2651John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 4 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
We are going on, with as much dispatch as the Nature of our Business will admit of, and We proceed with wonderful Harmony, good Humour and Unanimity. The D r , is confined to his House and Garden by the Stone as he thinks. He has not been farther from Home, than my House at Auteuil which is within a mile of his, for these twelve months. He cannot ride in a Carriage, because the motion of that...
2652C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, 7 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
En vain je donne la torture à mon esprit pour me former une idée de celui de l’Emp r. , & de son caractere. Tout ce que j’en comprends, est que cet Etre singulier, à force de vouloir devenir un roi des rois, & ressembler tout à la fois à Alexandre, à Charles XII, à Pierre I & à Frederic, est parvenu à ne ressembler à rien, pas même à lui même. Je sais de très-bonne part qu’il a un systeme &...
2653I. The American Commissioners to the Baron von Thulemeier, 10 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8 th Ult o. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. M r Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in all our Treaties with...
2654II. Draft Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, with a Contemporary French Translation, 10 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
[ 10 November 1784 ] [ 24 January 1785 ] Draught of a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between His Majesty the King of Prussia and the United States of America. Projet. d’un Traité d’Amitié et de Commerce entre Sa Majesté le Roi de Prusse et les Etats-Unis de l’Amérique. The parties being willing to fix in a permanent & equitable manner the rules to be observed in the commerce they desire to...
2655III. The American Commissioners’ Memorandum in Support of Article 23 of the Draft Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and … (Adams Papers)
By the original Law of Nations war and extirpation was the punishment of injury—humanizing by degrees, it admitted slavery instead of death. A farther step was, the exchange of prisoners instead of slavery. Another, to respect more the property of private persons under conquest, and be content with acquired dominion. Why should not this Law of Nations go on improving? Ages have intervened...
2656IV. The Baron von Thulemeier to the American Commissioners, 10 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
La lettre dont Vous m’avez honoré, Messieurs, en date du 10 de Novembre ne m’est parvenue que le 26 du même mois, par la voye d’un courier Hollandois. J’ai transmis au Roi une traduction françoise du Projet d’un Traité de Commerce à conclure pour l’avantage réciproque des Sujets de Sa Majesté et des Citoyens des Etats-Unis de l’Amérique, auquel les instructions récentes du Congrès Vous ont...
2657V. From the Baron von Thulemeier, 24 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
Vous recevrés, Monsieur, par un Courier Hollandois adressé a Messieurs de Berckenrode, et Brantzen un paquet sous Votre enveloppe et celle de Messieurs Francklin et Jefferson. Il renferme les observations du Roi sur le Contre-Projet du Traité de Commerce, qui m’a été remis de Vôtre part, au mois de Novembre de l’année dernière. Agréez qu’en qualité de Vôtre ancien Collègue, toujours...
2658VI. The Baron von Thulemeier to the American Commissioners, with the Prussian Observations on the Draft … (Adams Papers)
Le Roi mon Maître ayant trouvé bon de m’autoriser à faire passer en Vos mains, Messieurs, quelques Observations sur le Contre-Projet du Traité de Commerce à conclure pour l’avantage réciproque de Ses Sujets, et celui des Citoyens de l’Amérique, tel que Vous m’avez fait l’honneur de me l’adresser en date du 10. de Novembre dèrnier, et entré à la Haye par un Courier Hollandois le 26. du même...
2659VII. To the Baron von Thulemeier, 13 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 24 th: of Jan y. did not reach me, untill two Days ago. I communicated the Observations, inclosed in it, immediately to my Colleagues, who will transmit you our Answers, as soon as Health, and other Circumstances will admit. I have communicated to them also, your personal and confidential observations to me. They will have great Weight as they ought to have. I am weary of...
2660VIII. The American Commissioners to the Baron von Thulemeier, 14 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We had the honour of receiving your Letter of Jan ry: 24. covering a translation into French of the Draught of a treaty proposed between His Majesty the King of Prussia & the United States of America, together with answers to the several articles. We have considered them with attention, & with all those dispositions to accomodate them to the wishes of His Majesty which a respect for his...
2661The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 11 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
2662C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, 12 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
J’ai reçu avec grand plaisir l’honorée vôtre du 3 Nov. & j’ai fait déjà usage de son contenu & dans une Lettre au Congrès, & auprès de ces Messieurs d’Amsterdam. Vous recevrez, Monsieur, incessam̃ent par le canal indiqué de Mr. C. Storer, the true history of a Madman. Au mois de 7br. dernier je reçus une Lettre de Mr. D. Humphreys, Secr y. to the Commission of the Am n. Min rs. Pl. , qui en...
