I had wrote you several posts before my hearing you was returned. I should be very glad if you and Mrs. Adams could take a turn this way before you return to Philadelphia again. I had lately a schooner arrived, with some powder, at Barnstable, rather better than three hundred pounds, which was disposed of there, as the people wanted it much. I understand that any person importing powder shall...
2Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 13 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Altho this is the first time I ever took up my pen to address you, I do it in perfect confidence that you will not expose me, having been long ago convinced that you are the sincere and constant Friend of one deservedly Dear to me, whose honour and character it is my Duty at all times to support. I observed in a late Philadelphia paper of Janry. 27, that the Philosophical Society had chosen a...
3Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 20 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
When I looked for your Name among those who form the Representative Body of the people this year I could not find it. I sought for it with the Senate, but was still more dissapointed. I however had the pleasure of finding it amongst the delegates of this Commonwealth to Congress, where I flatter myself you will still do us Honour which posterity will gratefully acknowledge; and the virtuous...
4Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 4 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
The very quick reply with wish which you honourd my Letter together with the Friendly contents of your polite favour demand my acknowledgement. If you Sir as a patriot and a Friend feel for the injurys offerd to your Country and the disgrace with which those in power are endeavouring to load our Friend, you may easily judge of the anxiety of one whose happiness is so interwoven and blended...
5Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 15 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your obligeing favour was handed me from Mr. Guild, at a time when I was engaged in the Melancholy office, of attending the dieing Bed, of a dear, and venerable parent. I need ask no further excuse of you for omiting a speedy replie, and thanking you for your kind attention to me. Neither the contents of your Letter; or the extracts inclosed, were unexpected to me; from many of Mr. Adam’es...
6Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 19 March 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received Letters dated about the middle of November from Mr. Adams, in which he was very urgent with me to come out early in Spring, if I declined a Winters voyage. Since that time I have not heard from him. Capt. Callihan will sail for London in April. My Friends advise me to take passage in him, but I cannot feel fully determined untill I hear from you. Your favour by Mr. Thaxter gave me...
7Abigail Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 31 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favour of December 28 th , I received by the Hand of Dr. Welch. I thank you Sir, for your Congratulations, which receive their value from the Sincerity with which I believe them fraught. The elevated station in which the Suffrages of our Country have placed our Friend, is encompassed with so Many Dangers and difficulties, that it appears to Me a slipery Precipice, surrounded on...
8From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 11 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Gadsden of South Carolina whose Fame you must have heard, was in his younger Years, an officer, on board the Navy, and is well acquainted with the Fleet. He has Several Times taken Pains to convince me that this Fleet is not so formidable to America, as we fear. He Says, We can easily take their sloops, Schooners, and Cutters, on board of whom are all their best Seamen, and with these We...
9From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 18 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have at last obtained liberty, by a vote of Congress, to acquaint my friends with a few of the things that have been done. The Congress have voted, or rather a committee of the whole house have unanimously agreed, that the sum of two million dollars be issued in bills of credit, for the redemption of which, in a certain number of years, twelve colonies have unanimously pledged themselves....
10From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 5 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am under Such Restrictions, Injunctions and Engagements of Secrecy respecting every Thing which passes in Congress, that I cannot communicate my own Thoughts freely to my Friends, So far as is necessary to ask their Advice, and opinions concerning Questions which many of them understand much better than I do. This however is an inconvenience, which must be Submitted to for the sake of...
11Enclosure: Resolution Appointing Massachusetts Delegates to the Continental Congress, 18 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Whereas John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and Elbridge Gerry Esqrs. have been chosen by joint Ballot of the two houses of Assembly to represent the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England in the American Congress untill the first day of January A.D. 1777— Resolved that they or any one or more of them are hereby fully impowered, with the delegates from the other...
12The General Court to the Massachusetts Delegates, 9 – 10 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed you have an Account of Powder supplyed the Army lately before Boston, by this Colony. We have not been able to procure the proper Vouchers for the delivery of the whole of it to the Army, but as it was delivered on the day of the Battle at Bunker Hill and at other times of Alarm and Confusion, we trust that neglect will be excused. The Account is not supposed to contain the whole of...
13The General Court to the Massachusetts Delegates, 6 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
At the same time that we think Ourselves obliged to acknowledge the vigilance and care of our Delegates to the defence of our Colony, and the attention of the Congress to an impartial defence of every part of the united Colonies, in the late provision made for the Massachusetts Bay, their Resolve for adding three more Battalions to those left for the defence of it; we conceive it necessary to...
14James Sullivan to John Adams and Elbridge Gerry, 11 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
There is no measures conceivable to me that can save this Country from utter ruin but the raising an Army to serve during the present War which to all appearance will be yet of very considerable duration. I therefore am much pleased that the Congress are taking measures to that purpose and wish their present measure may prove Effectual but am constrained to say that there is not in my mind the...
15From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 31 December 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Lovell goes tomorrow. In him We shall find a Man of Spirit Fortitude, and Patience, three Virtues the most Usefull of any in these Times. But besides these he has Taste Sense and Learning. I hope every Gentleman, is now convinced that Discipline in the Army is necessary, and that a permanent Army must be had at all Events, and that temporary Draughts from the Militia will answer NO End but...
