1Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners, 7 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you from Cadiz the 2 nd: of last month, a Copy of which goes under the cover of this and the original, with the papers mentioned therein, will I hope be very soon deliver’d to you by Colonel Franks.— On my arrival here I had the pleasure of receiving M r. Jefferson’s letter of the 26 Sep r. informing me that for the present any farther attempts to arrange matters with the Barbary...
2To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 22 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I Have Been Honoured with Your favour By Mr̃ Joy to Whom I Will Readily Render Every Service in My power, and am also to thank You for the Valuable Books You took the trouble to Collect for me—in the Cause of My Black Brethren I feel Myself Warmly interested, and Most decidedly Side, so far as Respects them, Against the White part of Mankind— Whatever Be the Complexion of the Enslaved, it does...
3From John Adams to John Jay, 30 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the fourth of october, I have had the Honour to receive, and have dispatched the Resolution inclosed in it to Paris to go from thence to Spain: but I hope M r Lamb is already on his Passage for America. The Commotions in New England, will terminate in additional Strength to Government, and therefore they do not allarm me I have lately received from Lord Carmarthen officially the...
4From John Adams to Richard Cranch, 12 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your judicious Letter of Oct r. 15. you have described the Causes of the present Evil with Accuracy, and the Cure is equally obvious. I mean a partial Cure— as far as the difficulty arises from Property having been thrown by the Course of the War into Hands, unable to hold it, there is no remedy but time & the Course of Law, in this respect, the present times...
5From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 11 th. with the enclosures from M r Lamb, M r Carmichael and M r Barclay. I am not Surprized that M r Lamb, has only discovered that our means are inadequate, without learning the Sum that would be Sufficient. Il faut marchander avec ces Gens la.— They must be beaten down as low as possible. but We shall find at last the Terms very dear. The Algerines will never...
6From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I this day received your Favour of April 8 th , and Sincerely condole with you under the Loss of your amiable son. These Afflictions are the Lot of Humanity and so little of the System of which We are a Part is Submitted to our View, that as We never can discover the Reasons of them, they are left only to our Reflections and Submission. My Situation, would be eligible, to the Heighth of my...
7To John Adams from Antoine Marie Cerisier, 10 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
J’apprends dans l’instant par l’une de nos Gazettes Hollandoises que Votre Excellence est actuellement à la Haye; & je m’empresse de vous faire passer le renouvellement du respect & de la venération que j’ai toujours eus & invariablement fait éclater pour votre Personne & vos vertus. La confiance & l’amitié dont vous avez bien voulu m’honorer dans les tems de votre Residence dans ce Pays-ci,...
8From John Adams to the Comte de Sarsfield, 21 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
If I were as fortunate as you are and could pass the Water from Dover to Calais in 3 hours, I would go to Paris & dine with you in some of your American Parties but I can never get over from Harwich to Helveot nor from Dover to Calais in less than 17 hours, & sometimes not under three Day’s— I have all the peices relative to the United Provinces excepting Le Pay’s de Drenthe. I have one peice...
9To John Adams from John Jay, 19 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you on the 7 th: of last Month, and also on the 18 th: of this enclosing some Papers respecting an american Vessel seized at Barbadoes by a british Man of War. I have been honored with yours of 16 th. 25 th. and 28 th. May and 6 th. June last, which with the Papers accompanying them were immediately laid before Congress.— The Situation in which the Want of an adequate Representation...
Translation of the within Letter from his Excell cy. Sidi Hadg Taher Ben Abdelhack Fennish to their Excell cies: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Esq rs.— Grace to God who is the Sole unity Whose Kingdom is the Only Existing one To their Excellencies John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Esq rs. This is to Acquaint You that I am ordered by the Emperor my Master (whom God preserve) to Acknowledge the...
11To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 8 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
While in the silent watches of the Last night I was Contemplating the Vicissitudes of Life, the Fickleness of Mankind & the Instability of human Friendships.— I determined to take up my pen in the morning & inquire if it was possible that M r Adams should never have directed one line to his frends at Milton since he held the Rank of Minister at the Court of Britain. I have been always...
12To John Adams from Thomas Brand Hollis, 27 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have read over most part of your book with no less satisfaction than pleasure and gained much information. In conversation the other day you advanced a doctrine which appears to me new & extraordinary. neither are the consequences so evident as to prevent me thinking otherwise and that facts make against the Idea. attention to stile would ruin America. The practice of all ages has been...
13From John Adams to Matthew Robinson-Morris, 21 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
My Friend D r Price has kindly permitted me to read his Letter and to inclose mine with it— before the Commencement of Hostilities in America a Pamphlet was presented to me at Boston in your Name, which I read with more pleasure than I ever received from any other. it was intituled Considerations on the Measures Carrying on &c— it has been a Constant sceurce of Astonishment to me that a Nation...
14Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners, 15 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
I came here a few days ago to deliver a Letter from the Emperor of Morocco to the King, which I put into the Hands of the Count de Florida Blanca, acknowledging the Sense I had of his Attention & thanking him with great sincerity on the Part he had taken in our business at Morocco, He seemed very much pleased with our Success, and smiling replyed “Now that we have happily finished this Treaty...
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 François Adriaan van der Kemp, 1 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter, and am much concerned to perceive your Apprehensions that Affairs might take an unfavourable Turn. The Questions you do me the Honour to propose to me, are very difficult to Answer. I have ever been Scrupulous of advising Strangers to emigrate to America. There are difficulties to be encountered in every Exchange of Country. Arising from the Climate soil, Air,...
17From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 12 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your Letter and refer you to General Warren for what respects your son.— You suppose my present situation to be eligible and I confess it.— I have it in my Power here to enjoy the Society of Persons of great Worth, and if I please of high Rank, and if our publick Affairs here went well, I should not desire a better situation. but they do not. A Lady, who was born...
18From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 13 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have received a Letter from my Friend General Warren of Milton Hill near Boston, acquainting me, that Congress have it in Contemplation to appoint their Ministers Consuls General, or rather to give them Authority to appoint Consuls, and that you are to have the nomination of that Officer for Lisbon. that his son Winslow Warren, went Sometime ago And Settled at Lisbon, partly upon Some...
19From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 23 of June is come to hand, with a Copy of M r Lamb’s of 6 June from Aranjuez. There is no Intelligence from America of Armies marching to take the Posts from the English. The News was made as I Suppose against the opening of the Three Per Cents, and it had the intended Effect to beat down the Stocks a little. Altho the Posts are important, the War with the Turks is more So. I lay...
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 Rufus King, 22 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I was honoured with your Letters of the 4. and 10. Dec r. — The Act of Congress respecting the British Consul General, is wise, and well guarded: Nevertheless I think that We Should not be So inattentive to Ettiquette, as to omit a Proposition for Sending a Minister Plenipotentiary. We give up, a Point, by receiving a Consul in return for a Minister, which, although it may appear of...
22To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 August 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of July 31. was lately delivered me. the papers inform me you are at the Hague, and, incertain what stay you may make there, I send this by mr̃ Voss who is returning to London by the way of Amsterdam. I inclose you the last letters from mr̃ Barclay & mr̃ Carmichael, by which we may hope our peace with Marocco is signed, thanks to the good offices of a nation which is honest, if it...
23From 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...
24To John Adams from Thomas McKean, 1 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
I do not write to you now as a Public Minister, tho’ I have a heartfelt pleasure in your being so, and at the very court where I long wished you to reside. The office of Chief Justice of this State now engages my principal attention; having quit the Congress in 1783. The affairs of our University, Philosophical & Agriculture Societies &c. employ my vacant time; and I enjoy a good state of...
25To John Adams from James Bowdoin, 10 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour of writing to you in August last relative to the conduct of Captain Stanhope; and twice since on the subject of British Encroachments upon territory of the United States, adjoining the newly established Province of New Brunswick. I hope those Letters came to your hand. New complaints from our people in those parts have been received, particularly from the Inhabitants of Moose...
26To John Adams from Isaac Stephens, 15 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
Sir. I take the Liberty to enclose a line to you as we receivd one from you, by the hand of M r. Lambe which came here to make peace for America & to redeam the Americans in slavery But not power to do either as the price was so high as six thousand Dollars for a Master and four ditto for a mate and fifteen hundred for sailors the King will not bate one six pence and will not have any thing to...
27To John Adams from Matthew Robinson-Morris, 27 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I sincerely want words to express my sense of the honor done me by your letter; which I shall preserve as a valuable remembrance in my favor: I esteem no qualities or circumstances of any private person equally with understanding and integrity nor respect any public character more than the Representative of thirteen free Governments or perhaps so much. I recollect on reading the favor of yours...
28To John Adams from the Marquis of Carmarthen, 11 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
You will be pleased to recollect that, in the Month of May 1783, M r. Hartley communicated to You, and the other Plenipotentiaries then residing at Paris, pursuant to the Instructions he had received, a Memorial from the Merchants trading to South Carolina and Georgia, representing their just Claims to an Indemnification for Debts due to them from the Creek and Cherokee Indians, for the...
29To 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...
30From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 13 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have now to acquaint you that on the 29 Nov r. I accepted a Bill of M r. Tho s. Barclay. N o. 6. (by mistake I suppose it ought to be Number 8) for 200 £ s t dated Paris 24 Nov r. 1785 at usance first of the sett in favour of M r. Grand This 13 th. Day of Dec r. I have accepted Two Bills of 200 £ s