1Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
How much is comprised in that short sentance? How fondly can I call you mine, bound by every tie, which consecrates the most inviolable Friendship, yet seperated by a cruel destiny, I feel the pangs of absence sometimes too sensibly for my own repose. There are times when the heart is peculiarly awake to tender impressions, when philosophy slumbers, or is overpowerd by sentiments more...
Affairs are Still in Suspence. This Day being Chrismas and Yesterday a sunday, there was no publick Exchange held, on either. But Business, and especially, Stock Jobbing goes on, without ceasing, being done at the Coffee houses, on Sundays and holy days, when it cannot be held upon Change. The English Mail which had been interrupted by contrary Winds, for three Posts, arrived on Saturday. The...
The Dispute between Great Britain and the United Provinces is now wrought up to a Crisis. Things must take a new Turn, in the Course of a few Days; but whether they will end in a War, or, in the Retractation of one Party or the other, Time alone can determine. I have before transmitted to Congress, the two Memorials of Sir Joseph York, against Mr. Van Berkel and the Burgomasters of Amsterdam....
It is very difficult to discover, with Certainty the secret springs which actuate the Courts of Europe, but whatever I can find with any degree of Probability, I Shall transmit to Congress, at one Time or another. The Prince of Orange is himself of the Royal Family of England: his Mother was a Daughter of King George the Second, and this Relation is no doubt one, among the Several Motives,...
5To George Washington from Colonel Arendt, 25 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
In a former letter of mine, I had the honour to acquaint Your Excellency with my safe return to America, and as it hath happened that the same letter hath lain over in the place where I put it to be fowarded I beg leave to mention to You the Subject of it —At the same time I take the Opportunity to congratulate Your Excellency of Your health which by public Accounts of You is in a perfect...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 25[–28] December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief This letter reports an extremely important diplomatic development, Britain’s breaking off relations with the Netherlands. The British government seems to have acted from a mixture of motives: the desire to forestall Dutch entry into the League of Armed Neutrality, resentment at what was perceived as the Netherlands’...
7To Benjamin Franklin from John Jay, 25 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress It was not till the Day before Yesterday, that I recd. Mr. Grand’s Letter, informing me of the Credit you had lodged for me, thro’ him with the Marquis d’Yranda, for £s26,459.2— Your favour of the 2d. Oct. is the last I have had the pleasure of receiving from you. Presuming that the Marquis had been apprized of the Arrangement taken with Mr. Grand for furnishing me...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Crockett, 25 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by Colo. George Rogers Clarke, whose orders you will be pleased to receive in future as it is become necessary that your regiment should proceed to act under him to the westward. He will settle with you the time of your marching for Pittsburg and deliver to you the necessary money for subsisting your men to that place. I am sir, Your very hble servant, FC ( Vi ).
9From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 25 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed Instructions given by me to Capt. Lockhart for conducting on the Prisoners taken at King’s Mountain, and his report, of which a Copy is also inclosed, will inform Your Excellency in what manner these Prisoners are disposed of. I have the honor to be with the highest respect Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humbl Servt, RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71, i ); in a clerk’s hand,...
10From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 25 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A powerful army forming by our enemies in the south renders it necessary for us to reserve as much of our militia as possible free to act in that quarter. At the same time we have reason to believe that a very extensive combination of British and Indian savages is preparing to invest our western frontier. To prevent the cruel murders and devastations which attend the latter species of war and...