1From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 7 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the Loan of the inclosed Paper. I think there is room to hope that Clinton will meet with a Reception that will not be agreable to him, even to hope that he will not succeed. But there is great danger. The Loss of the Frigates will give an Additional Sting to that of the Town. It is truely deplorable that these Devils should be allowed to commit such Ravages and do Such...
2From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 20 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Tha nks for this Paper. Ld George Gordon I think will be the Oliver Cromwell, after all. He seems the only Man of Common sense, and he begins with Religion. Burke, Barry, Fox, Conway, &c and all the rest appear but small Boys to Lord George. RC (Private owner, 1972). Fire damage has resulted in the loss of the first word and possibly the greeting, although the absence of a closing and...
3From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 10 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have communicated your Invitation to Commodore Jones. He will go to Versailles a Sunday, but I believe is engaged to dine. I will have the Honor of waiting on You with Mr. Dana and Mr. Thaxter, on Sunday: but I believe, it will be best to leave my little Sons, and give them another Opportunity of availing themselves of your Goodness. Sir John Dalrymple is at Madrid, and coming this Way, from...
4From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 11 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just recieved your Card of the 10th. I agree with You that the Dean’s propositions are too absurd to be noticed. As to the History of my peregrinations in Spain, and I find it is true as far as it goes; altho’ the half is not told, excepting in the following particulars. They have called the American Agent at Corunna, Mr. Laurens, whereas his Name is Mr. Lagoanere. They have called, the...
5From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams fait mille Complimens sinceres a Monsieur Genet et Remerciamens pour les Gazettes Angloises. Monsieur Genet est prié de la part de M. A. de vouloir bien l’informer, quand, et a qui, le payment pour ces Gazettes doit etre faite. Au Surplus, M. A. souhaite de scavoir, si le Bruit qui etoit repandu hier, de quelque Changement dans le Ministere Anglois, ait quelque fondement. Et l’autre,...
6From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 14 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I Have the Honour of yours of the 14. By the Imitation you inclose, I have no dout that the Name of the Writer of the Letter you mention is John Ross. Such a Person there is at Nantes a Merchant who has been concerned in American Trade, who often corresponds with the Commissioners here by which means I am in Possession of many of his Letters and am become well acquainted with his Signature. I...
7From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just now recieved the Letter, which You did me the Honor to write me yesterday , and I thank You, Sir, for the Loan of the English Paper s, which I shall carefully return, and beg the Loan of the oth ers, as y ou can spare them, until those shall arrive, which you have ordered for me: for the Trouble you have taken in ordering those Papers; for your kind Enquiries after my Son, who has...
8From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 3 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had, two days ago the Honour to inclose to the Minister a Boston Gazette of 21 February, in which is a Relation of a glorious Combat and Cruise of my Countryman Captain Waters of the Thorn. Let me beg of you sir, to insert this Account in the Gazette and the Mercure. There has not been a more memorable Action this War, and the Feats of our American Frigates and Privateers have not been...
9From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 14 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to transmit you, three Letters, received by the Marquiss de la Fayette. I send you the Letters from Mr. Adams and Mr. Lee that you may know their Sentiments. All that is said of Mr. me, in both these Letters I hope you will omit. They are only Compliments, and I fancy Mistakes. What is said also, of General Sullivan in Mr. Adams’s Letter should also be omitted. And what is...
10From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 1 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
M. Adams is not able to inform Monsieur Genet, the precise Date of the inclosed Law. It was made in the Course of the last Winter, in the Month of January, as Mr. Adams believes. He remembers it began to be carried into Execution, the Beginning of February immediately before his Embarkation, for Europe. Monsieur Genet, will observe that it is not a Simple Resolution, but a Solemn Act of the...
11From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 30 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
M. Adams is very Sorry, it is not in his Power to Send Monsieur Genet a Copy of the Manifesto of Congress. He lent the only Copy he had to Mr. Lee, who promised, Yesterday, to send a Copy to M. Genet, this Morning. M. A. gave to Monsieur Garnier a Translation of it into French done by a young Gentleman here, which Mr. Garnier has probably sent. I have Seen, in a Virginia News Paper, an Answer...
12From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 4 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
The resolve of Congress of the 10 October, that you have inserted in your No. 62 is another Forgery. It has internal Marks of it enough. 1. Congress are not so much allarmed. They know the Ennemy have not the Power, tho they very well know they have the Will to do the Mischief. 2. Congress, would never recommend the building of such Hutts. There are Houses enough in the Country to receive the...
13From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 24 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, that you did me the Honour to write me the 20th. of this Month. I was cautious of troubling the Minister, with an Application directly to him upon a Subject like that of my Letter to you: but I thank you, for the Trouble you have taken in laying it, before him. The kind Expressions of his Excellencies Confidence, and his Readiness to receive any Applications...
14John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet: A Translation, 22 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams sends his sincere compliments to Mr. Genet and thanks him for the British gazettes. Mr. Adams would like Mr. Genet to please inform him when, and to whom, the payment for these gazettes should be made. In addition, Mr. Adams would like to know if the rumor spread yesterday concerning some change in the British ministry has any foundation. Also the rumor concerning a quintuple...
15From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 1 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Rodney himself, it seems did all. He fought and beat six Ships. Pray, why did not the Rest of his Fleet beat the rest of the French Fleet over whom they had the Superiority. This Way of giving Extracts of Letters only, leaves room to suspect. But I think, by his own Account, he has nothing to brag of. Three drawn Battles wont maintain the Lordship of the Water. Drawn Battles wont do. I hope,...
