901Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje to John Adams, 31 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
We received your Excellency’s most esteemed Letter of the 24 th. of this Month. We rejoice with yoúr Excell y. in the Succes which has attended oúr Endeavours. So wel in promoting the Loan, as in maintaining the American Credit, assuring yoúr Excell y. of oúr further Care not only in Extending it as much as possible, bút even to Contribute towards it in Every way. The Account which we paid to...
902Baron 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...
903To John Adams from John Thaxter Jr., 18 June 1788 (Adams Papers)
If amidst the vast Concourse of Friends who have eagerly pressed to welcome your safe Arrival to your native Country, you have not found your former Pupil and Secretary personally testifying his pleasing Sensations upon this happy Event, you will do him the Justice to believe that no one has experienced a more heart-felt Satisfaction than himself upon this Occasion. I feel myself very unhappy...
904From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 4 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I have received the Letter your Excelly. did me the Honour of writing to me the 29th past. The Annunciation directed by the Instruction you mention has not yet been made; some Circumstances and Considerations, not necessary to particularize at present, occasioned the Delay here; but it may now be done immediately by your Excellency, if you think proper,...
905Tristram Dalton to John Adams, 6 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
By my friend Jon a Jackson Esqr. who sailed for Ireland and England in Dece r last, I did myself the pleasure of writing you fully, under date of the 5 th of that month; and on the 26 th I had the honor of receiving your Favors of the 8 th Septem r preceding— Accept my sincere thanks for the confidential advice therein contained; which has been prudently, & I think very beneficially,...
906To John Adams from Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 16 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
Some time having elapsed since we had the honor of addressing your Excellency we now take the liberty of informing you Sir, of our having received Letters from M r. Morris giving us Intelligence of certain Drafts, which he had partly already made on us and which he Should yet make, tho’ the total Amount together was much more than we now have in Cash for the United States of America. His...
907To John Adams from Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 8 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Referring Your Excellency to what we had the Honor to address you the 4 th: Ins t: We have now to acknowledge Receipt of Your Excellency’s esteemed Favor of 4 ditto, advising your further Acceptances of £200.–.– St g: drawn by M r: Barclay– } 140.–.– } ″ . . . ″ ″ John Lamb 160.–.– Which we have directed Mess. C & R: Puller of London, to discharge at Maturity— Similar Honor You may depend,...
908To John Adams from John van Heukelom & Son, 27 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
Oúr distressed Sitúation on the one Side, and the Manÿ Civilities & friendlÿ regard Which ÿoúr Excellençÿ bestowed on ús on the other, make ús So free to implore ÿoúr Kind assistance: We dailÿ lament of having Sent anÿ goods to America, We cannot get anÿ accoúnts or remittances ever Since Several Years: and as M r. Cranch wrote ús, he woúld be glad to get rid of the whole búsiness, we invested...
909To John Adams from James Warren, 27 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of the 20 th: & 21 st: of March, and the 9 th: 12 th: 13 th: & 16 th: of April, have come safe to Hand, but did not reach me till this Month, & found me on this Hill, at Work among my Potatoes, instead of being in Congress “at the great Wheel,”— Nor do I regret this on my own Account, I am quite contented with a private Life, & my Ambition is quite satisfied by excelling in the...
910To John Adams from John Jay, 4 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Since the 22 d. February which was the Date of my last Letter to You, I have been honored with yours of the 4. 5. and 11 Novem r. and 2. 6. 9. 12. and 15 and one of Decem r. last, and also of 4 th. 21. and 26. January 1786. All of them have been laid before Congress, from whom I have no Instructions to say any thing more on the Subjects of them than what you will find in my Letter to you of...
911Robert Morris to John Adams, 16 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have not any Letters from your Excellency which are unanswered except those of the twenty first of May and fourteenth of September in the last Year both of which arrived very long after their Dates. I have learnt from the Gentlemen to whom the Management of the Loan in Holland was committed the various good and ill Success which they have met with. And now that I am about to leave this...
912To John Adams from Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 5 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
We had the honor to receive in due time Your Excellency’s ever respected Favor of advising us to pay in Specie the Premiums of CPl ƒ60,000:—:—, drawn last October at the Charge of the United-States. We shall immediately publish the same, together with the Payment of the Interest due 1 st proximo on the Loan of Two Millions: Which will we trust have the good effect upon the Credit of America...
913Arthur Lee to John Adams, 6 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
I do not know whether I shoud congratulate you on your appointment to the Court of London; since it appears to me the most painful & difficult negociation you coud undertake. The intimate knowlege they have of us, together with the similitude of language manners, & habits will render it more difficult by far to gaurd against their instruments, than against those of any other Court. Besides you...
