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 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...
3From 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...
4From 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...
5American 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...
6From 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...
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, 25 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you Yesterday, in your Ministerial Capacity as well as mine, my ulltimate Determination to revisit my Country, this time twelve months.— I now write you this private Letter to intreat you as a Friend, to promote in every Way in your Power, an Arrangement as early as possible, by which I may be permitted to return, with Decorum.— It is not from a desire to stimulate any Body to vote for...
9From 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...
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13From 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...
14From 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...
15From 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...
16The American Commissioners to John Jay, 27 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
We had the honor of transmitting to Congress, Copies of the Commission and Instructions, which in pursuance of the Authority delegated to Us, were given to M r Barclay, to conduct a negotiation with Algiers Morocco. M r Barclay has conducted that Business to a happy Conclusion, and has brought with him Testimonials of his prudent Conduct, from the Emperor of Morocco and his Minister, So clear...
17From 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,...
18From 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...
19From 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...
20From John Adams to John Jay, 9 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I am unable to give you any Account, of the Reasons, which have prevented the Treaty with Morocco from reaching London. But it has not yet made its Appearance. The Tripoline Ambassador, Sent me a polite Message and desired a Conference. it was agreed to, and his Excellency was pleased to inform me, that he had received repeated Letters to return home, and Should depart in a few Weeks. desired...
21From 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...
22From 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...
23From 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...
24From 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...
25From John Adams to John Jay, 24 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I must beg the Indulgence of Congress, while I Sollicit their Attention, for a few moments to Some Particulars which are very interesting to me personally and have Some relation to the foreign Affairs of the United States.— It is now, in the Beginning of the tenth Year Since I embarked first for Europe in Obedience to the Commands of the United States. The various Services to which they have...
26From 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...
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, 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...
29From 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...
30The 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...