21From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 1 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I thank You for your favour of the 20th. of November. I am really weary of reading such Follies as Motions to address the King for Peace. They are only delusions to the People of England, the People of America, and all the other Nations of the Earth. The Case of Mr. Laurens, and those of Mr. Trumbull and Tyler, among Millions of other Incidents shew, with whom We have to do. The States General...
22From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have this day the Honour of yours of 5. It would be unwise in Congress, to neglect any Effort to induce other Powers of Europe to acknowledge our Independancy, and therefore I am fully of opinion that at least one Minister Should be sent to treat with the Maritime Powers, or rather the neutral Union. For these Powers will all acknowlege our Independance at once, and none of them will do it...
23From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 22 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
With great pleasure have I recieved yours of the 19th, with its Inclosures. I wish I could answer more at large, but in addition to a thousand other Objects crowding upon me at present, I have had to write my obscure Name nine and twenty thousand times to Obligations and Coupons, which I expect will give me before it is ended a great Name at least, if not a great deal of Money. I am...
24From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 16 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour of yours of 12. Your accounts from Paris coincide with mine, and make me happy. Vaughan has no public Character at all, and oswalds is the same with Carletons. The K. of Spain is not mentioned in Fitzherberts. The Slips are great Curiosities. They were written with the Design of being printed as written by a Briton. The Publisher has told that th ey are of an American! Which...
25From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 15 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 6 and 12 of April are before me. The last received to day. I thank you, sir, for so readily, undertaking to announce &c. As to going to England upon any Errand for me, the Time is not yet come. I must avoid every Thing of that Kind yet. The Memorial from Russia, refutes at once all the Lyes of Seven Years growth, which is one Point. It does more. It threatens, an Union of all...
26From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I threatened you with a great deal of Egotism for the public good. I was chosen by my native Town into the Convention 2 or 3 days after my Arrival. I was by the Convention put upon the Committee—by the Committee upon the sub committee—and by the sub Committee appointed a Sub sub Committee—so that I had the honour to be principal Engineer. The Committee made some alterations, as I am informed...
27From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of June 6. is just arrived, with its Inclosure. From the first day of my acquaintance with Mr Laurens to this moment, I know not that I ever Said a disrespectfull or unkind Word concerning him, or entertained an unkind or disrespectfull Thought. I have ever found him and ever represented him as a Man of Honour, Candour, Integrity and abilities, of great publick and private Merit. This...
28From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 31 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of 24 is received. I wish that Madrid would put an End to Husseys and Cumberlands Masquerades. They do no good, if they do no harm. I think it is pretty certain that the English Ministry, are Seeking a Connection with the Emperor, but as there is nothing to be gotten by a Connection with them but broken Bones if he has as much Sense as he is reputed to have, he will rather choose...
29From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 23 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your excellent Letter of the nineteenth I have recieved. Your feelings I find are in Unison with mine, upon the behaviour of Cornwallis, and the Treatment of Mr. Laurens. It is not however at all surprising to me. I have ever expected, whenever I have crossed the Atlantic, to be treated with the same and with greater Indignities, if I should have been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands...
30From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just received the Court Gazette with Clintons Proclamations. I would give any Thing I had time to write you, a whole sheet about Carolina. The Party of Horse, that galloped out—what did they meet with? By the Return of killed, and Prisoners, it must have been the most obstinate and desperate defence that ever was made, or a barbarous and diabolical Massacre—take which you will, and what...
31From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 22 May 1779 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 15 reached me, Yesterday. I am waiting here in anxious Expectation of the new Minister, with whom, it is said I am to embark. It would give me Pleasure to form an Acquaintance with this Gentleman, because his Character is good, and because, it would give me an opportunity of convincing him of the Importance of keeping himself disconnected with Parties. Not only the Benefits of the...
32From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 25 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment your Letter from Brussells of the 19th of this Month, and I thank You for your kind Congratulations on my safe Arrival. Whether I come in the amiable and blessed Character, as You say You have heard, with the Olive Branch in my Hand, and surrounded with Doves, Lambs and Angels or not, You will learn, in due Time. At present, the common Enemy shews a Picture, of a very...
33From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 11 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved with great pleasure yours of the 5th. I have certainly seen those extremes of Confidence and of Diffidence that You saw. We ought to attend to proofs, but we ought to discountenance Suspicions without Grounds. In these points We are agreed. I assure you, Sir, I am of your Mind, that Providence is working the general Happiness, and whether We co-operate in it, with a good Will,...
34From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 12 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your two Letters containing the Anecdote and the Preliminaries have been recd., and You have seen the use of them. I have at length a friendly Letter from Mr. Jay, who tells me some good News, which I must not communicate. I have Letters too from Petersbourg with other News. Upon the whole they are consulting upon Preliminaries at Paris, and concerting Plans elsewhere for a Congress. If the...