914John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 30 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I was so lucky as to have a passage of 26 hours from Helvoet sluis to Harwich and arrived in town this morning. I will not attempt to describe my feelings at meeting two persons so dear to me after so long an absence: I will only say I was completely happy. You will perhaps have heard before this reaches you, that Mr. Jefferson is arrived, and is gone forward to Paris. This may perhaps alter...
915To John Adams from the Comte de Sarsfield, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Lorsque nous nous Sommes quittés, Jeme Suis dit qu’il ne falloit pas penser a vous Ecrire parce que, quand on parle tout Seul, c’est le diable qui repond. Je ne Sai Sil Soccupera de cette lettre cy, J’en veux bien courir les risques, J’attens de vous moins de reponse que Jamaiz; mais Je ne puis me refuser la Satisfaction de vous parler de votre nouvelle dignite dont la nouvelle m’a fait un...
916To John Adams from Benjamin Goodhue, 20 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
Having an acquaintance with your good brother M r. Cranch, from being a fellow member of the same Legislative body; at his request and from the Assurance which he has given me, that a letter from one of whom you have no Kind of Knowledge, where the views of the Writer are painted to the general good, would meet a Kind reception; I have taken this liberty of sending you inclosed the present...
917To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 9 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last on the 23 d. of May. your favor of that date did not come to hand till the 19 th. of June. in consequence of it I wrote the next day letters to mr̃ Lamb & mr̃ Randall, copies of which I have now the honour to inclose you. in these you will perceive I had desired mr̃ Randall, who was supposed to be at Madrid, to return immediately to Paris & London, & to mr̃ Lambe, supposed at...
918To John Adams from C. W. F. Dumas, 23 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
En réponse aux ordres dont vous m’avez honoré, conjointément avec Son Exc e. Mr. Jepherson, en date de Londres Août 5 e. , Nous avons vaqué tout de suite à la Commission en question. Mr. Short est occupé à rendre un compte à V V. E E. de ce qui a été fait & de ce qui reste à faire, auquel je suis persuadé d’avance que je n’aurai rien à ajouter, que l’assurance de ma juste sensibilité à la...
919To John Adams from Samuel Austin, 23 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am now to advise you, that John Rowe Esq r. Cap t. Patridge Cap t. Dashwood & myself have applied to our General Court, for their aid and assistance, to recover our money of Gen l. How, for goods taken from us the 11 th. March 1776. our cases being Similar, altho’ in some instances, altogether different from many other persons, who as well, as we, have lost their goods by the Kings troops,...
920To John Adams from Joseph Reed, 30 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
Considerations purely of a private Nature having brought me to this Kingdom I take the very first Moments to present your Excell y. my most respectful Regards & to regret that the Length of my Voyage has deprivd me of the Opp y. of doing it personally as I am inform’d you have left this City very lately. I also take this Occasion through our respectable Friend M r. Laurens to forward a Packet...
921To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 11 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
This morning has honored me with your most esteemed favors of the 26 th May—for which be pleased to accept my sincere thank[s—] All on this side of the Atlantic, who speak of the affairs of these United States, joyn in the Opinion you express, “that they must soon take a turn for the better or become much worse—[ ” ] Most of our Citizens appear too unconcerned, falsely supposing that they now...
922To John Adams from Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 28 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
We are in the disagreable necessity to acquaint the Hon ble. Commissioners of the Board of Treasury of the United States of America, that Mess. De La Lande & fynje who at the present moment are debtors to them for the Amount of ƒ112,000, have Stopt payment, and we take the Liberty to Send your Excellency inclosed the Letter to Said Gentlemen, which we left open in order you may peruse it for...
923To John Adams from Carter Braxton, 23 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
The acquaintance I had the honor to make with you in 1776 & the high opinion I then entertained of your Abilities & goodness of disposition—emboldens me at this time to address you by the hands of my Son Carter who will deliver you this Letter. He goes to London under my power of Attorney to put a finishing hand to a Suit in Chancery of considerable consequence to me & which has been depending...
924David Humphreys to John Adams, 30 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I write this to request information of you, what is necessary, right, & proper to be done by me on saturday next— You can doubtless tell, Sir, whether it is expected & wished that the whole diplomatic Corps should, be at Versailles on New-year’s day, or whether the concourse will probably be so great as that the presence of the smaller limbs of that great Body may readily be dispensed with— I...
