1Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 23 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour of writing you December 12 1778 inclosing a Letter from Messrs. Horneca Fitzeau & Co. relative to 13 Bales cases and Barrells marked No. 1 to 13 which are the property of Mr. Simeon Dean and which were delivered to Mr. Schweighauser on a supposition that they belonged to the commissioners as mentioned in my said Letter. I have not had the honour of an answer on this Subject. I...
2To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 12 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
My last informed you of my Intention to send you by the Messagerie a Case of old W. India Spirit, and at the same time I requested you to send a dozen to Mr. Alexander and a dozen to Dr. Bancroft. I have now to inform you that it left Nantes last Saturday accompanied with an acquit a Caution which I request you to return to me properly indorsed at the Bureau at Paris. I must beg your...
I am well informed that two Indorsements have been made on the Accounts I have had the Honour to present to the Commissioners, one of which contains Accusations as injurious to my Reputation as they are false and malignant. The first of these Indorsements is on my Account dated Sept. 10 1778 and is written in the following Words.— “N B The Order from B Franklin and John Adams Esqrs. to the...
4Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 17 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am highly sensible of the Confidence you honour me with by your Approbation of my Drafts on Mr. Grand, and am ready to account for the expenditure of them up to the 30th May. The Charges since my Departure from Nantes, to go to new Account. As your Time is too constantly and too importantly employed to attend to the Details of commercial Concerns, would it not be well to appoint some...
5To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 1 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I heartily congratulate you on your safe Return to Europe and thank you for your obliging Care of my Letters from my Friends, which I received last Post from Bilboa. I shall be greatly obliged to you if you will employ a leisure half Hour in giving me a little Sketch of our public Affairs in America, so far only as is prudent for you to communicate, and proper for me to know. Please to let me...
6To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 17 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
By the Tenor of your Favour of the 8th Instant I apprehend I have committed an Indiscretion. The Satisfaction I feel in contributing to your Pleasure was my only motive and I beg that may be considered as my excuse. The Rum cost me nothing, I cannot therefore fix a price, but Billy Franklin is my Banker in small affairs and you may settle it with him as you think proper. I am with great...
7To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 20 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have just heard of your return from Philadelphia, and am exceeding sorry I had not the pleasure of seeing you as you passed thro’ Providence; I want very much to consult you Sir, about entering into the Practise of Law, and the favour you did me when an Opportunity offered for my going into Business at Portsmouth, encourages me to make this Application. I have for this some time past had a...
8Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 18 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
My last informed your Excellencies of my Arrival at this place from Morlaix and my Motives in coming hither. Capt. Jones has received a Letter from Mr. Schweighauser who in consequence of one from William Lee Esqr. claims the Disposal of the Prizes sent into this port by the Ranger, informs Capt. Jones that he has the Management of the public Business, and that I pretend to what he alone has...
9Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 18 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Excellencies favour of the 13 Instant I have duely received. You may depend that I shall not make any new Engagements without your express Orders. I apprehend I shall very soon satisfy every demand on the public Account, ’till when I must beg a Continuation of your Approbation of my Drafts on Mr. Grand. Had I not been prevented by Illness my Accounts would have been at present before you....
10Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 10 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Monsieur Montaudouin has this Day received a Letter from Monsieur Kergariou Commander of the French Frigate L’oiseau off Bellisle, informing him that the Guernsey and Jersey Privateers which infest this Bay, obtain Provisions at Bilboa under the Flag of the United States, pretending to be Americans. I think it my Duty to give you this Information and hope some Means may be found to prevent...
11To John Adams from Jonathan Williams III, 16 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at Brest last Wednesday, in twenty five days Passage from Boston, and had the Pleasure of spending a day with Mrs. Adams the week before, at Braintree; She was then well and wrote the inclosed for my Care. Mrs. Adams had occasion for some solid Coin to answer some particular Purposes and I had it in my Power to afford her ten Guineas, for which She gave me the inclosed Bill; I know...
12To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 24 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am sorry this Town has fewer Charms for you than a Ship of War,— You surely will have enough of the Sea on your Passage and methinks the Shore, now Nature is putting on her most agreeable Dress, is capable of giving you more pleasure. If you think the Situation of my House pleasant enough, you may be as compleatly Commander of it as you can be of any Frigate in the Service. You may remember...
13Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 11 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Excellencies are before this Time informed of the Gallant Action performed by Capt. Jones, who has no doubt also informed you of his Intentions relative to the Drake Sloop of War. I happened to be at Morlaix when this News reached me, and as I thought my presence would be of Service I came immediately hither. Capt. Jones informs me that he has immediate occasion for about £2000 Sterling,...
14Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 3 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Agreeable to your verbal order I have given Directions to stop the Reparation of the Arms at Nantes, paying the Workmen their Wages Gratifications and Conduct Money according to agreement. I beg to know if this is agreeable. I am very respectfully Hon Gentlemen Your most obedt Servant RC ( PPAmP : Franklin Papers); docketed: “Mr Jona. William’s Letter July 3. 1778”; also: “ansd July 10 1778...
15Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 28 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
My last to your Excellencies was of the 18th Instant since which I am without any of your Favours. I sometime since received from Holland 13 Bales and Packages containing oznaburgs, Sail Cloth, Medicines &c, which the Shippers informed me were on Account of Mr. Grand, from whom I had no advice relative to the Business, I in consequence wrote to him, and have for answer that altho’ the Goods...
16To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 9 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Capt. Charles Jenkins of the Brig Sally arrived here this morning to my address, he left Rhode Island on the 12 Jan and reports that affairs were in the same State, the English Fleet in Gardiners Bay and the French in Rhode Island and both armies in Winter Quarters. By this Vessell I received the inclosed Letter which I take the earliest Opportunity to forward. Were I to attempt to make an...
17To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 28 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since your Departure because I have not before had anything to communicate, and now it is probable you will have already heard what I have to say. The last accounts from England inform us that Pondicherry and Chandanargor in the East Indies are taken by the English, after above two months Seige. The Papers say also that a french Man of War and a Frigate are lost on...
18To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 23 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received your much esteemed Favour of the 14 Instant, and find by it that the Error about my departure for America is sett right: My Uncle is, if not already sailed, ready to depart from L’Orient, and I hope your Letters by him will arrive safe. I thank you very much for the news you give me and I wish I could in return say something decisive about Clinton, but my last Letters from...
19Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 22 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
When I had the honour to lay my Accounts before you, I left the general one unfooted intending to compleat it after Examination. I now send it properly closed and settled to the 30th May 1778. You have also inclosed the account of the Magazine, Invoice of Arms repaired, and your general Account since that Period, all settled to the 10th September 1778, Balance in your Favour seven thousand...