2663Baron von Thulemeier to John Adams, 12 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
J’ai eû l’honneur, Monsieur, de Vous adresser dès le 8. d’Octobre de l’année courante, conjointement avec Messieurs Francklin et Jefferson les Plein pouvoirs demandés, pour la conclusion du Traité de Commerce et d’Amitié, entre ma Cour, et les Etats Unis de l’Amérique. Depourvû de toute réponse quelconque, je ne serois pas sans inquiétude, s’il etoit possible, que ma lettre qui a été expédiée...
2664Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 15 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
M r Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to M r Adams, and enclosos a Paper left with him by the Secretary of the Portuguese Ambassador last Night, being an Extract of a Letter from the First Minister of that Court. No Notice is taken in it of the preceding Plan of a Treaty, and M r. F. mentions for Consideration, whether it would not be right to send a Copy of the new Plan immediately...
2665Francesco Favi to the American Commissioners, 16 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
Je n’ai pas manqué de faire passer à ma Cour La Lettre, dont vous m’avés honoré Le 30. 7b e dernier relative à un Traité d’amitié, et de Commerce entre Les Sujets de Msg̃r L’archiduc Grand Duc de Toscane mon Maitre, et ceux des Etats unis de l’Amerique. Je dois avoir L’honneur de vous informer, Messieurs, que cette invitation a eté très agreable à Son Altesse Royale, et qu’Elle recevra avec...
2666John Adams to Baron von Thulemeier, 19 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter which you, did me the Honour to write me the twelfth of this Month: We also received the Honour of your Letter to M r: Franklin, Jefferson, and me, and agreed readily upon an answer, which I hope will be satisfactory, although M r: Humphreys our Secretary of Legation has not yet transmitted it. We have been cautious of sending it by the Post, in these inquisitive...
2667David Humphreys to John Adams, 20 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
By the papers which I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency herewith you will be informed that I have received official Instructions to procure the several honorary presents which have been voted by Congress to different officers in their service during the late war, together with a Draft on M. Grand Banker at Paris for the amount of the expence —but I must beg leave further to inform...
2668Charles Storer to John Adams, 22 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of forwarding your Excellency a letter, received from M r: Dumas, by the Post before last.— It came to hand a day or two before; but, not being able to find a private hand so soon as I imagined, from M r: Dumas’ letter to me, that it was necessary you should have it, I concluded it best & therefore forwarded it by the Post under cover to your Son— M r: Dumas writes me that,...
2669James Sullivan to John Adams, 22 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 7th Sep r. I had a few days ago, shall Set off for Trenton within three days, and shall not fail to communicate One Paragraph of your Letter, the inconvenience of public parsimony I have experienced So much as gives me a full Idea of your feelings. I rejoice with you that you are again with an agreeable and charming family after so long an absence from domestic felicity, I...
2670The Duke of Dorset to the American Commissioners, 24 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
I transmitted without loss of time to the Marquis of Carmarthen, His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Copies of the two Letters which you had done me the honor of addressing to me; and am in consequence authorized to assure you, on the part of His Majesty’s Ministers, of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States that can tend to the...
2671Wilhem & Jan Willink to John Adams, 25 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
We apply to your Excellencÿ in behalf of an unfortunate young man, being a Citizen of Massechusetts New England called Sir Jonas Hartwell, who was gone to Spain to settle his affairs, and had received for his account from Boston the Brig remittance Cap: John Ashton loaded chiefly with a cargo of tobacco to the consignation by his absence of M ss. Widow Birmingham, at its arrival M r. Hartwell...
2672The American Commissioners to the Conde de Sousa Coutinho, 30 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of the 24 th Oct r 1784 which your Excellency was pleased to send us by the hand of the Secretary of your legation. “That in consequence of our letter your Excellency might assure us that Her Most faithful Majesty will be very glad to have the best correspondence with the United States, and that we may explain to your Excellency...
2673C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, 1 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
Je continue de rendre compte à V. E., ainsi qu’au Congrès, que j’ai donné une seconde Déclaration pour servir de Lettre de mer portant,—“that Mr. Theod. Gallois, Ship-Brooker for the American trade at Amst. has sent to me and exhibited in Original, the legal Transport or Deed, passed in Oct. 28 th. before Mr. E. M. Dorper, public Notary of Holl. at Amst., by Mr. L. M. Graves for himself & for...
