1To John Adams from James Lovell, 30 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have not to this day Information that you comprehend the Cypher w ch. I have very often used in my Letters. You certainly can recollect the Name of that Family where you and I spent our last Evening with your Lady before we sat out on our Journey hither. Make regular Alphabets in Number equal to the first Sixth part of that Family Name, beginning and regularlarly placing your Alphabets...
2To George Washington from James Lovell, 10 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
Probable as it is that the Admiral now gives you the most authentic European Intelligence I would not however omit by this good and early Conveyance to send to your Excellency Minutes of a Letter just received from Mr Adams and an open News Paper for Mr Morris tho’ I am too ill to examine it to find whether it is worth your Reading being under violent Symptoms of a Fever. Your Excellency’s...
3To George Washington from James Lovell, 9 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will receive so many Solicitations of the same Kind with This that I need not fear the Charge of Singularity while I beg your protection for the person and property of Mr George Joy in the city of New York which is Speedily to be evacuated say the people of Boston. Mr Joy is now barely of the age of 21 years, and has been uniformly as serviceable to many other prisoners as he...
4To George Washington from James Lovell, August 1782 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed containing an Official Remittance of Money is recommended to you for Conveyance by one of your Expresses, from your most humble Servant DLC : Papers of George Washington.
5To George Washington from James Lovell, 11 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
A very high Degree of Jealousy possesses the Breast of my Correspondent concerning the Insincerity of some of the Cabinet Council of Vermont in their present Conduct towards Congress: This Jealousy, manifest in every Conversation which I have had with him here should not however make me neglect to convey to your Excellency such Information as the inclosed, which, if corroborated by other...
6James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 28 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
“Mr. Lovell, do let me entreat you, this thirtieth time, to write a few Lines to Mrs. Adams. Are you not clearly convinced that it is in vain for you to determine, as you have done, day after day, that you will go to see her? You are betrayed, by a thousand Interruptions, not merely into Unpoliteness, but really into Ingratitude to that Lady. If you do not feel for yourself, I pray you to...
7To John Adams from James Lovell, 26 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have not yet been made certain, that you comprehend that Cypher which I used in my Letters to you, and which will yet awhile be used. You are to form Alphabets equal in number and of the same commencement and Range, as the Letters of the first sixth part of the family Name where you and I supped last with Mrs. Adams, and you are to look alternately into those constructed Alphabets opposite...
8James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 4 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
In answer to some Questions contained in your Letter of Sepr. 26 you may know that Mr. Laurens might pay any sum up to five hundred po unds s terling therefore the same is now to be done at discretion. F. Dana is accompanied under somewhat similar discretionary stipulations. Indeed you are mistaken about the Scales. I should be happy to be sure of what you only conjecture. I mean that J. Jay...
9James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 29 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
My Almanac says that I wrote to you on the 9th. of October, but your Favour of Sepr. 26. received the 8th. of Octr. is not endorsed answered. Is this the Reason of your Silence? Or, Heaven forbid it! are you sick? At best, I fear you are in Distress.—Mr. Adams was well late in Augst., but I cannot conceal my anxieties about your second Son, who was to take Passage with Gillon. That Frigate...
10James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 26 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I shall have an excellent Opportunity to send those Articles of yours, which have been long under my Care, by a Waggon of Genl. Lincoln going in a few days to Boston and perhaps also to Hingham. I feel a Sort of Mortification, at the Air of Negligence which seems to be thrown over my past Endeavors to serve you, by this early Execution of the Promises which our good Friend Lincoln made to you...
11To George Washington from James Lovell, 14 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
I gave a Letter for your Excellency this morning to some Gentleman who is connected with the French army. I now understand it will not reach you in Eight Days, but it will reach you doubtless then. It was merely to compleat the Account of the Cyphers used by the Enemy. I found, as I had before supposed, that they sometimes use Entick’s Dictionary marking the Page Column & Word as 115. 1. 4 ....
12James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday’s Post brought me your Favour of Sepr. 26th. Your dear Boy Charles should most certainly have had half of the Bed of one of his Father’s devoted Friends here, if the Winds had so directed the Ship’s Course in which he is a Passenger; but I am told she is arrived at Falmouth in Casco Bay. I wish you an happy Meeting with him. I shall be rejoyced to find that the Voyage has been...
13James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 5 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I doubt not Madam, you have Letters from Mr. Adams of later Date than what we have received but that Fact will not prevent your Expectations of Something from me in the Way of retailed Politicks: — He has sent as I imagine but few duplicates of what are actually on Board Gillon. He dated May 16 and Augst. 3d. from Amsterdam, July 11. 14. 15 from Paris. He thinks Britain altogether insincere as...
