31From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 12 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I think it will be expedient to lay before congress, on the second day of the session, all the papers which relate to the embassy to France, that they may be printed together, & the public enabled to judge from correct and authentic documents. To this end I request you to order copies to be made of your letter to Mr. Murray & his answer, of his letter to Talleyrand & his answer which should be...
32From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 2d. I have considered the petition of Warrall and return you his pardon signed.—The copies of the Instructions and dispatches I have received. I will thank you to send me a Copy or two of the Laws of the last Session compleat.— I have the Honor to be Sir / yr mo Obt. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
33From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 4 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Letter of Aug. 24 and pray you to keep the Packets from Sir John Sinclair till my return. This Agricultural Patriot and Hero has sent me Letters and Packets for Seven Years not one of which have I answered, but still he persevered.—I am not much charmed with the honour of being elected a Member of any Society in Europe especially in England, at this Crisis: but as it is owing...
34From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 16 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I request you to order fair copies of the instructions, as corrected last evening, to be prepared and delivered to Judge Elsworth & Govenor Davie, with another for Mr. Murray without loss of time, & to write a letter to those gentlemen, as Envoys Extraordinary to the French republic, expressing with the affectionate respects of the President, his desire that they would take their passage for...
35From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 2 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of Septr 14. 15. and 19th. The Letters inclosed in them, from Govr. Sinclair, Judge Patterson and Dr. James Sykes, I return to you inclosed with this, that you may be able to preserve together all the Papers, relative to the successor to Dr. Way in the Treasury of the Mint. Tomorrow I shall sett out on my Journey to the Southward, and shall Stop at East Chester...
36From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favor of the 22d. and rejoice to find you have received dispatches from Stevens and Maitland. If the British merchant vessels are to enter the ports of Cape Francoise & Port au Prince under a flagg of truce, and ours are not & if an agent from the British government is not admitted, while one from the United States is, this will render it more necessary for us to be...
37From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 3 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Duplicate of a Letter from Miranda with some Estimates. Read it and think of it. A number of questions and considerations over . We are Friends with Spain. If We were Ennemies, would the Project be usefull to us.—It will not be in for me to answer the Letter. Will any Notice of it, in any manner be proper. I shall send it by Mr. Humphreys, with Mr. Gerrys Papers. I am &c. MHi :...
38From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 23 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you Mr. Murrays letters of May 28. June 13 & 22d, July 13 & 15 & the parts of newspapers inclosed with them. The private letter you sent me from Mr Murray, sometime ago, contained much such a review of the pamphlet of Boulay de la Meurthe. I have been anxious to see it, but it is not yet arrived. A parrallel between the English republic & the French must be a curious thing. I have...
39From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received last night, your favor of the 23d. I am very glad to be informed, that the instructions for the envoys will be prepared in a few days, & that you have written to Mr Davie What think you of our envoys landing at Lisbon, & the frigate that carries them, takeing Mr. Smith to Constantinople, or cruising on the Spanish coast or in the Mediteranean? I am not for delaying the negotiation...
40From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Secretary of State to take into his Consideration, the following Questions, and make report of his Opinion in writing. 1. Whether the refusal to receive Mr. Pinckney, and the rude orders to quit Paris, and the Territory of the Republic, with Such circumstances of Indignity, Insult and Hostility, as we have been informed of are Bars to all further...
41From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 19 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a recommendation of William Jennison from Dr. Jennison of Cambridge to be a consul at St. Petersburg which you will file, with other solicitations for the same appointment. I have received your favor of June 12th, and have no objection to the proposed mission to the isle of France. I return you Jacob Lewis’s letter, also all the papers from the city of Washington. I pray you to...
42From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 8 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the Exequatur for Mr. Joham Ernest Christian Schultze to be Prussian consul at Baltimore, which was enclosed in your letter of the 1st of this month signed, & am Sir your most humble MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
43From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 7 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you all the letters of Mr. King & Mr. Humphry’s which were inclosed with your letter of May 30th. Encourage Mr. King I pray you in your letters & instructions to him, to persevere with all the decision, which may be consistent with decency & politeness, in denying the right of British men of war to take from our ships of war, any men whatever & from our merchant vessel any Americans,...
44From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 13 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I regret that I cannot have an oppertunity of receiving General Maitland, and Colo. Grant and conversing with them on several subjects of Importance. They will I hope & presume communicate to you all that will be necessary for us to know, relative to a Certain Topick, but I wish to know their sentiments concerning Surrinam Curracoa &c—and the neutral Ports that harbour Privateers, Caienna too...
45From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclos’d is an answer to the address from the Inhabitants of Hamilton County, which you will forward if you please.— I am Sir— / Your obt. huml. Servt MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
46From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 16 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 11th. I wish I understood better than I do the conduct both of Gen. Pinckney & Mr. Gerry. I shall not be guilty of so much affectations of regard to science, as to be very willing to grant passports to Dupont De Nemours or any other French philosophers in the present situation of our Country. We have had too many French philosophers already; & I really begin...
