8051To James Madison from John Blair Smith, [ca. 10] December 1786 (Madison Papers)
I recd: your letter by Mr. Allen. & am much obliged to you for the communications it contained, though it occasioned a serious alarm for the situation of our Country. It will be a distressing circumstance in the history of man, should our hopes from the American Revolution be blasted. Will not human corruption forever defeat the beneficial influence of liberty upon human happiness? & will not...
8052To Thomas Jefferson from James Maury, 10 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor to write to you the 17th Septr. informing you of my arrival and fixing here in the Mercantile Line; to which having had no answer and imputing it to miscarriage, the Contents were to inform you of the State of Things in Virginia. I have late letters thence advising of the Crop of Corn being so uncommonly abundant that the price was expected to be a dollar the Barrel, of Tobacco...
80539th. (Adams Papers)
Very little fatigue, by the last night’s party: but much fatigued by the weather. For there came on this morning a second snowstorm which has raged all day with as much violence, as that which came in the beginning of the week. All the former paths, are filled up, and in some places the snow is more than 6 feet deep, and what is worse than all; I am entirely destitute of wood, and am obliged,...
8054[Diary entry: 9 December 1786] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 9th. Mercury at 34 in the Morning—26 at Noon and 26 at Night. A sharp hail, and hard wind all day from the No. West—very cold & disagreeable. Received the Accts. of Wheat sown at Dogue run—159 Bushels.
8055To George Washington from Edward Newenham, 9 December 1786 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edward Newenham, 9 Dec. 1786. On 25 Dec. 1787 GW wrote Newenham that he had received his letter “of the 9th of Decr 1786.”
8056To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 9 December 1786 (Madison Papers)
I thank you For yr. Favr. of the 30th. past and For your kind concern about my health, which has been better than usual For about three Weeks past, but in truth rises and falls like the flame of an expiring Candle in the Socket, & seem[s] to forbid all hopes of so radical a cure, as I am sure yr. Plan For accelerating the Admon of Justice, if carried into effect would prove to the present...
8057[To Thomas Jefferson from Lewis Alexander, 9 December 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Bayonne, 9 Dec. 1786. Recorded in SJL as received 17 Dec. 1786. Not found.]
8058To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 9 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter of the 14h. Augt. did not get to Hand till the 29th. of Novr. so that I fear my Endeavours to comply with your Request will be too late to answer your Purpose. However, I will take the Chance and accordingly I enclose satisfactory Answers to your Queries, hoping, rather than expecting, that they may reach you in Time. I have not Time to examine your Epistolary Account but am sure...
80598th. (Adams Papers)
It Snow’d in the morning till 10 o’clock, and it was feared the exhibition, must be again postponed. But it cleared before noon, and at about 3 o’clock, the president made his appearance in the chapel. Lloyd delivered an Oration, upon Commerce in Latin. He spoke so low that I could not hear him. Abbot 2d. and Chandler , then read a forensic, on the question, whether the natural reason of man...
8060[Diary entry: 8 December 1786] (Washington Papers)
Friday 8th. Mercury at 38 in the Morning—34 at Noon and 34 at Night. Wind Southerly all day & with the rain that fell last Night, and at intervals to day occasioned much Water in and on the Earth. Towds. Night a mixture of snow and fine hail began (from the No. West) & continued through the night. Rid to where the Ditchers were at work and to the Ferry Plantation.
8061To Thomas Jefferson from Hilliard d’Auberteuil, with Enclosure, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Des circonstances qui me reduisent à contracter diverses obligations envers Mr. Le marquis de La fayette, ne me permettent pas de me livrer à tout le plaisir que j’aurais à lui donner des éloges publics; je craindrais qu’ils ne fussent attribués à des motifs qui ne sont pas dans mon coeur. Je suivais mon penchant en louant son courage en 1781, et ayant besoin de lui en 1786, je me reduis au...
8062To Thomas Jefferson from Michel Capitaine, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Mézieres en Champagne, 8 Dec. 1786. Inquires about a power of attorney forwarded to Peters in June, about which he has had no news; gives his address and asks to have anything received for him forwarded. RC ( MHi ); 2 p.; in French; endorsed. Noted in SJL as received 11 Dec. 1786. See Richard Peters to TJ, 1 Oct. 1786 .
8063From Thomas Jefferson to St. John de Crèvecoeur, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Having this moment finished reading the New York papers, I send them to you. As soon as you are done with them I shall be glad to receive them again, as Mr. Short has not read them. Mr. and Mrs. Marmontel come to take a dinner with me the day after tomorrow. (Sunday.) I wish the good Countess D’Houdetot may be disengaged for that day and would be so friendly as to come also. We dine at three...
8064From Thomas Jefferson to Duler, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The circumstance had escaped me of my having had the honor of being made known to you by Mr. Walker at Charlottesville. However I should not have been the less ready, had it been in my power, to have aided you in procuring emploiment in some bureau here. But a stranger as I am, unconnected and unacquainted, my sollicitations on your behalf would be as ineffectual as improper. I should have...
8065To Thomas Jefferson from Ezra Stiles, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
At our public Commencement 13th. Septr. last, the Reverend the Corporation of this College conferred upon yourself the Degree of Doctor in Laws. Immediately after, I journeyed to Albany, Ft. Edward, and Lake George, and was absent from home about six Weeks. Before my Departure I wrot a Letter to you advising this Transaction, and left it with my Family to forward by the first Opportunity. But...
