1To John Adams from Francis Dana, [29 July 1783] (Adams Papers)
’Tis done. The bolt of your Vulcan has hit its aim. The idea you mentioned to me some time since, relative to the use of the Credit I had asked for, and which in reply I told you was not new to me, that the same had been repeatedly thrown out here by persons, whom to suspect of sinister or interested views wou’d be deemed by some a most damnable political heresy, has crossed the Atlantic and...
2To John Adams from Francis Dana, [6 June 1783] (Adams Papers)
I wrote you two letters by the last post, which I sent to Amsterdam upon the supposition that you might be at the Hague by the Time they will arrive there. They are dated the 21 st. & 23 d. inst:— I yesterday received a letter from your Son dated Hague May 12 th. containing some account of his Route from hence to Stockholme. The matter contained in my confidential letter which you will receive...
3To John Adams from Francis Dana, [3 June 1783] (Adams Papers)
No answer as yet. There is another point touching the Treaty mentioned in my last, of much importance. That is to secure the same advantages for our proper productions when imported into the British Dominions in Europe, as is given upon the importation there of similar articles from their own Colonies on the Continent. At least secure the same advantages upon our proper productions, when...
4To John Adams from Francis Dana, [1 June 1783] (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 24 th. of March which was mentioned as missing in my last, has this day come to hand together with that of the 1 st. inst: Since mine of the 16 th. of March, the receipt of which you acknowledge in your last, I have written three times to you viz: on the 28 th. of April, the 1 st. and 4 th. of May. enclosing Copies of my Memorial in the two first. By the last post I sent an...
5To John Adams from Francis Dana, 15 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 18 th. of April has this day come to hand, but that mentioned in it by which you had authorised me to draw upon your Bankers as I had proposed to you, has never reached me. This is the only letter of your’s which I know has ever failed coming safe to hand. I had wondered you had delayed so long to return me an answer to a matter which you had very strong reasons to suppose...
6To John Adams from Francis Dana, 12 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
I sent to your Care by the last Post thrô this same Channel a Copy of the Memorial which I presented on the 27 th. ult: to the Vice Chancellor, and of my Letter to him accompanying it. I now send you fair and complete Copies of them. If you shou’d not have forwarded the first Copy of the Memorial when this second comes to your hands, you will be pleased not to send it on at all, not only...
7To John Adams from Francis Dana, 9 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
The post of the 21 st. inst: brôt M r: Thaxter’s Letters of the 31 st. of March, and 3 d. of April; by which I find you had received mine of the 24 th. of Feb y: informing you that I had that day communicated my Mission to the Vice Chanc r: and the reason why I did it. The Contents of this packet will therefore much surprise you. You will be ready to ask what has since taken place. I only...
8To John Adams from Francis Dana, 27 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 22 d. of Feb y: has come to hand this moment, and has given me much satisfaction. I always admired the noble and independant spirit of my friend; but I now see cause to admire it still more. You have confered additional obligations upon, or to express myself otherwise, you have rendered additional services to your Country, by breaking to peices chains forged to hold it in a state...
9To John Adams from Francis Dana, 23 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
In the Gazette of Amsterdam of the 4 th: of March which has this day come to hand, we read, On débite que les Etats-Unis de l’Amerique nommeront un nouveau Ministre auprès de cette République, à la place de M r: Jean Adams, qui se trouve actuellement à Paris, et qui aussitot après avoir reçu la ratification du Congrès, reviendra ici pour prendre congé, et partira ensuite avec M r: Van Berkel à...
10To John Adams from Francis Dana, 7 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
The post of yesterday brôt me your obliging favour of the 5 th. of this month N.S. in which you say nothing of the Treaty with Sweden which the Leyden Gazette tells us was signed that day. I do not doubt the fact, from the intelligence you gave me some time past of the prepared state of it. My former letter will have advised you of the deficiency of M r: Grand’s Credit and of my proposal to...
11To John Adams from Francis Dana, 25 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
I received by the last post Copies of several Resolutions of Congress, from M r: Thaxter. None of them seem to be of any present importance since the peace, except that of the 14 th: of Sept r. last, relative to our Loans in Europe. This must not occasion any change in the Credit you & the D r: have engaged to me. I shall still rely upon it. There can be no doubt but that Congress will approve...
12To John Adams from Francis Dana, 31 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
After I had closed my last to you acknowledging the receipt of your’s of the 22 d. of Dec r: , my Bankers advised me of the new Credit M r: Grand had desired them to place to my account. I found it to amount to D r: Franklin’s Moiety of the sum necessary, only. From your letter I was lead to expect that M r: Grand wou’d have given me a credit here for the whole sum. I desired my Bankers to...
13To John Adams from Francis Dana, 26 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
The post of this day has brôt me your favour of the 22 d. ult o: in which you acknowledge the receipt of mine of the 14/25 of Nov r: . I have since written to you upon the 8 th & 30 th. of Dec r: & 2/13 inst: as also to the Commissioners upon the third in answer to their joint letter— In the first place let me thank the D r. & you for the ready manner in which you have consented to my...
14Francis Dana to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
I was honoured with your favour of the 12 th. of Dec r: by the last post, enclosing a Copy of the preliminary Treaty of Peace between his Britannic Majesty and the United States. I most heartily congratulate with you upon this great event, in which you have had the honour of so distinguished a part. I think that we ought to be, and shall be satisfied with the terms of peace. But we are here...
