1John Brown Cutting to Abigail Adams, 25 April 1787 (Adams Papers)
It may perhaps afford you satisfaction to learn that M r Adams and his secretary pro tempore arrived at the Crown Inn within the ramparts of this naval arsenal last evening before eight, after a journey as pleasant as coud be expected considering the unverdant aspect of far the greater portion of the country through which we travel’d. To speak candidly (excepting the farm at Cobham) I never...
2John Brown Cutting to Abigail Adams, 28 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
Agreably to the intimation in the note I had the pleasure to address you from the Inn —we reached Harwich the next morning by eight, where Cap t Flynn soon recognized his Excellency and congratulated himself on the prospect of once more conveying him to Holland. Yet he did not forget politely to regret that M rs Adams was now absent and cou’d not therefore join in “his triumph nor partake the...
3To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 13 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
A croud of thanks to You for the pleasure and instruction I have received from your defence of the american constitutions. I have as yet read it but three times, because I wish to forget it a little before I read it a fourth; but I find that impossible: I shall therefore only wait till you give us the augmentation promised. Let me intreat You for the sake of mankind in general and the united...
4To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, [ante 25 August 1787] (Adams Papers)
M r Cutting presents respectful compliments to the American Minister and returning his warmest acknowledgments for the entertainment and invaluable instruction comprised in those sheets of his second Volume entitled a defence of the Constitution of Government of the United States of America (with which M r C. was lately favour’d and which having read rapidly once he is now again perusing with...
5To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 17 May 1788 (Adams Papers)
This moment I have been notified of the first opportunity I have known since your departure of writing to Boston. Altho it be past eleven at night I have dispatch’d a servant to M r Copley for such letters as he may have had deposited for you in George Street during the last six weeks:—to which when I have superadded a few recent newspapers and a very few words—I must close my parcel. In one...
6To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 28 May 1788 (Adams Papers)
I made up a parcel (directed for you by the Commerce) on the evening of the 17 th ; but M r Prentice who was to forward the same to Gravesend cou’d not be found. He has since absented himself from his english creditors—who say that he owes them forty thousand pounds. Bankruptcies however are so frequent and fashionable here now that fresh ones occur every day and are mention’d as mere matters...
7To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 12 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
I have now the honor to inclose you a copy of the southern whale fishery bill—which I cou’d not obtain early enough to send forward when I last wrote. I likewise subjoin additionally to what I have already written to you on the subject—the transcript of a line or two on the same topic to M r Jefferson. As I expect to embark for Charlestown in a very few days—probably by the 25 th of this...
8To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 8 October 1788 (Adams Papers)
Many unexpected obstacles have concur’d to detain me man months longer than I either wish’d or meant to remain here. I have not however been idle or inactive. Nor have my exertions been altogether selfish. On the contrary I have attempted to discharge the duty of a good citizen—from the simple impulse of republican integrity—with an immediate reference to some of the great interests of our...
9To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 12 October 1788 (Adams Papers)
The following was the return of the Greenland Fishery on the 17 th of June last. made here London ships Number of Fish Whitby Ships Number of Fish Broderick 5 Ann & Elizabeth 2 John and Margaret 7 El Falconberg 2 Butterworth 3 Resolution
10To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 22 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here in six weeks from the Downs whence the ship in which I came took her departure on the 5 th of Nov r ; a day which all the whigs and many of the tories of Britain celebrated as the hundredth anniversary of the revolution— The party who oppose the administration in that country being about to seize so fair an occasion of canvassing for the next parliament the ministerial myrmidons...
11To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 3 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by the Hon. William Smith Esquire one of the representaives in Congress from the State of South Carolina—whom I beg leave to introduce to you as a friend and a fellow citizen whose talents, integrity, fortune and connexions are respectable in the eyes of his constituents in the district which he represents, and whose family since the earliest settlement of...
12To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 4 November 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Notwithstanding Mr. Parker, who is soon to profit from the honor of a personal acquaintance with you in Paris, will smooth his passage to that intercourse by introductory letters both of Mr. Adams and Colonel Smith, the weight of those characters with Your Excellency compar’d with the levity of my claims to Your confidence must make every post-recommendation of him from me unrequisite as it is...
13To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 26 June 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the departure of our late Minister from this court I have been detained here merely by private engagements. I have not however abstain’d from scrutinizing some portion of the public measures of this Country, especially that section of them during the last part of the present session of parliament which includes, a few among their many, views upon the United States. For assuming the...
14To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 11 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I am to congratulate you upon the adoption of the new national constitution of our country by the State of South Carolina. I cannot ascertain the precise numbers of the Convention, but the main question was carried by a majority of sixty six members, not without warm debate. I have mutilated a couple of newspapers which contain nothing beside the intelligence stamp’d on the columns cut out....
15To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, [ca. 24 July 1788] (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last which Col. Trumbull had the goodness to inclose and superscribe I have been confined by severe indisposition; otherwise I shou’d have informed You by the last post that New Hampshire had adopted the new constitution by a large majority on the 24th of June. Altho I have not learned the particulars as to numbers &c. the fact may be relied upon. Beside the attestation of Capt....
