1From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Marquiss, who loves Us, will deliver You this. He will tell You every thing. Arbuthnot, Rodney and Walsingham are to be pitted against de la Motte Piquet, Guichen and Ternay in the West Indies. So that I hope, You will be pretty quiet. Prepare however to co-operate and rout them out of the Continent if possible. Above all let me beg of You to encourage Privateering. The French will be...
2From John Adams to James Lovell, 19 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
You have been so good, in sending me the Journals and above all in sending me very particular Intelligence of what has passed upon several occasions that I depend much upon the Continuance of your Favours. An early receipt of the Journals will be a great Advantage to me, and I shall not fail to make a good Use of them. Since I have been here, I have seen Mr. I. and mentioned to him, his famous...
3From John Adams to Michel Lagoanere, 16 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am So little acquainted with the Language and Usages of this Country that I am under a Necessity of troubling some Gentleman so much as to ask the favour of his Advice and Assistance, in order to pass through the Kingdom of Spain, in my Way to Paris. I therefore beg the favour of you to inform me, whether I can have Carriages, Horses Mules &c. in this Place, to carry me to Bayonne, Bilboa,...
4Account of John Adams with the United States, 19 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
The United states of America to John Adams Cr Liv. By the Total of Monies received 28,355: 3: 3 The United states of America to John Adams Dr Liv. To the Total of my Expences 13,855: 16: 0 To twenty Month’s allowance at the Rate of 11,428 Livres per Annum 19,046: 0: 0 32901: 16: 0 28355:
5From John Adams to Henry Knox, 28 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Friend the Marquis, with whom I have sometimes had the Honour to drink your Health after that of General Washington, will deliver you this. His Love of Glory is not diminished, nor his affection for America, as you see by his Return. He has been indefatigable in endeavours to promote the Welfare and Comfort of our Army, as well as to support their Honour and Character, and has had success...
6From 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...
7From John Adams to John Boylston, 5 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Billet of the 6. Feb. and altho I am much obliged by your Care to put me on my Guard, against dangerous Men: Yet I am extreamly Sorry to find, that Slander has been So successfull, as to impose upon you, who I know have no sinister Motive, nor any Thing to byass you; in this Case from the Truth and the Interest of a Country whose Welfare you wish. The “Freres” have been...
8From 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...
9From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 19 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 19 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:250–251 . Responding to Vergennes’ letter of the 15th (calendared above), Adams sent copies of commissions, but balked at furnishing copies of his instructions, which he thought Vergennes expected him to provide (see JA, Diary and...
La Coruña, Spain, 16 December 1779. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, I, f. 231.; docketed: “No. 2 Letter from J. Adams Corunna Decr. 16. 1779 Read March 27. 1780.” LbC Adams Papers . LbC in Thaxter’s hand Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No. 2.” and “NB. Nos. 1 & 2 were sent by Captain Trask bound to Newbury Port from Corunna.” For a...