14To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 3 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Bearer Mr. Gibbs full of Respect for your Character has not only the very natural Ambition of being introduced to your venerable Person but cherishes the Hope of obtaining your sage Counsel and your Patronage upon his Arrival in France with an Intention to establish himself there at least for some years. Your Philanthropy alone secures that Patronage to...
15To George Washington from James Lovell, 28 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
With Views of public Utility I again take the Freedom of covering to you some papers for Majr General Greene and am your Excellency’s Obliged humble Servant PHi : Etting Collection.
16To George Washington from James Lovell, 21 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
It is not improbable that the Enemy have a plan of cyphering their Letters which is pretty general among their Chiefs; if so, Your Excellency, will perhaps reap Benefit from making your Secretary take a Copy of the Keys and observations which I send to General Greene, through your Care. With every Wish for your Success and Glory, I am Your Excellencys Obliged & Humble Servant PHi : Gratz...
17James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 15 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
Under a Date of Aug. 24 I did myself the Pleasure to endeavour to convey to you later Information respecting your dear Connection in Holland than you had before received, but my Letter was with others carried to New York. Mr. Adams and Family were well May 28th; and he had a few Days before taken upon himself much more of public Character than at any prior Time. Instead of Lodgings he took an...
18James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 4 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
Supposing Col. Laurens to have arrived at Rh. Island, I was greatly chagrined when he told me he had no Letters for you; and I was searching his papers to pick from them all the Comfort I could, to be transmitted to Braintree, when I found he had landed at Boston and had sent you a Message of what Satisfaction he could furnish relative to your dear Partner and your Children. What I told you...
19James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 24 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
After giving a few Lines for you yesterday to the Commissary General of Prisoners who was going for Boston; I held Conversation with a Capt. Mason who had just landed from a Flag of Truce of Bermuda. He sailed from the Texel May 29 was taken close off the Capes of Delaware, after about 8 weeks passage and carried to the island from whence he is now arrived on parole to release another Captain...
20James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 23 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I feared moths—have opened your Goods—aired and shook the Wollens—added good Tobacco leaves and again secured them for Transportation. I shall put Clamps to the Chest and send it to the Store of the Deputy Commissary General where Mr. Jno. Checkley will secure the first good public or private Carriage to Mr. Hughes or to Boston. I mentioned Gauze for Mr. Tufts. You say he misses some gauze...
21James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 20 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am too ill to write much. Your Ease of Mind is what I wish to promote by confirming what I have before said vizt. That Mr. A dams was greatly esteemed here tho’ we have an odd way of discovering it sometimes. He is sole Minister Plenipo to form a triple Alliance between Holland, France and these United States with Discretion to make it Quadruple by joining Spain—for the Purpose of our...
22To John Jay from James Lovell, 15–16 August 1781 (Jay Papers)
Herewith you will recieve according to the resolution of Congress of the 10 th such information relative to the surrender of Pensacola, and the subsequent arrival of the Garrison, at New York, as I have been able to obtain which you will make use of according to your discretion, and the Spirit of the enclosed resolution. I am Sir your Friend and very H Ser t . PS. 16 Aug It appears to me not...
23James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 10 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am persuaded to believe that I have acknowledged the Receipt of your Favor of June 30th tho it is not so endorsed. I think I recollect to have discovered my Unwillingness to persuade my dearest Friend, my affectionate, faithful, generous-spirited Maria to put herself in the Way of a Meeting with a Stranger prejudiced against me and perhaps prompt to utter her Prejudices. I am sure such Ideas...
24To John Adams from the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 21 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I do not find by President Huntington’s Letter Book that he has forwarded the within Resolve of July 12th. respecting your Powers of Sept. 29th. 1779 therefore I take the Opportunity of two Vessels which are to sail in a few Hours, to communicate it doubly. The whole of the Proceedings here in regard to your two Commissions, are I think, Ill judged but I persuade myself no dishonour was for...
25To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 21 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copies: National Archives, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; transcript: National Archives It does not appear that the Resolutions of June 26. affecting yourself & Colleagues as well as Mr. Dana have been transmitted. Mr. Presidt. McKean will take other Opportunities of Writing. I think it essential however in the mean time to forward duplicates...
