1From 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...
2From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 9 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I return the correspondence in ten Numbers with Thanks for the perusal of them. They are indeed curious. I cannot reconcile myself to the opinion of one Law for a Judge and another for a Governor. Nor can I believe that Judges have So much Legislative Authority as to make Laws by Implications, Inferences, Constructions So remote and So Strained. If Judges undertake to make gag Laws they Should...
3From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 21 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
I find with some Surprise, in looking over unanswered Letters, One from yourself of 26 August. We gave Letters to Mr Wiger; but I must own I was not much fel fascinated with his conversation; and if his principles of honour and integrity are pure, I have since heard so little in favour of his discretion, that I think Govt ought to be cautious of the Trusts they commit to him. The sympathy of...
4From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 2 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your address to the Senate. I wish the Presidents Message, your address, and Governor Strongs speech might be printed together in every News-paper. There are pretty stories universally circulating here of your fortuitous journey in the Stage with Colonel Pickering. I have heard them with pleasure, for they really do honour to both. They are really good natured. The Millenium...
5From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 3 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
There are many parts of your Letter I have omitted, indeed it requires more Leisure than I have to do it Justice. Men of Cander and Discernment, you observe, have thought that my Predecessor erred, in some particulars. This may be and who has not? But you must remember that the French were always antifederalists. Always opposed and countenanced and stimulated the Party that opposed the federal...
6From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 14 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favours of the 8th. and 10th and the volume of Benjamin Edes’s gazettes printed at Watertown between the 5th of June 1775 and the 9th. of December 1776. I am much obliged to you and to Mr Austin, for the Loan of this prescious collection of Memorials I read last Fall and Winter, The Scottish Chiefs, Thadeus of Warsaw and The Exiles of Siberia; and Scotts Lay, Marmion and...
7From 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...
8From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 13 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your favor of the fourth & immediately communicated it to the present Sec. of State Gen Marshall who will look into the papers relative to the subject & bring it soon to a conclusion—A business which ought to have been done last fall.—I have taken a view of the federal city & its environs as far as Mount Vernon & am well pleased with the whole. I think Congress...
9From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 20 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment written a Message to the Senate nominating you to be an Envoy Extraordinary to the French Republic. Knowing as I did Mr Dana’s aversion to the Sea, and his continual dread of his Mother’s fate, I was always apprehensive he would decline and should have nominated you at first, if I had not been overruled by the opinions of many Gentlemen that Mr. Dana’s Experience in this...
10From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 23 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Baron de Arundl, desires a Letter of Introduction to some Gentleman in Congress from me, and I dont know to whom to write upon this occasion better than to you. I inclose you some of our Constitutions. A vessell has arrived at L’orient, with a Paper of 8 April, and there are Letters to the Comtess de la Lucerne, and others perhaps as late as the 15th. but not a Line from Congress to any...