571From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Franks and Mr. Randolph [Randall] arrived last night. This enables me to send copies of all the Barbary papers to Congress by the Mr. Fitzhughs, together with the Prussian treaty. They wait till tomorrow for this purpose. Considering the treaty with Portugal as among the most important to the U.S. I some time ago took occasion at Versailles to ask the Portuguese Ambassador if he had yet...
572Marquis de Lafayette to John Adams, 25 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
At the Very instant of Sailing for America, I stop to Send You the New Modelled Regulations of the Cincinnati— My principles Ever Have Been Against Heredity, and While I was in Europe disputing about it with a few friends, My letters to the Assembly, and still more Particularly to the president, Made them Sensible of My Opinion Upon that Matter— Untill Heredity Was Given Up, I forbeared...
573To John Adams from Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 9 October 1787 (Adams Papers)
We have Your Excellency’s favor of 1 st: Ins t: advising it as most safe and prudent in your Opinion from what you had learned of the unfortunate and critical Situation of public Affairs in our Republic and particularly in this City, that we should pay into the Bank of Amsterdam, the Money we have in hand belonging to the United-States; A Measure dictated no doubt by Your Excellency’s Zeal for...
574Abigail Adams to John Adams, 29 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Cuttings Letter on Monday morning, and was glad to find you had stoped Short of Hardwick. I prognosticated from the wind on saturday that you made your passage by nine or ten on sunday morning. I commisirated your sickness, and that I might feelingly sympathize with you, used mr Hollis’s prescription yesterday morning, finding a return of some of my former complaints. the effect...
575Royall Tyler to John Adams, 27 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the Third of April, Two Days since. Whether from the very great Interest I have in the Subject, or some more latent cause; I never Felt more at a loss to Express myself with Propriety, than on the present Occasion. I can only generally Desire you, to accept from me, all those returns of Gratitude, which, a Man of Ingenuity may be supposed to render to the person, to...
576To John Adams from Richard O’Bryen, Isaac Stephens, and Zaccheus Coffin, 27 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
We The Subjects of the United States having the misfortune of Being taken by the Cruisers of Algires and has Been made Slaves of take the Liberty of Informing you of oure present Situation the Severities of which is Beyond youre Immaginition— The Honourble Charles Logie Esq r. British Couns l. Has taken three masters of Vessells of us Out & c. keep us at his house paying to The King of This...
577To John Adams from Richard O’Bryen, 25 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
your letter by M r. Lamb I received and wrote you shortly Afterwards Informing you of the Unfortunate event of M r. Lambs Voyage to Algiers. the particulars long Ere to this you have known. M r. Lamb Signified to the Dey that he would try & Get the Money for our Redemption in four Months. but three is past and we have heared nothing particular Since But hopes that our Country will Shortly...
578To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with a Draft Anglo-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 8 … (Adams Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20 th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our groundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations & additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia & Tûscany and which we thought were...
579To John Adams from the Abbés Chalut and Arnoux, 17–2 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Vos lettres, notre Cher ami, nous seront toujours fort agreables. nous aimons votre françois, vos Sentiments rendus dans Cette langue quelle qu’en Soit la maniere, nous Seront chers. nous voudrions Sçavoir l’anglois pour vous épargner La peine d’ecrire en françois; notre age ne nous permet pas d’apprendre votre langue. vous Sçavez assez La notre pour rendre toutes vos idées, notre amitié vous...
580C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, 21 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
L’honorée vôtre du 22 Dec. m’étant bien parvenue, dans le temps justement où ces Messieurs de l’Amirauté ont quitté La Haie pour une vacance de 3 semaines, je n’ai pas laissé d’aller parler à l’un & à l’autre, & d’en obtenir qu’ils me donneroient à leur retour ici les éclaircissements requis, & notam̃ent copie des Traités de la Republique avec les Barbaresques. Dans cette attente, où je suis...
581To John Adams from Lewis Denis Ward, 11 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
It is with great respect I trouble you with these lines, the peculiarity of my situation, is the only excuse I can make for sending them. My Wife, the daughter of M rs. Vesey of Boston wishes to convince you of her Behaviour as a Prudent Woman, since her leaving Boston. I think myself happy that there are Gentlemen of known Probity who can speak for her— She has not a Certificate of Marriage...
582To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Few events have happened since the 17th of septem r: 1788, which have afforded me more pleasure than your election to the Vice president’s chair. It is the cape stone of my our labors respecting the new goverment. M r Rutledge had some friends in Pennsylvania—But your friends prevailed. M r Wilson had great merit in this business. M r Morris likewise advised it. There is an expectation here...
583To John Adams from Thomas Barclay, 24 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you Yesterday advising My Bill on you to M Grand N o. 6 for Two Hundred pounds Sterling— I shou’d have been before this time on the road to Madrid, but M r. De Beaumarchais having had his Accounts returned from America with a Reference to me, M. Jefferson thought I ought to give them an Examination so that No reflections hereafter shou’d lye on one of the Servants of the Public, for...
584James Warren to John Adams, 26 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Since my last which went by M r Temple, I have had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 10 th. Sep r by M r. Thaxter. The Approbation of your Country is as Extensive as it ought to be. that is, it is Universal. but as there remains now no Expectation of your return here before another Election. I dare say we shall not be Embarrassed by the Modesty of our present first Magistrate. whatever...
