1[March 1786] (Adams Papers)
...and Miss Shipley the Wife and Daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan, Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Richard Peters and myself, were the Company. In the Evening other Company came in, according to the Fashion, in this Country. Mrs. Shipley at Table asked many Questions about the Expence of living in Philadelphia and Boston. Said she had a Daughter, who had married, less prudently than they...
2Introduction (Adams Papers)
In shaping the necessarily complex plan of a comprehensive edition of the papers of the Adams family, the editors decided to prepare and publish first the Diary of John Adams, with its important though fragmentary supplement, his Autobiography written long after he had given up keeping a diary. ...passed on without loss from one generation of custodians of the Adams family archives to another,...to
3[May 1785] (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jarvis came out and dined with us at Auteuil. In the afternoon, Mr. Jefferson came out; he drank tea with us. No Rain yet: the drought is very great: the verdure is but small, tho’ the trees are covered with Leaves. A Letter was brought after dinner to my father from Dr. Franklin, ...to the Hôtel d’Orléans Rue St. Anne, and found Mr. Randall out, but he had left the Packets for... ..., to...
4John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
King I have information from Philadelphia and New-York to the last of February and 1 of March. The most recent and most important event they announce is the nomination of a new Commission to negotiate with France, and the negative upon that measure by the Senate— I hope that these circumstances will prove to the french Government two things. first that our Executive is yet anxiously desirous...to
5From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 24 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
. In consequence of these Reveries I have imagined that Camus and the Institute, meant, by the revival and continuance of the Acta Sanctorum, to destroy the Pope and the Catholic Church and Hierarchy, de fondi en comble, or in the language of Frederick, Voltaire, D’Alembert &c “ecrasor le miserable,” “crush the Wretch.” This great Work must contain......to the history of the Revolution, my...
6Introductory Note: The Federalist, [27 October 1787–28 May 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
...more frequently than any other work of Hamilton. They have, nevertheless, been reprinted in these volumes because no edition of his writings which omitted his most important contribution to political thought could be considered definitive. The essays written by John Jay and James Madison, however, have not been included. They are available in many editions, and they do not, after all,...
7Enclosure: [Expenditures], 15 December 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
October 12. To Henry Knox, assignee of Michael Hillegas, for the amount of a warrant No. 485, dated the 9th, May 1789, drawn by the late board of Treasury on William Imlay receiver of continental taxes for the state of...To the President of the United States, on Account of his Compensation.
8To Alexander Hamilton from Theodore Sedgwick, 27 January 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
This will be handed to you by a Mr. Thomas Fitch; and, at his desire, is addressed to his case. He wishes for the honor of being known to you, and he hopes for the aid of your patronage, in the persuit of some object, of which I have no distinct knowledge. He is of an obscure, tho’ respectable family in this neighbourhood. The President... ...spoken to me of his talents and acquirements in...
9May [1791] (Washington Papers)
GW was rowed across the Sampit River “in the same manner, and by the same Captains of vessels,” as he had been rowed to Georgetown the previous day. The artillery again saluted him from the foot of Broad Street, and “on the opposite shore [he] was received by the light-infantry company” ( ...branches, the North Santee and South Santee, between which lies Lynch’s Island, a marshy area patented to...
10To George Washington from Arthur Young, 25 January 1791 (Washington Papers)
With the yarn you will receive the Annals continued two setts; one I take the liberty of requesting yr presenting to the Agriculture Society as before....grass which I beleive will prove more beneficial than Lucern or any other; I sow 30 acres of it this spring. I have added to the packet a bag of the seed which you will sow with barley or oats, if it comes in time; if not alone when...
11From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 5 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
Since the date of my last dispatch to you of the 1st instant, I have received your Letters of the 26. & 30 ulto, and have affixed my signature to the arrangement of Compensations to the Officers of Inspection in consequence of additional latitude given to The President of the United States by the Act of the last Session, intitled “An Act concerning the duties on spirits distilled within the...
12Resolutions from Petersburg, Virginia, Citizens, 2 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
Petersburg and its Vicinity held at Mr Edwards’s Coffeehouse in the said Town, on
Saturday the 31st of August 1793 pursuant to public Notice, for that purpose given, to
take into Consideration the late proclamation of the President of the United States....President’s proclamation being read on Motion made & seconded, Resolved, that a Committee be appointed to draw up &...to
13Enclosure: Resolutions from the Albemarle County, Virginia, Citizens, 10 October 1793 (Washington Papers)
...at the Town of Charlottesville on the tenth day of October, one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, being the day appointed by Law, for holding Court, within the said County on which day they had been requested to attend for the special purpose of taking into consideration the political subjects that now engage the Publick attention, and the matter being opened... ...being opened to them...
14To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
The disagreeable crisis at which matters have lately arrived in some of the Western Counties of Pennsylvania, with regard to the laws laying duties on spirits distilled within the United States and on Stills, seems to render proper a review of the circumstances which have attended those Laws in that scene, from their commencement to the present time—and of the conduct which has hitherto been...
15George Washington’s Last Will and Testament, 9 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
...States, and lately Pr⟨es⟩ident of the same, do make, ordai⟨n⟩ and declare this Instrument; w⟨hic⟩h is written with my own hand ⟨an⟩d every page thereof subscribed ⟨wit⟩h my name, to be my last Will & ⟨Tes⟩tament, revoking all others....mprimus. All my ⟨deb⟩ts, of which there are but few, and none of magnitude, are to be punctu⟨al⟩ly and speedily paid—and the Legaci⟨es he⟩reinafter... ...to be...
