1From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Since the 25th of August, when I had the honor to write You, this is the first Time that I have taken a Pen in hand to write to any body having been confined and reduced too low to do any kind of business by a nervous Fever. The new Commission for Peace has been a great Consolation to me, because it removed from the Public all danger of suffering any Inconvenience, at a Time when for many days...
2From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 4 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Excellencys Letter of June 11. is yet unanswered. I have the Honour to agree with your Excellency in opinion, that it is reasonable, that the Articles of Rent of the Hotel, Payment of Couriers, Postage of Letters, Salaries of Clerks, Stationary for the Bureau, and Feasts and Illuminations made upon publick occasions, should be deemed Expences of the States. Indeed otherwise it will be...
3From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 9 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I was favoured, in due time with yours of 17. Septr, but have not been able to acknowledge it, till now. The late Transaction you allude to is this, a new Commission for Peace. J. Adams, B. Franklin, H. Laurens, J. Jay, and T. Jefferson are the Ministers. I dont See that this is any Tryal at all of Spirit and Fortitude,—it is more honourable than before and, much more easy. I assure you it has...
4From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 10 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of October 5. is just now brought to me, and I beg your Excellency to accept of my Thanks for your Congratulations on my Recovery, which is however, as yet but imperfect. I am much Surprized to find, So many appearances, which seem to shew that certain neutral Powers of whose Sagacity and great Spirit, the World had formed an high opinion are amused and imposed upon by very...
5From John Adams to Ferdinand Grand, 12 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favours of September 14 and 28th. but, by reason of an Amsterdam Fever, which they call an Introduction to the Freedom of the City, have not been able to answer them untill now. The article of L2411: 9s: 9d, which Mr Dana requested your Father you to pay me, arose in this manner. Mr Dana was here, bound to Paris and was Suspicious that he had not cash enough to bear his...
6From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am very sorry to learn that Congress had recieved no Letters from October to June. It is not that I wrote less than usual in that period, but that I was more unfortunate. Two Vessels, which sailed from hence for Boston, each of which had Dispatches from me for Congress, destroyed them, one upon being taken, and the other being chased. But the most of my Dispatches were Lost at St. Eustatia,...
7From John Adams to the President of Congress, 15 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I wish, if it were possible, to communicate to Congress the present State of every Affair, which they have been pleased to confide in any measure to me. I have recieved the new Commission for Peace, and the Revocation of my Commission and Instructions of the 29th of September 1779. To both of these Measures of Congress, as to the Commands of my Sovereign, I shall pay the most exact Attention....
8From John Adams to the President of Congress, 17 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 17 October 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 423–426). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:782–783. Included in this letter, a duplicate, was an English translation of a placard issued at Utrecht on 3 Oct. against Aan...
9From John Adams to the President of Congress, 18 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 18 October 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC, Misc. Papers , Reel No. 1, f. 427–433). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:787–790. In this letter, a duplicate, JA discussed the war’s effect on Dutch trade. He reported that fishermen from Vlaardingen...
10From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 18 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time Since I had the Pleasure of writing to you. I have been, to the very gate of the other Mansion. My Feet had well nigh Stumbled on the dark mountains: but by the Skill of Dr Osterdike and the Barks wondrous Virtue, I am returned here to take two or three more Lessons of Politicks. If your affairs will admit of your Spending Some time at Amsterdam, I should be obliged to you,...
11From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 18 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Thomas Beer, with his Wife and two small Children came to my House this forenoon, and presented me a Letter from Mr Coffyn of Dunkirk of the 2d. of Octr, recommending Beer to me as a Person who had been obliged to fly from England, for having assisted American Prisoners to escape; and inclosing a Copy of a Letter from your Excellency to Mr Coffyn of the 22d. of August, advising Beer to go to...
12From John Adams to Francis Coffyn, 19 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday received, your Favour of the 2d Of this Month by Beers who with his Wife and two Children came to me, in deplorable Distress, his Children having been Sick and detained him on the Road, untill he had Spent his last shilling. This Man never made a greater Mistake than in coming to Holland where at Present, all Business being in a State of Stagnation, Tradesmen in General find the...
13From John Adams to James Searle, 20 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I condole with you most affectionately and cordially in your fresh disappointment. It is to be hoped the Tide will turn. I have recd, Letters for You from Govr Reed, with a desire to open them in case of your being gone. You were gone, and I opened them and read them, with infinite Pleasure. They contain the best Account of American affairs that I have seen. The substance of them, is Advising...
14From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 22 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your Excellency’s Letter of the 12th. I should be much obliged to You for your sentiments, of what is to be understood by accepting the Mediation of a Power or Powers? Is a Mediator to be an Arbitrator, and is the Power that accepts the Mediation bound to submit to the Award? Is the great question of the War submitted to the discussion and final Judgment of the Mediator? For...
15From John Adams to Job Field and Others, 24 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
Yours of September the 8th. I have but just received, it went a long Circuit to come to me. I am very Sorry for your misfortune, in being captured, and wish you Liberty as soon as possible, but rec ommend to you Patience, the only Remedy under Evils which cannot be avoided. Sufferings in so good and great a Cause, as that of our Country, are the easiest to bear, because they are honourable. I...
