31From John Adams to John Jay, 24 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the Honour to transmit to Congress, a Letter from M r Harrison, with an Account of Disbursements for Captain Erwin and his Associates on their return to Cadiz from their Captivity in Morocco. Situated as M r Harrison was he had every motive of Humanity, and love of his Countrymen to relieve their necessities, and it would be too Severe, if not unjust, to leave the burthen upon him....
32From John Adams to John Jay, 3 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I wrote a few Days Since by Col Franks who embarks in the French Packet from Havre De Grace, with the Morocco Treaty. There is no further Intelligence of the Portugal Business, nor any better Prospect, or more agreable Disposition in this Country, whatever Artifices may be employed in America to keep up delusive hopes. Parliament opened with an uncommon Gloom, and has been Sitting in a...
33From John Adams to John Jay, 25 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you Yesterday, in your Ministerial Capacity as well as mine, my ulltimate Determination to revisit my Country, this time twelve months.— I now write you this private Letter to intreat you as a Friend, to promote in every Way in your Power, an Arrangement as early as possible, by which I may be permitted to return, with Decorum.— It is not from a desire to stimulate any Body to vote for...
34From John Adams to John Jay, 24 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I must beg the Indulgence of Congress, while I Sollicit their Attention, for a few moments to Some Particulars which are very interesting to me personally and have Some relation to the foreign Affairs of the United States.— It is now, in the Beginning of the tenth Year Since I embarked first for Europe in Obedience to the Commands of the United States. The various Services to which they have...
35From John Adams to John Jay, 9 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am unable to give you any Account, of the Reasons, which have prevented the Treaty with Morocco from reaching London. But it has not yet made its Appearance. The Tripoline Ambassador, Sent me a polite Message and desired a Conference. it was agreed to, and his Excellency was pleased to inform me, that he had received repeated Letters to return home, and Should depart in a few Weeks. desired...
36From John Adams to John Jay, 30 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the fourth of october, I have had the Honour to receive, and have dispatched the Resolution inclosed in it to Paris to go from thence to Spain: but I hope M r Lamb is already on his Passage for America. The Commotions in New England, will terminate in additional Strength to Government, and therefore they do not allarm me I have lately received from Lord Carmarthen officially the...
37From John Adams to John Jay, 27 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
When the Ratification of Congress, of their Treaty with the King of Prussia, arrived here, the Term limited for the Exchange of it was near expiring. as a few Members of the States general, had discovered Uneasiness at my coming to London without going to the Hague to take Leave, it Seemed a convenient Opportunity to go over and Shew them as much of the Respect they required as remained in my...
38From John Adams to John Jay, 3 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
An Event has taken Place, of too much Importance to the United States, to be omitted, in Dispatches to Congress. A Messenger arrived at the Secretary of States Office, last night, with a Treaty of Commerce between France and England, Signed by the Comte De Vergennes and M r Eden. it cannot be Supposed that the Contents can be fully known: but it is Suggested that England has Stipulated, to...
39From John Adams to John Jay, 31 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Paul Randall Esq r , who has been with M r Lamb to Algiers will have the Honour to deliver this Letter. in order to lay before Congress the earliest Information of all that has come to his Knowledge, in the Course of his Journeys and Voyages he proposes to return, without loss of Time to New-York. He has conducted, as far as I can judge, with Prudence and Fidelity, and has merited a...
40From John Adams to John Jay, 30 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received, the Letter you did me, the Honour to write me, on the Sixth of June, with the Ratification of the Treaty with Prussia. As the Term limited, is near expiring, I Shall go over to Holland or Send Col Smith, to make the Exchange M r Penn, a Member of the House of Commons, whose Character is well known in America and in England as a Steady Friend, to our Country will be the Bearer...
41From John Adams to John Jay, 15 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
On Wednesday, the 13. the Marquis of Carmarthen, informed me, that, Captain of the Mercury Man of War, to use his Lordships own Words “had received a Severe Rap, over the Knuckles, from the Lords of the Admiralty, for his Conduct at Boston.” His Lordship had “received a Letter from Lord How, accompanied with a long dull Letter, from Captain Stanhope which instead of being a justification of...
42From John Adams to John Jay, 27 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Chevalier De Pinto, the Envoy of Portugal, informed me, this Day that he had received Instructions from his Court, to inform me, “that the Queen his Mistress has Sent a Squadron to cruise in the Mouth of the Streights with Orders to protect all Vessells belonging to the United States of America equally with those of her own Subjects and that She would continue those orders as long as they...
43From John Adams to John Jay, 27 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me, the Honour to write me, on the 1 st. of May; and the Pleasure of Congress Signified in it, Shall be Strictly observed. You will perceive by my Letter of the 4 th. of March, that it was my Determination to make no Reply to his Lordships Answer of the 28 th. of Feb. to the Memorial of the 30 of November, untill I should receive the Orders of Congress. As We...
44From John Adams to John Jay, 16 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Two days ago, I was honoured with your Letter of the 4. of May, in which another of the first of the same month is referr’d to, and as I hear there is a Passenger expected from the Packet, I hope to receive it from him when he arrives in town. Lord Carmarthen told me Yesterday, “that he had Letters from M r Anstey, mentioning his civil reception: his Lordship Said, too, that a Minister...
45From John Adams to John Jay, 6 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the Honour to enclose Papers, relative to affrican Affairs, altho M r Jefferson has transmitted them before, as it is possible his Conveyance may fail. The Intelligence all tends to confirm what has been more than once written to you before, that two or three hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling, will be necessary to obtain a perpetual Peace.— It is very clear, that a Peace would be...
