1From John Adams to John Jay, 2 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Copies of private Letters, which have passed between Lord Carmarthen and me relative to the Appointment of M r Anstey. The End of this Appointment, is to prevent Impositions upon the Commissioners, in ascertaining the Claims of the Loyalists. M r. Anstey will have Occasion for Copies of publick Records, to which I suppose there can be no Objection in any State, and as his friendly...
2From John Adams to John Jay, 3 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am anxious to convey to you, if I can, in as strong a light as that in which I, See, myself, the Impossibility of our, doing any Thing Satisfactory, with this Nation, especially under this Ministry, that the states may neither neglect nor delay any measure, which they would judge necessary or expedient upon the Certainty, that England will not alter her Conduct. in order to this I must be...
3From John Adams to John Jay, 3 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
There is a Gentleman at Lisbon, who went and established himself there, as I believe partly with a View to the Consulate. He is of a very respectable Family and Connection, who have indeed Sacrificed themselves in the Cause of their Country. He is a Nephew of the famous Otis and a Son of Major General Warren. The Gentleman himself whose name is Winslow Warren, is ingenious and active, and I...
4From John Adams to John Jay, 6 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
If the Facts, which I have had the Honour to state to you in my preceeding Letters, are credited, I think it will appear, that the Connections of these Kingdoms with foreign Powers, every Idea of the Ballance of Europe; the Dominions of Great Britain in Asia And America, and all the Interests Considerations of Posterity, are Sacrificed, to a momentary Tranquility and Credit. From which...
5From John Adams to John Jay, 9 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I went to Court Yesterday Morning, if not in despair, with very faint hopes of ever receiving an Answer to any Letter or Memorial of mine to the British Ministry.— I went early, but found three of the foreign Ministers before me. The Rule is to admit them to his Lordship in the order in which they arrive. in my Turn I was Shewn into his Lordships Appartement received very politely as usual,...
6From John Adams to John Jay, 15 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
There are mysterious Movements, of various kinds, that ought to be observed and reflected on, although We cannot draw any certain Conclusions from them. General Faucett, is often at the Levee, not indeed, on Wednesdays, nor at the Drawing Room on Thursdays, on which occasions the Foreign Ministers attend, but on Frydays, when there are no Strangers, and when only the Ministers of State, and...
7From John Adams to John Jay, 4 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have only time to acquaint you, that since my last there have been some Appearances of an Intention in Ministry to take up American Affairs Lord Carmarthen and M r Pitt have certainly had Conferences with Committees of Merchants who have represented to them the Necessity of arrangements with the United states, upon Terms which will give Satisfaction. Nevertheless I have no Confidence in this...
8From John Adams to John Jay, 4 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
A day or two after the receipt of your Letter of Nov r. 1 st. & that of President Lee. which came with it I wrote to the archbishop of Canterbury, by Col o. Smith, for an Hour when I might have the Honour to pay my Respects to his Grace—And was answerd very politely that he would be glad to have the Honour of seeing me, next day, between Eleven & twelve, accordingly I went Yesterday & was very...
9From John Adams to John Jay, 21 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
On Wednesday, the Chevalier De Pinto informed me that he had written to Lisbon, for Explanations from his Court upon certain Points: that he expected an Answer, in a few days, and that as soon as he Should receive it, he would call upon me and proceed in the Negotiation. That in the meantime he would not disguise from me, the Solicitude of his Court to Send a Minister, to Congress. Ettiquette...
10From John Adams to John Jay, 26 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
Give me Leave to introduce to you John Anstey Esq Barrister at Law and a Member of Parliament, who goes out by Authority to verify the Claims of the Loyalists, as they call themselves.— I believe it to be the Design of M r Pitt to pay their Demands which shall be found to be Supported, and withdraw their Pensions and then leave them to Seek their Fortunes. in Such a Case if our States repeal...
11From John Adams to John Jay, 14 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter, inclosing two Pamphlets one of which I have Sent to M r Jefferson, by Coll Humphreys who Setts out for Paris this morning. These Letters will be Sufficient to Shew any Man of common Decency, the Characters of the Writers. on one Side there is the Condescension of a provident but indulgent Father: on the other the Impertinence and Ingratitude of a Prodigal son, not...
12From John Adams to John Jay, 16 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Expences of Insurance on American Vessells; the Obstructions of their Commerce with Spain Portugal and Italy: and Compassion for our Fellow Citizens in Captivity: all occasioned by Apprehensions of the Barbary Corsairs, must excite Solicitude in every Man capable of thinking or Feeling. it is nevertheless certain that too great an Alarm has been Spread, Since no more than two Vessells have...
13From John Adams to John Jay, 20 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Tripolitan Ambassador Sent a Message by a Doctor Benamor, an English Jew most probably, who has formerly resided in Barbary, and Speaks the Arabic Language as well as the Italian and Lingua Franca, to inform me, that he wished to return his Visit, in the Same friendly and respectfull manner, and that as he had much at heart a Treaty between the Barbary and American States, he...
14From John Adams to John Jay, 22 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
On Monday Evening another Conference was held with the Tripolitan Ambassador, attended with his Interpreter Benamor, who is a decent Man, and very ready in the English as well as Arabick and Italian. The Foreign Ministers here Say it is the Custom of all the Ambassadors from Barbary to be much connected with Jews to whom they are commonly recommended. It may be Supposed the Jews have...
15From John Adams to John Jay, 26 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Envoy from Portugal, has received from his Court an Answer to his Dispatches relative to the Treaty with the United States, and the enclosed Extract from it, which has been delayed sometime by the Sickness of the Chevalier de Freire, the Portuguese Secretary of Legation, this Minister did me the Honour to deliver to me two days ago, with his request that it might be transmitted to...
