21Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 28 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
Not haveing anything worth troubling you with for sometime have been silent. The late Affair of Ticonderogia, makes us all sick. I have been of Opinion for sometime itt would have been best iff itt had been evacuated last spring and come down lower by which means the laboring Oar would have fell more on the Enemy, but to give itt up with such immence stores and charge we have been att, is...
22Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 13 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you the post before last to which refer you. In your last you mention the prize price of Salt, which am very sorry to see was so high. I had a little parcel lately which I retaild Out att 12/ a single bushel, and sold a Gentleman from the Jerseys who are deprived from geting that Article and to compasionate there case let him have itt att 10/ tho was offerd 20/ for itt, but as he...
23John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 19 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be delivered you, by two Gentlemen who are returning to America, Sir James Jay of New York, a Brother of The Hon. John Jay, once a Member of Congress, now Chief Justice of that state. The other is Mr. Digges a Gentleman from South Carolina. These Gentlemen will be able to give you, a particular Account of all the News. I should be obliged to you if you would introduce Dr....
24Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 6 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Hopeing this might find you safe Arrived, and haveing an Opportunity by Via Cadiz, thought itt might be Agreeable to let you know your family and friends are well. A fleet from France is now Arriveing. The Dean Frigate with Young Cushing &c. is att Portsmouth. Mr. Dean was landed att the Eastward as you will know as the ship returnd. —Tryon sent Out part of an Act to Govr. Trumbal. I have...
25Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 9 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
Mrs. Adams not knowing of this Opportunity by Mr. Sears and Capt. Cheevers, who are going in a Dutch ship, who probably may call on you as the ship is designed to touch at Bourdeaux. I wrote you by a Vessell of my Own a few days since by the way of Cadiz, I then wrote you I had received a Trunk by Capt. Tucker, for Mrs. Adams, in good order. You will doubtless have heard by the packet Count...
26Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening we had an Account from Newbury that a Vessell was Arrived there from Bilbao, but haveing stopt att Coronia, brings the Agreeable news of your having Arrived att that port after a very short passuage. I sent word to day to Mrs. Adams, and iff any letters should come to hand from Newbury, shall forward them. But as yet no letters are come, Occasiond by the badness of the roads. I...
27John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your Favour of December the 12, and thank you for your Attention to the Widows, whose Letters came safe by the same Conveyance. The Way of Spain is a very good one to send light Letters containing any interesting Intelligence, but large Packetts mount the Postage so high as to make it too heavy. The Method of cutting out from Newspapers interesting Paragraphs, and inclosing...
28John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 16 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of 26th. Feby. was sent me by Mr. John Hodshon of Amsterdam, whom I shall request to convey You this. You can’t imagine how much pleasure this Letter gave me. I should be obliged to You to write me and desire Mrs. Adams, and my friends to write by every Vessel to Amsterdam and Spain. The Newspaper inclosed was very agreeable. I have procured the Account of Captain Water’s...
29John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 26 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I must intreat You to write me, and persuade others to write by every Vessel to Spain and Holland. We have just received Clinton’s Letter. A Spanish Armament, 12. Ships of the Line, 5 Frigates &c. &c., 12,000 men sailed 28th. April. The Brest Armament of 8 Ships and 6000 Men sailed 2d. May. Walsingham and Graves are still in Port, for any thing We have heard. The maritime Powers have all...
30John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 6 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of August 21. and Sept. 9. I have received and am much obliged to you for them. I hope you will be so good as to write me, by every Vessell. From the great Number of American Vessells which have arrived, in Europe in the Course of the past summer, I think our Commerce as well as Privateering is on the rising hand, and I hope that next year, it will increase considerably, and that...
31Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 27 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few days since by a ship which goes in Company with this of the success under Genl. Morgan in the Caralinions Over the famous Tarleton. Since which we have the Agreeable Advize of an Expedition of a 64 ship and 2 frigates part of the french fleet att Rd. Island, haveing been to Virginia in order to ketch Genl. Phillips and Arnold, which business they have compleated haveing saild...
32John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 11 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 18th. of Decr. reached me to day. I lament the Loss of my Letters by Davis, but I hope Mrs. Adams did not lose her Present, which I hear nothing of. I thank You, Sir, for the kind News of my Family. Mr. Guild is taken and all my Letters and other things sent by him lost. I wish I could give You any good News, especially of Peace, but alass there is no hopes of it. The...
33Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 23 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Not knowing but this may reach you as soon or sooner than a conveyance from Newbury (a ship of the Tracy’s Capt. Brown) by whom Mrs. Adams has wrote you—As such I take upon me to trouble you with a few lines, to let you know Mrs. Adams and family were well Yesterday. We have a ship from Port Loreon Lorient last week in 27 days, but as to News we have nothing Material, was in hopes the Dutch...
34Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 13 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
Itt is sometime since any of your friends have had a line from you though many Vessells have Arrived from France by which conveyance they have been expecting letters from you. There has been Three frigates with money, some for the Congress, and Cloathing. The Marquis Lafaett that had a quantity of Cloathing is supposd to have founderd. We have been very much troubeld on Our Eastern Coast and...
35Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 23 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
In Haveing an Opportunity by Via Bilbao, I have the pleasure of communicating to you the Arrival of your son Charles, after a passage of 45 days from Bilbao. —The ship Robinhood that Charles Storer &c. went in is Arrived from Gottenburgh, in 45 days likewize a Brig att Providence from france by which we here the News of the Capture of Cornwallis had reacht there. The Congress has past an Act...
36Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 7 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday received your long lookt favor being the Only One I have received for two Years. I dont know that I am intitled to any particular Notice, more than many of your friends but thought I might claim some share. I received a letter from Mdm. the Widow Chabenel incloseing some letters to be forwarded to her relations att the southward. Billey lately returnd from Philadelphia were he saw...
37John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 20 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received yours of Ap. 18. Via Leverpool. Money may be sent to the East, to purchase Tea and other Commodities for which We now send it to London, and pay double Price. Besides Tobacco Peltries and Ginzeng, may be procured. Our Oil might easily find a Market in almost any great Town in Europe. Nothing is wanting but to make known the superiour Qualities of our Sperma Caeti Oil, by...
38To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 29 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you One or two letters not knowing of your being coming home all that time. We have nothing Material in this quarter. By some people a few days since Out of Boston they seem to think they will move off soon, As the Transports seem to be in readiness to receive any thing On board, and that there are Apprizements on the Friends of goverments Estate but I apprehend itt differantly that is...
39To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 16 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 4t. Instant, I have received which I received by Via Watertown but As the post is most certain would not have you be affraid of writing that way On Account of the postage. I Observe what you say about liberty of going to foreign ports which, there has been no Obstruction As to going in ballast. You say trade, you expect, will be Open very soon. We have little or nothing in this...
40To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 22 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you, by last Weeks post, and am confirmd in my Opinion As to what I wrote you, with referance to a free trade with the Neutral Islands by the many Captures of the southern Vessells in the West Indies; two days since I saw a Master from Gaudelupe who left itt 24 days Ago and he heard of two Briggs two days before being taken One from Virginia or Maryland and the Other from Philadelphia...
41To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 4 – 8 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I suppose there were some dispatches went of f yesterday to your body respecting the late News of more Troops expected. I did not think they would have been Able to have procured so many Troops. By some London papers which Cap. Lee saw on board the Vessell bound to N.F.Land, not a Transport but a Vessell that came Out with them, itt seems the Ministry have Agreed to pay the K. of Prussia his...
42To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 6 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 17th. Ultimo I have received, As to the Massachusetts raising more Men—would say, the seaports are driand very much by there going a privateering &c. and the late success of One belonging here (Cap. White) who with Another has taken four ships &c. two are in att the Eastward. One between 4 and 500 hhds claid Barbadoes Sugars, the Other from Antigua. His success, now with two other...
43To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 11 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have not been favord, with any from you for sometime. As to News of any consequence this way, we have None. The most important is your way, trusting on the divine beaing for a blessing on Our Arms. Hope in the end we shall be crownd with success—though the present prospect Appears gloomy. I have been Appointed by the General Court last Year to take care of the poor belonging to the Almshouse...
44To John Adams from Isaac Smith Sr., 9 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by Via france, lately, but beleive the Ship is not saild (cald the Marquis Fayetta) on Account of Our Coast being very much infested with Cruzers, the brige. Capt Hales who came from Holland with the bearer Capt Grinnel was taken in Our bay and Carrd. to Bermudas, att which place great many Vessells are carried. The french fleet are here fiting, and will leave considerable of money...
45From John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure to congratulate you, upon the provisional Arrangement of our Affairs with England. The Terms are as good as we could obtain, and much better, considering all the Difficulties and Dangers we were in, than could have been expected. The Fishery I think is so well secured, that we have no cause to complain, and as soon as Peace is concluded you may revive your long neglected...
46Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 13 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
The ship Dutche’s of Kingston in which M r Dana came in is now bound to Lisbon, from whence this will be forwarded, as probably itt may reach you allmost as soon as any Other way— M rs. Adams was with us lately who with the family are well Col o. Quincy departed this life last week— Our G. C. are seting & have been for sometime past— a few days since came on the salaries for the Officers of...
47From John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 6 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
My Son who is upon his return home will deliver to you and your worthy Family in all its Branches, the Respects and Affections of mine: but I ought not to Send him away without a Letter to you. The Letters with which you favour Us now and then by the Way of Spain and Portugal, always come Safe as I believe and are an agreable Refreshment to Us. We Shall always be thank full for a Letter, by...
48From John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 2 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday made a Visit to your old Friend M r Boylston, and his Nephew at their Sugar House on Pauls Wharf, Upper Thames Street. They have a pretty Situation, and a good Room with a Bow Window, which shews them the whole Scæne of the River, upwards to Blackfryars Bridge and downwards a great Way. We are to have a View from this Window of the Lord Mayors Show. These gentlemen represent to me,...
49From John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 12 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Terror in the Minds of our Sailors, of the Barbary Rovers, is an immense Loss to our Country, in Insurance, and in Trade with Italy, Spain, Portugal France England Holland: indeed with all Parts of the World. The Question is whether it is better Policy to fight them or treat with them. To fight, with a possibility of any effectual Success will cost us a Million sterling a Year. To treat...