15To John Adams from Francis Dana, 13 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have read your preliminary treaty with some attention and much satisfaction. You will suffer me however to suggest whether it might not be expedient in the definitive Treaty, to ascertain more particularly the property of all the Islands in the Lakes, but especially those situated in, or near the entrance of, their several water communications; as also the right of navigating on either side...
16To John Adams from Francis Dana, 10 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
I was yesterday favoured with your’s of the 6 th. inst: from Paris, which has been 34 days on its rout here. Ten of them might have been saved if you had thought of delivering it to M r: G——d to be forwarded under cover to his friend in this City. From the time we had the first intelligence of the preliminaries being signed, viz. the 15th. of this Month O.S. I have been most impatiently...
17To John Adams from Francis Dana, 19 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I give you a thousand thanks for your short letter of the 8 th. of last month which I rec d. this morning. I had before received a Copy of the State Paper you mention; the consequences you draw from it relative to the Neutral Powers are clear & beyond all question. I had view’d the matter in the same light which you & M r: J. view it in, so far as can respect myself. You will see my sentiments...
18To John Adams from Francis Dana, 25 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
By the time this comes to your hands I hope you will have received a letter from your Son from Stockholm, as I charged him to write you without fail from thence. I had one from him dated Helsingfors Nov r: 8 th. N. Stile advising me of his arrival there the day before, and that he shou’d set off on the 9 th. for Abo the Town in Finland from whence they embark to cross the Haf for Stockholm. I...
19To John Adams from Francis Dana, 31 October – 1 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you yesterday by a different course: You will receive that letter a few days after this comes to your hands. You will be pleased to see that immediate attention is paid to a particular part of it, as requested. I then advised you that your Son wou’d set off the same day (which he did about noon) for Stockholm, where he proposed to remain 8. or 10. days, and then to pursue his journey...
20To John Adams from Francis Dana, 26 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Soon after my arrival here I intimated to you that I had discovered something which I thought a clew to account for the advice given me by a certain person, and which you and I then were of opinion, was calculated to throw an obstruction in my way, and of course that I ought not to follow it. I told you I wou’d communicate it to you by the first good opportunity. None has offered till now....
21To John Adams from Francis Dana, 18 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment received your Letters of the 17th. and 29th. of Septr: and after assuring you that they have given me much pleasure because they acquaint me your health and spirits are in a tolerable good state. I shall endeavour to make the best returns for them I am able to do, in my feeble state. My heart is obliged to ask leave of my head whenever it wishes to pay a proper attention to...
22To John Adams from Francis Dana, 4 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Please to forward the enclosed letters three in number, by the earliest different opportunities. Do not send either in the same enclosures with any others you have already received from me or shall receive hereafter. If you have the same Cypher sent to you, and you have patience to do it, decypher one of them. They contain a matter I have hinted to you long since as presenting a clue to a...
23To John Adams from Francis Dana, 1 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have no time to write you by this post. Your Son is in good health, but I fear he will not find an opportunity to leave this terrestial paradise before the first snows. Mr: Thaxter’s letter of the 21.7 and 31st. of Augt: has come to hand, but no tidings yet of the picture. Pray by whom did you send it? Nothing of importance stirring here. How goes on your negotiation for Peace? Do our...
24To John Adams from Francis Dana, 16 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your letter for recalling your son was unfortunately so long on its way that the season for sending him as you proposed is passed. It is almost now an equal chance that he might remain the winter in Norway. I am discouraged about the other course to Lubec also, and am on the whole advised to send him on by Land altogether. It is possible he might have a road voyage even to Holland, but I...
25To John Adams from Francis Dana, 6 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
I do not ask you to consider this as a letter to you. I have writen so much for several days that I am absolutely beat out; and my health besides begins to fail me. A most constant head ach hangs upon me, and almost stupifies me: Consider this therefore only as a cover of the enclosed letters. I shall probably trouble you more frequently in this way than I have ever done; but it must be upon...
26To John Adams from Francis Dana, 30 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter of Aug: 7th. yesterday afternoon, and at the same time the packet you mention. I thank you most cordially for your sentiments upon “something of consequence”: but I am no longer at liberty to pursue a course like that you point out. My la st dispatches, which I presume you did not read, tho they came open under your Cover, are clear and decided upon that affair. I am...
27To John Adams from Francis Dana, 22 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Uncertain whether you have seen the paper from which I send you enclosed an Extract I do myself the pleasure to forward that to you by the earliest opportunity. It was put into my hands by one of my friends here; who I told you in a late letter desired his complements to you, too late for the last post. The whole has not yet been communicated; as I am told, to any one here, but will be in a...
28To John Adams from Francis Dana, 1 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
My last to you was of the 12/23 of May. I have not received any from you since yours of the 28th. of April. Enclosed you will receive the latter part of my letter to Mr: Livingston, which I pray you to forward with a proper direction. I send them open to you for your private Information. The matter these mentioned is what is alluded to in my last. Since the new British Ministry have consented...
29To John Adams from Francis Dana, 23 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure of yours of the 28th. of April yesterday, in which you acknowledge the receipt of mine of the 28th. of March, as well as of the paper I had enclosed you in blank, and of my three letters to Mr: Livingston. I hope you will be kind enõ to transmit copies of those papers to Congress, as I do not think it prudent to hazard duplicates of them. I desired the three to Mr:...
30To John Adams from Francis Dana, 10 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I cannot suffer this post to go off without conveying to you my most hearty congratulations for the great event, of the States General acknowledging our Independence, and upon the famous anniversary of the conception day of our Empire. Your patriotism, your zeal, and your inflexible perseverance, will now have their reward when you see the great end of your Mission so happily executed. Never...