The United States of America in Congress Assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of His Prussian Majesty and the Citizens of the said States founded on the principles of equality reciprocity and friendship, may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the twelfth day of May last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the said States to the Subscribers as their...
Mr̃ Jefferson’s compliments to M r. Adams & D r. Franklin, and incloses to them the letter to the D. of Dorset on the separate articles. he also sends one on the general subject & in the general form as had been agreed when they parted last: but thinking that it might be better, by reciting what had been done with mr̃ Hartley to keep the ground we have gained, and not to admit that we...
13The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 27 th day of Sept r last, and we thank you for your care in transmitting to your Court, the information of our appointment to treat with it. You desire to be informed if one or more of us can repair to Madrid for the purpose of conducting & concluding the negotiation, because that it is the system of your Court in matters...
14The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
The United States of america in Congress assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty & the Citizens of the Said States founded on the Principles of equality, reciprocity & friendship may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the 12 th. day of may last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the Said States to the Subscribers as their Ministers...
15The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
While M. hartley was here as Minister from the Court of Great Britain, we had the honour of mentioning to him that we were instructed by the Congress to treat on Some points distinct from any regulations of Commerce He Communicated this to his Court & the very Satisfactory answer which he received & made to us of its good disposition & willingness to receive & consider any propositions that...
We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8 th Ult o. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. M r Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in all our Treaties with...
17VII. To the Baron von Thulemeier, 13 February 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 24 th: of Jan y. did not reach me, untill two Days ago. I communicated the Observations, inclosed in it, immediately to my Colleagues, who will transmit you our Answers, as soon as Health, and other Circumstances will admit. I have communicated to them also, your personal and confidential observations to me. They will have great Weight as they ought to have. I am weary of...
We had the honour of receiving your Letter of Jan ry: 24. covering a translation into French of the Draught of a treaty proposed between His Majesty the King of Prussia & the United States of America, together with answers to the several articles. We have considered them with attention, & with all those dispositions to accomodate them to the wishes of His Majesty which a respect for his...
Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
We have received the Extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of the 24 th Oct r 1784 which your Excellency was pleased to send us by the hand of the Secretary of your legation. “That in consequence of our letter your Excellency might assure us that Her Most faithful Majesty will be very glad to have the best correspondence with the United States, and that we may explain to your Excellency...
21The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
22The American Commissioners to Francesco Favi, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16 th. of Nov r. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity & Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness & the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
We have received the letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10 th day of December last. We supposed that the principles contained in the project of a Treaty, which we had the honour to transmit you, were a virtual answer to the requisition in the last lines of your letter of the eighteenth of October. By the second & third Articles, the citizens & subjects of each power may frequent...
In our last of Dec r. 15 we had the honour of communicating to Congress our letter to the Ambassador of Portugal which accompanied the draught of the treaty of Amity & Commerce proposed on our part. Since that date he addressed to us the letter N o. 1. acknowledging the receipt of ours & informing us that he had forwarded it to his court. The Baron de Thulemeier also, the Prussian Minister at...
26The American Commissioners to John Jay, 18 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We received by the last Packet the favor of your letter of Jan ry. 14. in which we have the agreeable information of your having accepted the appointment of Secretary for foreign Affairs. Besides the general interest we feel in this event as members of the Union which is to availed of your services, we are particularly happy that a channel of communication is opened for us with Congress in...
27John Adams to Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, 20 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
According to your desire, I went early this Morning to Versailles, and finding the Count de Vergennes unembarassed with Company, and only attended by his private Secretaries, I soon obtained the Honour of a Conference, in which I told him that my Colleagues were very sorry, that Indisposition necessarily prevented their paying their respects to him in Person, & obliged them to request me alone...
28The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 28 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We have the honour to enclose an extract of a letter from the Commissioners of the United States of America to Your Excellency dated Aug st. 28 th. 1778. Copy of Your Excellency’s ans r dated 27. Sept r. 1778. & Copy of M. de Sartine’s letter to Your Excellency of the 21 st of Sept r. 1778 all relative to a proposed negotiation with the States of Barbary. Not having any particular authority or...
29From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 22 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
We left Auteuil the 20 th. afternoon and have made easy Journeys. indeed We could not have done otherwise, because the Posthorses were engaged, by the unusual Number of Travellers, in Such Numbers that We have been Sometimes obliged to wait. The Country is an heap of Ashes. Grass is Scarcely to be Seen and all Sorts of Grain is Short, thin, pale and feeble while the Flax is quite dead. You See...
30From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
We are just arrived, covered with Dust, and have hired, our Boat, to go over tomorrow at ten. no green Peas, no Sallad, no Vegetables to be had upon the Road, and the Sky is Still as clear dry and cold as ever. The Flocks of Sheep and herds of Cattle, through the Country Stalk about the Fields like Droves of Walking Skeletons. The Sheep are pastured chiefly I think in the plowed grounds, upon...
