3 November 1775. Dft not found. printed : JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress , 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 3:319. Based on a report (not found) from a committee appointed 26 October composed of John Rutledge, JA , Samuel Ward, Richard Henry Lee, and Roger Sherman, which reported on 3 November ( same Worthington C. Ford and others,...
2V. Naval Committee to Silas Deane, 7 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
You are desired to repair immediately to the City of New York, and there purchase a Ship suitable for carrying 20 nine pounders upon one deck, if such a Ship can there be found. Also a Sloop, suitable to carry ten guns, which we would choose should be Bermudian built if such a one can be had. If you succeed in purchasing both, or either of these Vessels, you will use all possible expedition to...
3VIII. Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies, 28 November – December 1775 (Adams Papers)
ART. 1. The Commanders of all ships and vessels belonging to the THIRTEEN UNITED COLONIES, are strictly required to shew in themselves a good example of honor and virtue to their officers and men, and to be very vigilant in inspecting the behaviour of all such as are under them, and to discountenance and suppress all dissolute, immoral and disorderly practices; and also, such as are contrary...
4Henry Laurens, Richard Henry Lee, and John Adams to Joseph Trumbull, 5 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Resolve of Congress which you will receive under this Cover will shew you that we are appointed a Committee and for what purposes. We request you to transmit to us by the earliest good opportunity the fullest intelligence in your late department of Commissary General and you will further oblige us by adding any further information properly authenticated relative to the enquiries which we...
With great pleasure to ourselves we discharge our duty by inclosing to you your Commission for representing these United States at the Court of France. We are by no means willing to indulge a thought of your declining this important service, and therefore we send duplicates of the Commission and the late Resolves, in order that you may take one sett with you, and send the other, by another...
That by the return of ordinance and stores taken from the enemy in the Northern department from the 19 Sept. to 17 Oct. inclusive it appears, there were only 4647 muskets, which are returned “unfit for service,” 3477 bayonets without scabbards, 638 cartouch boxes, 1458 cutlasses without scabbards, 6000 dozen musket cartridges, 1135 ready or fixed shot for 32 peices of cannon, and only 15...
7To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 13 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Our public letter does not leave me much to add, but friendship will not suffer me to let this opportunity pass, without expressing my wishes to congratulate you on your safe arrival in France. You will find our affairs at your Court in a much more respectable Train than they have been heretofore, and therefore, no doubt more agreable to you. Finance seems now the only rock upon which we have...
8The Foreign Affairs Committee to the Commissioners, 14 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Our Affairs have now a universally good appearance. Every thing at home and abroad seems verging towards a happy and permanent period. We are preparing for either War or Peace; for altho we are fully perswaded that our Enemies are wearied beaten and disappoint in despair, yet we shall not presume too much on that belief, and the rather, as it is our fixt determination to admit no terms of...
9Marine Committee to the Commissioners, 10 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
There is wanted for A fifty Six Gun Ship now building at Portsmouth in the State of New Hampshire, Twenty eight 24 pounders Cannon and Twenty eight 18 Pounders which We request you will order to be shipped for that Port or the Port of Boston by the first Opportunity. Should the Continental Frigates Boston and Providence be in France when this gets to hand they may take in those Cannon and in...
10To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 20 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Our enemies at N. York had contrived to distress us a good deal by a publication that the Boston was taken and carried into England. We were at first greatly concerned for our Friend, until we reflected on the lying genius of our enemies, and the improbability that Heaven would permit such a triumph of Vice over Virtue. Now we are made happy by an account from Boston that you are safely...
11Foreign Affairs Committee to the Commissioners, 21 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
The British Commissioners have arrived and transmitted their powers and propositions to Congress, which have received the answer you will see in the Pennsylvania Gazette of the 20th. instant. On the 18th. of this month Gen. Clinton with the British army (now under his command) abandoned Philadelphia, and the City is in possession of our Troops. The enemy crossed into Jersey, but whether with...
While we officially communicate to you the inclosed Resolve the Foundation of which you cannot remain a Stranger to, we must intreat you to be assiduous in sending, to those Commissioners who have left France and gone to the Courts for which they were respectively appointed, all the American Intelligence which you have greater Opportunity than they to receive from hence, particularly to Mr....
13To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 29 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am exceedingly happy to hear of your safe arrival, and I hope agreeable accommodation at Paris. At first, I doubt not, the splendid gaity of a magnificent Court, accorded not so well with the temperate manners of a sober Republican. But use reconciles most things. It may soon happen that you be desired to visit Holland, where I believe they yet retain much of that simplicity of manners which...
14To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 24 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
Philadelphia, 24 April 1779. Dft ( ViU : Lee Papers). printed : The Letters of Richard Henry Lee , ed. James Ballagh, 2 vols., N.Y., 1914 (repr. N.Y., 1970), 2:46–49. Given its date and its existence only in draft, this reply to John Adams’ letter of 5 Aug. 1778 (vol. 6:350–352) probably never reached him. Lee commended Adams for his determination to remain outside the quarrels of the...