585From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 19 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you on the 11th. of Octob. by Mr. Preston and again on the 18th. of the same month by post. Since that yours of Sep. 25. by Mr. Boylston, Oct. 24. Nov. 1. and Nov. 4. have come safe to hand. I will take up their several subjects in order. Boylston’s object was first to dispose of a cargo of sperma ceti oyl which he brought to Havre. A secondary one was to obtain a contract for...
586To John Adams from Ezra Stiles, 10 March–25 April 1787 (Adams Papers)
In my Answer to the Letter I had the honor of receive g from you last Fall by D r Wales, I expressed my Apprehension that the Abbe Mably and some other of our European Friends entertained too gloomy despairing & desconsolate Ideas and Fears, least our Amer̃ Republic should tumble to pieces and come to nothing. Even our worthy & ever to be venerated Friend D r Price has his Fears for us; and so...
587Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje to John Adams, 27 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
We are favoured with your Excellency’s esteemed favour of the 16 th. Instant, Nothwithstanding four Vessells arrived from America last week, we remain Still without any writings of M r. Morris, We are of your opinion bussiness of greater Consequence is the Cause of his Silence, but it Should not be less agreable to have his approbation on our behaviour. Your directions about the lottery of...
588John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I this day receiv’d your favour of the 11th. instant and expect to send the Books away, in the course of this week, if I receive no contrary orders from you I shall leave this place, to morrow se’en nig ht, and shall attend Parliament, and the courts of Justice, which are now sitting, as often as possible, in the mean time. Mr. Whitefoord, who has been extremely polite and kind to me,...
589Charles Spener to John Adams, 28 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
May it please Your Excellence to give a kind reception to the historical Almanack for the Year 1784. which I, this Year for the first time published upon a plan intirely new, & of which I have the honour to present to Your Excellency the annexed copy. Being intended to point out & to set in their proper light the most remarkable incidents, who, in the space of every last year, have happened in...
590To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 17 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I received in due time, from the Count of Sarcefield, the letter you honored me with, dated 20. ult o. According to your obliging direction, I have perused Hutchinson’s compilation, which the Count had of you & has been so good as to lend me. I have likewise perused Douglass’s, which I have borrowed of M r. Jefferson. I cannot find in any one of them, that “les sauvages devoient être...
591To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 25 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am favoured my dear sir by the last post with yours of the 9 th of september & 12 th of December, since the Date of Which some Arrangements which I communicated in my last, & which You are probably e’er this officially informed of, correspond with your Wishes— I feel the Force of your observations respecting the Salaries of our Ministers; but Congress in point of œconomy, are very different...
592To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 16 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on the 12 th instant, that is to say, by the last post. but as that channel of conveiance is sometimes unfaithful I now inclose you a copy of my letter of that date, and of the one of Fiseaux & co. inclosed in that. I have since received my letters by the packet, but, among them, nothing from the Board of Treasury. still their orders may be among the dispatches with which Paul...
593From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 31 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I was honoured yesterday with yours of the 24th. instant. When the 1st. article of our instructions of May 7. 1784. was under debate in Congress , it was proposed that neither party should make the other pay in their ports greater duties than they paid in the ports
594To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of Sept. the 11 th. came to hand in due time & since that I have recieved the copies of the Prussian treaty you were so kind as to send me. I have recieved a short letter from m r. Barclay dated Cadiz Sep t. 25 th. only announcing his arrival there & that he should proceed immediately to Madrid. At this latter place he would meet my letter informing him that we did not propose any...
595To John Adams from William Stephens Smith, 4 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
The request I am going to make, will perhaps at the first blush appear singular—this you’ll excuse—If improper—I shall ever acknowledge myself obliged by being candidly told so—and in this, as well as in every other matter, I will chearfully give way to your superior judgement, and regulate my conduct by your advice, as far as you think proper to honour me with it. If there is a probability of...
596To John Adams from C. W. F. Dumas, 12 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Je satisferai de mon mieux à votre desir dans l’honorée votre du 4 e. cour t. , concernant ce qui se passe sur les frontieres. Vous vous rappellerez d’abord, que l’Empereur avoit révoqué le Traité de Barriere. Selon ce Traité, qui n’a jamais été observé dans tous ses points ni d’un côté ni de l’autre, certains petits Territoires étoient cedés à la rep. près de ses Forts en Flandres en 1715 &...
597Samuel 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...
598To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
Being returned at New-york, after a yourneÿ of five weeks in the countrÿ, to take a view of the land, I wished to employ this moment to inform your Hon. of the issue— I was about 70 miles above albanÿ— Saw differents tracts of Land— Probably, if the price be not to high—our choice wil be the circuits of kingston, where we have Seen two farm, who Suided to our circumstances. In two or three...
599Jean George Holtzhey to John Adams, 16 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
on the 26 last, I have sent your Excell̃: p r the Marketboat, the Two Medals you desired, according to a letter rec̃: from the Gentleman your Son of the 23 d: past and at the same time I sent a Box with five small Medals (to be used for counters at the game of Whist ) Invented bÿ me and made at the desire of a Companÿ of good Friends. desire you to accept the same not so much for the Value as...
600To John Adams from Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 21 August 1788 (Adams Papers)
Permit us to offer you our most hearty and sincere Congratulations on Your and your Lady’s safe Return to your Native Country, after a long Absence, during which We had the Satisfaction to form a Relation with you; The Cessation whereof does not We assure you, diminish our Wishes for the Happiness of yourself and Family. As a small Token of our Remembrance and Esteem, We have taken the Liberty...