Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1782

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Hague Oct. 16. 1782

My dearest Friend

Yesterday arrived your kind Letters of the 3 [Abigail to John, 03 September 1782] and 5 of september [Abigail to John, 05 September 1782] . I am preparing to sett off tomorrow Morning for Paris, so that I am unable to write you more than a Line.

Your Proposal of coming to me would make me the happiest of Men, if it were probable that I should live here where I am well settled. But, if the Negotiations for Peace should take a serious Turn, I shall be obliged to live in furnished Lodgings at Paris, or to travel 600 or 800 miles farther to Vienna. These journeys would be infinitly disagreable to you and your Daughter -- and for you to live at the Hague while I am running about Europe, would be more disagreable than in America.

If Peace should be made this Winter I intend to go home in the Spring.

I shall however be able to form a better judgment at Paris from whence I will write more fully.

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Dont conclude from my journey to Paris that Peace will be made. The Dutch Ministers at Paris have written that Mr. Fitzherbert has received Instructions to treat with the Ministers of the United states of America. Mr. Jay has written me, that Mr. Oswald has received a Commission to treat with the United states of America. But he enjoins me secrecy about it so that you must keep it to yourself. He will write it to Congress from Paris, I suppose. I shall write fully from thence as soon as I know the Truth, but I dare not write half Intelligence, about such delicate Points.

Thanks to Uncle Smith for his Letter which I would answer if I had time. Rejoice with Brother Cranch and family.

My dear Daughters enterprising Duty and Affection most tenderly moves me, but she little thinks of the Dangers and Difficulties she wishes to encounter.

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I have not received the Letter containing your Proposals So I cannot give you my Opinion of it fully.

Cite web page as: Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1782 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/

Original manuscript: Adams, John. Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 October 1782. 3 pages. Original manuscript from the Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Source of transcription: Ryerson, Richard Alan, ed. Adams Family Correspondence. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Mass. : Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1993.