74701To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society This letter, undated, unsigned, and in an unidentified hand, survives among Franklin’s papers. Internal evidence indicates that it was written by someone in the colonies and at about the middle of the eighteenth century. Because the problem of colonial union was being so actively discussed in 1754, it is tentatively assigned to that year. According to your...
74702To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 14 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
There are two sets of Persons here who appear particularly anxious to learn the Result of the Presidential Election. The Hamilton Faction shew much Exultation at the Appearance of Mr. Pinckney keeping an equal Pace with the Man they hate, on the Road they constructed for the New England Electors to pursue. Those Electors, at least those of Massachusetts, are desirous to know whether their...
74703To George Washington from Colonel Walter Stewart, 28 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the pleasure of writing your Excellency, I have Convers’d with General Lacey Concerning the Provisions going in such Quantitys to Town; that Gentleman is highly disgusted with the manner in which the People in this County Act, and is determin’d to use his Utmost endeavours in putting a total stop thereto. His very great want of men at present, puts it out of his power the doing any...
74704To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have received a letter from General Wayne of the 10th instant of which the enclosed is a copy. Every thing he has requested has been forwarded excepting a full supply of blankets & shoes for the old regiments and clothing for about one company of the old troops, which number is deficient as not standing the rigid inspection which has been made. The powder he requests is a fine grained...
74705To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Searcy, 22 May 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have for some time been desirous to explore Louisiana since it has been ceded to the United States, particularly that part which is Watered by the Red and Arkansas Rivers. I have ventured to address you on the subject, having seen the Copy of a Report of a Committee on that subject recommending to Authorize the President to have a full and compleat Geographical Report made from Actual...
74706To James Madison from James Monroe, 10 May 1815 (Madison Papers)
I fear that it will not be in my power to leave this for the present. Several of our friends have advised me not to do it, lest it might be injurious to us both. The reason is the unsettled state of Europe, & the suspension of some of the most important measures of the govt. in consequence. They say that the President & Secry. of State ought not both to be absent at once, especially as there...
74707To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 2 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I rec d. the honour of your Excellency’s last Letter of 12. August in Florence while I was preparing for my journey. Various impediments have retarded me so long, that I have been unfortunate enough as not to find you here. Two have been the principal objects of my coming to pay a visit to your Excell y. Remembering that you often complained in Paris about the difficulty of sending a Letter...
74708To George Washington from Lund Washington, 7 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
When I wrote my last there was company at the House Who interrupted me, so that I neglect[ed] to Answer that part of your Letter relative to the Dray Colt —I suppose you never expected he woud be a very handsome Horse—he is far from it—but as Clumsy as need be, not haveing more activity in him than your Bull—he is pretty well grown but not so high as might be expected (about 14 hands 3 Inches)...
747095th. (Adams Papers)
Snow’d moderately, a large part of the day. We recite to Mr. Burr. Professor Pearson, gave a lecture with which he concluded his observations upon the article. I did not hear many of them. At 7 this evening we had a meeting of the ΦBK at Cranch’s chamber. Mr. Ware, was excused from reading a dissertation. I had written with White in opposite composition, and read the following piece. Whether...
74710[Diary entry: 1 May 1798] (Washington Papers)
1. Morning—clear—wind at South & Mer. at 63. Clear & warm all day—wind in the same place. Mer. 71 at Night—75 at highest.
74711Excise, [11 January] 1791 (Madison Papers)
The motion for striking out the twelfth section was defeated, 42 to 11. Jackson then moved to strike out the thirteenth section, providing for an excise on spirits distilled from materials grown or produced in the United States. Opponents of the excise argued that it was not necessary, that it would be particularly oppressive to southerners, and that other means of taxation were to be...
74712To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 12 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In Consequence of our respects to your Excellcy. dated 20th. Sepr. since which we are deprived of your favors, we Communicated the Contents of the last to his Excy. John Adams Esqr. as soon as his health would admit of it who told us he was quite a Stranger to this business, but would (we think) write to your Excellcy. about it. We have learnt since that...
74713To James Madison from James Monroe, 16 January 1806 (Madison Papers)
I arrived here to day to be prepared to attend the drawing room on the 18th., & found a notice from Ld. Mulgrave to attend a levee of the King to be held this Day at Buckingham house. I attended & was recd. with propriety. Nothing occurrd of an interesting nature. The King appeard to enjoy perfect good health, tho’ his eyesight was obviously impaired. On our affrs. with this country no change...
74714To George Washington from James Mitchell Varnum, 20 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
Perhaps my Residence in this Place for near a Year without writing to your Excellency, may be deemed Inattention. Two Considerations have hitherto disswaded me from seeking an epistolary Correspondence: The one, your Excellency’s necessary Application to an Infinity of important Objects; The other, General Sullivan, with whom, ’till of late, I have had the most unreserved Communications, has...
74715From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Morgan, 4 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have only a bust portrait of mr Madison, that is done by Pine formerly of Philadelphia, & is but an indiffent one, and it is at Monticello. it bears no comparison, in point of merit with the one done by Stewart, in possession of mr Madison himself. I know but of that single one existing, but there may be other copies. of this I am not able to inform you. I salute you with respect. DLC :...
74716To Benjamin Franklin from James Hutton, 2 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recd. last week your Letters of Feb. 1. and 12. The advice you give is such that I do not well see what use can be made of it. I am obliged to you however for answering my importunate Letter. I should always think it is far better that those Ministers, in whose time the war began, should accomodate matters, than any other persons whatever. I see a...
