121To John Adams from Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 23 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
We do ourselves the honour in answer to your Excellency’s esteemed favour of 14 dec̃:, to hand you inclosed Copy of the Letters both of Doctor Franklin Esq r and m r. Grand, by wh ch. you’ll be pleased to observe that the Contents are by no means favourable to our purpose. By the Washington Packet, we have again been favoured with His Excellency’s M r. Robt. Morris Eq r. ’s letters, with...
122To John Adams from Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 26 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
At the beginning of this Week having many Letters to dispatch relating to the Business of the United States, we agreed together upon their Contents, and every one of us charged himself with part of the Work. M r. Willink promised to write a Letter to your Excellency, and a short Time before the departure of the Mail, he Sent it to the other Houses for Signing. We observed he had not been very...
123To John Adams from Matthew Ridley, 27 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
I was honored with your two esteem’d Favors of the 18 t. & 21 st. Ult o. — I should have been a better Correspondent to you since your departure had I not been & still continue to be, under the greatest distress of a kind for M rs Ridley’s health. I fear she will not recover. I am happy to hear that you have profited so well by your Journey— May you continue to reap every advantage from it,...
124To John Adams from John Dudley, 30 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed I send you the two certificates you advised me to right for as vouchers to the Truth of what I represented relative to my being a prisnor of war— Likewise I have taken great pains to find out Capt. James Commins Commander of the Confederate which Ship I was Illegally Sent from my native Country in— I have had the good fortune to find he is now at home reseding at grenwich— the Cruel...
125To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 3 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received the Letter you did me the Honour of writing to me by Capt. Jones, and immediately answer’d it, acquainting you that my Packets contain’d no Commission, nor any Mention of one. I have just receiv’d another Letter from you, dated the 14th past, with a Number of Dispatches, but they are Duplicates only and as old as July; they contain nothing of the Commission neither, except the Vote...
126To John Adams from William Gordon, 7 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
You have very fairly & fully discharged your epistolary account of the preceeding year; which is an encouragement for me to begin anew. There is both pleasure & profit in corresponding with You; & notwithstanding some desponding expressions, I trust your strength & spirits will not be exhausted, till the business is completed. Finesse & subtilty are ministerial qualifications; & the only...
127To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 14 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
The definitive Treaty is this Day ratified by Congress, & I have but a few Moments, by Colonel Hermer, who is charged with the Delivery thereof, to inform You that M r Dana is arrived & requested to attend Congress. I have suggested to some of my Friends the good policy of appointing him to a Seat in Congress, & to him the Advantages to be at this Time expected from the Measure; & I flatter...
128To John Adams from Arthur Lee, 14 January [1784] (Adams Papers)
The Ratification having this day, the first on which nine States were represented, been unanimously passed; a special Messenger will be immediately dispatchd with it which gives me an opportunity of writing a few words to you which may arrive speedily & safely. The department of foreing Affairs being not yet filld, the business is of course in disorder & neglected. The arrangement of that...
129To John Adams from Samuel Osgood, [14 January 1784] (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of seeing M r. Thaxter your late Private Secretary at Philadelphia.— Congress were then on their Way to this Place— He being anxious to return to Mass tts. it was not tho’t expedient for him to come on here, as he delivered his Dispatches to the President of Congress in Philadel a. & as it did not seem probable that Congress would be soon assembled at this Place.— This is...
130To John Adams from William Carmichael, 15 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
M r Barry delivered me some days ago your Excellencys favor of the 20 th Nov r. at the Same time he put into my hands M r Ficths Note which I own surprized me greatly— The Warmth of M r Barrys heart led him to exagerate the civilities I showed him which proceeded in the first instance from the manner in which your Exc y recommended him to me— These are Duties which admit of no recompense, or...