121To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 23 August 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I am desired to inclose, the within Copies, to your Excellency: although I doubt not you have received the original, and although I know not what may be in your Power to do, for the Relief of Messrs Cursen and Governeur. Their pretended Offence is Sending warlike Stores to America, although the London Papers Say, it was corresponding with me. I never...
122To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 6 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I have delivered your Excellency’s Letter to Mr. de Neufville, and have written to him myself, making the proposals contained in your Letter to me. He answers me, that he thinks the proposals reasonable: but insists upon it, that he has not the commanding Interest in the Concern, and that nothing can be done but by the Owners at large, or by Mr. Van Harp as...
123From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 15 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
This Morning, the House of Botereau & Co. of this City, presented to me, Sixty Six Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress on the 26th. day of October last, in favour of Nathaniel Tracy, of Newbury Port, amounting to the Sum of Ten Thousand Pounds sterling, payable at Ninety days Sight. I was obliged to ask the favour of the House, to wait untill I could write to your Excellency, to see if you can...
124From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 27 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Excellencys Letter of the 21. and will Send you the List of the Bills, and of the times of their becoming due according to your desire, as soon as I can make it out. I will examine Mr. De Neufvilles Bill, and if it is good, accept it. From the time I received from Congress, their orders to borrow Money here, I have constantly, in my Letters, requested that no draughts...
125From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 25 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening I recieved your Excellency’s Letter of the 16th. of this month, accompanied with a Letter from the President of Congress containing the Commissions You mention. You desire to know what Steps have already been taken in this business. There has been no Step taken by me, in pursuance of my former Commission, until my late Journey to Paris at the Invitation of the Comte de Vergennes,...
126To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 20 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society Yesterday I had the Honour of yours of the 12th. and will take an early oppertunity to send you all the Lights I can obtain, by Inferences from the Numbers of the Bills.— Those already presented I shall accept according to your Advice. Your office is certainly a disagreable one in many respects, and mine grows every day more and more disgusting to...
127From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, 27 August 1783 (Adams Papers)
As I am informed that next Wednesday is appointed for the Signature of the definitive Treaties of Peace, I Suppose it will be thought proper to think of Some Conveyance of the Ratification of the Provisional Treaty, and of the Original of our definitive Treaty as Soon as it Shall be Signed To Congress. By what Vessell it will be proper to Send it, deserves to be considered as soon as possible,...
128From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 26 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have read over all the Papers in the Bundle left with me, numbered to thirty seven. I have also read the three Queries stated to me. These Queries I apprehend can legally be answered only by Con gress or a Court Martial; and therefore it would be improper in me to give any answer to them because the Papers will appear before Congress or a Court Martial; who can judge of them better than I....
129To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 15 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society This Morning, the House of Botereau & Co. of this City, presented to me, Sixty Six Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress on the 26th day of October last, in favour of Nathaniel Tracy, of Newbury Port, amounting to the Sum of Ten Thousand Pounds sterling, payable at Ninety days Sight.— I was obliged to ask the favour of the House, to wait untill I...
130From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 13 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
This Morning I had the Honour of yours of the 8th, and thank you for the order inclosed to Captain Landais, and for those you mention to M. Schweighausser. The true Springs of the Discontents on board appear to me to be, the Depreciation of Paper Pay, and the Extraction of the Captain. The Purser, may have increased them a little by too much of the Appearance of being a favourite of the...
131To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 10 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society Your Favour of October 5. is just now brought to me, and I beg your Excellency to accept of my Thanks for your Congratulations on my Recovery, which is however, as yet but imperfect. I am much Surprized to find, So many appearances, which Seem to Shew that certain neutral Powers of whose Sagacity and great Spirit, the World had formed an high...
132To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 1 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society On the 31 Ult, I drew upon your Excellency, in favour of the House of Fizeaux Grand & Co, three setts of Exchange, of two in a sett, for f. 2200 } together f. 7000, 2300 2500 at two Usances, to enable them to discharge the Bills drawn by Congress, on Mr Laurens, accepted by me, and now become payable. I have the Honour to be
133From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 26 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I presume You have a Copy from Congress of their Instructions to me of the 16th. of August: but as it is possible it may be otherwise, I have inclosed one. I have communicated them to the Duke de la Vauguion, who says they are très bien vues, très bien combinées. I shall do nothing in the business, without communicating it beforehand to him, with the most entire Confidence, and recieving his...
