31Draft Definitive Peace Treaty between the United States and Great Britain, [ante 19 July 1783] (Adams Papers)
(Project for) the definitive Treaty of Peace and Friendship, between his Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, concluded at the Day of 1783. In the name of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, & Holy Ghost. So be it. Be it known to all those, to whom it shall or may, in any Manner, belong. It has pleased the most high to diffuse the Spirit of Union & Concord among the...
32From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 18 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
There is cause to be solicitous about the State of things in England. The present Ministry swerve more & more from the true System for the prosperity of their Country & ours. M r: Hartley, whose Sentiments are at bottom just, is probably kept here, (if he was not sent at first) merely to amuse us, & to keep him out of the way of embarrassing the Coalition, in Parliament We need not fear that...
33The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 18 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; press copy of LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Yale University Library; transcript: National Archives We have had the honour of receiving by Capt. Barney your two Letters of the 25th. of March & 21st of April, with the Papers referred to in them. We are happy to find that the Provisional Articles have...
34John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
No Letter from you, yet. I believe I shall Set off Tomorrow or next day, for the Hague, and Shall bring John with me back to Paris in about 3 Weeks. There will be an Interval, before the Signature of the definitive Treaty, and Several publick Concerns oblige me to go to the Hague for a Short time. When I get my Son with me, I shall be ready to go to any Place, where I may embark for home, as...
35From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 17 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Last evening M r. Hartley spent two hours with me, and appeared much chagrined at the Proclamation, which had never been communicated to him by his Principals. He has too much contempt of the commercial abilities of the French—and consequently said that the French could derive but little benefit from this step of his Court, but thought the Dutch would make a great advantage by it. I...
36The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 17 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office; AL (drafts): American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives We have the honour to inform you that we have just received from Congress their Ratification in due Form of the Provisional Articles of the 30th. of November 1782, and we are ready...
37From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 16 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday we waited on the Comte de Vergennes at Versailles, and shew him the Project of a Letter to the Ministers of the two Imperial Courts, which he read and approved. We told him, that we were at a loss what might be the effect of the Mediation—possibly we might be involved in difficulties by it—possibly the British Ministers might persuade the Mediators to offer Us their Advice upon some...
38Draft Letter from the American Peace Commissioners to Bariatinskii and Arkadii Markov, [before 15 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Around July 13, the American commissioners had been given to understand that mediation by the imperial courts was “a mere formality—a mere Compliment, consisting wholly in the Imperial Ministers putting their names & Seals to the parchment, & can have no ill effect.” On that basis, and believing that Vergennes was in favor of it, Adams drafted the...
39From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 15 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Copies of Papers, which have passed between M r. Hartley and the American Ministers. We have not thought it prudent to enter into any written Controversy with him, upon any of these Papers. We have recieved whatever he has offered us.— But he has offered nothing in the Name of his Court, has signed nothing, and upon Enquiry of him, we have found that he has never had Authority to...
40From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 14 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
The United States of America have propagated far & wide in Europe the Ideas of the Liberty of Navigation and Commerce. The Powers of Europe, however, cannot agree as yet, in adopting them in their full extent. Each one desires to maintain the exclusive dominion of some particular Sea, or River, and yet to enjoy the liberty of navigating all others. Great Britain wishes to preserve the...