From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 8 November 1779
To Elbridge Gerry
Braintree Novr. 8. 1779
My dear sir
The Letters inclosed on the Spirit and Resources of G.B. were written by Edmund Jennings Esq.1 Perhaps it will be well to publish them.
Be so good as to deliver the Essex result2 to the Chevalier, who is curious to collect Things of This kind. I hope he is well beloved among you.
We are told here that Silver is exchanged in Philadelphia for Paper. Will you be so good as to inform my dear Portia, from time to time of the Rate, at which such Exchanges are made? She and I too have been, plaguyly jockied, here in this Matter.
Adieu
LbC (Adams Papers). This is the final LbC for the period 1778–1779 to be recorded in Lb/JA/5 (Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 93). For a discussion of this Letterbook, see part 2 of the Introduction: “John Adams and his Letterbooks” (above).
1. See Jenings to JA, 25 April, note 2 (above).
2. Twelve Essex County towns, meeting in convention in Ipswich in April 1778, stated their reasons for rejecting the Massachusetts Constitution of 1778 and set forth the principles upon which they thought a government ought to be established (Result of the Convention of Delegates Holden at Ipswich in the County of Essex . . ., Newburyport, 1778, , No. 15858). On the relation between the Result and JA’s Thoughts on Government (1776), and for JA’s later assessment of the Result’s importance, see vol. 4:71.