26James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 17 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Dates of my Letters connected with the Time of the Receipt of yours are become somewhat essential towards a right Judgement of my Character, so much called in Question lately by the Censorious. Though John Paul Jones may not even yet have left the City you will sometime or other find what I wrote to go by a Mr. Anderson and afterward delivered to the said Chevalier Jones. You will also...
27James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the Receipt of your Favour of June 10th. Severely as it concluded in Regard to my Reputation I did not arraign its Justice, but wrote an ingenuous Confession, similar to one I had before made by the Opportunity of Genl. Ward. I thought your Conclusion was founded upon a natural Construction of what you had been reading. I venerated the Purity of your Sentiments. I...
28James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 2 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Gentleman by whom I meant to send the inclosed was obliged unexpectedly to return to Baltimore. I do not find, upon breaking the Seal that it can give Mr. Rivington much Amusement. I am sorry to find by this day’s Receipt of yours of June 10th. that you had not more Satisfaction from the Arrival of the Alliance. You will know, by what Genl. Ward had to convey to you, that an Expression in...
29James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Alliance may have brought you Letters: neither that nor the Franklin have given us any from Mr. Adams. Mr. Dana on the 4th of April resolved to go from Paris to Holland on the Sunday following. He mentions nothing of Mr. A but I send you a Scrap from the Hague which proves the Health of him and his, in a good Degree, March 4th. Any Thing to the contrary would have been mentioned by Mr....
30To John Adams from James Lovell, 21 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
France appears to be most perfectly satisfied with the present mediators yet presses us for an Arrangement final of the most moderate terms. Franklin, Jay, H. Laurence and Jefferson are added to you . You would be made very happy by such an Event being grounded on a Desire to alleviate the Distress of a great discretion but blush blush America consult and ultimately concur in everything with...
31James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 16 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the Receipt of your Letter of May 10th covering a Copy of March 17th, and accompanied by one of May 14th. I think I told you I would be more particular, at some future Day, in considering certain Parts of them. I meant to do it by Cyphers; but the present Opportunity renders that mode needless. Genl. Ward will probably take a safe Road for himself and consequently...
32James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday’s Post brought me your Letters of the 10th and 14 with a Copy of March 17. on the Subject of which I shall be particular when I have a proper Opportunity. I have a Friend to whom I communicate most unreservedly all the Ocurrences which tend to govern my Pleasures and my Pains; your Letters will of Course be submitted in that mixt View: I have already hinted their Influence in the...
33James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope you are not still without later Dates from Mr. A’s Hand than what we have—Oct. 24. I conclude he was well about the last of Febry., because Mr. Carmichael under Date of March 11th sends us Mr. A’s Plan of a Loan to be opened at the House of Nieufville & Son March 1st. We have no Vessels from Holland. Accept of my Conjecture as a Proof of my uniform Wish to contribute to your Ease of...
34To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 17 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (two): American Philosophical Society; copy: National Archives; transcript: National Archives Doctor Putnam whose Letter is inclosed, by the Uniformity of his Attachment to our public Cause, merits your Patronage; and I inclose also for your Information some former Proceedings of Congress in which this same Gentleman is interested; requesting Sir that you would obtain a Knowledge of the...
35James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter of the 1st., this Moment received, I find that my amiable and respected Friend is under the mistake of supposing the Enemy in Possession of one of her former which has reached me, and that I have neglected to answer some others. She will know better before this reaches her. The Enemy have the one which attended Mr. Cranche’s: So that I have no Knowledge of the Mode He or She...
36James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
Not receiving any Line from you by this day’s post, I recur to your favor of April 3d. already answered in part. I wrote to Col. Hughes to endeavor to forward the two Packages left by Doctor Winship, if he could find where they were deposited. I hope he will have found them and had them cased in Boards. Capt. J. P. Jones is without Letter or Invoice and supposes they must have been sent by the...
37James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 17 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
By your Letter of the 3d. received this day I find that I have lost the Pleasure of having what you and Mr. Cranch wrote some Time ago respecting your little Invoices. Tho’ I make little Progress in forwarding your Property yet my past Notifications will show that I am constantly attentive to the Business. I suspect that Mr. Cranch may have mentioned some Waggons which came to this City with...
38To John Adams from James Lovell, 31 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I send you a few Prints and the last monthly Journals yet from the Press. The Enemy will give you one of the most candid accounts of the naval Engagement on the 16th. that I have at any time seen in Rivington’s royal Gazette. Our Allies have conducted most gallantly: a Fog which seperated their Ships a few days before the Engagement deprived them of the Opportunity of giving an immense Turn to...
