21To John Adams from the Foreign Affairs Committee, 3 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
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...
22From John Adams to James Lovell, 6 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Favours of 14 and 18 Novr. I received together, this Evening. I thank you, for your obliging Remembrance of me, and for your entertaining Anecdotes. Is there not Ground of Suspicion, that the Standards, Trophys, and other things, are concealed among, the Officers Baggage? But by the Convention Burgoignes Honour is to be relyed on, that nothing improper Shall be So concealed. A broken...
23To John Adams from James Lovell, 8 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since my signing a letter to you with Colo. Lee an excellent opportunity of sending to France presented; and the Colonel in his way home has carried a Packet to Baltimore, which will go to the Commissioners in a swift sailing armed Vessel. No: 1 contained Triplicates of Letters dated Octr. 31st. Novr. 1st. and Novr 8th No. 2 A Letter of Decr. 1st. and Resolves respecting Frenchmen Sept. 8. 13....
24Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters arrived in the absence of Mr. Adams who is gone as far as Portsmouth, little thinking of your plot against him. O Sir you who are possessd of Sensibility, and a tender Heart, how could you contrive to rob me of all my happiness? I can forgive Mr. Geary because he is a Stranger to domestick felicity and knows no tenderer attachment than that which he feel s for his Country, tho I...
25To John Adams from James Lovell, 17 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Decr. 2d. Resolved that a Commission be made out for Mr. J. Adams similar to that heretofore granted to the Commissioners at the Court of France. The date of the Commissions upon the 27th. was an error of the Secretary. But He as well as the president and others think it of no consequence. In Congress Decr. 17th. 1777 Resolved that Genl. Washington be directed to inform Genl. Burgoyne the...
26To John Adams from James Lovell, 21 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
That you may excuse my vile manner of doing business, know that I am freezing in my little room this morning so that I can scarcely hold my pen, but, I am, here, in quiet. The sealed packet sent before contained Triplicates of Octr. 31st Novr. 1 and 8 which last were only an Introduction of the Bearer Col: Ewen, and an Annunciation of Mr. Laurens’s Election as President so that his Draughts...
27To John Adams from James Lovell, 21 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
After the Resolve for stopping Burgoyne had passed, some were of opinion that a State of Facts found by the Committee should have preceeded the reasoning. Perhaps you will judge that it is already too laboured a report. I inclose for your own use the State of Facts alluded to which did not enter into the business of Congress; but was only talked of. We have intelligence now that 2 Hoits...
28From Benjamin Franklin to James Lovell, 21 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: National Archives; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress; copy: Yale University Library I see in a Vote of Congress shown me by Capt. Franval, that Mr. Deane is disown’d in some of his Agreements with Officers. I, who am upon the Spot, and know the infinite Difficulty of resisting the powerful Solicitations here of Great Men, who if disobliged might have it in their Power to...
29From John Adams to James Lovell, 24 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
I cannot omit this opportunity of acknowledging the Receipt of your kind Favours of 27 or 28 Novr. I Say one or the other of those days, because although the Letter has no date yet it Says it was written on the Day when a certain Commission was voted me, and both the Commissions are dated the 27, altho the Copy of the Resolution of Congress by which I was appointed is dated the 28. I should...
30To John Adams from James Lovell, 30 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Geary otherways engaged has given me the pleasure of forwarding this Intelligence from your friend Jefferson respecting the ready concurrence of the Dominion with the Articles sent lately to the States in a hope of cementing them together in a firm League. I am particularly rejoyced at this dispatch at this critical time when things appear almost desperate in this neighbourhood. As a...