61From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Just a Line, by our venerable Friend, President Laurens, with whom your Communions will be sweet. Pray let me know if Mr Jay is coming to Paris, or come. The last Victory of Rodney, to whom Heaven grants them to shew that it dispizes them, has restored the national Delirium, in all its Effervescence. We shall have no Peace I suppose, in Consequence. War then! War? Yet I sigh for Peace as much,...
62From 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...
63From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Will you be so good as to inclose the inclosed to your Friend B and tell him that your humble servant is not the ill natured Mortal that Anonimous Gentry represent him. Pray what is the News about Peace? You know I presume the whole History of it. I know nothing. Is Mr Jay arrived at Paris? Is, the U. S. of America a belligerent Power? Where is the combined Fleet? Is Gibraltar to be relieved?...
64From 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...
65From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 17 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 14. You might well Smile at the Supposition that I know nothing about the Negotiations for Peace. I have no direct Information about it, Since the 2 of June, but I presume the Reason is, there is nothing to communicate. I am indirectly informed, that Greenville, after a long time recd a Commission to treat with all the belligerent Powers. But as our Ennemy dont...
66From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 20 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
The more I reflect upon the late Revolution in the British Ministry the more I am Struck, with the Conduct of Mr Fox. I am become, upon certain Conditions his Admirer, and almost wish to be his Friend! . The Conditions are two 1. That his Conduct has been the Result of Deliberation and Judgment, not of mere Jealousy Ambition, or Resentment. 2. That he has Patience and Fortitude enough to...
67From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 3 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour with the Anecdote and that with the Preliminaries, I have recd. Be So good as to Send me every Thing of this Sort, which I will not fail to make a good Use of. The Imprudence of Ld shelburne in keeping open the question of American Independence, appears, every day more glaring to me and I find it is Seen in the Same light generally in Europe. The Kings Mulish Stubbornness, may cost...
68From 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...
69From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 28 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your Favour with the Slip from the Gen Adr I dread the Sight of the Thing it was so slovenly dressed, but I dont much care about dress you know. I have also recd your favour with the Extract from our Friend at Nantes, and I confess it puzzles me Somewhat. I really Scarcly know what to conclude from it—whether he has an Inclination to come here or not, if you candidly, between you...
70From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 30 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Copies will shew you, the State of Matters. Besides these I have a Letter of Credence to their H. M. which has been presented accepted and recorded, long since; this Letter of Credence is as Minister Plenipotentiary. I have also recd another Commission for other Purposes not yet public. But Mr L. is named in none but that for borrowing Money, but so named in that that he can do...
71From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 7 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have recd, your Letter with other Slips for which I thank you and another Since. I take constantly the Morning Post, Morning Chronicle London Courant and have taken the Evening Post, but Shall change it Soon for the General Advertiser. The Couriers de L’Europe and du Bas Rhin, the French Gazettes of Hague Leyden and Amsterdam and all the Dutch Gazettes. Is this to be a News Monger? I take em...
72From 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...
73From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 27 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 25: is just come to hand. The Letters inclosed shall be sent, with mine. As to publishing the Letters in a Pamphlet, I have no Objection provided no Name is mentioned. But there is one Alteration necessary which runs throughout. They are now printed as if written by and Englishman. So that, England, Englishmen Britain Britons &c ought to be substituted instead of “We,” “Us,” &c. As...
74From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
2. Samuel Chapt. 16. Verses 17. and 18. And Absalom Said to Hushai Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend? Why wentest thou not out with thy Friend? And Hushai Said unto Absolom, Nay but whom the Lord , and this People , and all the Men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide, and to him will I Say God Save the King, God Save the King. Hushai, has here asserted the first...
75From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 28 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to find by your favor of the 23 d. that You are safely arrived after a good Journey. It is best I believe that nothing should be said between You two about the Affair in which both have been perfectly innocent. If You go I wish You a good Journey, but cannot warrant You against fresh troubles—for neither the Innocence nor Virtue of Angels would be a Security against them in a World,...
76From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 14 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r Storer, whom you know, will deliver you this, but whether he will find you at Brussells or else where, I knew not. I begin to grow impatient to See, the definitive Treaty Signed that I may take myself away, from this dull Place. I am just returned from Dinner, with the Sweedish Ambassador, who invited Us all, upon occasion of the Signature of the Treaty, between his Master and Congress,...
77From 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...
78From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 28 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your Favour of 21. and its Inclosures. I do not think myself at Liberty to write my private Sentiments about the Regulations of Trade between G. Britain and America, without consulting my Colleagues.— The British should have a Minister here to treat with Us upon this Matter.— all I can Say is that no commercial Regulations which Parliament can make will materially...
79From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 18–21 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Be so good as to accept of my Thanks for your favour of the 11. and its Enclosures. I am not very anxious for the fate of the Bill: for altho the 30 th. of Nov. was the best time to have Settled the whole affair of Commerce, and the Revocation of a certain Commission without appointing another, has left the Merchants in Confusion and damped the Ardour of returning Friendship, as it was...
80From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 21 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Englishmen surely are possessed too much of the Spirit of Commerce, & are too perfect Masters of its maxims, to be informed that it goes all over the world, by land & Sea, in quest of proffit.— Every Cask of Rice or Indigo, of Tobacco or Flax-seed, of Wheat or Flour & every Cargo of naval Stores, which goes to Europe fm. America, will have written on it, “Detur digniori,” i:e: This Cask or...
81From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 16 May 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is a long Time Since I have rec d a Line from you, or written you. How go on Affairs on your Side the Water? Are the present Ministers like to hold their Places, or are We to expect more Changes of systems & Agents, before We finish? M r Hartleys disposition is very fair, and if he can follow his own Ideas, We shant be long in settling Accounts I hope. But the Delays the Indecision, the...
82From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of June 3 d. — The Gentleman intended in it, has never once Since his last Residence here, mentioned the Subject to me, nor I to him, So that I hope it will be forgotten. I wish it may. I think M r B. must have meant that you Should Send the Paper in question to me. This Intention is necessary for his own Justification or Excuse. for if he Sent it to M r L. & to...
83From 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...