1John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I intended to have wrote largely by this Opportunity, but have been confined ever since last Sunday night to my Bed and Chamber, with a most violent Cold, a kind of Punishment for Pride and Curiosity. I was last Sunday at Versailles, the day was extremely cold and foggy, much was to be seen, and but little time for the purpose. I drove about without Hat and with thin Shoes all day long, gave...
2John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 20 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am happy in having it in my power to furnish you with a Copy of Mr. Duche’s Letter, which is inclosed, as also an Extract from the public Ledger of Sept. 10. By the Journals it appears that Mr. Adams has accepted the appointment. The Appointment marks the Wisdom of Congress, and the Acceptation evinces his zeal in “the great and sacred Cause.” Upon those great and important Exertions which...
3John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
The Reason of our being in Spain, you will, perhaps, be no stranger to, when this reaches You. I am not sorry We arrived at Ferrol, as a prosecution of our Voyage might have been attended with hazard. A leaky Ship in a Storm or violent Gale, is not a Situation for very comfortable Sensations. We had Leaks, Storms and Winds in the passage. The former were more formidable than the latter, and...
4John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 17 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am thus far advanced on my Journey, and shall continue it from hence tomorrow. I found Mr. Storer writing to You as I came in, and he has consented to inclosing a few lines in his. Your letter of 5th. Septr. to Mr. A. has duly come to hand. You express a strong desire to make a Voyage to your dearest Friend. I am not surprized at that, and think your Patience and Sacrifices are perfect...
5John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 17 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
In my letter of the 11th. inst. I mentioned the arrival of the French Ambassador at Chester. I am now to inform you that on the 12th. a Committee of Congress, escorted by a party of light dragoons, waited on him at that place to accompany him to this City. About two o Clock the same day he entered the City. The usual military salutes were paid him by two detached parties that were previously...
6John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 16 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to inclose the postscript to Hall & Sellers’s Paper of the 9th instant containing the message of the undersigned Ambassador of the Court of France to the Court of London; his Majesty’s Speech in Consequence &c. &c. The message is couched in terms very ludicrous and merry. It also speaks tacitly the Power and determination of France. It has chagrined the King and Ministry...
7John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 18 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
After twenty odd days spent in climbing Mountains, sinking into Valleys, tumbling over Rocks, pocking thro’ Mud and Mire, creeping along Plains, oversetting of Carriages &c., to the End of the Chapter of Evils, We arrived at this place. In addition to the above Combination of Evils, We had smoaky, scolding, dirty Inns to put up at. Cleanliness is a moral Virtue undoubtedly , but very little...
8John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 11 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 26th. Augst. I was honored with last Monday. Just after I had wrote my last to you we had an account here of the action at Rhode Island. I am very happy in its being successful in so great a degree; but will be honest enough to declare that my most pleasing expectations are disappointed. There seemed to be a Certainty almost of a total reduction of the Enemy at that post....
9John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 3 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have just heard a piece of news from Mr. Lovell, which he says comes in a packet lately arrived at New York from England, and which has been published in the New York and Philadelphia papers. It is as follows viz. that the reduction of Genl. Burgoyne has convinced the minister of his weakness in America, and roused the spirit of the nation—that one hundred thousand men are to be raised and...
10John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of that letter mentioning my not having recieved any intelligence from home for more then two months, I have had the honor of four or five letters from you and two or three from home. Your favor of the 2d. inst. came to hand yesterday. My situation is such at present, that it will by no means answer for me to reside here. Boarding, at almost the cheapest rate, is 16 dollars per...
11John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am almost ashamed to intrude another Letter by this Conveyance, which, if it should prove a safe one, will throw into your hands an Abundance of trumpery from me, sufficient for one Year. Accept my thanks, Madam, for your Goodness in forwarding my Sister’s Letter to me. I feel myself much obliged by your kind attention to me in this way, and particularly for not reading the Letter which You...
12John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 9 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of receiving your agreeable favour of the 9th. of April. I am so exceedingly hurried in copying the Treaties (which are long beyond bounds) that I have had no time to write you fully. Six Copies of the Treaties are wanted, and it falls to me to make them out, as My Companion is absent. Have you done? Have you done? is the Cry every hour of the day. I am almost tired...
13John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 23 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Since my last an important Revolution has taken place here respecting our Country. A formal Acknowledgment of our Sovereignty and Independence in the Admission and Reception of your dearest Friend is what I allude to. But You will have heard of the Event long before this reaches You, with many of its Circumstances. At present I am too feeble to enter into a detail of Matters, being upon my...
14John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 27 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
You will believe me, when I inform You, that I am grievously disappointed in only having to acknowledge the reciept of just two Lines and an half from You by Capt. Grinnell. I am sorry that the Shortness of your Notice has deprived me of so much Happiness. The Card however will keep alive my Expectations ’till the promised Letters arrive. But lest Miss Nabby should think I set no Value upon...
15John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 28 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
Peace seems to have closed all Communication with America. ’Tis a very long time since any Vessels or Letters have arrived either in France or Holland. We cannot account for this Circumstance, but upon the Supposition, that News had reached America of Negociations for Peace being opened, and that while this Business was pending the Merchant prefered a State of Inactivity to putting any thing...