134To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams and Francis Dana, [on or after 11 February 1780] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Adams & Mr. Dana present their most respectful Complaments to his Excellency Dr. Franklin and wou’d acquaint him that as Mr. Adams had invited Company to dine with him on Sunday next, previous to his Excellency’s invitation, to dine with him on that Day, they cannot do themselves the honor of waiting upon him. Addressed: His Excellency Dr: Franklin /...
135To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 13 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society I had Yesterday, at Amsterdam, the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of June 2d. The Discovery that Mr Grenvilles Power, was only to treat with France does not Surprize me, at all. The British Ministry, are too much divided among themselves, and have too formidable an opposition against them, in the King and the old Ministers, and are...
136To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 17 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your Favour of the 10th. I received the Day before Yesterday, and am glad to hear that the Chevalier is making diligent Preparation for his Departure, for I wish, most impatiently to see him. Every day, now is a great Loss. In a Letter I wrote a few days ago I mentioned Some Reasons for prefering Boston to Delaware. I think there can be no doubt that there...
137From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 18 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Thomas Beer, with his Wife and two small Children came to my House this forenoon, and presented me a Letter from Mr Coffyn of Dunkirk of the 2d. of Octr, recommending Beer to me as a Person who had been obliged to fly from England, for having assisted American Prisoners to escape; and inclosing a Copy of a Letter from your Excellency to Mr Coffyn of the 22d. of August, advising Beer to go to...
138To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 16 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society I have at last recieved Letters from Mr. Dana. Mr. Sayer arrived in town yesterday with Letters to me, and dispatches for Congress, which I shall transmit by the best opportunity. Three days before I had recieved a Letter which came by Sea, but had been almost four Months upon the passage. Mr. Dana appears to be...
139To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 10 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society Should the British Forces now in New York and Charlestown evacuate those Places and go to the West India Islands, they might give a good deal of Trouble to the French and Spanish Possessions there. It would cost those Powers many Men and Ships and a great deal of Money and Time perhaps to manage them: whereas...
140From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 20 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I had the Honour of yours of the 12th. and will take an early opportunity to send you all the Lights I can obtain, by Inferences from the Numbers of the Bills. Those already presented I shall accept according to your Advice. Your office is certainly a disagreable one in many respects, and mine grows every day more and more disgusting to me. I wish myself at home every hour in the 24,...
141From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 24 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Letter which your Excellency did me the Honour to write me on the thirteenth is recieved, and I have accordingly accepted the Bills, and shall draw upon your Excellency about the Time they become payable, for Money, to enable me to discharge them, provided I should not succeed in my Endeavours to borrow it here. I have hitherto no prospect at all. When I first arrived here, I had such...
142From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin and William Jackson, 18 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
This is a Copy of a Letter from Coll. Laurens to me, which I have given to Major Jackson, to shew to his Excellency Dr. Franklin. I should think it most adviseable for Major Jackson to lay the Accounts of the Indian before his Excellency, and pray him to authorize, Major Jackson or Mr. De Neufville to draw upon him, for the Amount, in case of my absence, from this Republick, which may become...
143John Adams to [Franklin and Arthur Lee], 5 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Harvard University Library Mr. Adams has recd. from the Count De Vergennes a Letter containing Information that his Majesty will see Mr. A. on Fryday, and an Invitation from the Count to Messrs. Franklin Lee and Adams to dine with him on that Day. The Letter is addressed to Messrs Franklin Lee and Adams. Notation: 5 May 78 Elicited by Vergennes’ note to the commissioners the day before....
144To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 19 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have been informed, that the State of Maryland, have named Mr Charmichael, Mr Johnson, Mr Williams, Mr Lloyd, and Mr Jennings, as proper Persons, out of whom they have desired, your Excellency to choose one, in order to draw out of the English Funds a Sum of Money, they have there, for which the Agent is to have two...
145John Adams to Franklin and John Jay, 27 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Columbia University Library; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society As I am informed that next Wednesday is appointed for the Signature of the definitive Treaties of Peace, I Suppose it will be thought proper to think of Some Conveyance of the Ratification of the Provisional Treaty, and of the Original of our definitive Treaty as Soon as it Shall be Signed to Congress. By what Vessell it...