11From John Adams to Joseph Gardoqui & Sons, 25 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have not had opportunity, Since my Arrival at Paris, to pay my Respects to you, and to inform you, that We all happily arrived, on the 9th. of this Month. We have now a little Leisure to look back upon the Scenes we have passed thro Since our Arrival in Europe, and I assure you, that I reflect upon none with more Pleasure than those at Bilbao. I find that Vessels arrive oftener, there and at...
12From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 25 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment your Letter from Brussells of the 19th of this Month, and I thank You for your kind Congratulations on my safe Arrival. Whether I come in the amiable and blessed Character, as You say You have heard, with the Olive Branch in my Hand, and surrounded with Doves, Lambs and Angels or not, You will learn, in due Time. At present, the common Enemy shews a Picture, of a very...
Since my Letter of the twentieth, I have recieved another Letter from his Excellency the Comte de Vergennes dated the 24th. of February, to which I answered this Day; Copies of both Letters are inclosed. I have also the Honour to inclose a Gazette, and an Application from M. Comyn of Marseilles to be a Consul for the Ports of Provence and Languedoc. I know nothing of this Gentleman, but what...
14From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 25 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:253–254 . Replying to Vergennes’ letter of the 24th (calendared above), John Adams expressed his appreciation for his upcoming presentation at the French court. He also agreed to avoid publicizing his peace commission before its announcement in the...
15From John Adams to Bidé de Chavagnes, 24 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had last Evening the Honour, of your Letter from Brest, of the 16th. of this Month, and I thank you, sir for your kind Enquiries after our Health. Mr. Dana, Mr. Thaxter, the three Children and myself, are very well at present. Mr. Allen We left, in good Health at Bordeaux. We were all much incommoded with violent Colds and threatned with dangerous Fevers in Spain, arrising from bad Weather,...
16From 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...
17From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
You will see by the public Papers, that your Committee of Correspondence is making greater progress in the World, and doing greater things in the political World than the Electrical Rod ever did in the Physical. Ireland and England have adopted it, but mean Plagiaries as they are, they do not acknowledge who was the Inventor of it. Mr. Lee and Mr. Izard will go with this Letter in the...
18From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I knew not when I undertook so readily to take the Care of your Grandson what I was about, little foreseeing a Journey of near four hundred Leagues by Land, in the Extremity of Winter, over the worst Roads and the vilest Accommodations and at the same time the most expensive of all Europe. I think myself very happy however to have at length reached Paris, without any essential Injury to the...
19From John Adams to Tristram Dalton, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival in this City, which was on the 9th. of this Month I had the Pleasure of your Letter concerning your Vessel which was sunk in the West Indies. I immediately waited on Dr. Franklin who informed me that he had received a similar Letter from you and in the Time of it applied to Court and obtained an order for your Compensation, which he transmitted to you, and which I hope you...
20From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Boston Committee of Correspondence, and the Military Associations which grew out of it, are likely to prove the greatest Engines for pulling down Tyranny, that were ever invented. The Electrical Rod, which deprives the Clouds of their Thunder, does it not so effectually, as these Committees wrest the Iron Rod out of the Hands of a Tyrant. Ireland has already obtained, purely by the Use of...
Paris, 23 February 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, I, f. 279; docketed: “No. 8 Feby. 23. 1780 Letter from J. Adams recd. Oct. 16. sends News Papers &c.” LbC Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15.”; by Thaxter: “No. 8.” and “In No. 8 were inclosed Triplicates of all the former Letters to Congress, and also a Copy of a Letter to the Marquiss de la Fayette, & his...
22From John Adams to James Warren, 23 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
The French Court seem to be now every day more and more convinced of the good Policy, and indeed the Necessity of prosecuting the War with Vigour in the American Seas. They have been and are making great Preparations accordingly, and are determined to maintain a clear Superiority. M. de la Motte Piquet has with him, the Hannibal, the Magnifique, the Diadem, the Dauphin Royal, the Artesien, the...
23From John Adams to John Jay, 22 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I most sincerely congratulate You, on your happy Arrival in Europe, which must be the more agreeable to You, for the terrible Voyages You have had. Every good American in Europe I believe suffered a great Anxiety, from the Length of Time that passed between the day when it was known the Confederacy sailed, and the Time when the News arrived of your being at Cadiz. I too have had my Hair...
24From John Adams to John Paul Jones, 22 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure to congratulate you, on your glorious success Since I left you at L’orient, and upon your Return to that Place, from whence I wish you safe to America. I obtained Permission from the Navy Board to send some small Matters home by an American Frigate now and then, and I have mentioned it to Dr. Franklin who has no Objection. We married men who run away from our Wives and...