16From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 29 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment your s of the 28. I thank You, Sir, for your kind Invitation to my three Sons, to come some time in the Spring, and spend a day at Ver sailles, which will be very agreeable to them, and to me. I am happy to find that the Report of the Committee has your Approbation; and shall be very g lad to see it translated and printed as it is. Every Attempt of this kind may be worth...
17From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 17 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
Genl. Con way in his Speech in the House of Commons, on the 6th. of May, affirms that the Alliance between France and the United States is not natural. Whether it is or not, is no doubt a great question. In order to determine, whether it is or no, one should consider, what is meant by a natural Alliance. And I know of no better general Rule than this, when two Nations, have the same Interests...
18From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 30 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
As many Gentlemen may apprehend that one is exposed to a shortage of Provisions, especially of Bread in America, from the Difficulty which the French Fleet found at Boston, to obtain a Supply, especially of Bread, I beg Leave to suggest to you, an Observation or two upon that Subject. It would be Sufficient to Say, that the Comte D’Destaing, did, in Fact obtain, a Sufficient Quantity, altho...
19From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 29 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Do you think it worth while to work into your next Article, from London, the following Observation of Lord Bolinbroke? “The precise Point, at which the Scales of power turn, like that of the Solstice, in either Tropic, is imperceptible to common Observation; and, in one case, as in the other, Some progress must be made, in the new direction, before the change is perceived. They who are in the...
20From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 9 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Note of yesterday and the Papers inclosed. The Proposals for a general Pacification, by the Dean of Gloucester, whether they were written by him, or another, were probably intended to feel the pulse, of France, or Spain, or America, nay it is not impossible that they might be intended to Sound, So inconsiderable a Portion of Existence as Mr. John Adams: but it must be...
21From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 8 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had last Night, very late your Card, respecting Mathews. I cannot recollect that any Thing was ever done in Congress, respecting him or his Conspiracy. I remember too have heard of the Transaction at the Time, but it was not an affair of sufficient Moment to excite any extensive Allarm, or make any extensive Impression; and I believe it was thought so little of, as never to have been sent to...
22From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 15 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have engaged a Person in London to s end me all the political Pamphlets, as they come out and some necessary Books as I shall order them. He has sent me already one Box and one Packet, at least to a Mr. Francis Bowens Merchant in Ostend. I should be once more obliged to You, if You could inform me, in what Way I can soonest get them from thence, and whether there are any Regulations which...
23From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 18 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Whether it is that the Art of political Lying is better understood in England than in any other Country, or whether it is more practised there than elsewhere, or whether it is accidental that they have more Success in making their Fictions gain Credit in the World, I know not. But it is certain that every Winter, since the Commencement of the present War with America, and indeed for some Years...
24From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 12 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
There are Reasons to believe, that the Story of Commissioners appointed by Congress to meet the British Commissioners, is a Forgery. 1. Thomas Phillip Ludwell Lee, is mentioned as one of them, whereas there never was a Person of that Name in the Congress. There was once a Person of that Name it is true, in Virginia, a Brother of Richard Henry Lee and of Francis Light- foot Lee, two Members of...
25From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 17 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
In your forty Eighth Number of Affairs de L’Angleterre et de L’Amerique I find, in Page sixth, marked number I. Resolutions des sauvages contre l’armee Angloise, and in Page 7 marked No. III. Adresse des Principaux Habitans de cette Ville a Robert Rogers, Major General (nomme par le Congres) et Commandant en chef des savages. Both these Papers, you may rely upon it, are Forgeries, and that no...
26From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 28 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
When a great Minister, of an ancient and powerful nation, which has been renowned for its Wisdom and Virtue, as well as Power, arises, in a popu lar assembly, which is the most conspicuous Theater in the World, and declares, a s it were in the face of the Universe, and with an Air of Reflection, of delibera tion, and of so lemnity, that, Such and Such, are his own opinions of the Trut h of...
27From John Adams to Edmé Jacques Genet, 8 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I do myself, the Honour to transmit you a Small Bundle of Newspapers, for your Perusal, out of which you will Select any Thing that you think proper for Publication, in your very valuable Collection of Affairs D’Angleterre et L’Amerique. Looking over the Remembrancer, for the Year 1775,1 found to my Surprize, having never seen this Remembrancer before, two Letters from a Gentleman in the...
28From Benjamin Franklin to Edme-Jacques Genet, 7 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Frederik Muller & Cie. (Amsterdam) sales catalogue, May 3–7, 1909, p. 5. <Passy, November 7, 1778: Franklin sends him some letters of Drayton. > Head of the bureau of interpreters at the French foreign ministry and editor of their secretly sponsored journal Affaires de l’Angleterre et de l’Amérique : XXVI , 271n. Recently he had asked BF and his fellow commissioners for material...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Edme-Jacques Genet, 2 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: Library of Congress I received last Night, the two Pieces of Metal sent me by our good Friend Mr Bridgen, and handed to me by your Care. Please to accept my Thanks. If you can easily forward to him the enclosed Answer to his Letter, you will much oblige me. With great Esteem, I am Dear Sir, Your most obedient & most humble servant. In the hand of WTF . The preceding document.
30From Benjamin Franklin to Genet, 28 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Upon Enquiry I am informed that the Accounts of Public Money for the Year you mentioned are not yet published in England, but will be soon, when I am promised a Copy that shall be at your Service. I return you the Newspaper with many Thanks. I am, Sir, with much Esteem, Your most obedient humble Servant Genet presumably wanted the material for the Affaires...