47From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 13th, incloseing Mr. Seagroves talks with Methlogy, his letter to you & your answer, all which I return. The Indian attack upon Hawkins is probably as injurious as that lately of the Tennessee assembly. Mr. Seagroves answer is very clever & your answer to him is very proper.—The Indians do not always discover that honesty & sincerity, which some philosophers...
48From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your private Letter of June 27 and approve the Alterations in the Proclamation alluded to in it. MHi : Timothy Pickering Papers.
49From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 21 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have considered Mr. Harrisons letter to you of the 10th. & in consequence of his opinion & the intimation of the judges, you may prepare a pardon for William Durelle, for all the sentence, except what relates to the security for future good behavior. I wish however that I had more information of the nature of the libell. You will please to write Mr. Harrison & inform him, that I leave...
50From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 31 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of the 28th. Inclosed are Some Papers I received from the City of Washington. They are Duplicates of Such as I received Several Weeks ago. I have delayed an Answer because I was not Satisfied and wished to take Advice.—After you have examined them I wish for your Opinion, 1st. whether I ought to Sign the Warrant of Attorney without limitation of time. 2d. Whether the...
51From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 6th & thank you for the intelligence from the Southward. The effervescence at Madrid as well as the news from Naples coincides with Mr. King’s letter & the news from Trieste confirms or rather favors the account that Buonaparte’s destination was the Adriatick not Egypt. But we must wait for further eclaireissement. Mr. Sullivans letter gives me apprehension that...
52From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 21 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are very respectable recommendations of Mr George Augustus Cushing to be consul at Havanna. They were presented to me yesterday by Mr. Cushing himself, who appears a genteel man. I told him that I considered Mr. Moreton as appointed. These papers however may be filed in your office & if any thing should happen to Mr. Moreton, Mr Cushing may be considered as a candidate I have the...
53From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 27 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
On the 27th I received your favors of the 22d The address from the volunteer company of riflemen of Christiania Hundred in the county of New Castle and state of Deleware, I shall transmit to the Secretary at war to be answered according to laws, rules and usages. The regulations proposed in your letter to Otway Bird, the collector at Norfolk, are prudent and judicious, and ought to be...
54From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 21 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of 15th is received. I have no doubt that an offence, committed on board a public ship of war, on the high seas, is committed within the jurisdiction of the nation, to whom the ship belongs. How far the president of the US. would be justifiable in directing the judge, to deliver up the offender, is not clear. I have no objection to advice and request him to do it. I am quite of your...
55From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your private letter of June 27 & approve the alterations in the proclamation alluded to in it. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
56From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor 14th inclosing Mr Listons note of the 8th. I am ready to grant the usual exequatur to Mr. Barclay and Mr. Moodie as soon as I shall see their commissions. I know not that there has been any precedent of an exequatur given, without a sight of the commission. If there has I pray you to inform me of it. The common course, I believe is for the ambassador to present the...
57From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 5th. The letter for our minister at Berlin shall be forwarded as you desire & thank you for dispatching the instructions to the collectors & the commission to Mr. Bushrod Washington. There were two young gentlemen nephews to the president general who were at college, when my family was in Philadelphia, & sometimes visited us, who appeared to me to be...
58From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 1 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Samuel Cooper came out with a packet from the consul at Gibralter. My son and Mr. Shaw have taken the tedious pains to copy them. No man in Boston is found to undertake to decypher them. I hope you will find one in Philadelphia. Mr. Lovel the naval officer, who was much occupied in congress formerly in cyphering & decyphering, came out to see them; but despairs of being able to make a key....
59From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Secretary of State, to commit to writing in detail, and report to the President as early as may be convenient, such particulars as the Secretary may think necessary or expedient to be inserted in the Presidents speech at the opening of the ensuing Congress, under the heads 1. of such Things as ought to be communicated to Congress, concerning the...
60From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 24 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jonathan Jackson delivered me the inclosed papers. Mr. Fitch’s letter I have never received. But the recommendations of Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Jackson and Mr Fitch are sufficient to satisfy me if you are satisfied, to make the appointment. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
61From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 7 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States, requests the Secretary of State to give directions for preparing Letters to the Consul General, and all the other Consuls and Vice Consuls of the French republic, throughout the United States revoking their Exequaturs, and a proclamation announcing such revocation to the public—The proclamation to be published and the Letters expedited, as soon as the Law...
62From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Secretary of State to prepare the Draught of a Project of a Treaty, and a Consular Convention such as in his opinion might at this day be acceeded to by the United States if proposed by France. It is his Desire that the Secretary of State would avail himself of the Advice and Assistance of all the heads of Departments in the formation of this...
