31From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 13 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 6th. with Judge Iredells Letter inclosed, informing of the Death of Judge Wilson. The Reasons urged by Judge Iredell for an early Appointment of a successor, are important. I am ready to appoint either General Marshall or Bushrod Washington. The former I suppose ought to have the Preference. If you think so send him a Commission—If you think any other Person...
32From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return Mrs Adams’s letter No 120 with its inclosure and Dr. Rushes letter of Sept the first, which I received in yours of the 7th of this month I am not all mortified at the delay of the treaties with Prussia, or Sweden, having no ardent desire of any treaties with Prussia till the crisis in Europe is more decided. Gen. Marshall or Bushrod Washington will succeed Judge Wilson, if you have...
33From 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...
34From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the Eleventh. I wish I understood, better than I do, the Conduct both of General Pinckney and Mr Gerry. I shall not be guilty of So much affectation 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: and I...
35From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 20 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
Last night Mr Amory & Mr Gardner came out to Quincy to shew me the original letters from the houses of Horsyth Smith & Co. and Hartshone & Boggs of Halifax, suggesting from Admiral Vandeput the idea of a convoy from Halifax in the fall, spring & midsummer. I pray you to consult with the other gentlemen especially the Secretary of the navy concerning the practicability utility & necessity &...
36From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 21 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 14th & 15th. The letter to Govenor Sumner, I will send to his Excellency. I feel very sensibly the obligations of the US to Mr Liston to his royal highness, Prince Edward & to Sir John Wentworth for their civility and kindness & shall accept the loan of the cannon and shot upon the terms you propose. Mr Stoddert will take the earliest opportunity to give...
37From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 26 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of your letter of the 19th last night and have read the inclosures. Dr. Rushes letter gives me pleasure, because the number of dissappointed candidates is diminished by it by one. Mr. Sitgreaves letter is frank, candid and agreeable; but although this gentleman has merit and talents, held in high esteem by his country, as well as by me, I cannot help thinking that a few years...
38From 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...
39From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 28 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of Sept 20th and return you the comission for a judge of the supreme court, signed, leaving the name and date blank. You will fill the blank with the name of Marshall, if he will accept it, if not with that of Bushrod Washington. I cannot blame the former if he should decline, of the latter I have always heard the most agreeable accounts. I have also received your...
40From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 30 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 24th and have read carefully all the inclosures. Such as ought to remain in your office I return inclosed in this. There is nothing that require any remarks from me, because I think all is well considered, well done. It may not however be amiss to observe, to Mr. Adams, that he need not be solicitous about his success in making treaties with Prussia and Swedin...
41From 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 :...
42From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed letters are perfectly received last night from you inclosed in your letter of Oct 3d are perfectly unintelligible to me in all their parts. I pray you to return them to me decyphred as early as possible & to keep their contents in your own bosom With great esteem MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
43From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you Mr. Kings letters of July 28th. August 1 & 5 inclosed in yours of Oct 3d. received yesterday: These letters are very important & some of them should be made publick. With great esteem &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
44From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
It is time to turn our attention to the important question whether it will be safe for congress to meet in Philadelphia & to another what will be proper to say in the speech. I pray you to think upon these subjects & send me your sentiments as early as you conveniently can I have the honor to be with / great esteem &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
45From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you Mr. Fosters Letter, and your answer, together with the Abby Lambins’ Letter to Mr. Foster and the Arrete inclosed. Your answer to Mr. Foster is wise and prudent. How ready is the Spider to dart along his invisible Line, upon a fly, that he thinks he sees off his guard? In this Case however it will appear I hope and believe, that the intended Prey, our good hearted friend, has been...
46From 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...
47From 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...
48From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I recd. your answer to the Address from Virginia, concinnate and consummate. My Secretary gave a hint of it to Mrs. Adams and She insisted upon his bringing it to her Bedside and reading it to her. She desires me to tell you, that weak and low as She is She has spirit enough left to be delighted with it. She says it is the best answer to an Address that ever was written and worth all that ever...
49From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 16 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 11th and return you three warrants signed, which you may fill up for Gen. Collot, Mr. Sweitzer & 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...
50From 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...
51From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 19 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I recieved return you Mr Adams letter & the speeches. The latter with an extract from the former might be advantageously inserted in the newspapers. I return you Mr Murrays letter to me of the 14th of July which I pray you to decypher with great regard MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
52From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 20 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
There are many things which deserve to be maturely considered before the meeting of congress. I shall mention two or three at present, concerning which I pray you to take as early measures as possible to obtain the advice of the heads of departments. One of them is, whether it will be expedient for the president to recommend to the consideration of congress a declaration of war against France....
53From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 25 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you Mr Adams’s letter No 128 and the document inclosed in it. I congratulate you on Gen Pinckneys arrival and condole with you on Gen. Marshalls erroneous answers to his catechist. An account of the conduct of the French in overturning the government of Switzerland, written by Sir Francis D’Ivernois has been published in one of the Boston papers. Perhaps that which you have received...