31To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 25 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 22 d from Montreuil sur mer is put into my hands this moment, and having received information of your son and two American gentlemen being to set out for London tomorrow morning I seize a moment to inform you that he had arrived well at l’Orient & was well on the 20 th. when the packet was still detained by contrary winds. mr̃ Barclay, who is arrived, had also seen him. be...
32From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 27 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I arrived Yesterday and have made my Visit to day, and been very politely rec d , by the Marquis, but of this more hereafter. this is devoted to a smaller Subject. Upon Enquiry I find, that I cannot, be exempted from paying duties upon my Wines, because no foreign Minister is. except for a less quantity than I have of the best qualities in my Cellar at the Hague.— so that I must stop all that...
33From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 27 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I found that either the Duke of Dorsetts Letter to the Premier, had produced an order at Dover or that his Graces Letter to the Custom House Office had as good an Effect, for I was allowed to pass without Molestation, and indeed received Marks of particular Respect. We arrived Yesterday 26. in the Afternoon, and as Fortune would have it Coll Smith arrived the Night before 25.— We Soon met.— I...
Our Secretary of State for foreign Affairs, in a Letter of 13. Ap. informs me, that he wrote Us a Letter by Capt. Lamb dated 11. March, inclosing a Variety of Papers respecting the Treaties We are directed to negotiate and conclude with the Barbary Powers. inclosed is a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of 14. Feb. 1785, inclosed to me, in the Secretary’s Letter.— I know nothing of Capt Lambs...
35To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 2 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of May 23. and the two of May 27. came safely to hand, the first being open. that of the 22 d. from Montreuil sur mer had been received and answered on the 25 th. The day before the receipt of the letters of the 27 th. we had had your cases brought to the barrier of Paris in order to get the proper officer to go that far to plumb them. From there they were put on board the boat...
I have now the honour to inform you that having shewn my Commission to the Right Honourable the Marquis of Carmarthen, and left an Authenticated Copy together with a Copy of my Letter of Credence to the King according to the usage. I had the Honour on the first of this month to be introduced by his Lordship to His Majesty, in his Closet with all the Ceremonies, and formalities, practised on...
37From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 7 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of 25. May. and thank you for the News of my son, and for the News of Paris. I wished to have Seen the Queens Entrance into Paris. but I Saw the Queen of England on Saturday, the Kings Birth day, in all her Glory. it is paying very dear to be a King or Queen to pass One Such a day in a Year. To be obliged to enter into Conversation with four or five hundred, or four or five...
Among the instructions given to the Ministers of the United states for treating with foreign powers, was one of the 11 th. of May 1784. relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Pecquet. it contains an acknowlegement on the part of Congress of his merits and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us...
39To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 22 June 1785 (Adams Papers)
My last to you was of the 2 d. inst. since which I have received yours of the 3 d. and 7 th. I informed you in mine of the substance of our letter to Baron Thulemeyer. last night came to hand his acknolegement of the receipt of it. he accedes to the method proposed for signing, and has forwarded our dispatch to the king. I inclose you a copy of our letter to mr Jay to go by the packet of this...
40To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 7 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
This will accompany a joint letter inclosing the draught of a treaty, and my private letter of June 22. which has waited so long for a private conveiance. we daily expect from the Baron Thulemeyer the French column for our treaty with his sovereign. in the mean while two copies are preparing with the English column which Doct r. Franklin wishes to sign before his departure, which will be...
41To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with a Draft Anglo-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 8 … (Adams Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20 th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our groundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations & additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia & Tûscany and which we thought were...
42To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Doct r. Franklin sets out this morning for Havre from whence he is to cross over to Cowes there to be taken on board Cap t Truxen’s ship bound from London to Philadelphia. the Doctor’s baggage will be contained in 150. or 200 boxes &c. we doubt that the laws of England will not permit these things to be removed from one vessel into another; and it would be attended with great difficulty, delay...
43From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 16 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have been so perplexed with Ceremonials, Visits Removals and eternal applications from Beggars of one Species and another, besides the real Business of my Department, that I fear I have not answered your favour of the second of June, which I received in Season— I have received from M r. Garvey all but my wine & have written him to day to forward that and will run the risque of it, as I...
44From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of June 22 d. and July 7 and 11 th. are before me. The delay of M r: Lamb’s Arrival is unfortunate, but I think with you that the sooner a project of Treaties is prepared the better, and I will give the earliest attention to it whenever you shall send it— I shall go this morning to Stockdale, to talk with him about sending you the News Papers, and Pamphlets through the Channell of...
45From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 24 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have a Letter from the Baron D e Thulemeier of the 19 th. and a Copy of his Letter to you of the same date. I hope now in a few Day’s to take M r. Short by the hand in Grosvenor Square, and to put my hand to the [Tr]eaty. I think no time should be lost. We will join M r. Dumas with M r. Short in the Exchange if you please. I applyed as you desired, and obtained the interposition of the Lords...
46To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of July 16. and 18. came to hand the same day on which I had received Baron Thulemeier’s inclosing the ultimate draught for the treaty. as this draught, which was in French, was to be copied into the two instruments which Doct r. Franklin had signed, it is finished this day only. mr̃ Short sets out immediately. I have put into his hands a letter of instructions how to conduct...
