11From John Adams to the President of Congress, 12 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 12 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 209–217. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:495–498. John Adams provided an English translation of a piece that originally appeared in a Dutch newspaper, probably the Gazette d’Amsterdam , but...
12From John Adams to the President of Congress, 11 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 11 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 197–205. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:487–491. John Adams included English translations of a petition to the city of Antwerp by its merchants and inhabitants and of an essay by Antoine...
13From John Adams to the President of Congress, 5 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 5 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 193–195. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:468–469. John Adams included an English translation of a statement made to the States of Zeeland by the deputies from the city of Middelburg on 14...
14From John Adams to the President of Congress, 31 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 181–182. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:461. John Adams provided an English translation of a memorial presented to the States General on 28 April by the Danish envoy, Mestral de Saint...
15From John Adams to the President of Congress, 31 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 185–187>. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:463–464. John Adams provided Congress with English translations of declarations by the cities of Dordrecht and Haarlem in support of Amsterdam’s...
16From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
The English, by the capture of St. Eustatia, seem to have committed the most compleat blunder of all. There was found in that Island a greater quantity of Property belonging to the Britons themselves, than to the French, Dutch, or Americans. They have broke up a Trade, which was more advantageous to them, than to any of their Enemies, as it was a Channel through which British Manufactures were...
17From John Adams to the President of Congress, 27 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 27 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 173–176. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:448–451. John Adams provided an English translation of a report made to the States General regarding the Dutch East India Company’s request for...
18From John Adams to the President of Congress, 25 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 25 May 1781. RC PCC , No. 84, III, f. 169–170. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:435–436. John Adams provided an English translation of a convention signed at Versailles on 1 May by the Comte de Vergennes and the Dutch ambassador, Lestevenon van...
19From John Adams to the President of Congress, 24 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 24 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 163–168. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:431–433. In this letter John Adams provided an English translation of Amsterdam’s address of 18 May to the States of Holland. The city’s deputies...
20From John Adams to the President of Congress, 23 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 23 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 159. printed : JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot Correspondence of the Late President Adams. Originally Published in the Boston Patriot. In a Series of Letters , Boston, 1809[–1810]; 10 pts. , p. 465. This letter requested Congress to offer relief to the owners of an unnamed Dutch vessel captured by a British warship or...
21From John Adams to the President of Congress, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 21 May 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 151–157. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:424–427. This letter contained an English translation of Frederick II’s ordinance of 30 April regarding navigation and commerce. The preamble to the...
22From John Adams to the President of Congress, 17 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 17 May 1781. LbC Adams Papers . printed : JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot Correspondence of the Late President Adams. Originally Published in the Boston Patriot. In a Series of Letters , Boston, 1809[–1810]; 10 pts. , p. 455. This letter is not in the PCC and was probably never sent. It contains a list, according to nationality, of vessels paying tolls to Denmark in 1780 for passage...
23From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Copies of the Memorials, which I had the honor to present on the fourth instant to the President of their High Mightinesses, and to the Secretary of his most Serene High ness. The former has been published in English, French and Dutch; and has been favourably recieved by the Public: but the public Voice has not that Influence upon Government in any part of Europe,...
24From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
There has been much said in the public Papers concerning Conferences for Peace, concerning the Mediation of the Emperor of Germany and the Empress of Russia &c. &c. &c. I have never troubled Congress with these Reports, because I have never recieved any official Information or Intimation of any such Negotiation, either from England or France, or any other way. If any such Negotiation has been...
25From John Adams to the President of Congress, 7 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
On the fourth of May I did myself the Honour to wait on Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr., Grand Pensionary of Holland, and presented him a Letter containing a Copy of my Memorial to the States General &c. His Excellency said that it was necessary for me to go to the President and Secretary of their High Mightinesses, and that it was not customary for foreign Ministers to communicate any thing to the...
26From John Adams to the President of Congress, 3 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
On the first of May I went to the Hague, and wrote to his Excellency Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr. Grand Pensionary of Holland, that having something of Importance to communicate to him, I proposed to do myself the Honour to wait on him the next Morning at half after eight, if that Time should be agreable to him: but if any other Hour was more convenient, I requested his Excellency to mention it....