8066From Thomas Jefferson to John Stockdale, 8 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have sent by the Diligence the three first numbers of Sandford et Merton, being all which has yet appeared. A number comes out every month, and it will be nine months before the whole will be out. You shall receive them as they appear, and always by the Diligence unless you would prefer any other channel of conveyance. I am Sir your very humble servt., PrC ( DLC ); endorsed. It will be noted...
80677th. (Adams Papers)
I have been rather idle, this week, and this day entirely so. This evening I went down with Mr. Andrews to Judge Dana’s, and spent a couple of hours there. Invited Miss Ellery and Miss Nancy Mason, to the dance to’morrow. John Andrews, Harvard 1786, who was studying divinity at Harvard at this time. Almy, daughter of William Ellery ( JQA to AA2 , 14 Jan.–9 Feb. 1787 , Adams Papers ).
8068Lucy Cranch to Abigail Adams, 7 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your obligeing Letter of July th’ 20, was duly recieved—those repeated attentions to me deserve my earliest acknowledgments. Grateful indeed to my heart are those sentiments of affection which you so kindly express for me. Tho in some things I may appear indifferent, yet in this I feel, that I am not. Smith says “that the cheif part of human happiness, consists in the consciousness of being...
8069To Alexander Hamilton from Francis Upton, 6–7 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
London, December 6–7, 1786. Asks if Hamilton received Upton’s “letters of December and June last.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. See Upton to H, December 6, 1785 and June 5, 1786 .
8070[Diary entry: 7 December 1786] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 7th. Mercury at 36 in the Morning—40 at Noon and 36 at Night. Wind Southerly all day and Weather lowering. In the afternoon it began to rain slowly, & continued to do so I believe through the Night. Rid to the Ferry, Dogue run & Muddy hole Plantations—also to the Mill, & to the Ditchers—Grubbing at the first place and beating out & cleaning, for house use, Corn at the latter....
8071To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 7 December 1786 (Washington Papers)
I am now able to inclose you a Copy of the Potomack Bill passed both Houses of our Assembly without any Opposition—if there should have any Deviation been made by the Virginia Assembly from the Application we made I beleive I can readily obtain a correspondent Alteration here if it should be necessary. It has occurred to me that Mr Smith on being furnished with a little pine plank and a Joiner...
8072To George Washington from James Madison, 7 December 1786 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding the communications in your favor of the 18th Ult: which has remained till now to be acknowledged, it was the opinion of every judicious friend whom I consulted that your name could not be spared from the Deputation to the Meeting in May in Philada. It was supposed that in the first place, the peculiarity of the mission and its acknowledged preeminence over every other public...
8073From James Madison to James Madison, Sr., 7 December 1786 (Madison Papers)
Yours by Mr. Porter has been handed to me. I have not had an oppy. of enquirg. of Mr. Anderson concerning the person who is to recieve Tobo. for his brother. I mentioned before that the rate of indents here was about a dollar in the pound. Whether I can get the certificates for your taxes I can not say, nor do I know the rate at which they pass. Mr Jones has returned hither & declines his...
8074From James Madison to George Washington, 7 December 1786 (Madison Papers)
Notwithstanding the communications in your favor of the 18th. Ult: which has remained till now to be acknowledged, it was the opinion of every judicious friend whom I consulted that your name could not be spared from the Deputation to the Meeting in May in Philada. It was supposed that in the first place, the peculiarity of the mission and its acknowledged pre-eminence over every other public...
8075From Thomas Jefferson to Jean Chas, 7 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I should with great pleasure have perused your manuscript of the history of the American revolution, but that it comes to me in the moment of my setting out on a journey into the South of France where I am to pass the winter. In the few moments of leisure which my preparations for that journey admitted, I have read some detached parts, and find that it would have been very interesting to me....
8076From Thomas Jefferson to Gelhais, 7 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
J’ai reçu la lettre , Monsieur, que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire au sujét de la demande de Monsr. Friguet directeur de la regie generale à Meaux contre M. le Comte de Langeac. Pour la forme, je ne puis pas recevoir ici un Huissier ou autre Officier quelconque de la Justice; mais quand il aura eté constaté à la justice du pays et decidé par elle que la demande de M. Friguet est juste...
8077From Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Walton, 7 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The Marquis de la Fayette happened to be out of town when I received the honor of your letter. This circumstance has occasioned the delay of my answer. I now inclose you his letter to the Bishop of Orleans. He desires me also to inform you that he had recommended you to the Marquis du Crest, Chancellor to the D. d’Orleans, now at Orleans, who is therefore prepared to receive you, should you...
80786th. (Adams Papers)
The Weather fair, but the Snow, which drifted a great deal, is in some places so deep, that it is impossible to get through it. We danced in the club this evening at Foster’s chamber.
8079To John Adams from John Wingrove, 6 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
Agreeable to the kind intimation You was pleased to do me the Honor of making the last time I was with You, has induced my taking the liberty of troubleing you to acquaint that I am on the eve of my Departure to the East Indies, and God knowes I hope to be of some usefulness to the United States in that Country—if sincerity of Attachment to them can have any influence over the People I am...
8080[Diary entry: 6 December 1786] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 6th. Mercury at 16 in the Morning—30 at Noon and 31 at Night. Morning calm and foggy—Wind Southerly afterwards, and towards evening rather brisk. River froze quite across in the Morning, but broke before Noon by the Wind; and by Night the Ice remained on the flats only. Writing in the forenoon prevented my riding out to day also. Major Washington measured 41½ barrls. of Corn at Dogue...