1651From John Adams to Samuel Chase, 1 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour by the Post this Morning gave me much Pleasure, but the generous and unanimous Vote of your Convention, gave me much more. It was brought into Congress this Morning, just as We were entering on the great Debate. That Debate took up the most of the day, but it was an idle Mispence of Time for nothing was Said, but what had been repeated and hackneyed in that Room before an hundred...
1652From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 20 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of May 23, I received but 3 days ago, and am happy to find so agreable an Intercourse of good offices between the People and the french Gentlemen who have been lately there. The final Accomplishment of the great Work of a civil Constitution, I hope soon to hear is followed by a wise and Satisfactory Choice of Officers to administer the Blessings of it. If the People are not happy under...
1653John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have not particularly answered your amiable Letter of 10 Decr. Your tender Anxiety distresses me, much: I hope your Faith however, has returned before now with your Spirits. If Captain Trash arrived safe from Corunna you have heard from me, or if Babson from Bilboa. Your delicate Charles is as hardy as a flynt. He sustains every thing better than any of Us, even than the hardy Sailor his...
1654From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 14 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, 14 June 1782. RC ( PCC , No. 84, IV, f. 89–93). LbC ( Adams Papers ). printed : Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , ed. Francis Wharton, Washington, D.C., 1889; 6 vols. , 5:493–494. Livingston received this letter on 11 Sept. ( PCC , No. 185, III, f. 41). In it, JA
1655From 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...
16561782 December 19. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Visited M. Louis Secretary of the Royal Colledge of Surgery, in order to form a Correspondance, between it and the medical Society at Boston. Was very politely received, and promised every Thing that the Colledge could do. Mr. Louis talked a great deal, and very ingeniously and entertainingly. Spent the Evening, at the Abby Chalut’s with the Abby de Mably, two other Abbys and two...
1657[November 1777] (Adams Papers)
At Willis’s at the Log Goal in New Jersey 28 miles from Easton. 1777 Tuesday Novr. 11. Sett off from York Town—reached Lancaster. 12. From Lancaster to Reading. Slept at Gen. Mifflins. 13. Reached Strickser’s. 14. Dined at Bethlehem. Slept at Easton at Coll. Hoopers. Supped at Coll. Deans. Met Messrs. Elery and Dana and Coll. Brown on the 15 a few miles on this Side of Reading. We have had 5...
1658From 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...
16591778 Oct. 7. (Adams Papers)
Captain Richard Grinnell of Newport Rhode Island says, that the English have this Year 17 Vessells, in the Brazil Whale Fishery off the River Plate, in S.A. in the Lat. 35 South and from thence to 40. just on the Edge of Soundings off and on, about the Longitude of 65 from London. That they sail in the Months of September and October. Almost all the Officers and Men, belonging to these 17...
1660[Monday July 22. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Monday July 22. 1776. The Congress resolved itself into a Committee of the whole, to take into consideration the Articles of confederation, and after some time the President resumed the Chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the Committee have made some progress in the matter to them referred, but not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again. Resolved that this Congress will...
1661From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 19 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have only time at present, to beg the favour of you, to procure the inclosed, to be inserted in all the English newspapers. There is not a Circumstance exagerated, and the half is not told. RC with enclosure ( Adams Papers ); notation on back of enclosure: “printed in the English Papers.” For the possibility that JA wrote two letters to Jenings on 19 April, see Jenings’ letter of 24 April ,...
1662From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 14 November 1779 (Adams Papers)
This Moment I recieved your kind favor of this day’s date. Coll. Johonnot and my young Friend, Sammy Cooper, are well on Board. This young Gentleman, Sir, shall have the best Care taken of him, in my power, and the same with my own. Your kind Assurances that you will inform Me of what passes, give me great pleasure, and will be of great use to Me. I shall write You as often as possible. My...
1663From John Adams to James Moylan, 6 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have but this Moment received yours of the 28 Ultimo, and am much obligd to you and Captain Jones for undertaking, my little Commission, which will give you I believe more Trouble than a little to pick up a parcel of such little dittos. As to the Damask Table Cloths, omit them alltogether. As to the coloured Velvet I know nothing about it, you will therefore omit that Article too, which will...
166423 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Received from Monsieur Geoffroy, Docteur Regent de la Faculté de Medicine de Paris, a Letter of Thanks from the Societe Royale de Medecine, for my Letter to him proposing a Correspondence between that Society and the Medical Society at Boston. Made several Visits. &c. Went to the Italian Comedy, saw Les Troqueurs, the two Harlequins &c. Geoffroy’s letter, together with others of the same...
1665III. To the Abbé de Mably, 15 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
It was with Pleasure, that I learn’d your Design of Writing upon the American Revolution, because your other Writings which are much admired by the Americans, contain Principles of Legislation, Polity and Negotiation perfectly conformable to theirs: so that it is impossible for you to write upon the Subject without producing a Work which will be entertaining an instructive to the Public, and...
