now establishing. The having been calld to the bar in Westminster hall after five years study at the Temple, & having practisd the Law there for some time—are the grounds, Sir, on which I presume to ask your protection. I...
4To 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...
5From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 18 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you, for your kind Congratulations on my Arrival, and M rs Adams returns you her Compliments and Thanks. The Accession of Virginia, to the New Constitution is a great Event.— You and I Should not materially differ, I fancy, if We were to compare Notes of a perfect Commonwealth. But I consider the present Project, as a commencement of a national Government, to be a valuable...
6To 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...
7To 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...
8To 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...
9From George Washington to Arthur Lee, 20 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your favor of the 13th, since my arrival at this place. My Rheumatic complaint having very much abated (after I had the pleasure of seeing you at Mount Vernon) I have yielded to what appeared to be the wishes of many of my friends, and am now here as a delegate to the Convention. Not more than four states were represented yesterday. If any are come in since it is...
10To 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...
11To 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...
12From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 6 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received Yesterday your Favour of 27. July. and wish it were in my Power to relieve your Anxiety by giving you any comfortable Hopes from this Country. The national Sense and public Voice is decidedly against Us in the Whale Trade and Ship trade, and there are as yet but feeble Parties for Us in the West India Trade and Colony Trade. I may Say to you that, if Ireland had not escaped from the...
13To 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...
14From George Washington to Arthur Lee, 15 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive a letter from you dated at Carlisle the 19th of Novr last, which should not have remained unacknowledged until this time, if I had known of any opportunity of addressing a letter to you in the Western Territory. I have now heard of your passing thro’ Philada on your way to Congress, & have been honor’d with a copy of your second treaty with the Western tribes of...
15Arthur 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...
16John Adams to Arthur Lee, 31 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 12 th. August from New York, and by the Marquis de la Fayette who visited me last night, I have the Pleasure to learn that you have finished your Negotiations with the Indians, to the Satisfaction and Advantage of the Publick. I learn too with great Pleasure that your Brother has accepted a Seat in Congress and in the Chair. permit me to congratulate you upon...
17To 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...
18Arthur 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...
19Arthur Lee to John Adams, 11 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I cannot let this opportunity, thõ, from M r. Jefferson’s hurry, a transitory one, pass; without writing you a line. The arrangement of our foreign affairs which makes M r Jay Secretary here, & joins M r. Jefferson with you, must I think be pleasing to you, as they both have a friendship for you & are men of ability. It was my wish that the negociations might be carried on at the Hague or in...
20John Adams to Arthur Lee, 6 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of 14. Jan. was brought me Yesterday. I have been obliged to come here, in order to raise Money, for the Payment of Bills to a large amount, which M r Morris drew, at a venture, and have at length Succeeded, but it is So lately, that I have not yet joined my Colleagues in Paris, and I am undetermined, whether I Shall go there before the Commission you mention arrives, to treat with...
21To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 14 January [1784] (Adams Papers)
The Ratification having this day, the first on which nine States were represented, been unanimously passed; a special Messenger will be immediately dispatchd with it which gives me an opportunity of writing a few words to you which may arrive speedily & safely. The department of foreing Affairs being not yet filld, the business is of course in disorder & neglected. The arrangement of that...
22Arthur Lee to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in Philadelphia this day and had the honor of receiving your Commands of the 9th. Tho’ we were exceedingly desirous of the assistance of Mr. Adams in what yet remains to be done in Europe; yet his Letters were so pressing, that the Committee to whom they were referrd coud not resist reporting in favor of his resignation. Congress have not yet considerd that report; but I think Madam,...
23From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 12 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Congress forced Us, into a situation, which obliged Us to venture upon a Piece of Indiscipline, in order to Secure a tollerable Peace, So that you may well Suppose We are anxious to know how it is received among you, and what is to be our Fate. Whether We are to be approved, excused, justified or censured. The most curious and inexplicable Part of the History is Franklins joining in the...
24From George Washington to Arthur Lee, 29 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your favor of the 13th & thank you for the information—your Corrispondent at Paris had good ground for his opinion, and we have abundant reason to be pleased at the event, which he predicted the near approach of. I heartily congratulate you on the conclusion of the War—& hope the Wisdom of the States will point to that line of policy which will make them a great—a...
25To George Washington from Arthur Lee, 13 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
In a Letter I recievd yesterday, dated Paris, Decr 14. from a Gentleman exceedingly well acquainted with the Politics of St James’s, is this passage—"The acknowledgment of American Independency gives a right to Neutral Powers to trade directly to America. This will be a great advantage shoud the War continue, of which I think there is little probability. Europe seems to be in a disposition for...
26From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 10 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of yours of August 7th. yesterday. The letters inclosed are sent to their Destinations. I have long since taken such measures, as depended upon me, and continue to do all that Decency will permit, to induce the States to send a Minister to Congress. I am convinced it will not be done before next Spring. To give You a compleat detail of the Reasons of this would cost a tedious...
27To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 1 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you some late proceedings by which you will perceive that Mr. Laurens is to be made a victim if possible to the system of throwing every thing into one man’s hands. By these votes you will judge pretty accurately who are Devotees to this unjust, unwise, and irrepublican system. Except that of N. Y. where one of the ays was from policy given against the motion of which he was probably...
28From John Adams to Arthur Lee, 29 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have a great Mind to envy your Situation or to wish myself with you in Congress where I Should have less Anxiety and more health, if not an opportunity to do more good. The Mynheers have overcome most of their Terrors and are now well fixed, in the good System. They will hearken to no Seperate Proposals, and therefore will make an important Diversion in our favour although they Should not...
29To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 7 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a long letter of the 30th. Decr. 1780 to which I have not yet receivd any answer. But I cannot help writing a line to you by this opportunity, as well to congratulate you on the success of your negociations in Holland as to mention to you what I think may be of material concern to you; that the present minister for foreign affairs is as devoted a partizan of Count de Vergennes and...
30From James Madison to Arthur Lee, 25 June 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (Harvard University Library). Cover missing. About one-third of the last four lines on the left-hand side of the first page of the manuscript, and about the same fraction of the last four lines on the right-hand side of the second page of the manuscript, are missing. The bill which you lately inclosed to me was duly honored, and the contents of it are in my hands subject to any order which...