47To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 31 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I was honoured yesterday with your’s of the 24 th. instant. when the {1 st. article} of {our instrns} of May {7.} 1784. was {under debate in Congress,} it was {proposed} that {neither party} should make {the other pay} in {their ports greater duties than} they {paid} in the {ports} of the {other.} one {Objection} to this was {it’s impracticability,} another {that it} would {put it} out {of our...
48From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 4 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday our Friend M r Short arrived. M r Dumas had never any Commission from Congress, and therefore can have no Title under the United States. He never had any other Authorization than a Letter from D r Franklin and another from the Committee of Secret Correspondence, in the year 1775. I wish he had a regular Commission. I direct my Letters to Monsieur C. W. F. Dumas a la Haye, only. I...
49To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 6 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I now inclose you a draught of a treaty for the Barbary states, together with the notes D r. Franklin left me. I have retained a presscopy of this draught, so that by referring to any article, line & word in it you can propose amendments & send them by the post without any body’s being able to make much of the main subject. I shall be glad to receive any alterations you may think necessary as...
50From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 7 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
As to the Cask of Wine at Auteuil, it is not paid for. if you will pay for it and take it, you will oblige me. by a Sample of it, which I tasted it is good Wine, and very, extreamly cheap. I am happy to find We agree So perfectly in the Change which is made in the Project.— The Dye is cast. The Proposal is made. Let them ruminate upon it.— I thought of proposing a Tariff of Duties, that We...
51To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 10 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 4 th. inst. came to hand yesterday. I now inclose you the two Arrets against the importation of foreign manufactures into this kingdom. the cause of the balance against this country in favor of England as well as it’s amount is not agreed on. no doubt the rage for English manufactures must be a principal cause. the speculators in Exchange say also that those of the...
52To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 7 th. {this was 4. days later than} mr̃ Short’s of the {same date.} it {had evidently been opened. so we must} therefore consider {both govm̃ts as possessed of it’s contents.} I write you a line at this moment merely to inform you that {mr̃ Barclay is willing} to {go to treat with} the {Barbary states if we desire it} & that {this will} not {take him from...
53From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 6. Aug. with the Notes and Project inclosed. How can We send another Person? We have not in our Full Power authority to Substitute. Will not the Emperor and the Regencies feel their Dignity offended if a Person appears without a Commission from Congress? Do you mean that he Should only agree upon the Terms and transmit them to Us to be Signed? if you think...
54From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 23 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
last night, I received your Favour of the 17.— if both Governments are possessed of the Contents of my letter of the 7 th. by opening it in the Post Office, much good may those Contents do them. They both know they have deserved it. I hope it will convince them of their Error, and induce them to adopt more liberal Principles towards Us. I am for answering their Utmost Generosity with equal and...
55From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 4 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received three Letter of the Tenor and Date of the within— I cannot find in any Gazetteer or geographical Dictionary any Such Place as Roscoff, and I can make nothing of the Story. I hope you have more Skill in Divination. I have no Letters from Congress, nor any Answer from the Ministry. Pray what are the Sentiments in France upon the American Acts of Navigation? and what has been the...
56To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 4 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
On receipt of your favors of Aug. 18. & 23. I conferred with mr̃ Barclay on the measures necessary to be taken to set our treaty with the pyratical states into motion through his agency. supposing that we should begin with the emperor of Marocco, a letter to the emperor & instructions to mr̃ Barclay seemed necessary. I have therefore sketched such outlines for these as appear to me to be...
57I. The American Commissioners’ Draft of Thomas Barclay’s Letter of Credence to the Emperor of Morocco, 12 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
The United States of America, heretofore connected in Government with Great Britain, have found it necessary for their Happiness to Seperate from her, and to assume an independant Station. consisting of a number of Seperate States, they have confederated together, and placed the Sovereignty of the whole, in matters relating to foreign nations, in an body an Assembly consisting of Delegates...
58IV. The American Commissioners to William Carmichael, 12 September 1785 – 11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
M r. Barclay will deliver you this letter in his way to Morocco. We have appointed him to this negotiation in hopes of obtaining the friendship of that State to our country, & of opening by that means the commerce of the Mediterranean, an object of sufficient importance to induce him to accept of the trust We recommend him & Col o. Franks who goes with him to your attention & assistance, and...
59VI. Thomas Barclay’s Letter of Credence to the Emperor of Morocco, 1–11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
The Congress of the United States of America after the conclusion of that war which established their freedom & independance, & after the cares which were first necessary for the restoration of order & regular government, turned their attention in the first moment possible to the connections which it would be proper to form with the nations on this side the Atlantic for the maintenance of...
60VIII. John Lamb’s Supplementary Instructions for Negotiations with Algiers, 1–11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
We have received information that two American vessels, the Dauphin from Philadelphia & and the Maria from Boston with their Crews & Cargoes have lately been taken by the Algerines off the coast of Portugal, & 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 & Commerce, the redemption of our citizens made...