16Circuit Court Diary, 16 April–30 May 1790 (Jay Papers)
17. went to Bedford—wind at northeast & raw— dined at Holly’s— then went to my Farm that he had been removed to York State 28 Y
17Circuit Court Diary, 21 June–9 July 1791 (Jay Papers)
. Collins told me that in 1776 W.E. drew an association whereby the Subscribers bound themselves to support the british Gov . in that Island—that it was subscribed by W.E. & a considerable number of the Inhabitants. That it was offered to him by that Gent. that reprobated it in strong Terms—That he opposed it—that they became ashamed of it & suppressed it at least he never afterwards c...to set...
18Circuit Court Diary, 15 April–1 June 1792 (Jay Papers)
April 15— Went to Rye— planted 2 Willow Trees—one in the Row between the wash House & orchard Wall—the other nearly opposite to the first between the Locust & Walnut Trees—also planted a Wallnut Tree in the place of a dead Locust, on the West Corner of the Row before the So. Side of the House— to be sent to Rye—
19John Jay’s Mission to London Editorial Note
(Jay Papers)
...of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull Sr. He had important connections with Benjamin West, with whom he had studied, and Edmund Burke, who sponsored his parole after Trumbull was arrested as a spy. Peter Augustus, who was about to start studying law, proved to be charming and popular, a way for people to do favors for Jay by looking after his son. Peter Williams, much as he had done when...
20Report on Books for Congress, [23 January] 1783 (Madison Papers)
: Continental Congress Miscellany). Nine undated pages in JM’s hand, with the exception of one entry. Docketed by Charles Thomson: “Report of Comee. List of Books to be imported for the use of Congress Read Jany 24. 1783. Question taken to empower Superint: finance & Secy to import them. Passed in the Negative. Comee. Mr. Madison Mr. Williamson Mr. Mifflin.” The last ten unnumbered folios of
21Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 29 March 1783 (Madison Papers)
(Virginia State Library). In the hand of Thomas Meriwether. Addressed to “Virginia Delegates in Congress.”Your favor of the 18th. of March came safe to hand, by which I find our Prospects of Peace are greatly lessen’d since the perusal of Mr. Lawrence’s Letter it is however some consolation to me to know that the reports spread abroad by the Enemies of the French Alliance are on this as they...to
22To James Madison from Jean Antoine Joseph Fauchet, 26 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
’s kind attention to Regnauld de Saint-Jean-d’Angély, who is retiring to the states of liberty. The United States has always been the asylum for victims of political dissensions; in founding the least imperfect government on earth, it has profited from the old world’s mistakes. After one’s own... ...colleagues were the world’s sages. Has enthusiastically seized this important opportunity to...
23Detatched Memoranda, ca. 31 January 1820 (Madison Papers)
I did not become acquainted with Dr. Franklin till after his return from France and election to the Chief Magistracy of Pennsylvania. During the session of the Grand Convention, ...long after as he lived, I had opportunities of enjoying much of his conversation, which was always a feast to me. I never passed half an hour in his company without hearing some observation or anicdote worth......to...
24To James Madison from Charles Pinckney, 2 September 1820 (Madison Papers)
I have long intended to write to you but somehow or other have neglected it—it is a long while since we have seen each other—within a few days it will be 33 Years the day we dined together on signing the Constitution ...have taken place since & in my opinion, one of the worst to us is that we are so much older than we were then—for in spite of all that the divines & philosophers may tell us I...
25To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 August 1824 (Madison Papers)
...first rank, and his name would set our institution above all rivalship. I had long ago cast my eyes on him, but was told that his birth at the head of the Mathematical school of Woolwich was too good to expect him.I have undertaken to make out a catalogue of books for our library, being encouraged to it by the possession of a collection of excellent catalogues, and knowing no one, capable,
26Editorial Note: Jefferson, Freneau, and the Founding of the National Gazette (Jefferson Papers)
, the design of which is to vilify those to whom the voice of the people has committed the administration of our public affairs—to oppose the measures of government, and by false insinuations, to disturb the public peace?In common life it is thought ungrateful for a man to bite the hand that puts bread into his mouth; but if the man is hired to do it, the case is altered.
27Editorial Note: The Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
For all the significance of the Kentucky Resolutions, Jefferson’s papers reveal little about their composition. This is due in part to his caution about what he revealed in his letters at the time he wrote the resolutions. Too, for the remainder of his life he showed little interest in avowing or explaining his original authorship of the document. He... ...changes made to the resolutions... ...to...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Dr. John Vaughan, 10 October 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The anxieties expressed, in your much valued favour of the 17th. of July, for our political welfare, induce me to assume the privilege & enjoy the pleasure of informing you, that ...choice of a federal senator. As it respects our local politics, the great point is gained. If we had succeeded in the Legislature & lost the Governor, we should have reverted to our old condition in another year...
29Memorandum on Appointments, 6 July 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Thomas BlanchardThomas Ward of Newark
30To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Munroe, 20 December 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Pursuant to the sixth section of the , of last Session, intituled “An Act to abolish the Board of Commissioners in the City of Washington, and for other purposes,” and under your direction of the 16th June last, I proceeded with all possible diligence to prepare a Statement of all the ...; and on the 19th. of that Month advertised the same for sale, on the 30th day of August, then next ensuing...