16From John Adams to John Jay, 27 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
At the last Conferences, as they call here what is understood in Paris by Ambassadors Days the Marquis of Carmarthen was pleased to make an Apology for not having yet answered the Memorial requiring the Evacuation of the Posts. “It would Sound oddly to Say that he had delayed his Answer, to prevent Delays, but it was true. He had drawn up his answer, but as he was obliged to Say Something,...
17The American Commissioners to John Jay, 28 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
Soon after the arrival of M r. Jefferson in London, We had a conference with the Ambassador of Tripoli, at His House. The amount of all the Information we could obtain from him was that a perpetual peace was in all respects the most adviseable, because a temporary treaty would leave room for increasing demands upon every renewal of it and a stipulation for annual payments, would be liable to...
18American Commissioners to John Jay, 25 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
Soon after our meeting together in London, We had a Conference with the Secretary of State for foreign Affairs, in which we communicated to him, the joint Commission of Congress, for negotiating a Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain, and left an attested Copy of it in the hands of his Lordship. At the same time his Lordship was informed that as the Commission was limited to two years...
19From John Adams to John Jay, 16 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Last night I was honoured with your Letter of April 7 th. and am happy to find that Twelve States, have granted to Congress the Impost. New York I am persuaded will not long withhold her Assent, because, that in Addition to all the other Arguments in favour of the measure, She will have to consider that all the Blame of Consequences must now rest upon her, and she would find this alone, a...
20From John Adams to John Jay, 25 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have not presented a formal Memorial in the Name of our Sovereign concerning the Negroes carried off contrary to the Treaty, although it has been frequently and constantly, insisted upon with the British Ministry, for Several Reasons, one was a desire to confine the first Memorial to one point, the frontier Posts that the real Motives and Intensions of the Cabinet might be the more...
21From John Adams to John Jay, 28 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
An Agent from South America, was not long Since arrested, at Rouen in France, and has not Since been heard of.— another Agent, who was his Associate, as I have been told is here, and has applied to Government, for Aid. Government, not in a condition to go to War with Spain declines having any Thing to do with the Business. but if Application Should be made to rich Individuals, and profitable...
22From John Adams to John Jay, 6 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the Honour to enclose Papers, relative to affrican Affairs, altho M r Jefferson has transmitted them before, as it is possible his Conveyance may fail. The Intelligence all tends to confirm what has been more than once written to you before, that two or three hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling, will be necessary to obtain a perpetual Peace.— It is very clear, that a Peace would be...
23From John Adams to John Jay, 16 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Two days ago, I was honoured with your Letter of the 4. of May, in which another of the first of the same month is referr’d to, and as I hear there is a Passenger expected from the Packet, I hope to receive it from him when he arrives in town. Lord Carmarthen told me Yesterday, “that he had Letters from M r Anstey, mentioning his civil reception: his Lordship Said, too, that a Minister...
24From John Adams to John Jay, 27 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
The Chevalier De Pinto, the Envoy of Portugal, informed me, this Day that he had received Instructions from his Court, to inform me, “that the Queen his Mistress has Sent a Squadron to cruise in the Mouth of the Streights with Orders to protect all Vessells belonging to the United States of America equally with those of her own Subjects and that She would continue those orders as long as they...
25From John Adams to John Jay, 27 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me, the Honour to write me, on the 1 st. of May; and the Pleasure of Congress Signified in it, Shall be Strictly observed. You will perceive by my Letter of the 4 th. of March, that it was my Determination to make no Reply to his Lordships Answer of the 28 th. of Feb. to the Memorial of the 30 of November, untill I should receive the Orders of Congress. As We...
26From John Adams to John Jay, 15 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
On Wednesday, the 13. the Marquis of Carmarthen, informed me, that, Captain of the Mercury Man of War, to use his Lordships own Words “had received a Severe Rap, over the Knuckles, from the Lords of the Admiralty, for his Conduct at Boston.” His Lordship had “received a Letter from Lord How, accompanied with a long dull Letter, from Captain Stanhope which instead of being a justification of...
27From John Adams to John Jay, 30 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received, the Letter you did me, the Honour to write me, on the Sixth of June, with the Ratification of the Treaty with Prussia. As the Term limited, is near expiring, I Shall go over to Holland or Send Col Smith, to make the Exchange M r Penn, a Member of the House of Commons, whose Character is well known in America and in England as a Steady Friend, to our Country will be the Bearer...
28From John Adams to John Jay, 31 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Paul Randall Esq r , who has been with M r Lamb to Algiers will have the Honour to deliver this Letter. in order to lay before Congress the earliest Information of all that has come to his Knowledge, in the Course of his Journeys and Voyages he proposes to return, without loss of Time to New-York. He has conducted, as far as I can judge, with Prudence and Fidelity, and has merited a...
29From John Adams to John Jay, 3 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
An Event has taken Place, of too much Importance to the United States, to be omitted, in Dispatches to Congress. A Messenger arrived at the Secretary of States Office, last night, with a Treaty of Commerce between France and England, Signed by the Comte De Vergennes and M r Eden. it cannot be Supposed that the Contents can be fully known: but it is Suggested that England has Stipulated, to...
30From John Adams to John Jay, 27 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
When the Ratification of Congress, of their Treaty with the King of Prussia, arrived here, the Term limited for the Exchange of it was near expiring. as a few Members of the States general, had discovered Uneasiness at my coming to London without going to the Hague to take Leave, it Seemed a convenient Opportunity to go over and Shew them as much of the Respect they required as remained in my...