74717Thomas Law to Thomas Jefferson, 3 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I submit to you a production intended to be perused by the female sex which has so much i nfluence on man from the cradle to the grave— There is a case in the quarterly review of Octo r 1811 page 286—which shews the distressing effects of oppression & contempt shewn to a boy of sensibility, & of the benefits resulting by a change to encouragement & benevolence, which strongly conf corroborates...
74718To James Madison from William Irvine, 23 March 1801 (Madison Papers)
I most sincerely & heartily congratulate you, on the late success in the Election of President, and appointments to office in consequence; not that I think yours has been sought, or is even agreeable to you, but in as much as you are willing to lend your aid and give some of your time to the public service, so soon as circumstances would render them acceptable. Many of us, you & I among the...
74719From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Wharton, 17 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress You oblig’d me very much in sending me Clinton’s Letters. I sent Copies to England and Holland, where it has been printed. Some have doubted its being genuine: My Answer, is, that whether written by him or not, it contains in my Opinion a True State of American and British Affairs in that Quarter. The Protestant Mob in London, begining soberly the 2d. Instant with the...
74720To John Jay from John Trumbull, 20 September 1798 (Jay Papers)
I wrote you a long letter on the 10 th . of December last, which with many others was lost with the Ship Fame, which foundered at Sea: a similar fate may also have attended letters from you to me, since it is very long since I have had the Honour to receive a line from you;— I have written several times since. In one of mine of last year I hinted to you a difficulty which was likely to occur...
74721From Thomas Jefferson to Adrien Petit, 27 March 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Je vous ai ecrit, Monsieur Petit, de Lyons pour vous prevenir que j’avois acheté des vins de [Mon]rachet, que le nommé Monsr. Parrain , de la ville de Beaune devoit faire passer à Paris, en vous en avertissant. Comme l’occasion sera bonne pour faire mon approvisionnement de vin en passant à Marseille à Lunel et à Bourdeaux, je vous prie de m’envoyer à Aix tout de suite l’etat actuel de tous...
74722Sketch of Propositions for a Peace, [after 26 September 1776 and before 25 October 1776] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress This document, in an unidentified hand, was among the papers that Franklin left to his grandson and editor. When William Temple Franklin eventually published it, he gave two possible explanations of it. The first was that his grandfather thought it advisable to carry with him propositions for peace with Great Britain, and therefore drew up these and submitted them to...
74723From Thomas Jefferson to John Hancock, 11 October 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 30th. together with the resolutions of Congress of the 26th. Ult. came safe to hand. It would argue great insensibility in me could I receive with indifference so confidential an appointment from your body. My thanks are a poor return for the partiality they have been pleased to entertain for me. No cares for my own person, nor yet for my private affairs would have induced...
74724From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have taxed my eyes with a very heavy impost to read the senator Tracy’s Political Economy & been amply rewarded for the expense. When I first saw the volume I thought it was impossible I should get through, it, but when I had once made a beginning I found myself led on in so easy a train from proposition to proposition, every one of which appeared to me self evident, that I could not leave...
74725From George Washington to Richard Peters, 5 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 3d which I should have answered Yesterday, but I was down the River visiting the different posts. The constant demands for Arms and Accoutrements notwithstanding the great quantities lately delivered, is a thing so unaccountable, that I think no means should be left untried to investigate the true Reasons of such deficiencies in almost every Corps. The first Step...
74726To George Washington from Theodore Foster, 18 February 1790 (Washington Papers)
Knowing your Excellency to possess that Benevolence of Disposition which so much contributes to the General Happiness of the United States, and in which all the Citizens of the Union so much confide, I cannot refrain from soliciting your Attention to a Matter, which though more especially interesting to Me personally, is yet attended with such Circumstances connected with the Public, as will I...
74727Notes on Emigration, [ante 19 November] 1791 (Madison Papers)
Emigration Both in the vegetable and animal Kingdoms every species derives from nature a reproductive faculty beyond the demand for merely keeping up its stock. The seed of a single plant is sufficient to multiply it an hundred fold. The animal offspring is never limited to the number of the parents. This ordinance of nature is calculated in both instances for a twofold purpose. In both it...
74728III. Supplementary Instructions to John Lamb, 11 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received information that two American vessels, the Dauphin from Philadelphia and the Maria from Boston with their crews and cargoes have lately been taken by the Algerines off the coast of Portugal and that the crews are reduced to slavery. Our full powers to that State being for the general purpose only of concluding a treaty of Amity and Commerce, the redemption of our citizens made...
74729To James Madison from John Armstrong, 6 August 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that the existing appropriations applicable to the clothing Department & to the Subsistence of the Army are nearly expended, & to request that you will be pleased to direct that the Sum of Six hundred Thousand Dollars, appropriated for Ordnance, be applied to defray further Expences in the clothing Department; & that the Sum of Eight hundred thousand Dollars,...
74730To John Adams from Edmund Jenings, 22 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is so very long since I had the Honor of hearing from your Excellency, that I am fearful your Excellency is out of order. I take the Liberty of informing your Excellency, that I shall leave this place the Tenth of next Month, in order to Conduct my Nephew to Nantes, where He will embark about the first of June for America. Should your Excellency have any Commands I can Answer for Him, He...