54From 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...
55From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 28 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter of Judge Iredell, by which it appears that Judge Ire Wilson died on the night of the 21st of Augt. Inclosed also is a letter from Mr Desdoity which I request you to answer according to law and usage. Another from RB Forbes which I request you to note & file for consideration in due season. I received last night from the post office in Boston a bundle of addresses like the...
56From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of Oct 18 & pray you when you see Gen. Pinckney to congratulate him for me on his arrival; but I would not wish him to think of a journey here to see me. I shall see him I hope e’er long at Trenton or Philadelphia. The two letters returned in yours are important. The first has made a great impression on me. Inclosed is another letter which I pray you to decypher &...
57From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of Oct. 18. And pray you when you see General Pinckney to congratulate him for me on his arrival; but I would not wish him to think of a Journey here to see me. I shall see him I hope eer long at Trenton or Philadelphia. The two Letters returned in yours are important. The first has made a great Impression on me. Inclosed is another Letter which I pray you to decypher,...
58From 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...
59From 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.
60From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
The president of the U.S. requests the Secretary of State to prepare copies of the remaining papers of our late Envoys to France to be laid before congress at an as early day as possible MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
61From 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...
62From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 9 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the Company of the Secretary of State, with the Heads of Departments, tomorrow Evening at Six of OClock and requests the Secretary to bring with him a Copy of the Instructions to our late Envoys to France. MHi : Timothy Pickering Papers.
63From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 29 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mr Stodderts recommendation of Mr James Reid of New Hampshire to be Vice Consul at Canton, inclosed in your Letter of the 21. and returned in this, is sufficient for my satisfaction, provided you know of no other candidate of greater merit, or Superiour qualifications. You may therefore make out his Commission as soon as you please. I have the honor to be, Sir, your / most obedient NNGL .
64From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 1 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return inclosed the commission for Mr. Reid & General Pinckneys letter with all the papers attending it. Though the information obtained from the prisoners at Charleston is not very material, the gentleman who wrote the intelligence from Hamburgh deserves praise, because the mystery assumed by the mulattoes &c gave just cause of suspicion. The congregation of negroes and mulattoes at the...
65From 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....
66From 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,...
67From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 8 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the three letters to the Queen of Portugal signed, which were inclosed in your favor of the 20th of March. From an accquaintance, which I have ever considered as a friendship, with the Chevalier De Freire for thirteen or fourteen years, and from the pleasure I always received from his society, I regrett very much his departure from the United States. Whatever civilities or...
68From 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...
69From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favour of the 5th: The Blank Commissions inclosed I return signed. I also return Mr. King’s and Mr. Humphreys Letters. I am anxious to receive the Result of the Conference with Mr. Liston, Gen. Maitland & Colo. Grant and their written propositions— I have the honor to be, Sir / Your very humble Servt. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
70From 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...
71From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 12th only on the 20th. Gen. Dickerson introduced to me at Philadelphia Mr. Evan Jones, whose appearance deportment, & conversation were such as might be expected from a brother of that family—such as might be expected from Gen Dickerson’s recommendation. I am perfectly satisfyed that you should give him a commission as consul, provided you think it can be done...
72From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 25 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return signed, the blank commission, intended for Mr Jones to be consul at New Orleans. I return to you, Mr. Liston’s note of the 10th of April. I consider this handsome present of his Brittanic majesty, as a testimony of his friendship to the United States, & I request you to communicate through Mr. Liston, the thanks of the American government for this mark of his majestys confidence in...
73From 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...
74From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 8 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received in your letter of the 30th April the very handsome apology of Mr. Henry & the letter of chief justice Ellesworth from Hallifax of March 21st.—In several conversations with Judge Elsworth, I mentioned to him Gov. Davie, as one among several, whom I had in contemplation to appoint in the place of Govenor Henry, if he should decline as was apprehended by many. The character of...
75From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 10 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return signed the two patents to Christian Febiger & am / Sir &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
76From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 13 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 6th. and considered the copy of instructions to Mrs. King, which have been examined and unanimously approved by the heads of departments. I am very well satisfied with them on the whole though, I wish that in the tenth article, you would introduce another idea in corroboration. As a principal mean of annoying a maratime commercial ennemy would be our...
77From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 14 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
According to your request in your favour of the 9th. I inclose your Letter to Mr King N. 7 and remain, Sir your most obedient MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
78From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I last night received your favor of the 10th: Mr Liston’s note of the 8th was not inclosed as you intended. Mr. Barclay I know & his Exequator will be ready. Mr. Moodie I know not, nor do I know or suspect any objection to him. I thank you for the account of the tryal of Fries, which if it was attended to by as numerous a concourse of people in Philadelphia, as it would have been in some other...
79From 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...
80From 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...