2711[March 8. Sunday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 8. Sunday. 1778. The same Wind and Weather continued and We went at the rate of seven and a half and Eight Knots. Mr. Barrons our first Lieutenant, appeared to be an excellent Officer, very Attentive and diligent in his Duty; thoughtfull for the Safety of the Ship, and considerate about Order, Oeconomy and regularity among the officers and Men. He had great experience at Sea. Had used...
2712From John Adams to William Gordon, 15 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 30 th. Novem r: came to hand yesterday, & afforded me real pleasure & great Consolation. The Sentiments it contains were precisely such as actuated the American Ministers for Peace, on the same day. It is astonishing that occasion sh d. ever have been given to you or them to think in that manner— A complicated & extensive system of Imposture has been practised, upon America...
2713[1779 December 12 Sunday.] (Adams Papers)
1779 December 12 Sunday. Walked about the Town, but there was nothing to be seen, excepting two Churches, and the Arsenals, dry Docks, Fortifications and Ships of War.
27144. To Hendrik Calkoen, 7 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your fourth Question is, whether America, in and of itself, by means of purchasing or exchanging the Productions of the several Provinces, would be able to continue the War, for 6, 8 or 10 years, even if they were entirely deprived of the Trade with Europe, or their Allies exhausted by the War and forced to make a Seperate Peace were to leave them. This is an extreme case. And where is the...
2715From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 19 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Preliminary Articles are only to take place, when France & G. Britain shall have agreed: but as they are not yet published by the British Ministry, it is not proper that We should publish them as yet— Your Dispatch to M r Livingston, which I rec d. Yesterday, I gave to M r. Franklin who sends it off to day. I don’t know what to say about M r. Van Arp’s Passport—it is not necessary, if the...
2716From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 26 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved the letter which your Excellency did me the honor to write me the twenty fifth of this month. The sincere respect I entertain for your Excellency’s Sentiments would have determined me, upon the least intimation, to have communicated my letter and your Excellency’s answer to Congress, and to suspend, until I should recieve orders on their part, all measures towards the British...
2717From John Adams to Ralph Izard, 20 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
You have once or twice mentioned to me, in Conversation, certain Expressions in the Treaty, relative to the Fishery, on the Banks of Newfoundland, which you apprehend, may be hereafter liable to different Constructions, and become the subject of Controversy, if not the Cause of War, but as it is very posible I may not have perfectly comprehended your Meaning, I should be much obliged to you if...
2718From John Adams to James Warren, 16 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is my Duty to unbosom myself to Some Friend in Congress, upon whose discretion I can rely, and there is none to whom I can do it with more Propriety than to you of whose Patriotism and Friendship I have had So long Experience. We are at Peace, but not out of Danger. That there have been dangerous Designs against our real Independence, if not against our Union and Confederation, is past a...
2719From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 64, 11 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 11 May 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 43–45). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:670–671. In this letter, read in Congress on 20 Sept., John Adams sent the text of three motions respecting the American war proposed by David Hartley in...
2720[Draft of a Letter to Vergennes, 10–11 February 1779.]Confidential (Adams Papers)
As your Excellency reads English perfectly well, my first Request is that you would not communicate this Letter, even to a Translator. I have hitherto avoided, in my single Capacity, giving your Excellency, any Trouble at all either by Letter or by Conversation. But the present Crisis Emergency demands that I should ask the Favour of your Excellency to explain my Sentiments to you, either by...