39To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 31 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy and transcript: National Archives I send you a few News papers and the last monthly Journals which have come from the Press. The Enemy will tell their own Story of the naval Engagement on the 16th. They have ventured nearer to Truth in Rivingtons royal Gazette than almost at any one time before, since the very Commencement of Hostilities. Our Allies...
40To John Jay from James Lovell, 31 March 1781 (Jay Papers)
M r . Gov r Morris now covering some Papers which I furnished, and which I send to France & Holland, I only add that we had another Letter from M r . Carmichael (of Oct 15) without any from you. We received it on the 26 th . Your most Humble Servant Mem dum . inclosed Feb. 20 th M r . Jay M r . Carmichael Dated
41To John Adams from James Lovell, 15 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few days ago the Impromptú . I send much the same Papers now as then. Beg if the others have not arrived before this reaches you, that you will order Copies of the Resolves to be taken for your own and Mr. Danas Information. For really, Sir I cannot attend in Congress and on Committees, and have my Chamber continually full of Petitioners or Idlers, and yet without even a...
42To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 9 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copy and transcript: National Archives I forward Gazettes Journals & some particular Resolves, by Way of Amsterdam. The Arrival of the Ariel has given us Dispatches from you long expected—of June 1st. Aug 9. Decr. 2d & 3d. Congress had, before the Receipt of your Letters Feb. 19th, written to Mr. Adams Jany. 10, and signified their Concurrence in...
43To John Jay from James Lovell, 9 March 1781 (Jay Papers)
You will herewith receive Gazettes and Journals; also a Resolve respecting the compleat Ratification of the Articles binding these 13 States as a confederated Body. The Delay of that Business appears now like all the other Circumstances of our Rise & Growth. For, the present is really the best of all Times for that particular Event: Our Enemies have been ripening themselves for this capital...
44James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 5 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
Doctr. Winship left this City Today and has been so kind as to take into his Care two small Packages. I could not impose more on his Goodness. I hope they will escape Thieves and all Injury from Wet or Rubbing. I have cautioned and he has promised. You will find at Mrs. Lovell’s or Mr. Smith’s after the Doctr. reaches Boston, a Package in a very coarse Wrapper. It contains your Band Box, your...
45James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 1 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
In my last I told you that the Case which was brought to my Lodgings for your Benefit did not appear full according to the common Mode of Packing for a Voyage. I ought to have endeavored to give you a Kind of Invoice of its Contents. I had not Time. It will now perhaps enable you to decide whether there have been Filchings if I give you only the following Sketch. 18 Ells of Diaper at 10 some...
46James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Effects, expected in the Alliance, came in the Ariel. Yesterday two Cases were brought to my Chamber, the Size of which I give on the other Side to govern your future Directions as to Transportation. Inches } 54 long } 27 long 18 high 17 broad 16 broad 14 high I received at the same Time a Box for my Friend Gerry and another for Col. Peabody. Having deliver’d the former agreable to his...
47To John Jay from James Lovell, 20 February 1781 (Jay Papers)
The President sends you Instructions passed in Congress the 15 th . Personally I am mortified that no Letters from you since Sep r . 16 have reached us: We have not waited for the minute Information promised in yours of that date, nor have we received any Notice of your Receipt of our Instructions of Oct r . 4 before we discuss anew the old Subjects. There has been unfair Dealing with y r ....
48James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 8 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yes I will try it. To one of the most sensible, virtuous and consequently most lovely of the Loveliest Sex, it will drop its Ink in Paragraphs of calmer Stile than for the last fifteen minutes. My Penknife formed it at first for the Purposes of Friendship; whence then such a Flow of Bitterness and Execration? All this too to the Husband of Portia! Will he become a Distributor of such Evil? No....
49To John Adams from James Lovell, 8 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Herewith goes a Letter which I this day received from Mrs. Adams with a Request that I would superscribe it and deliver it to the Care of Colonel Palfrey, or of some other, he being gone. The Discontent in the Pensylvania Line of the Army can give the Enemy no solid Satisfaction; for, an evident Proof that it does not rise from Disaffection to our Cause has been given by a Discovery and...
50To John Adams from James Lovell, 6 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I hope the Papers which you will receive by this opportunity will give you personal Satisfaction as well as facilitate the Purposes of your Commissions. I have already sent several Copies of the Diary of Congress of Decr. 12th. 1780 as follows. “Congress took into Consideration the Report of the Committee to whom was referred the Letter of June 26 from the honorable John Adams, whereupon...