1From 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...
2From 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...
3From 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...
4From 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...
5From 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...
6From 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...
7From 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...
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,...
9From 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...
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13From 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...
14From 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...
15From 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
16From John Adams to James Warren, 4 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of 30. April, is arrived. I am Surprized to read in your Letter that “our Poverty cant relieve Us from the Piracies of the Algerines.” Are the thirteen United States then not worth two or three hundred Thousand Guineas? Suppose they borrow it at Six per Cent. there will be Eighteen thousand Guineas to pay Yearly. We now loose a Million sterling a Year, by this War.— Are We able to...
17From John Adams to Tristram Dalton, 26 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Jan: 23. like all your other Letters, contains valuable information & judicious reflections— The time is now come, when the affairs of the United states must take a turn for the better or become much worse— The Impost I presume is granted to Congress by this time. I only wish it were 20 p r. Cent instead of 5— indeed if 40. were necessary, to pay the Compleat interest of the...
18From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 28 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of the 12, but Yesterday, and wish it were in my Power to order the Interest due to the French Officers to be paid: but it is not.— They must remain unpaid, be the Consequence what it may untill Congress or the Board of Treasury order it. indeed, I dont know how your Subsistence & mine is to be paid after next month.— M r Grand will be likely to advance yours, but from...
19From John Adams to Philip Mazzei, 15 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
In your favour of Oct r. 29, You inform me that The Marquis has observed in Germany, that the Lies which are Spread to our disadvantage, must be injurious to our national honour, if We neglect to contradict them.— When I came first to Europe now approaching to Eight Years ago, my Indignation was roused, at the Shameless Falshoods which were continually propagated, and I took a great deal of...
20From 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...
21From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 2 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
D r Gordon who is arrived with your Favour of the 13 of April, will probably be disappointed in his Wishes that mutual affection may be restored; as much as he is mistaken in his opinion; that this is the only means of the Prosperity of both Countries.— America will prosper whether Love or Hatred Subsists. It is indeed improbable that mutual affection will ever be restored, not indeed So much...
22From John Adams to Matthew Robinson-Morris, 4 March 1786 (Adams Papers)
Among all the Pamphlets which have been written Since the Peace—I cannot recollect One, before the Address to the Landed Interest &c—which did not appear to me to be written with an express Intention to deceive the Nation by concealing Some real danger or holding out Some false hope, in order to recommend One Candidate for the Ministry, or Surpress another. You will not be Surprized at the...
23From John Adams to the Marquis de Lafayette, 31 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I send you by M r. Joy, all the writings which have fallen in my way, against the slave trade— I mentioned your Desire to read, whatever you could find upon that subject to M r. Granville sharp who requests your acceptance of what he has written upon that subject— you may not Know the Character of this Gentleman, He is the Grand son of the famous Archbishop sharp, very amiable & benevolent in...
24Proposed Portuguese-American Treaty of Commerce, 25 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
There were three attempts in the mid-1780s to negotiate a Portuguese-American commercial treaty; all failed, and only the third resulted in a final treaty ready for signature. The first was undertaken by Benjamin Franklin in 1783, and although he submitted a draft treaty to Congress after negotiations with Vicente, Conde de Sousa Coutinho, the Portuguese ambassador to France, the effort came...
25From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 20 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
M r Barretts Arrival at Paris, is a lucky Event, and his appointment by the Merchants in Boston a judicious Step; but I am not So clear in the Choice he makes of L’Orient to reside in.— Paris, or even Havre, Seems to me a better Situation. Paris in preference to all others.— If Boylstone would Act in concert with him, his Capital, would be equal to every Thing which relates to the Business:...
26From John Adams to the Abbés Chalut and Arnoux, 8 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Permettez moi de vous presenter Mon Ami monsieur John Trumbull Fils du Governeur Trumbull et cidevant Colonel au service des Etats Unis— Il a l’Ambition noble de consigner a l’immortality les Evenemens de notre Histoire par son Pinceau— vous verrez son Warren et son Montgomery— M r. Trumbull est un Citizen tres estimable, et Je vous prie de l’assister avec vos Bontés Allow me to present to you...
27From John Adams to Rufus King, 23 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the 2 d. of November, and hope that a Correspondence So agreably begun may be prosecuted, to the Benefit of the Country We have the Honour to serve. Although I may be not personally known to you, the Character uniformly given of your Talents, Application, and publick Spirit, leave me no room to doubt, that I Shall derive much necessary...
28From John Adams to Samuel Williams, 3 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your Letter of the 9. of April. The Memoirs of the Accademy of Arts and Sciences, Shall be sent to sir Joseph Banks, and the other Packet to Manheim. I am much more at ease in my own Mind to have my sons with you, than I should be to have them here with me, or at any other University. and nothing can give me more Satisfaction than to hear, that they behave with...
29From John Adams to Richard O’Bryen, 29 September 1786 (Adams Papers)
I, Yesterday received your Letter of July 25, and am obliged to you for the Information it contains. You may possibly have heard an erroneous Report, of what M r Lamb Said to the Dey. it is not likely that He made any Promises. however that may be, We must all wait the orders of Congress. It is painfull to the Mind of a Freeman, to think that he is in Slavery, and every one of your Countrymen...
30From John Adams to John Woddrop, 3 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the honor to write to me on the 27 th. of January—and several others before that some of which contained Letters for America, which I sent with my first dispatches. I have not answered any of those Letters because they related to a subject with which I have nothing to do. I am not come to this Country Sir—to solicit emigrations to the United states of...