925To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 2 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I cannot omit the Opportunity of writing by Monsr de le Etombe who is going to France & will take the Care of this Letter. You must not expect it will be a long one. There are many Things which I wish to say to you, but the Tremor of my Hand is so increasd that I am put to Difficulty to guide my Pen. Our Merchants are complaing bitterly that Great Britain is ruining their Trade, and there is...
926Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 6 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I am glad to hear that my Cousins got home well. Poor Boys I believe that they had their Coats wet enough a Thursday, I was really sorry, but I hope they did not catch cold. The thoughts of seeing their Mamma, and Sister, kept their Spirits in motion I dare say. Mr. Thaxter got here Tuesday noon. He looks very natural, and appears exceeding agreeable. I hope he will meet with Success. Mrs....
927To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your affectionate and instructing letter of Decem r 2 nd: did not reach me ’till yesterday.— I embrace with my Affections, as well as my judgement that form of Goverment which you have proved from as many Authorities, to be the only One that can preserve political happiness. It was my Attachment to a constitution composed of three branches, that first deprived me of the Confidence of the whigs...
928To John Adams from Richard Cranch, 10 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you largely by Cap t. Cushing who sail’d from hence about 3 Weeks ago. I therein take notice of the State of our Trade, its Embarrasments &c— I have since received your esteemed Favour of Aug: 22 d , 1785. It came to hand the Day before the Gen l. Court met for the present Session. Your Opinion concerning our Navigation Act strengthened our Hands much who were in favour of that...
929Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
This day three weeks I left Home, since which I have not heard a word from thence. I wrote you from Hartford and once from this place since my arrival. I cannot give you any account eitheir of Newyork or Jamaica as I got into the first at seven in the Evening & left it at Nine the next morning, and in this place my only excursion has been in the garden. the weather has been bad cloudy & rainy...
930To John Adams from Thomas Brand Hollis, 15 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have continued to read your defence of the American states and admire the intelligence sagacity & firmness contained in it. at first it appeared to me that where there was no distinction of rank in the people there was no necessity of a balance. but you have proved your point most satisfactorily & the impractability of one general assembly. all that remains is to secure that balance...
931Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I came to Town yesterday and have engaged My passage on Board the ship Active Capt. Lyde, agreable to the advise of my Friends: she will sail in about a fortnight or 3 Weeks and is the only good vessel now going. Mrs. Jones with whom I hoped to have been a passenger is still in so poor Health that there is no prospect of her going very soon and my Uncle Smith upon whose judgment and care I...
932Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
It was not untill yesterday that I received your Letter & mrs Cranchs. mr mccomick came up & brought them both to my no small satisfaction, and this was the first that I had heard from Home since I left it, except by the News papers which I have engaged George Storer to forward to me. I have written to you every week since I left you, and Subjected you to more postage than my Letters are...
933To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 5 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
By two Gentlemen who went in Ships bound for London, and of whose arrival in that City accounts are received, I had the pleasure of writing your good Self under the 16 th July—& 8 th August 83, both which Letters I hope reached you safe, and found you in health— As far as time or observation permitted, I gave a sketch of the politics in this Government—and wish the present day afforded a...
934To John Adams from Theophilus Lindsey, 23 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
M r Lindsey presents his due and most sincere respects to M r Adams, was much mortified that he shou’d do him the honour to leave his name at Essex house before M r L. had an opportunity of returning thanks for his kind and most valuable present of A Defence &c; a work which is the result of deep thought and of the largest experience and observation of what is now passing or has ever passed on...
935To John Adams from Patience Lovell Wright, 5 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Wrights Most Respectfull Complint s to her Friend—Adams Esq r. &c. —and has the pleasur to deliver to him those papers—from Major Labilleere presented by him to Mr̃ Adams Esq r. as a Worthy Charatck r on whos Condoct and sentements much Depends toward bringing Justic and good goverment to a Ingured people— the Eyes of the World is on the present Moments— The house of Ahab Must not be...
936To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Col o. Franks and mr̃ Randolph arrived last night. this enables me to send copies of all the Barbary papers to Congress by the mr̃ 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 received...
937To John Adams from the Comte de Sarsfield, 6 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
Si Javois Seu le voyage de M r Jefferson, Je lui aurois remis quelques memoires curieux pour Vous. vous Savez que Je pense que vous autres Gens de l’autre monde ne Sauriez trop etudier le notre afin de Connoitre nos maux Et vous en preserver Sans quoy Vous ne Vaudrez pas mieux que nous dans quelque tems. Ily a un memoire de M r du Paty qui vaut dans Son Genre les lettres de M Stuart au L d...