16From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 24 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have never answered your favor of August 22d. As to the Letters inclosed, I can say nothing. I cannot advise your Friend to take much Trouble about the Affair, because I think Congress will not be able to attend much to such things until the War is over. It is wholly out of my department, and I can do nothing in it, unless it be to inclose these or any other proposals to my Constituents. I...
17From John Adams to the President of Congress, 25 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I see in the London Courant, which arrived to day, an advertisement of a translation into English of the address to the People of the Netherlands: so that this work is likely to be translated into all Languages and read by all the World, notwithstanding the Placards against it. I have before sent that of Utrecht. That of Holland is as follows: “The States of Holland and of West Friesland, to...
18From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 25 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a Copy of a Letter I yesterday recieved from Corunna. I communicate it to your Excellency in Confidence. The Writer is a particular Friend of your’s. He has so good an Heart, and is so amiable a Man, that I would not expose him to the Resentment of any of the Gentlemen, and therefore pray your Excellency to keep his Letter secret. Yet his Opinion deserves some...
19From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 26 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I duely received your Excellencys Letter of August 6th, but have been prevented by Sickness and a variety of accidents from answering it Sooner. My accounts have never been mixed, with Mr Dana’s, any farther than this. Mr Dana was here last December, I believe, and was going to Paris. In order to avoid opening an account here, he desired me to lend him, Some money for the Expences of his...
20From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 27 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I had last night the honour of your Letter of the 22d and I most heartily congratulate the French Court and Nation, on the acquisition of a Dauphin. The Ships which the South Carolina, was to have taken under her Convoy, are Still here. I am told, that the Ships are the best that are to be had: that they are to be sold at a reasonable Rate, so reasonable that the difference, between the...
21From John Adams to the President of Congress, 1 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is still as problematical as ever, what is the political System of this Republick, and indeed whether it has any System at all. They talk much and deliberate long, but execute nothing. By the Violence with which they speak and write of each other, a Stranger would think them ripe for a civil War. In the Assembly of the States of Guelderland, held to consider of the Requisition of the King...
22From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 12 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
By the last Post, Letters have been recieved in this Town from Mr. Gillon and from a Passenger, Mr. Le Roy, by which and a note upon one of them by Mr. Lagoanere it appears that the South Carolina sailed form Corunna on the seventeenth of October, and that Captain Jackson and Mr. Trumbull are gone in an American Privateer to Bilbao, in order to take Passage from thence to America: so that the...
23From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 19 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging Letter of the 7th instant I had the honor to recieve on Saturday night by Mr Fox, to whom I shall be happy to shew every Civility in my Power, according to the Recommendation of your Excellency and Mr. Franklin. I have recieved a Letter from Captain Jackson, and another from my Boy at Bilbao, which inform me of their Intention to embark for Salem in a Privateer which was to sail...
24From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 22 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening, was brought to me, the Proposals of the owners of the Ships, in the following Words. “To take from the owners of the Vessells the Liberty and the Aurora, at the Rate they shall be found to amount, not only of purchase Money, but also of all other Expences made thereon till the day of taking over the Said Vessells. Further to pay the half of the Freight Money, that are agreed, and...
25From John Adams to the Duc de La Vauguyon with a Letterbook Memorandum, 24 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams presents his most respectfull Compliments to his Excellency, the Duke de la Vauguion, and begs leave to acquaint him, that by the last nights Post he received from Congress Some important Dispatches which it is his Duty to communicate to the Ambassador of France. Mr Adams requests his Excellency, to inform him, what Hour will be most convenient for him to wait on him at the Arms of...
26From John Adams to Jean de Neufville & Fils, 24 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of this days date, together with four thousand florins in cash, 175 being deducted for the 7 Coopons of Interest paid being the amount of four obligations of the United States, disposed of by you. I received at the Same time two obligations with their Coopons, and Seven Coopons for the first half years Interest paid by you. I recd yesterday, by Mr. Thaxter one...
27From John Adams to the Duc de La Vauguyon, 25 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to inclose to your Excellency, a Copy of the fresh Instructions of Congress of the Sixteenth of August last which I received by the Post the 23d instant. I have also received a further Commission, from Congress, with full Powers, to confer treat, agree and conclude with the Person or Persons vested with equal Powers, by his most Christian Majesty, and their high mightinesses...
28From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 26 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I presume You have a Copy from Congress of their Instructions to me of the 16th. of August: but as it is possible it may be otherwise, I have inclosed one. I have communicated them to the Duke de la Vauguion, who says they are très bien vues, très bien combinées. I shall do nothing in the business, without communicating it beforehand to him, with the most entire Confidence, and recieving his...
29From John Adams to John Jay, 26 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
By the last Post, I recieved from L’Orient a sett of fresh Instructions from Congress, dated the 16th. of August, and with the more enjoined to open a Correspondence with your Excellency, upon the subject of them. I presume You have Copy by the same Vessel; but as it is possible it may have been omitted, I shall venture to inclose a Copy, and hope it may pass unopened. I have communicated it...
30From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 27 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am this moment honoured with your Letter of Yesterdays date and I thank you for your kind Congratulations, on the News from America. May Great Britain ever Send to America, while she continues to send any, only such brave, able, active and enterprizing Generals as Cornwallis and Burgoine. Every Such General will consume them an Army of Ten or Fifteen Thousand Men, every Campain, without...