15To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 8 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you most sincerely on your safe return to your family and your country. I hope you found the former in good health, and the latter I am very sensible will be at all times benefitted by the assistance of so able a Citizen, and the more especially at this time, when the most important of all sublunary things is under consideration, the establishing of government. Independent of...
16To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 7 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I should have paid my respects to you before now had I known where to have directed my letters, for at this time I have no other method than to inclose the present to our friend Mr. Lovell at Philadelphia, who I trust will know the best manner of conveying it. The enemy appear to have abated very little of their pride, however much their power may be lessened. It may be expected nevertheless...
17Ratification of the Second Dutch Loan, 1 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
Be it remembered that the within Contract or engagement entered into by the Honourable John Adams Esquire Minister Plenipotentiary of the United states of America to their High Mightinesses the Lords—the States General of the United Netherlands, in behalf of the said states with Messieurs Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob Van Staphorst and de la Lande & Fynje and their Successors and...
The United States of America in Congress assembled. To our trusty and well beloved John Adams Esquire Send Greeting We reposing special trust and confidence in your Integrity Prudence and Ability have nominated constituted and appointed and by these Presents do nominate constitute and appoint you the said John Adams our Minister Plenipotentiary to reside at the Court of His britannic Majesty...
19Joint Commission to Negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Morocco, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
Duplicate. The United States in Congress Assembled. [ 11 March 1785 ] To all to whom these Presents shall come or be made known send Greeting: Whereas We, reposing special Trust and Confidence in the Integrity, Prudence and Ability of our trusty and well beloved The Honorable John Adams, late one of our Ministers Plenipotentiary for negotiating a Peace, and heretofore a Delegate in Congress...
20The American Commissioners’ Letter of Credence to the Emperor of Morocco, 11 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
To the Great, Noble and Imperial Sovereign, the Emperor of Morocco.— We the United States of America in Congress Assembled, being desirous of cultivating and establishing Peace and Harmony between your Majesty and our Nation, have appointed the Honorable John Adams late one of our Ministers Plenipotentiary for negotiating a Peace, and heretofore a Delegate in Congress from the State of...
21To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 14 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
The desire of paying my respects to an old and excellent friend compels me under all the pressures of ill health and much business, to avail myself of Col o. Smiths secure conveyance to take up my pen. It is long since I have written to you, but much longer since I have had the honor of hearing from you, and I am perfectly satisfied that both these effects have been produced by causes not...
22To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 28 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you by Col o. Smith, which letter I doubt not but that you have, or will in due time, safely receive. My hopes are great, that your wisdom, and the good sense of the British Administration; will extinguish the mischievous discord that has been so artfully and industriously fomented by the enemies of both countries to the essential injury of both, and in violation...
23To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 1 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter by your Son with the pleasure that will always attend such communications from an old and much esteemed friend— But on this occasion I have been the more happy as it furnished me with an opportunity of shewing civilities to the Son of my friend— I have had as much of his company as our mutual affairs would permit because I have had the satisfaction to lodge him in my...
24To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 23 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received the letter that you did me the honor to write me on the 15 th. of July with the pleasure that always accompanies the receipt of letters from my old and much esteemed friend. I see with pleasure that your reception at the Court of London has been such as to promise you an agreeable residence there; which may be somewhat pleasant altho you should unfortunately fail in the principal...
25To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 24 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Having yesterday written a long letter to you, I have now only to request your attention to the following business, which is of very great importance to those whom it concens; and who form a considerable portion of the Citizens of these States. The Representatives of those professing the Church of England system of religion, having been lately assembled at Philadelphia, where Lay & Clerical...
26To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 12 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
My Presedential year being ended I had left New York for this place (from which and from my family I had been thirteen months absent) before the Letters which you did me the honor to write me on the twenty six of August, the six and seventh of September came to hand; which has preventd me from shewing the Civilities to M r Storer and M r Wingrove that I should otherwise have taken pleasure in...
27To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 3 September 1787 (Adams Papers)
Since my letter to you of december 1785 from Chantilly in Virginia in answer to the letters that you were pleased to write me on the 26 th. of August, 6 th. & 7 th. of September 1785; I have not been honored with any letter from you. On my arrival here I met with, and read with great pleasure your book on the American governments— The judicious collection that you have made, with your just...
28To John Adams from Richard Henry Lee, 6 February 1821 (Adams Papers)
It is not without great diffidence, that I take the liberty of addressing a few words to you—I am fully aware, that almost any intrusion must be irksome to one, who, having spent a long & honorable life devoted to the good of his country & mankind, has retired from the active scenees of the world; to a dignified and placid seclusion—Yet I am embolden, by the thought that while you will be...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Henry Lee, 11 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; ALS (draft): Yale University Library; copy: National Archives I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a packet for his most Christian Majesty containing a letter from Congress to that Monarch recommending our able and active friend the Marquis la Fayette to his royal favor. The Marquis’s former and recent services to America deserve, and have...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Henry Lee, 14 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a resolve of Congress passed this Day, the arrival of which in due season to prevent the signing of the convention alluded to, until an Opportunity of reconsidering it in full Congress may be had, will be very agreeable to that Body— I have the honor to be with the highest esteem and regard, Sir, Your Excellency’s Most...