351From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 30, 25 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
It is very difficult to discover, with Certainty the secret springs which actuate the Courts of Europe, but whatever I can find with any degree of Probability, I Shall transmit to Congress, at one Time or another. The Prince of Orange is himself of the Royal Family of England: his Mother was a Daughter of King George the Second, and this Relation is no doubt one, among the Several Motives,...
352From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 31, 25 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Affairs are Still in Suspence. This Day being Chrismas and Yesterday a sunday, there was no publick Exchange held, on either. But Business, and especially, Stock Jobbing goes on, without ceasing, being done at the Coffee houses, on Sundays and holy days, when it cannot be held upon Change. The English Mail which had been interrupted by contrary Winds, for three Posts, arrived on Saturday. The...
353From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 25 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed Instructions given by me to Capt. Lockhart for conducting on the Prisoners taken at King’s Mountain, and his report, of which a Copy is also inclosed, will inform Your Excellency in what manner these Prisoners are disposed of. I have the honor to be with the highest respect Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humbl Servt, RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71, i ); in a clerk’s hand,...
354From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 32, 26 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
The public Papers of this Morning inform Us, that Sir Joseph Yorke left the Hague on the Morning of the twenty fourth, without taking Leave of any body, and bent his Course to London by the Way of Antwerp and Ostend. Sometime in the Month of April last, a certain British Ambassador, who had an Inclination to take a few of the Pleasures of Paris in his Way to Germany, said in that City, where I...
355From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 27 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
In my letter of the 13th instant, I did myself the honor to inform Congress, that an embarkation was preparing at New York, and that it was to consist, in part, of the British Grenadiers and Light Infantry. I have since learned, from some of our Officers who have been exchanged, that those Corps were once under embarkation orders, but that there had been a change, and others substituted in...
356From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 33, 28 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Dutch say that the English are acting the part of the Sailor, having quarrelled with three others as stout as himself, and got his Bones broke and his Eyes beat out in the Squabble, challenged four more to fight him at the same time, that he might have it in his Power to make it up with all seven, with Honour . If the English are not actuated by the same blind and vindictive Passions,...
357From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 34, 30 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Province of Zealand having been opposed to the other Provinces in so many Instances and having lately protested against the Resolutions of the States General, which begin to be thought spirited, it may be useful to explain to Congress the Causes which influence that Province to a Conduct, which is generally thought to be opposite to the true Interest of the Republic in general. In the...
358From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 35, 31 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
It will scarcely be believed in Congress, that at a Time when there are the strongest Appearances of War, there has not been a Newspaper nor a Letter recieved in this City from London since the nineteenth or twentieth of the Month. There are Symptoms of a more general War. If Britain adheres to her Maxims, this Republick will demand the Aid of Russia, Sweeden, Denmark and Prussia, in pursuance...
359From John Adams to the President of Congress, 1 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam 1 January 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 204–211. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:219–222. Read in Congress on 19 Nov., this letter contained the texts of Britain’s manifesto of 20 Dec. 1780, which constituted a...
360From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 17 January 1781, enclosing Resolution of Assembly concerning the Cession of … (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor of transmitting to your Excellency a resolution of the General assembly of this Commonwealth entered into in consequence of the resolution of Congress of September 6th. 1780. on the subject of the confederation. I shall be rendered very happy if the other States of the Union, equally impressed with the necessity of that important convention, shall be willing to sacrifice...