1To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 16 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
Matters in our part of the continent are too much in quiet to send you news from hence. Our battalions for the Continental service were some time ago so far filled as rendered the recommendation of a draught from the militia hardly requisite, and the more so as in this country it ever was the most unpopular and impracticable thing that could be attempted. Our people even under the monarchical...
2To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 21 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
Albemarle, Va., 21 August 1777. RC ( Adams Papers ); printed : Jefferson, Papers The Papers of Thomas Jefferson , ed. Julian P. Boyd and others, Princeton, 1950-. , 2:27–29. Jefferson suggested applying for a loan from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who reportedly had a considerable hoard of crowns in his treasury. Philip Mazzei was recommended as a suitable agent to negotiate the loan. Jefferson...
3To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 17 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Williamsburg, Va., 17 December 1777. RC ( Adams Papers ); printed : Jefferson, Papers The Papers of Thomas Jefferson , ed. Julian P. Boyd and others, Princeton, 1950-. , 2:120–121. Noting that Virginia had ratified the Articles of Confederation, Jefferson described the concern among some in the state over Art. 9, which gave power to the congress to enter into treaties of commerce. Opponents...
4Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 19 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Supposing that you would receive from Congress a direct communication of the powers given to yourself, Doct r. Franklin & myself, I have deferred from day to day writing to you, in hopes that every day would open to me a certainty of the time & place of my departure for the other side of the Atlantic. Paris being my destination I have thought it best to enquire for a passage to France...
5Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 24 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
When I did myself the honor of writing you on the 19 th. Ult. it was my expectation that I should take my passage in the French packet which was to sail the 15 th. of this month, and of course that I should not be in Paris till the middle or last of August. it had not then been suggested to me, & being no seaman it did not occur to myself, that even from a London-bound vessel I might get...
Mr̃ Jefferson’s compliments to M r. Adams & D r. Franklin, and incloses to them the letter to the D. of Dorset on the separate articles. he also sends one on the general subject & in the general form as had been agreed when they parted last: but thinking that it might be better, by reciting what had been done with mr̃ Hartley to keep the ground we have gained, and not to admit that we...
7To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 25 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 22 d from Montreuil sur mer is put into my hands this moment, and having received information of your son and two American gentlemen being to set out for London tomorrow morning I seize a moment to inform you that he had arrived well at l’Orient & was well on the 20 th. when the packet was still detained by contrary winds. mr̃ Barclay, who is arrived, had also seen him. be...
8To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 2 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of May 23. and the two of May 27. came safely to hand, the first being open. that of the 22 d. from Montreuil sur mer had been received and answered on the 25 th. The day before the receipt of the letters of the 27 th. we had had your cases brought to the barrier of Paris in order to get the proper officer to go that far to plumb them. From there they were put on board the boat...
Among the instructions given to the Ministers of the United states for treating with foreign powers, was one of the 11 th. of May 1784. relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Pecquet. it contains an acknowlegement on the part of Congress of his merits and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us...
10To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 22 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
My last to you was of the 2 d. inst. since which I have received yours of the 3 d. and 7 th. I informed you in mine of the substance of our letter to Baron Thulemeyer. last night came to hand his acknolegement of the receipt of it. he accedes to the method proposed for signing, and has forwarded our dispatch to the king. I inclose you a copy of our letter to mr Jay to go by the packet of this...
11To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 7 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
This will accompany a joint letter inclosing the draught of a treaty, and my private letter of June 22. which has waited so long for a private conveiance. we daily expect from the Baron Thulemeyer the French column for our treaty with his sovereign. in the mean while two copies are preparing with the English column which Doct r. Franklin wishes to sign before his departure, which will be...
12To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with a Draft Anglo-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 8 … (Adams Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20 th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our groundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations & additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia & Tûscany and which we thought were...
13To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Doct r. Franklin sets out this morning for Havre from whence he is to cross over to Cowes there to be taken on board Cap t Truxen’s ship bound from London to Philadelphia. the Doctor’s baggage will be contained in 150. or 200 boxes &c. we doubt that the laws of England will not permit these things to be removed from one vessel into another; and it would be attended with great difficulty, delay...
14To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of July 16. and 18. came to hand the same day on which I had received Baron Thulemeier’s inclosing the ultimate draught for the treaty. as this draught, which was in French, was to be copied into the two instruments which Doct r. Franklin had signed, it is finished this day only. mr̃ Short sets out immediately. I have put into his hands a letter of instructions how to conduct...
15To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 31 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I was honoured yesterday with your’s of the 24 th. instant. when the {1 st. article} of {our instrns} of May {7.} 1784. was {under debate in Congress,} it was {proposed} that {neither party} should make {the other pay} in {their ports greater duties than} they {paid} in the {ports} of the {other.} one {Objection} to this was {it’s impracticability,} another {that it} would {put it} out {of our...
16To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 6 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I now inclose you a draught of a treaty for the Barbary states, together with the notes D r. Franklin left me. I have retained a presscopy of this draught, so that by referring to any article, line & word in it you can propose amendments & send them by the post without any body’s being able to make much of the main subject. I shall be glad to receive any alterations you may think necessary as...
