1121From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 15 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
All that I have written you, hitherto, upon the history of the Original of our Navy, was from Memory, without thinking of Book or Paper. But in the course of my lucubrations I thought of the Journals of the Congress; waste Paper, which Seems to be forgotten by Mankind, and which I myself with the rest of the fashionable World have rarely opened for 35 Years. I had a long time to Search among...
1122From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 15 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The instructions of congress to Mr Jay, as minister to the king of Spain, were never communicated to me. At least, I have no recollection, and can find no copy or memorandum of them. One link in the chain will therefore be wanting. But to furnish all in my power, and to shew to the attentive inquirer, the refinements and double refinements of the Comte de Vergennes’ policy, the following...
1123From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
Another original letter of the Count de Vergennes to Dr. Franklin or sending him Mr. Adam’s correspondence. A Versailles Le 31 Juillet, 1780. Le caractére dont vous étes révétu, Monsieur, votre sagesse et la confiance que je mêts dans vos principes et dans vos sentimens, m’engagent à vos communiquer la correspondance, que je viens je avoir avec Mr Adams. Vous trouverez, Je pense, dans les...
1124From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 1 March 1810 (Adams Papers)
AMSTERDAM, August 25, 1781—wrote to Dr. Franklin: “Last evening I received your excellency’s letter of the 16th of this month, accompanied with a letter from the president of congress containing the commission you mention. (That is, the commission of the 15th of June, printed in my last letter.) You desire to know what steps have already been taken in this business. There has been no step...
1125Memorandum Preceding Letter to George Wythe, January 1776, 21 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
In the beginning of the year 1776 There was printed, at Phyladelphia, a Pamphlet under the Title of Thoughts on Government in a Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend, if memory serves me. The Gentleman was Mr John Adams and his then a Member of Congress and his Friend now President of the United States and his Friend was Mr George Wythe then a Member of Congress from Virginia and now...
1126Three party indenture for distribution of property between JA and AA et al., 7 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
This indenture of three parts made and concluded this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & fourteen by and between John Adams Esquire and Abigail his wife in her right, of Quincy in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Richard Norton of Alexandria in the District of Columbia Esquire, William Norton of Weymouth in said County of Norfolk,...
1127Note Regarding Genesis of Thoughts on Government, 21 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
In the Winter of 1776 there was much discussion in Congress concerning the Necessity of Independence, and advising the Several States to institute Governments for themselves under the immediate Authority and original Power of The People. Great difficulties, occurred to many Gentlemen, in making a Transition from the Old Governments to the new, i.e from the Royal to Republican Governments. In...
1128To the Boston Patriot, 6 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
ON Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, 1782 I arrived in the night, at the Hotel de Valois, Rue de Richelieu in Paris, after a journey of ten days from the Hague, from whence Mr. John Thaxter and Mr. Charles Storer departed with me, on the Thursday se’night preceding. I have several times performed this journey of about three hundred and twenty-five miles in three days. But rains of unusual...