16John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 10 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
It would give me great Satisfaction to have it in my power to reply to any Letter from you since October last. But that pleasure is denied me. I feel that I am deprived of one Source of Instruction and Entertainment, in being deprived of your excellent Letters. And I support the Privation with little Philosophy. I am thoroughly tired of this cold Consolation, “wait with Patience.” Tis...
17John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 18 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
About a fortnight since Mr. Hutchinson, formerly Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, dropped down dead in England. The Reflection made by some one in the English Papers is this. “Governor Hutchinson is now no more. On Saturday afternoon he dropped down dead. It is charitable to hope, that his Sins may be buried with him in the Tomb, but they must be recorded in his Epitaph. His...
18John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 27 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
Soon after writing You at Amsterdam, I was unfortunate enough to have a Relapse, after I thought that the Fever had entirely quitted me. I was confined there about a fortnight, and then came to this place. I am at present perfectly recovered I hope—for another Turn would fret me out of Existence, which would be no great loss except to my “fair American,” who might whimper and sigh a day or two...
19John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 21 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Ten months have I been waiting for an opportunity to forward my Letters, but none has presented, which of Course leaves an immense budget of Trumpery on hand. I know not whether to continue writing or begin burning. You will find by the inclosed Gazette Madam, an Account of our Celebration of the Anniversary of Independence. Every thing was conducted with the utmost order and decency—in one...
20John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 22 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
I little expected, when writing to You on the 16th. instant, to have so soon congratulated You upon the Signature of the Preliminaries of Peace between France, Spain and England, and upon a Signature of an Armistice by the Ministers of those three Powers together with those of America . This Business was accomplished on the 20th. instant at Versailles, and is the Occasion of my addressing...
21John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 21 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure of informing You, that Mr. Dana this day recieved a letter from Mr. A dams of the 17th. of this Month, who was well with his two Sons at Amsterdam. He thinks the Air of the Low Countries not so salubrious as that of France. They have too many Canals and too much stagnant Water there to make it the most healthy Spot in the World: The Air and Climate of this Country are...
22John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 16 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am to express my Acknowledgments to You for your kind favor of the 17th. June last, with which I was honoured this day. I expressed my Chagrin in not recieving a Letter by the Firebrand in mine of the 27th. July, which accompanies this. Little did I think that in that moment the tender sympathetic Heart of Portia was sharing, and participating in the Cares and Agonies of her dear Sister, who...
23John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 2 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
’Tis a pleasing Reflexion to one absent, that his Correspondence with his friends meets with no untoward Accidents, even though the subject matter of his Scralls should be in a stile little interesting or entertaining. But I am deprived of even this satisfaction, for almost all my Letters are on board the Indian. It is needless for me to add an Apology after this, especially as Newman, Brown,...
24John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 30 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
In acknowledging the receipt of your kind favor of 26th. October and in confessing it was accompanied with five or six other Letters, which arrived yesterday, You will naturally conclude, that a rash Declaration made in my Letter of 22d. instant, of not writing again to my Friends, ought to be recanted. I do not hesitate a moment to make a formal Recantation, and would repeat it twenty times...
25John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 10 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had been so short a time in this place when I wrote you last, that it was out of my power to furnish you then with any particulars respecting the enemy’s conduct during their continuance here. By enquiries and observations since, I am enabled to give you some particulars on that head. The City in general has escaped, but houses and fences detached from the Town have felt the wantoness of...
26John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 18 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Since I had the pleasure of addressing you last, I have found in the office a Narrative respecting Count Pulaski, a copy of which is inclosed. He is a great Character. Congress, in confidence of his military skill and prowess, and attachment to the American Cause, have authorised him to raise sixty eight Horse and two hundred Foot. The Horsemen are to be armed with Lancets, and the Foot in the...
27John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 1 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have been duly honoured with your two favours of the 18th. of Novr. and 8th. of December. I am much obliged by the particular Account You have given of the Rise, Progress and fatal Issue of the fond Attachment of Mr. C. to Miss P. I confess with great Candour it contains many Circumstances hitherto unknown to me. I have indeed, Madam, an unavoidable and involuntary Share in the dreadful...
28John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 3 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
What pleasing Sensations does a Packet from the other side of the Atlantic produce? Every part of the human frame sympathizes and is in Unison. This Truth I have most sensibly felt this day, in recieving three Letters from America. I was at Peace with myself before I opened them. The Superscriptions, in informing me from whence they came, saved me a Turn of the Fever, which threatened before....
29John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 6 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to congratulate you on the safe Arrival of Mr. Adams at France. It is an event that has relieved many of his friends from pain ful anxieties. I could have wished for the happiness of communicating the very agreeable intelligence to you. I hope it has reached you before this date. His arrival was taken notice of in the French papers and also in a London paper, which have been...
30John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 29 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams having taken a Journey to Holland for three or four Weeks, and there being nothing of consequence to do in his Absence, Mr. Storer and myself thought it an exceeding good opportunity of executing our Project of a Voyage to this place, for the sake of the Sea Bath. We arrived here on the 27th. instant, after a delightfully fatiguing Journey. We passed thro’ the Province of Normandy,...