46From John Adams to John Jay, 28 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
An Agent from South America, was not long Since arrested, at Rouen in France, and has not Since been heard of.— another Agent, who was his Associate, as I have been told is here, and has applied to Government, for Aid. Government, not in a condition to go to War with Spain declines having any Thing to do with the Business. but if Application Should be made to rich Individuals, and profitable...
47From John Adams to John Jay, 25 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have not presented a formal Memorial in the Name of our Sovereign concerning the Negroes carried off contrary to the Treaty, although it has been frequently and constantly, insisted upon with the British Ministry, for Several Reasons, one was a desire to confine the first Memorial to one point, the frontier Posts that the real Motives and Intensions of the Cabinet might be the more...
48To John Jay from John Adams, 25 May 1786 (Jay Papers)
I have not presented a formal Memorial, in the Name of our Sovereign concerning the Negroes carried off contrary to the Treaty, although it has been frequently and constantly insisted upon with the British Ministry, for several Reasons. one was, a desire to confine the first Memorial to one point, the frontier Posts that the real Motives and Intentions of the Cabinet might be the more...
49From John Adams to John Jay, 16 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Last night I was honoured with your Letter of April 7 th. and am happy to find that Twelve States, have granted to Congress the Impost. New York I am persuaded will not long withhold her Assent, because, that in Addition to all the other Arguments in favour of the measure, She will have to consider that all the Blame of Consequences must now rest upon her, and she would find this alone, a...
50To John Jay from John Adams, 16 May 1786 (Jay Papers)
Last night I was honored with your letter of April 7 th . and am happy to find that Twelve States, have granted to Congress the Impost. New York I am persuaded will not long withhold her Assent, because, that in addition to all the other Arguments in favour of the measure, she will now have to consider that all the Blame of Consequences must now rest upon her, and she would find this alone, a...
Soon after the arrival of M r . J. in London, we had a conference with the Ambassador of Tripoli, at his House The amount of all the information we can obtain from him was that a perpetual peace was in all respects the most advisable, because a temporary treaty would leave room for increasing demands, upon every renewal of it, and a stipulation for annual payments would be liable to failures...
52From John Adams to John Jay, 27 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
At the last Conferences, as they call here what is understood in Paris by Ambassadors Days the Marquis of Carmarthen was pleased to make an Apology for not having yet answered the Memorial requiring the Evacuation of the Posts. “It would Sound oddly to Say that he had delayed his Answer, to prevent Delays, but it was true. He had drawn up his answer, but as he was obliged to Say Something,...
53From John Adams to John Jay, 26 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Envoy from Portugal, has received from his Court an Answer to his Dispatches relative to the Treaty with the United States, and the enclosed Extract from it, which has been delayed sometime by the Sickness of the Chevalier de Freire, the Portuguese Secretary of Legation, this Minister did me the Honour to deliver to me two days ago, with his request that it might be transmitted to...
54To John Jay from John Adams, 26 February 1786 (Jay Papers)
The Envoy from Portugal, has received, from his Court an Answer to his Dispatches relative to the Treaty with the United States, and the enclosed Extract from it, which has been delayed some time by the Sickness of the Chevalier de Freire, the Portuguese Secretary of Legation, th at is Minister did me the Honour to deliver to me two days ago, with his request that it might be transmitted to...
55From John Adams to John Jay, 22 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
On Monday Evening another Conference was held with the Tripolitan Ambassador, attended with his Interpreter Benamor, who is a decent Man, and very ready in the English as well as Arabick and Italian. The Foreign Ministers here Say it is the Custom of all the Ambassadors from Barbary to be much connected with Jews to whom they are commonly recommended. It may be Supposed the Jews have...
56To John Jay from John Adams, 22 February 1786 (Jay Papers)
On Monday Evening another Conference was held with the Tripolitan Ambassador, attended with his Interpreter Benamor who is a decent Man, and very ready in the English as well as Arabick and Italian. The Foreign Ministers here say it is the Custom of all the Ambassadors from Barbary to be much connected with Jews to whom they are commonly recommended. It may be supposed the Jews have interested...
57From John Adams to John Jay, 20 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Tripolitan Ambassador Sent a Message by a Doctor Benamor, an English Jew most probably, who has formerly resided in Barbary, and Speaks the Arabic Language as well as the Italian and Lingua Franca, to inform me, that he wished to return his Visit, in the Same friendly and respectfull manner, and that as he had much at heart a Treaty between the Barbary and American States, he...
58From John Adams to John Jay, 16 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Expences of Insurance on American Vessells; the Obstructions of their Commerce with Spain Portugal and Italy: and Compassion for our Fellow Citizens in Captivity: all occasioned by Apprehensions of the Barbary Corsairs, must excite Solicitude in every Man capable of thinking or Feeling. it is nevertheless certain that too great an Alarm has been Spread, Since no more than two Vessells have...
59From John Adams to John Jay, 14 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter, inclosing two Pamphlets one of which I have Sent to M r Jefferson, by Coll Humphreys who Setts out for Paris this morning. These Letters will be Sufficient to Shew any Man of common Decency, the Characters of the Writers. on one Side there is the Condescension of a provident but indulgent Father: on the other the Impertinence and Ingratitude of a Prodigal son, not...
60To John Jay from John Adams, 14 February 1786 (Jay Papers)
I have received your Letter, inclosing two Pamphlets one of which I have sent to M r Jefferson, by Coll Humphreys who setts out for Paris this morning. These Letters will be sufficient to shew any Man of common Decency, the Characters of the Writers. On one side there is the Condescension of a provident but indulgent Father: on the other the Impertinence and Ingratitude of a Prodigal Son, not...