16From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 19 November 1777 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter, I this Moment received and can think of no other Way, to answer the Expectations of Mr. Smith, than to request you to take the Trouble of doing what, by the inclosed Letter I am requested to do. I am Sorry to take off your Attention from things of more Importance or Amusements of greater Pleasure. But having often experienced your obliging Disposition, I presume upon it...
17From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 6 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
You must expect for the Future, to find in me, Situated as I am by a blissfull Fireside, surrounded by a Wife and a Parcell of chattering Boys and Girls, only a Dealer in Small Politicks. I find the Same Perplexities here, that We felt at York Town— a general Inclination among the People to barter, and as general an Aversion to dealing in Paper Money of any Denomination. Guineas half Jo’s and...
18From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 9 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Some day next Week Mr. John Thaxter, will Sett off, on his Journey for York Town. You may remember, the Want of Secretaries and Clerks, which We suffered before I came away, and that I agreed to send you one or more. Mr. Thaxter is of a good Family, was educated at H. Colledge, and has Spent three Years in the study of the Law in my office, and was last Summer Admitted to the Bar. You may...
19From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 23 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
On my Return from Portsmouth, to which Place I made an Excursion upon a certain maritime Cause, I Yesterday met your kind Letter of Decr. 3. from the Camp at White Marsh. I thank you Sir for the assurances you give me of your Attention to Mr. Smiths Concern, with which I acquainted him, upon my first Reading of your Letter. Am much pleased with your Account of the Strength of the Army, and I...
20From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 9 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 9 July 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:149–150 . Adams discussed Great Britain’s shortsighted and self-defeating policy in refusing a just treaty and, as an example of Britain’s self-deception and misunderstanding of America, pointed to a peace proposal, rejected out of...
21From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 27 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have not received a Line, nor heard a Syllable from you Since my Arrival, but I know your incessant Application to things of the first Moment, and therefore presume you have good Reasons. Our Ennemies are Still in a Delirium: and are pleasing themselves with Hopes that Clinton will be more bloody than How. Nothing is so charming to their Imaginations as Blood and Fire. What an Heart must...
22From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 5 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
It is necessary that you should be minutely informed, of the minutest and most secret Springs of Action here, if it is possible. Yet the Danger is so great of our Letters, being taken and getting into English News Papers, that it is very discouraging to a free Correspondence. I will however take all the Precaution in my Power, to have the Letters sunk, but if all these fail and my Letters...
23From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry?, 27 August 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have written, many Times to you, Since I left you, but have never received one Line, except that which accompanied my Commission, which I received at the Same Time. Are you of the Board of Treasury Still? If you are, I believe I must transmit to you my Accounts and Vouchers, and beg the favour of you to get them passed. I wish to have this Affair off my Mind, which will then be at Ease. If...
24From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 10 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I received by last Post your obliging Letter of 24 of August. The sight of your Hand Writing, gave me more Pleasure than you are aware. I would send you Copies of my Letters to you, if they were not out of Date at this Time. Thank you for your Compliment on my Letter to Congress. It is a long dull story; but I think Several Things appear from it, that are of great Importance. It appears that...
25From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 11 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
Early last Fall, in Conversation with Several Gentlemen, who are acquainted with Ministers of State, I laboured to convince them of the Policy and Necessity of sending Strong Reinforcements to the Compte D’Estaing. Mr. Chaumont particularly, coming into my Chamber, one Morning in his Way to Versailles, I begged him to mention it to the Compte De Vergennes, and Mr. De Sartine and endeavoured to...
26From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 20 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have transmitted my Account to the Board of Treasury, according to their Directions together with my Vouchers, and have desired that these last may be delivered to you after the Board should have done with them. I must beg the favour of you to receive them and transmit them to me by a safe Hand. I see that Congress have allowed to their Commissioners, one half of what they voted in the...
27From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 17 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am infinitely obliged to you for your Favour of 29 of september and for the Journals. These are so much wanted in Europe, that if I should go there, there is nothing of so small Expence that I so much wish as 20 or 30 setts of them. They are an handsome Present. Cant Congress or some Committee order them to me. The Appointment of Mr. Dana is as unexpected as my own. No Man could be found...
28From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 17 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
As to the Boundaries of Mass. I have asked Mr. A. about them but he did not recollect them. The Council appointed a Committee, within a few days after my Arrival, to ascertain them and did me the Honour to put me upon it, altho not a Member of Either House, with Mr. Bowdoin and Mr. S. A. but we have never met, and now it would be improper. They will appoint a new one I suppose. As to the Claim...
Looking over your Letter again, I find several Things unanswered. I should be Sorry to think that Mr. D. was the only vote against me. I had rather believe it was Some other State, than that this Gentleman voted vs. from a personal Pique founded on so futile an Affair, So innocently intended and so unlukily divulged, as the only semblance of anything personal between me and him. In public...
30From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 25 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 4. is before me. Mr. Dana, I think will accept. I have no personal Objection to either of the Gentlemen you mention. You know more of the political Character of one of them, than I do. With the other I never had any personal Misunderstanding. He has Abilities and he has had his Merit. But he has been in the Center of Disputes so much, that you must have learned perhaps more of his...