17To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 10 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 4 th. inst. came to hand yesterday. I now inclose you the two Arrets against the importation of foreign manufactures into this kingdom. the cause of the balance against this country in favor of England as well as it’s amount is not agreed on. no doubt the rage for English manufactures must be a principal cause. the speculators in Exchange say also that those of the...
18To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 7 th. {this was 4. days later than} mr̃ Short’s of the {same date.} it {had evidently been opened. so we must} therefore consider {both govm̃ts as possessed of it’s contents.} I write you a line at this moment merely to inform you that {mr̃ Barclay is willing} to {go to treat with} the {Barbary states if we desire it} & that {this will} not {take him from...
19To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 4 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
On receipt of your favors of Aug. 18. & 23. I conferred with mr̃ Barclay on the measures necessary to be taken to set our treaty with the pyratical states into motion through his agency. supposing that we should begin with the emperor of Marocco, a letter to the emperor & instructions to mr̃ Barclay seemed necessary. I have therefore sketched such outlines for these as appear to me to be...
20To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 19 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
{Lambe} is {arrived. he brings new full powers} to {us} from {Congress} to {appoint persons} to {negotiate with} the {Barbary states,} but {we} are to {sign} the {treaties. Lambe has} not {even} a {recommendation} from {them} to {us.} but it seems clear that {he would} be {approved} by {them. I told him} of {mr̃ Barclay’s appointment} to {Marocco} & {proposed Algiers} to {him. he agrees.} a...
21To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 24 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 18 th. inclosing your compliments on your presentation. the sentiments you therein expressed were such as were entertained in America till the Commercial proclamation, & such as would again return were a rational conduct to be adopted by Gr. Britain. I think therefore you by no means compromitted yourself or our country, nor expressed more than it would be our...
22To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 24 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
My letter of Sep. 19. written the morning after mr̃ Lamb’s arrival here, would inform you of that circumstance. I transmit you herewith copies of the papers he brought to us on the subject of the Barbary treaties. you will see by them that Congress has adopted the very plan which we were proposing to pursue. it will now go on under less danger of objection from the other parties. the receipt...
23To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Col o. Franks and mr̃ Randolph arrived last night. this enables me to send copies of all the Barbary papers to Congress by the mr̃ Fitzhughs, together with the Prussian treaty. they wait till tomorrow for this purpose. Considering the treaty with Portugal as among the most important to the U.S. I some time ago took occasion at Versailles to ask the Portuguese Ambassador if he had yet received...
24To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 19 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you on the 11 th. of Octob. by mr̃ Preston & again on the 18 th. of the same month by post. since that yours of Sep. 25. by mr̃ Boylston, Oct. 24. Nov. 1. & Nov. 4. have come safe to hand. I will take up their several subjects in order. Boylston’s object was first to dispose of a cargo of sperma ceti oyl which he brought to Havre. a secondary one was to obtain a contract for future...
25To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 5 th. came to hand yesterday, and Col o. Smith & Col o. Humphries (by whom you will receive one of the 19 th. from me) being to set out tomorrow, I hasten to answer it. I sincerely rejoice that Portugal is stepping forward in the business of treaty, and that there is a probability that we may at length do something under our commissions which may produce a solid benefit to...
26To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
On the arrival of mr̃ Boylston I carried him to the Marquis de la Fayette, and received from him communications of his object. this was to get a remission of the duties on his cargo of oil, & he was willing to propose a future contract. I proposed however to the Marquis, when we were alone, that instead of wasting our efforts on individual applications, we had better take it up on general...
27To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of the 13 th. & 20 th. were put into my hands today. this will be delivered you by mr̃ Dalrymple, secretary to the legation of mr̃ Craufurd. I do not know whether you were acquainted with him here. he is a young man of learning & candor, and exhibits a phaenomenon I never before met with, that is, a republican born on the North side of the Tweed. You have been consulted in the case...
28To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
You were here the last year when the interest due to the French officers was paid to them, and were sensible of the good effect it had on the credit & honor of the U.S. a second year’s interest is become due. they have presented their demands. there is not money here to pay them, the pittance remaining in mr̃ Grand’s hands being only sufficient to pay current expences three months longer. the...
29To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 7 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with yours of Jan. 19. mine of Jan. 12. had not I suppose at that time got to your hands as the receipt of it is unacknoleged. I shall be anxious till I receive your answer to it. I was perfectly satisfied, before I received your letter, that your opinion had been misunderstood or misrepresented in the case of the Chevalier de Mezieres. your letter however will enable me to say so...
MS not found. Printed from facsimile in WSS ’s hand in Magazine of American History, with Notes and Queries , [1879], 3:44–45; addressed: “His Excellency John Adams, &c., &c., &c., corner Brooks Street, Grosvenor Square.” The signatures were written in a circle and attached on a separate foldout page. The address was provided only in the Magazine article’s text. Published as “A Diplomatic...