2674Samuel Adams to John Adams, 2 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received several of your Letters with Pleasure, particularly that of May, which I will answer at a Time of more Leisure— Capt n Dashwood of this Town is going to London, to sollicit Payment of the British Crown, for Goods taken from him when the Troops left the Town, not as forfeited, but under the Apprehension that they would be of Use to our Army, & with an Express Promise that they should...
2675William Knox to John Adams, 7 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your politeness and Kind attention to me in Europe, together with the unequivocal regard I have for your character, induces me to make you a tender of my best services in the conveying any Commands or Letters you may wish to send to Boston for which place I have taken my Passage, and it is expected the Ship will sail in a fortnight or three Weeks, she is from Boston, and owned by M r. James...
2676John Adams to Marquis de Castries, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
According to your desire, I have committed to writing the two or three Observations, on the business of Masts, Yards, and Bowsprits which I had last tuesday the Honour of making in Conversation with your Excellency at Paris. The eastern Parts of the Massachusetts, particularly the Counties of York, Cumberland and Lincoln, and more especially the Lands lying near the four great Rivers, which...
2677The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
2678The American Commissioners to Francesco Favi, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16 th. of Nov r. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity & Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness & the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
2679John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 11 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received in due Season and in good Condition your Favour of the 7. of Nov.— But D r Franklin being confined to his House by the Stone, and M r Jefferson in Paris, by other Sickness, I have been [th]e only American Minister who could move, and have been obliged to oscillate So much between Auteuil, Passy and Paris that I have had no Time to answer you. I presume you must have been misinformed...
2680John Adams to Antoine Marie Cerisier, 12 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
A Gentleman in Boston, who is as much a Friend of Mankind, as he is of me, M r James Lovell, Naval Officer has desired me to procure him the following Books Surdus loquens, by John Conrad Amman Physician of Amsterdam, published in Octavo in 1692. Dissertatio de Loquela &c &c published in 8 vo. 1700 of which were afterwards Several Editions. The first Edition was published in English by Daniel...
2681John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 12 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether you intend to serve in Congress again or not: but whether at Trenton, or Boston or Marblehead it would be very bad oecomony, in me, not to write, you, because I have ever found your Letters replete with Information and the most judicious Reflections. D r: Franklin is so bad with the Stone, that he has not been to Versailles nor Paris these twelve months; he has ventured to...
2682John Adams to James Lovell, 12 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I am ashamed to confess that your Letter of the 5. of July is unanswered. But my dear Sir, I have been So roughly handled by various Climates, Voyages Journeys, Scurveys and Fevers, and So tossed about from Post to Pillar, by the Business assigned me from time to time, and amidst all this, So overloaded with Business, that I have for Sometime past, been constrained to prefer Indolence and Ease...
2683Francis Dana to John Adams, 12 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
This day twelve months I arrived at Boston from Europe, and when I consider that I have never written to you since, I am almost ashamed to do it now; indeed I shou’d be quite so, if I did not recollect that you yourself have been guilty of the like omission towards me. Being persuaded that neither of us have waited for the ceremony of a first address from the other, before we renewed our...
2684John Adams to Samuel Osgood, 13 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We are assembled under our new Commissions, and have begun our Negotiations at least by announcing our Mission to most of the Courts through their Ministers at this. As We were not limited to any Place, it may be Supposed in America, that the first Question would have been, concerning the Feild of Battle. But, circumstanced as We were, this Could be no Question. D r F. was So bad with the...
2685John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 13 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favour of 18 August with its Accompaniments. We are all well and very happy. I should have been very glad to have received M rs: Macaulay. if I had been in Braintree and am much surprized to learn that 60 to 25 makes a greater odds in lawful Wedlock than out of it. This celebrated literary Character professes political Principles so nearly like those which we profess that I...
2686John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 13 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 1 st. of June, has not, I fear been answered. I have indeed been very happy ever Since I received it. I live here, on a kind of Pens Hill. It is a Village, remarkable for the Residence of Dauguesseau, Boileau, Molliere and Helvetius, and for nothing else. I choose it merely for my Health, as my Constitution is not able to Sustain, the nauseous Air of a great City. Amsterdam...
2687John Jay to John Adams, 13 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
One of these Days I shall devote a Leisure Hour to forming a Cypher, and will send it to You by the first good Conveyance that may afterwards offer. at present I am engaged on many Committees, so that my attendance on them and on Congress, keeps me fully employed. I observe with Pleasure that in this Congress there appears to be good Talents & good Dispositions. none of their more important...