938Thomas Barclay to John Adams, 9 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last post since which I was Informed your things were stop’d at Brussells, This must have been Intirely through the Ignorence of the person who had them under his Care He had nothing to do but to Open the Trunks, shew there was nothing Contraband in them and so pass on— and this Idea I impressd as much on him by means of a person who spoke Dutch, as was in my power— But He to avoid...
939To John Adams from Cotton Tufts, 28 November 1787 (Adams Papers)
On Saturday last, the Gen l Court rose, having sat Five Weeks, but few Matters of Importance were accomplished. The first Thing that came under Consideration was the Recommendation of Congress to lay before the People a System of National Government reported by the late continental Convention— Resolutions were passed for assembling the Towns for the Choice of Delegates to sit in Convention on...
940To John Adams from John Lillie Jr., 7 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but the importance of the following subject which immediately concerns myself could have induced me to beg your attention upon it, by being persuaded your time was gennerally employed in National affairs,— But as the result of this business is very interesting to me, I have taken the liberty to write & request your assistance & advice, and that you would have the goodness (if not too...
941To John Adams from Charles Storer, 1 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
Enthusiasm is as necessary to the science of Politics as of Religion: without zeal in the Cause there can be no success— Such zeal was once conspicuous, and this enthusiasm has borne us hitherto through a difficult & dangerous war. But that it should now leave us, all at once, is disagreable—not more so, however, than apparently true— What can have become of this said public spirit I cannot...
942Joseph Reed to John Adams, 7 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I should not have put you to the Expence of a Letter by the Post. But M r. Vanbibber a Gentleman of respectable Family & Fortune going over to Holland I could not resist the Temptation of renewing our friendly Intercourse which was suspended during the Winter. M r. De Berdt was so obliging as to communicate a Paragraph of his Letter respecting the Bills drawn by M r. Morris in the Fate of...
943To John Adams from John Jay, 3 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
My last to You was written the 2 d. Ult:— It acknowledged the Receipt of your Letters of 15. 17. 21. 25 & 27 th: October last—no others have since arrived. All those as well the Letters which accompanied your Draft of a Treaty with Britain, together with my Reports in favor of them and of that Draft are … under the Consideration of Congress, and as yet have produced no Instructions to you on...
944To John Adams from Rufus King, 3 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
You will undoubtedly hear much of the tumultuous and irregular conduct of a considerably numerous class of people in the western counties of massachusetts— the same temper which appears to have collected these illegal Assemblies in Massachusetts, has shewn itself in New Hampshire; but General Sullivan, who is now President of that State, by very proper and decisive Measures has put an End to...
945To John Adams from Robert Duncan, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to join the Citizens of America in heart felt Congratulations on your Excellencys appointment to the Vice Presidency of the United States May every blessing await you Sir in that, and all other important stations, you may be engaged in for the salvation of your Country.— It is now about 11 years since I had the honor of seeing you in Philadelphia, and then as an inmate in my family—...
946To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 31 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I was honoured yesterday with your’s of the 24 th. instant. when the {1 st. article} of {our instrns} 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} of the {other.} one {Objection} to this was {it’s impracticability,} another {that it} would {put it} out {of our...
947From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, with Enclosure, 11 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honour of inclosing to you letters which came to hand last night from Mr. Lamb, Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Barclay. By these you will perceive that our peace is not to be purchased at Algiers but at a price far beyond our powers. What that would be indeed Mr. Lamb does not say, nor probably knows. But as he knew our ultimatum, we are to suppose from his letter that it would be a...
948To John Adams from John Jay, 4 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you my dear Sir! most cordially on your Return to your native Country, and am greatly pleased with the Reception you have met with— You deserve well of your country, and I am happy to find that the acknowledgment of your Services is not left solely to Posterity. our convention is still sitting. The opposers of the Constitution have proposed many amendments. As yet we proceed...
949John Jay to John Adams, 8 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I thank You for your obliging Letter of the 2 d. Inst—& congratulate you on the Recovery of your Health, as well as on the Success of your measures for preserving our Credit, for which you certainly merit the Acknowledgm ts. of the United States in general, and of their Financier in particular. It seems to me that this Climate would be at least as propitious to your Health as that of Holland;...
950To John Adams from Cotton Tufts, 15 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I rec d. Yours by Capt. Cushing with 50 Vol. of the Defence &c Thirty of which, I put into the Hands of M r Guild Bookseller, which were sold in the Course of 5 or 6 Days— Twenty I reserved—and took the Liberty to add to Your List of Distribution, One to Hon. Sam. Adams at the Instance of Bro r Cranch & myself, One to the Hon James Lovell at the Desire & advice of Un c Smith and one by y r...