35From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 27 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
What are We to infer from the Indecision of the present Ministers?— Do they expect to draw their Country out of her Embarrassments; to preserve her Credit,; to avoid a Bankruptcy; to Settle a Plan with Ireland; to pacify Scotland &c &c &c, by a Sour Countenance towards America? We desire nothing but our natural Advantages in Commerce? if these are refused can it be expected that our People...
36From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
In the 116 page of the inclosed Mercury, you will find the Strictures upon Lord G. Germaines nonsense. I dont see them in the English Papers. I suppose no Printer dares insert them. But I Swore they shall be seen, and therefore I beg you to get them inserted in the Leyden or Amsterdam or the Hague Gazette or all three. If it cant be done without pay let them be paid. I will repay in a moment....
37From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 12 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of 5. You will honour and oblige me much sir, by your Thoughts upon the Subject of European Jealousy and Caprice, hinted at. You will see that the Empress has undertaken to mediate between E. and Holland, but she will not join the Emperors Mediation but on two Conditions Sine quibus non. These are 1. an Acknowledgment by England of American Independance. 2. An...
38From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 29 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer of this Mr. Winslow Warren, is the Son of my Friend Major General Warren of the Massachusetts. He is, on all Sides of Families the most ancient and honourable and meritorious of that Part of America. And the Young Gentn. himself is amiable and has Merit. I should be vastly obliged to you, if you would shew him Brussels. Pray shall We have the Pleasure to see you here in a few days?...
39From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Bowdoin, a gentleman of Virginia, is passing through Brussells in his Way to France. He is a young American of good Character here, and I have the honour to recommend him to your Notice. Pray what think you, of the Face of affairs? According to present Appearances a year or two more, will probably deliver our country from the Ennemies within it, tho it may not bring Peace. The K. of...
40From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
You have very much obliged me, by the Act and the Bill. It is to the last degree Astonishing to see, that perfect Ignorance, of the United States of America, which still prevails in old England. They willfully Shut their Eyes, that they may be Sure not to See. My Bowells of Compassion begin to be moved for this blind, debauched, devoted old Woman Britannia. Is there no possibility of reforming...
41From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 13 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am ashamed to acknowledge that I received your kind Letter, in due time, and have not answered it before: My apology is that I was on the Point of Setting out for Brest when I received it and have been travelling ever since. I am much obliged to you for the Letter and very happy to find that one Gentleman is to be found in France whose sentiments will give some Countenance to my own. I have...
42From 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 ,...
43From 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...
44From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 24 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for your excellent Letter of the 14 of this Month. As The British Administration have made it their Business for 8 or 10 Years, to propagate in the Nation false News from America, and conceal the true, it is not Surprising that People are in Ignorance: But they must think seriously and inform themselves truly, now, or they will be the Loosers. I regret the Delays...
45From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 12 June 1779 (Adams Papers)
This Moment I received yours of the 16 as it is dated, but I suppose was the 10. You cannot imagine how much I am obliged to you for this Letter and the other of the second, and the Parliamentary Remembrancer. I have read the 12 Letters and am charmed with their Spirit—hope the Author will continue, for his Abilities and Temper must be of great service to our Country. Ld. N. is probably, at...
46From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 27 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 22. Will you be so kind as to give me the Address of your Nephew, that I may be able to convey to him, Letters for America, as I may have opportunity before he Sails. At present I know not what to write from this Country. We are now to wait untill the 20th. of June and then see great Things. The Packets you mention reached me, the Sixth of this Month, after many...
47From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 29 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of 22, with the Letter, which I return, unable to comprehend the meaning of it. I am informed by Mr Jay and Mr Charmichael both, that Sir John Dalrymple is at Madrid, with his Lady, travelling from Portugal, thro Spain and France for her Health, as is given out. He had a Passport from the Spanish minister. He has seen the Imperial Ambassador, the Duke of Alva, and Some...
48From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 22 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
If you think that any thing I sent you lately is improper for publication, I hope you will stop it, or alter and correct it, by your own discretion, or delay it, till you think the time, proper. A vessell has arrived at Bilbao, from Newbury Port, by which I wrote to Congress and to my friends from Corunna, she brings news that two Vessells which lay at Bilbao when I was there, have also...
49From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 11. The Inclosures I have packed with my Dispatches, and the Duplicate of Mr. Amorys, to go by the first opportunity. Sir Joseph will kick, and cuff and pinch this People untill he forces into them a little Spunk. They cry shame upon his last Memorial more than the former. However I believe he knows enough of the nature of them, to answer his End, which I...
50From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 15 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am ashamed to acknowledge that yours of 2 and 7th. are yet unanswered. I never read Linguet, till yours of 2d. I went and subscribed. He is ingenious, but a sort of Nat. Lee, I think. The English have trumpeted their omnipotence, till they have put his Imagination in a Turmoil, as well as many others. The English Powers, really consist more in the fears of their Ennemies than any thing else....