1666[May 2. Saturday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
May 2. Saturday. 1778. Dined at Mr. Izzards, with Mr. Lloyd and his Lady, Mr. Francois Francès a French Gentleman who had served in England as Charge D’Affairs for so many Years, that the Language was become very familiar to him, which enabled him to be often usefull to the Americans in Paris. There was much other Company and after dinner We went to the French Comedy, where We saw the Brutus,...
1667[Fryday July 26. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Fryday July 26. 1776. A Committee of the whole, on the Articles of the Confederation, Mr. Morton in the Chair.
1668John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
You have had many Rumours, propagated among you, which I suppose you know not how to account for. One was, that Congress, the last Summer, had tied the Hands of General Washington, and would not let him fight, particularly on the White Plains. This Report was totally groundless.—Another was, that at last Congress untied the General, and then he instantly fought and conquered at Trenton. This...
1669From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 21 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
I know very well the Name of the Family where I spent the Evening with my worthy Friend Mr. — before We set off, and have made my Alphabet accordingly: but I am on this occasion as on all others hitherto utterly unable to comprehend the sense of the Passages in Cypher. The Cypher is certainly not taken regularly under the two first Letters of that Name. I have been able sometimes to decypher...
1670From John Adams to Richard Henry Lee, 13 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your kind Congratulations on my Arrival, and agreable Accommodation at Paris. I assure you, Sir, I have no Objection to the “Splendid Gayety of a magnificent Court,” in a Country, where Manners, Habits and the Constitution of the Country Government make it necessary, which I hope however, will never be the Case in America. He must be of a Strange Disposition,...
1671From John Adams to James Warren, 11 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I was told in Boston that Mr. Avery and Mr. Wendell had been proposed for Judges of the Inferior Court for the County of Suffolk, in the Room of my Friend Pemberton. I said not a Word, but since I have been at home, I have reflected upon this and altho these Gentlemen have amiable Characters I cannot think them So well qualified for this Place as Mr. Cranch, whose great Natural Abilities, and...
1672From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 2 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Nulla Dies Sine Lineâ, said a great Geometician and you are so good an American, that you will agree with me, that We ought to let no day nor Hour pass in which We can do any Service to our Country, without embracing the opportunity. Such an Occasion as the present when the popular Affections and even the sentiments of Men in Power, Seem to be turning towards America. When I landed in Spain I...
1673John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
On the Twelfth, I removed into this House which I have purchased for the United States of America. But, it will be my Residence but a little while. I must go to you or you must come to me. I cannot live, in this horrid Solitude, which it is to me, amidst Courts, Camps and Crowds. If you were to come here, such is the Unsteadiness of the Foundation that very probably We should have to return...
1674From John Adams to Eliphalet Brush, 26 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your favor from Bourdeaux of the 19 th. , I have had the pleasure to recieve, & congratulate You on your successful Voyages. I thank You too for your Care of my Dispatches and kind Attention to me. The Dutch have been induced to make common Cause with Us, but have not yet exerted themselves in it with so much Unanimity & Zeal as might be wished for their own sakes as well as ours— Yet it makes...
1675From John Adams to the President of Congress, 25 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 25 May 1781. RC PCC , No. 84, III, f. 169–170. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:435–436. John Adams provided an English translation of a convention signed at Versailles on 1 May by the Comte de Vergennes and the Dutch ambassador, Lestevenon van...
1676From John Adams to James Warren, 21 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Situation of things in England cannot be too much attended to at this time— The whimsical state of Parties; the Anarchy in Government and the Confusion of Opinions among the People, have been occasioned in a great Measure by the want of an American Commission to make a Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain— It is this that has brought all things to a stand.— The Merchants and Manufacturers...
1677John Adams to Norton Quincy, 30 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Acquisition of Boston, and its Harbour is of such vast Importance to the Province of Massachusetts Bay and New England in general, and indeed to all the confederated Colonies; that the Utmost Wisdom and public Spirit of our Countrymen ought to be employed in order to preserve it by such Fortifications as will make it impregnable for the future by any hostile Fleet. There is not in the...
1678From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 31. Jan. is arrived. A Courier is arrived from Petersburg, who carried the Notice of Sir Yorkes leaving the Hague. All’s well in the north. The Courtiers in England, who indeed compose the nation, flatter themselves they shall raise the Devil in Holland. They may raise a Spirit but it will be a good one. The Symptems are very Strong. If popular Rage gets loose it will not dewitt, John...
1679John Adams to Richard Cranch, 17 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
“I can tell you no secrets about Peace—a Mr. Forth, a Mr. Aswald Oswald and a Mr. Greenville have been at Paris, to sound the Dispositions, but I cannot learn that they have sufficient Powers, or that they have made any serious Propositions. The work of Peace is very difficult to accomplish. The pretentions of so many Nations, are to be adjusted, that my Hopes are faint. It serves the Stocks...
1680From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
The English, by the capture of St. Eustatia, seem to have committed the most compleat blunder of all. There was found in that Island a greater quantity of Property belonging to the Britons themselves, than to the French, Dutch, or Americans. They have broke up a Trade, which was more advantageous to them, than to any of their Enemies, as it was a Channel through which British Manufactures were...