2688Joseph Willard to John Adams, 14 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your obliging letter of September 8, which I received in November. I now take the first opportunity that has offered of making you a return. What you say of this University is very flattering to us; especially, as coming from so excellent a judge of the merits of literary Societies, and one who has had so good an opportunity of comparing the mode of education in this, with that...
2689John Adams to John Jay, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I venture to address myself to you as Minister of foreign Affairs, because I Sincerely hope you have accepted that important Office. The Emperor of Morocco, Sent an Abassador last Winter to Holland to demand Materials for some Frigates, and as none of the great Maritime Powers, have the Courage or the Will to refuse Such Requisitions, obtained them. it now appeas probable, that they have been...
2690John Adams to William Knox, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your kind Letter of the 7. and am much obliged to you for your Information of So good an opportunity, to Boston. M r Jackson and M r Tracy will take all our Letters and I hope arrive in London early enough for the Conveyance by Captain Young. I wish you a pleasant Passage and happy Sight of your Friends, particularly your Brother, to whom my best Regards. It is hazardous...
2691John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
What would be the Consequence if We should have an immediate War with Great Britain? dont be allarmed there is no danger of it. but it is usefull to Speculate. Would not our Produce be all fetched away to Europe in Dutch French, Portuguese, Italian Sweedish Vessells &c— and would not our Privateers made great Havack among British Commerce? They might pour into Nova Scotia and Canada Troops,...
2692The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
2693Giuseppe Doria Pamfili to the American Commissioners, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
J’ai rendu compte à ma Cour de l’ouverture contenue dans La Lettre que Vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 22. de Septembre dernier. Sa Sainteté faisant non moins attention à la convenance de Votre proposition, qu’ayant égard à ce que les prérogatives des Catholiques Romains habitans et Sujets des Etats Unis d’Amerique, y sont constamment conservées, m’ordonne de Vous déclarer que tous...
2694Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje to John Adams, 20 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your most esteem’d Favor of the 11 th. Inst t. we have the honour to advise, that you’ll find us at every Time disposed to give your Excellency every information concerning the State of Business of the United States, which you may require from us, and much more so when your Excellency informs us, that the public Service requires we should do so. There is indeed at present a large...
2695Tristram Dalton to John Adams, 21 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favors of the 4 th Septem r. and partake in the happiness of your being “at length settled in a regular Train, both of public & private Life”— While the Nation, of which I am a Citizen, will receive the greatest benefit from your labors in the former line—permit me to hope that the remembrance of an old friend may, now & then, afford...
2696Charles Sigourney to John Adams, 21 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I now presume on the liberty of acquainting you of my arrival in this City and sincerely Lament am disappointed of the happiness of seeing your family here, with which expectation I much flatterd myself.— It will afford me the greatest pleasure to hear that you enjoy better health than when in Holland, and that your Lady & family are also in perfect health, which blessing I sincerely wish may...
2697John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 22 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
The Capture of one or two of our Vessells by the Barbary Rovers, obliges Us to think Seriously of treating with the Port, Morocco, Algiers Tunis Tripoli, and the rest. But We wish to be informed as nearly as We can, how much the Expences of every Kind will amount to. let me beg the Favour of you then, to apply to M r Bisdom and M r Vanderhope and inquire of those Gentlemen, what Presents they...
2698John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 22 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
On the Eleventh of this Month, I wrote you a Letter, in which I requested you to inform me, whether you had any Money of the United States in your Hands and to what Amount. To that Letter I have not yet received any Answer. I now take the Liberty to repeat the Request contained in it, and to add another viz that you would inform me, what Number of Obligations you have remaining unsold both of...
2699Thomas Barclay to John Adams, 25 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
As I passed through Nantes in my way to Bordeaux I received a letter from M rs. Barclay wherin she mentions your Intention of going to England Next Month, and that you wish’d to see me before you set out. I have three public accounts of Consequence to settle at Bordeaux, and shall the Moment they are finish’d proceed home. you will oblige me by letting me Know by a line, addressed to the Care...
2700Marquis de Castries to John Adams, 26 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
Je Vous remercie, Monsieur, des éclaircissements que Vous avez bien Voulu me donner relativement aux matieres que L’On peut extraire de L’Amérique Septentrionale et Sur La Maniere &c Se les procurer. Ce Sera avec empressement que je profiterai de Vos observations Sur Cet Objet important. J’ai l’honneur d’etre tres parfaitement Monsieur, Votre tres humble et tres obéissant serviteur. je vous ai...