16To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 3 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have not yet had the honor to receive that letter of the 24th which you mention in a subsequent one of July 28th. inclosed to Col. Trumbull. I am to thank you for the only satisfactory account of the naval victory on the black sea that has reach’d this Island. It affords me satisfaction to learn that Jones commanded:—tis but a few weeks since the english papers were filled with the most...
17To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 8 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have heretofore had the honor to announce to you the accession of South Carolina, Maryland and New Hampshire to the new national System of government for the United States. But neither of those annunciations, not even the assent of the last (which made the ninth ) State legitimating a fresh union afforded me that degree of satisfaction which I feel in now communicating to you the...
18To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 14 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 24th had so tardy a passage to me that I supposed it must have been interscepted, especially as a subsequent one of the 28th came punctually and with speed. To the latter I have already replied. For the political statements and weighty intelligence of the former I am greatly indebted. It is impracticable to learn aught here untinctur’d with english prejudices which are...
19To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 15 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jarvis has been so long detained beyond the time which he at first proposed as the period when he meant to proceed for Paris, that my letters have accumulated on his hands. This evening however he assures me is the last previous to his departure. I have therefore devoted two or three hours in hunting at the several Coffee houses for recent intelligence from America, and more particularly...
20To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 22 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to inclose the latest pennsylvania newspaper which I can procure; likewise a Baltimore paper for the sake of General Washington’s letter . I also take the freedom to inclose a letter for Mr. Shippen from his father, not knowing where to direct to him, and imagining that Mr. Short will add to his former goodness the additional kindness to forward it in a direction likely to...
21To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 30 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed paper contains some few articles of intelligence which perhaps may not have reached you by any other channel. When the last vessels quitted New York about the 8th of July, the convention of that State still continued to debate upon the great question of rejecting or adopting the national constitution and it is with concern I perceive that the probabilities against an immediate...
22To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 6 September 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I was sensibly mortified on perusal of your letter of the 23d of Aug. to find that I was not the medium through which the earliest information of the late important event in Virginia reached you from England. Especially as the prompt communication of fresh american intelligence has hitherto been the only return I cou’d make for a throng of obligations with which You have so surrounded me that...
23To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 16 September 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Your respective favours of Sepr. 4th and 9th are before me. For both but especially for the last accept my sincere thanks. Truth and certainty are always most grateful to the human mind. Your mode of conveying them and the important objects concerning which you enlighten me, render what is naturally pleasant particularly interesting and grateful. As my passage to South Carolina must be...
24To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 23 September 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I am but this moment returned from an excursion into the Country which has occupied me almost ever since I wrote You on tuesday last. I hope You did not think the parcel too large which I then forwarded. The New York packet brought nothing so interesting or so recent. I now inclose You two Philadelphia Newspapers which I have just received from a gentleman who was a respectable member of the...
25To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 30 September 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
My two last to you were dated on the tuesday mornings preceding the present. I hope you have at least received that letter which is now a fortnight old. In it I had condensed the most recent articles of american intelligence: a portion of ‘em in newspapers but the greatest part in writing. Possibly the worthy gentlemen in the respective post offices of the two nations were longer in amusing...
26To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 5 October 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Gardner the bearer hereof is a citizen of Massachusetts (and a mercantile inhabitant of Boston) in whom is no guile. Being a total stranger in France, (as well as unacquainted with the language,) and ever likely so to remain from the simplicity of his habits and the modesty of his disposition, I cou’d not refuse affording this opportunity to him of adding his grateful attestation to mine...
27To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 6 October 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Truth, lovely truth, obliges me to correct the intelligence transmitted in my two last concerning the purport of the proceedings in North Carolina. It is true that the Convention of that State have not ratified the new fœderal constitution. But it is not true either that they have absolutely abstracted the state from the Union or manifested a disposition to remain detached therefrom. Neither...
28To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 7 October 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letter yesterday which I prepar’d with rapidity for the mail of today (resolute not again to incur the accusation of inattention or tardiness as heretofore) yours of Octr. 2d is received: and likewise a small parcel which I can safely convey to New York as you request within a few days. I propose directing it to Mr. Osgood that the official superscription may neither alarm the fears...
29To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 17 October 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Respecting the prohibition of american wheat here there is little to be learnt. The fact speaks for itself. The apprehension of introducing a pernicious insect into the future growth of wheat in this country is the pretext or ostensible ground of the measure. If there be truth in the rumour that american wheat is also prohibited in Hanover, fear of the insect may possibly be the real ground...
30To Thomas Jefferson from John Brown Cutting, 27 December 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
An unexpected opportunity to Bourdeaux affords me a chance of contributing to your entertainment by the inclosed papers. Time will not permit me nor my limited sources of intelligence, to enter into any satisfactory details of the affairs of this state or the union, much more to obtrude any opinions of my own. I am unaffectedly to thank You for the communications you have heretofore made to,...