27From John Adams to the President of Congress, 6 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
This Day the Skipper of a Trech Schuit, brought me, your Excellencys important Dispatches by Coll. Laurens. The Coll. delivered them to Mr. Dana at Paris, with perfect Propriety. Mr. Dana with equal Propriety delivered them to a Gentleman of Character, who undertook to deliver them at Amsterdam, but unfortunately forgot them at Valenciennes. From Valenciennes they travelled partly by Post,...
28From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
Leyden, 29 March 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 287–294. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:335–337. Read in Congress on 19 Nov., this letter consists of an English translation of the memorial that Baron de Lynden, the Dutch...
29From John Adams to the President of Congress, 29 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is of Importance to the People of America to observe how much lighter their own Burthens are than those of their Enemies, and for this Reason, I have every Year since I have been in Europe taken Notice of the new Taxes laid annually in Perpetuity upon the People of Great Britain by Parliament, in Support of Tyranny, in addition to all former Debts and Taxes. One sixth Part of the new Taxes...
30From John Adams to the President of Congress, 19 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your Excellency’s Letter of the first of January, with the Commission and Instructions inclosed. I am very sensible of this fresh Instance of the Confidence of Congress, and shall do every thing in my Power to discharge the Duties of this new Trust; but I am obliged to say, that no Commission that ever was given required more Patience, Fortitude and Circumspection than this:...
31From John Adams to the President of Congress, 18 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
Leyden, 18 March 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 78–93. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:306–313. This letter was read in Congress on 19 Nov. and consisted of English translations of the States General’s countermanifesto of 12 March and...
32From John Adams to the President of Congress, 7 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
By the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Alliance with France “The most Christian King and the united States agree, to invite or admit other Powers, who may have received Injuries from England, to make common Cause with them and to acceed to that Alliance, under Such Conditions as shall be freely agreed to and Settled between all the Parties.” According to present Appearances, in a few Weeks...
33From John Adams to the President of Congress, 1 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 1 February 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 244–254. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:244–248. In this letter, read in Congress on 19 Nov., John Adams provided an English translation of the Convention for an Armed...
34From John Adams to the President of Congress, 18 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 18 January 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 87–44. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:235–238. Read by Congress on 19 Nov., this letter consisted of English translations of two placards or edicts of the States General dated 12...
35From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 15 January 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 29–32. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:234. Read in Congress on 19 Nov., this letter consisted of a translation, probably from a French text such as that in the Gazette de Leyde of 9...
36From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Zealand is still endeavouring to divert the Republick from its Interest and its Duty, to embarrass its Operations and involve it in disgrace and ruin. The Directors of the Company of Commerce, and that of Insurance, and a great Number of Merchants, established at Middlebourg in Zealand, have presented a Petition to the States General, to supplicate their high Mightinesses to try again the Way...
37From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Congress will not expect me to write upon the Subject of Peace at this time, when the Flames of War are spreading far and wide, with more rapidity than ever: and I have no comfortable Tidings on the Subject of Money. In the first place, I believe there is not so much Money here as the World imagines: in the next place, those who have what there is, have no Confidence in any Nation or...
38From John Adams to the President of Congress, 5 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
On the 10 of Nov. 1780 The Memorial of Sir Joseph York to the States General, was presented for a Disavowal, Satisfaction proportioned to the Offence, and Punishment of the Guilty. The 28 Nov. a formal Disapprobation of the States General, of the Conduct of the Regency of Amsterdam. 12. December: Second Memorial of Sir J. York, for a Satisfaction proportioned to the Offence, and the Punishment...
39From John Adams to the President of Congress, 4 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Notwithstanding the Influence of the English Nation; notwithstanding the Influence of old Prejudices and Habits; notwithstanding the Apprehensions that are entertained for immense Sums in the English Funds, and for the sudden destruction of an innumerable Navigation at the Commencement of a War, and above all notwithstanding the Authority and Influence of the Stadtholder, I am confidently...
40From John Adams to the President of Congress, 1 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam 1 January 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 204–211. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:219–222. Read in Congress on 19 Nov., this letter contained the texts of Britain’s manifesto of 20 Dec. 1780, which constituted a...