63From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 3 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a petition from Scotchar again. I request that yourself & the Attorney General would consider it & give me your opinions whether it can be granted. I hope the easterly winds, which terminated in a furious storm of snow, have brought into some port or other, some good news from Europe or the West Indies. I have the honor to be Sir your very humble servant. MHi : Adams Family Papers,...
64From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 2 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Mr Woodward came up & presented me with the inclosed papers memorial, which he says was presented by Dr. Logan to the French minister, & was procured for him by Mr. Richard Codman. Mr Woodward told me, that Dr Logan told him that three persons only knew of his intentions to visit France & these three were, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Genet & Mr. Letombe—That Genet letters procured him his...
65From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 16th and have sent the inclosed letters from you, one to Mr. Goodhue & the other to Capt Giles by the post under my frank as well as yours. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
66From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 28 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the attention of the Secretary of State and all the heads of Department to the report of the Secretary of the Navy on ship yards & dock yards & their opinions & advice concerning it, as it is necessary a decision should be soon made MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
67From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter from Lt. Col. Perkins who has commanded Castle William these dozen Years which after you have read it I pray you to give to the secretary at War to be minuted and filed among the applications for Appointments. I wish to be informed whether you have written an answer to His Excellency Governor Sumner, accepting the Offer of Castle Island and if you would have not, that you...
68From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 8th with Mr. Kings letters of 10th and 16th of January, with the inclosure in the former. These papers I have read with more than common interest and anxiety, & however sanguine I may be in my disposition, or prone to determine my judgment on the first view of a subject, in this case, I must own myself puzzled & in doubt. The whole affair leads to the...
69From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
The President requests the Secretary of State to send him a copy of Mr. Patric Henry’s letter in which he declines his appointment, to be laid before congress with the other papers relative to the mission to France. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
70From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 7 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
The Attorney General has left with me and I now Send to you a Project of an explanatory Article or Treaty and a Project of a Letter to Mr King, defining an Ultimatum. There is no Business before the Government at this time of more importance than this and I pray you to turn, your Attention to it, and prepare a Draught of a Letter to Mr King, to be considered if possible on Monday Evening at...
71From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 1 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 23d & have read all the papers inclosed with attention & much satisfaction. With the No 3. observations &c I was particularly pleased. I can see no rational objection to any of the seven articles ultimately signed by all the heads of department unless it be the 6th. When I first read this I was apprehensive that some embarassment would might soon arise in...
72From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 2 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mr Cunnington has been at Quincy & exhibited to me a model of the machinery represented by the inclosed draught. The splendor of the light was so great & the experriment succeeded in all respects so well that I really think the invention a great improvement in œconomy as well as general utility in other respects. I pray you to show the plan & papers to the Secretary of the Treasury & request...
73From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 25 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of 18th. The misfortune of the hero is much to be regretted. The necessary orders I presume will be dispatched to her at Jamaica but I am not sufficiently informed of her situation to be able to judge what those orders ought to be. The anonimous letter you inclosed is curious enough. If it is required of me to procure satisfaction for every family ruined by the...
74From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return the papers relative to Scotchlar, with his pardon, and am your Mo. Obt / Servt. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
75From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 17th and return you three Warrants signed, which you may fill up for General Collot, Mr. Sweitzer and the Person mentioned in Mr. Kings Letter, if he is to be found. I could trust the Heads of Departments with this Power, rather than my own Judgment; But I think We ought to give the Act a strict Construction, and therefore doubt the Propriety of delegating the...
76From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your important letter of the 7th. The form of a proclamation—is sufficient I believe for the purpose; and I have signed it, that it may be compleated and published at a proper season without loss of time. I am glad the heads of departments did not form a definitive opinion on the very important question, whether it will be expedient to renew the commerce without a...
77From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 26 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter to me from Mr. Gerry I received last night, and pray you to have it inserted in a public Print. It will satisfy him and do no harm to any one. It explains some circumstances advantageously. He came to me, upon the Publication of your answer to the Address, and seemed uneasy at some expressions in it. I read him the extract of General Marshalls Letter to you, which was in...
78From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 19 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
On the 17th at night, I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 11th, & have given it that attention, which the great importance of its contents deserves. On the subject of rôle d’equipage, I feel a strong reluctance to any relaxation of the peremptory demand, we agreed on before I left Philadelphia, & Gen. Marshall’s observations are very just, yet it may be wiser to leave it to the...
79From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you all the parchments signed & pray you to fill the blanks as you proposed in your letter of the 27 Oct. I have recd also your other letter of the same date & thank you for the copies of Chauvets letter. I enclose a letter from Malborne recommending Dr Enoch Hazard to be a surgeon which I pray you to consider. I am Sir your / most obedient MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
80From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have sent all the papers inclosed in yours of the 2d to Capt. Little. If however I should see Capt Little before he sails, I know not but I might with propriety, communicate to him some idea of his destination, because the reason you assign, for concealing his instructions, has ceased by the publication of the proclamation, relative to the trade of St Domingo I have the honor to be Sir your...