25From John Adams to James Moylan, 22 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
As the Alliance is bound to America, and probably will go to Boston, I wish to avail myself of the Opportunity to send a few Necessaries to my Family, and a black Coat or two to a few Parsons in my Neighbourhood, whose Salaries are so reduced by the Depreciation of our Paper Currency that they cannot afford to buy a black Coat nor a Band at home. I will inclose you the Minutes of the Things I...
26From John Adams to Edward and Charles Dilly, 20 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
You may possibly remember a Correspondent of yours, who had six or seven Years ago the Pleasure of Writing to you sometimes and of receiving Letters from you. He has occasion for the Monthly and critical Reviews: the Remembrancers and annual Registers as they come out: and the Parliamentary Registers, and any other political Pamphlets of any Character that may be published in London. He...
27From John Adams to Alexander Gillon, 20 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had last Evening the Pleasure of your Letter from Amsterdam, of the 14th. instant and I thank you for your kind Congratulations, on my Arrival in Europe, and for your obliging Compliments. You and I have been tossed about the World, in the service of an Infant Country in distress and danger: happy and blessed indeed shall We be if all our Labours, Hasards, and Exertions, can in any degree...
28From John Adams to Richard B. Lloyd, 20 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival in this City, I had the Pleasure of your kind Letter of the 28 of December, and I thank you, sir, for your kind Congratulations, on my Arrival and obliging Enquiries after my Family, whom I left in perfect Health, as I hope Mrs. Lloyd and your little Family are. I want very much to be furnished with the critical and monthly Reviews: the Remembrancers and annual Registers as...
Since my Arrival in Europe I have had the Mortification to see in the public Papers a Series of little Successes which our Enemies have had in the prosecution of the War. The first was a very exaggerated Account in the English Court Gazette of their Successes against the Spaniards in South America. The next was the History of the Repulse of General Lincoln and the Comte D’Estaing at Savannah...
30From 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...
Inclosed are Copies of former Letters to Congress, and I shall continue to transmit Copies until I learn that some have arrived; for which Reason I must request the Favour that his Excellency the President, or some Committee, may be desired to acknowledge the Receipt of Letters, so that I may know as soon as may be what Letters have arrived and which have been less fortunate. The Art of making...
32From 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...
33From 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...
It is necessary that I should inform Congress, in what manner I have been able to procure Money to defray my Expenses, in my long Journey through the greatest Parts of Spain and France, to this City. On my Arrival at Ferrol, I was offered the Loan of Money by the French Consul Mr. De Tournelle, but at the same Time told me there was a Gentleman at Corunna Mr. Michael Lagoanere, who had...
Paris, 15 February 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, 1, f. 243; docketed: “No. 4 J. Adams Esqr. Paris Feby. 15th: 1780 Read May 15. arrival in France. interesting News.” LbC Adams Papers . LbC in Thaxter’s hand Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No. 4.” For a discussion of the presence of two Letterbook copies in the Adams Papers , see...
36From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 15 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 15 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:248–249 . John Adams thanked Williams for his letter of 1 Feb. (above) and briefly commented on events in America and the settlement of Williams’ accounts. He applauded Williams’ stated determination to eschew any party spirit,...
37From John Adams to Gabriel de Sartine, 13 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 13 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:248 . This letter was a reply to Sartine’s of 31 Dec. 1779 (same, 4:247–248 ), which Adams received when he arrived at Paris. In that letter the minister congratulated him on his new appointment and expressed his pleasure that he...
38From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 12 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:243–245 With this letter John Adams formally notified Vergennes of his mission. Stating that he had been appointed to negotiate treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain, he explained, so far as he knew it, the origins of...
39From John Adams to John Bondfield, 31 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
At Bayonne, I had the Honour of yours of the 25. Decr. last, which was delivered me by Mr. Dufour, whom you desired to assist me with whatever I should want particularly with Money. Mr. Dufour politely offered me, Supplies of Cash, and services of any sort in which he could be usefull to me, and I was very sorry that I could not have the Opportunity of forming an Acquaintance with him: but my...
40From John Adams to Pedro Casamayor & Company, 31 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
On the 29th of this month, on my Arrival at this Place, I had the Honour of a polite Letter from your House, offering me your services and Assistance, particularly in the necessary Article of Cash, in Consequence of Recommendations from Mr. Lagoanere at Coruñna and Mr. Montgomery at Alicante. I am much obliged to you for the Honour you have done me by this Letter, and to Mr. Montgomery and Mr....