1From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Marquiss, who loves Us, will deliver You this. He will tell You every thing. Arbuthnot, Rodney and Walsingham are to be pitted against de la Motte Piquet, Guichen and Ternay in the West Indies. So that I hope, You will be pretty quiet. Prepare however to co-operate and rout them out of the Continent if possible. Above all let me beg of You to encourage Privateering. The French will be...
2From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 28 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
The Sovereign of Britain and his Council have determined to instruct their Commissioners to offer you Independance, provided you will disconnect yourselves from France. The Question arises how came the King and Council, by Authority to offer this? It is certain that they have it not. In the next Place, is the Treaty of Alliance between Us and France, now binding Upon Us? I think there is not...
3From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 13 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is intended to go, by Monsieur Le Veillard, a Young Gentleman bound to America, with Design to travail with engage in the service of Mr. Holker or to lay the Foundations of a mercantile House either in France or America, as Circumstances may be. I have the Pleasure to know his Father and his Family and the young Gentleman very well: They are all worthy and amiable, and have on many...
4From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 14 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
The Marquiss de la Fayette did me, the Honour of a Visit, Yesterday, and delivered me, your Favour of the 25. of October. I am not sorry, as Things have been ordered, that mine of May 24 did not reach you till 24 Octr. because as the new Arrangement was previously made, it cannot be said that I had any Hand in accomplishing it. Yet I am glad the Letter has arrived because it will shew that the...
5From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 21 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 21 May 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:106–108 . Adams commented on, among other things, the probability of a European war, the movements of the French and British fleets, and the possibility of wider European support for the Revolution. He then discussed the large amounts...
6From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 2 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Favour by the Marquis, I have received, and it touched a thousand tender Springs, in my heart. You suppose I am informed of every Thing that passes at Philadelphia, but I am not: I never was and never shall be informed of any Thing that passes there but the Results in the Journals &c. I am very happy to learn that you are acquainted with my good Friend Mr De L’Etombe, who is a very...
7From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
You will see by the public Papers, that your Committee of Correspondence is making greater progress in the World, and doing greater things in the political World than the Electrical Rod ever did in the Physical. Ireland and England have adopted it, but mean Plagiaries as they are, they do not acknowledge who was the Inventor of it. Mr. Lee and Mr. Izard will go with this Letter in the...
8From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 7 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had a few days ago the Pleasure of your Letter of the 21. of June, which is the only one as yet received. I have written Several to you, some of which I fear have miscarried. You mention a Difference of Sentiment, among the Commissioners before my Arrival, concerning a particular Gentleman, and desire me to investigate the Grounds of it. If I should take the Pains, I might write you, a few...
9From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 4 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
This will be delivered to you by Mr. Izard, who goes out in the Alliance, with Mr. Lee, Mr. Wharton, Mr. Brown and others. He will wait on you of Course, and will be able to give you, good Information concerning the Intentions of the English and their military Preparations by sea and Land: and those of the French and Spaniards, at the same Time. He will also give his Opinion very freely...
10From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 15 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
The ill Health, contracted in Amsterdam, which began with a violent nervous Fever, last August, and which left me with Gout and Scurvy, and a complication of Disorders, which are scarce yet cured, have prevented me from Writing to my Friends so often as I wished. It was necessary that I Should take my Station, at Amsterdam, in the Time of it, for the Sake of the Society of my Countrymen, and...
11From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 27 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the B. Parliament met. The 2d of Decr., We shall have the Speech. We hope to make Inferences from it of the Intentions of Spain, as well as Great B. Among the innumerable Falshoods that the English Emmissaries propagate every Year, to keep up the Spirits of stockjobbers and others, one has constantly been that Russia will take a Part with them. This is repeated lately. But I have...
12From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of a line from you, at Princetown, and Yesterdays Post brought me another from New York. I thank you for this Attention, and for the encouraging Account you give of the State of our Affairs at New York and Ti. The last is agreable to the Official Letters We have from General Gates who has at last Sent Us a general Return of the Army and Navy upon a more distinct, accurate...
13From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 5 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r Grigby, the Bearer of this Letter, is recommended to me, by Gentlemen, who have been friendly and Usefull to America in the Peace, in Such a manner that I beg Leave to introduce him to your Acquaintance. His Views I Suppose are commercial, but a Letter to You may do him more Honour, than to many more Merchants, and perhaps more service even in his own Way. I have been waiting month after...
14From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 19 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
The present Minister, Shelburne I remember disgusted me by an unintelligible, misterious and Equivocal Letter or Number of Letters and in general by the Conduct he held, fifteen or Twenty years ago, and I recollect some disputes I had with Mr Otis upon his Lordships subject at that time. His Lordship appears to be the Same Character at this day. He is a good Proof of personal Identity. His...
15From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 7 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
On the 21 May, I wrote you a very long Letter, on the Subject of foreign Affairs in general, and particularly in this Country: on the 28 July, I wrote you another lengthy Letter, on the 7 August I wrote you again in answer to yours of 21 June, which is all I have ever received from you, on the 27 November I wrote you again. I hope Some of these have reached you, but So many Vessells have been...
16From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 29 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
The King of England has Sent Mr Fitzherbert to Paris with a Commission to treat of Peace, with his dear Brother the King of France and with the Ministers of the states General, and of all other Principum et Statuum quorum interesse poterit. The States General have appointed Mr Brantzen to make Peace too but in concert with France and the other belligerent Powers. Mr Brantzen is not yet gone...
17From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 18 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
This will be sent or delivered by the Viscount de Noailles, a Son of the Duke D’Ayen a Brother of the Lady of the Marquis de la Fayette, an amiable and gallant young Nobleman as full of military Ardour as the Marquis. We have this Moment the News of the safe Arrival, of a Convoy and sixty Sail of Merchant ships of St. Domingo, which is a great Event, for this Country, and for Ours. It is also...
18From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 20 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 10th. of July, is received. Mr. Searle, who is yet at Paris, I hope to see soon here. Am happy to learn that the People of Massachusetts have accepted the Constitution: May they be wise in the Choice of their Rulers, and happy under them. The Constitution, and the Address to the People have much Respect Shewn them in Europe. The Accounts from various Parts of the Activity...