Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams
Volume 11, January–September 1781

Front Matter

Title Page

Copyright Page

Sponsors of Print Edition

Advisory Board

Contents

Descriptive List of Illustrations

Introduction

Guide to Editorial Apparatus

Documents

1 January 1781High and Mighty Lords The United States of North America in Congress Assembled impressed with a high sense of the wisdom and magnanimity of your high...

1 January 1781High and serene Prince The United States of America in Congress Assembled impressed with a deep sense of your wisdom and magnanimity and being desiro...

1 January 1781Amsterdam 1 January 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 204–211. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:219–222....

1 January 1781Sir You will receive herewith enclosed, a Commission as Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Provinces of the low Countries, with Instructions for ...

1 January 1781Dear Sir I will no longer omit to acquaint you of my safe arrival here; I shou'd have done it before, but I wished first to obtain the sight of the B...

1 January 1781Sir Give me leave to congratulate your Excellency on the Commencement of the New Year and to assure your Excellency of my sincere Wishes, that it may...

2 January 1781Sir A Vessel that left Annapolis in Virginia arrived at this port yesterday. The English under Col. Leslie enterd the Bay and landed at Hampton, they...

2 January 1781Dear Sir Your Favor of Sepr. 20th. reached me at Christmas. I inclose you a Resolve but am not able to give you a Copy of what I officially wrote to ...

3 January 1781Dear Sir I have received your Favour of the 1st. of this Year, and thank you for your kind Congratulations, which I return with equal Sincerity. My M...

3 January 1781Sir I had this Day the Honor of receiving your Excellencys Letter of the 31 Ultimo; which gives me the greatest Satisfaction. I think with your Excel...

4 January 1781Sir Notwithstanding the Influence of the English Nation; notwithstanding the Influence of old Prejudices and Habits; notwithstanding the Apprehension...

5 January 1781Sir On the 10 of Nov. 1780 The Memorial of Sir Joseph York to the States General, was presented for a Disavowal, Satisfaction proportioned to the Off...

5 January 1781Dear Sir Altho hostilities, and seemingly rigourous ones, have commencd between your Country and mine, I see no reason why our former freindships may...

6 January 1781Dear Sir I hope the Papers which you will receive by this opportunity will give you personal Satisfaction as well as facilitate the Purposes of your ...

7 January 1781Dear Sir I seize with avidity upon the opportunity of sending You the enclosed Philadelphia Paper of the 25th. of October, and, in the words of Govr....

8 January 1781Dear Sir Herewith goes a Letter which I this day received from Mrs. Adams with a Request that I would superscribe it and deliver it to the Care of Co...

9 January 1781Sir Enclosed are two letters of Credence, mentioned in my other Letter of this Date; the one addressed to the Stadtholder; the other to their high Mi...

9 January 1781London 9 January 1781. Adams Papers. printed: Digges, Letters, p. 348–349. This letter, written “Tuesday night late,” quoted verbatim an account of ...

9 January 1781Sir My last was on the 29 July since which I am deprived of any of your ever esteemed favours. Inclosed I forward you an American News Paper of the 3...

10 January 1781Sir Congress consider your correspondence with the Count de Vergennes on the subject of communicating Your Plenipotentiary Powers to the Ministry of ...

10 January 1781Paris 10 January 1781. Adams Papers; filmed at 12 July 1780, Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 352. Designated “No. 9,” this letter is written on th...

10 January 1781My dear Mr. Adams In June last I returned to this State, and have since been favoured with your several Letters of the 23d. and 29th. of Feby., 19th....

10 January 1781Dear Sir I am, not many days since favour'd with your Letter of the 6th.; and as your Excellency wishes to be further infor'd on the subject, it is m...

11 January 1781My dear Sir Your Letter of March last I have but lately received. It was Sent by the Post, I suppose from Newport. When the Gentleman you recom­mend ...

11 January 1781Dear Sir The Letter your Excellency honour'd me with dated the 7th. of last Month, I duly received. The Pleasures of Amsterdam must be sad indeed, wh...

Translation Group

12 January 1781Monsieur Ce n'est pas proprement le Courier attendu, mais une Lettre des Plénipotentiaires de Petersbourg qui est arrivée, datée du 19 Dec. O.S. dern...

12 January 1781Sir This is not the expected post, but rather a letter dated the 19th of last December O.S. that has arrived from the plenipotentiaries at St. Peters...

14 January 1781Sir In an Excursion, which I have lately made through the principal Cities of this Province, Haarlem, Leyden, the Hague and Rotterdam, I have had an ...

14 January 1781Dear Sir Last night, on my arrival home, I found your Favour and Thank you for the Intelligence it contains, which I shall transmit, as you desire. T...

14 January 1781 AZ. Congress Francisco—Deane Macedon—Alexander RR—Bancroft X—Williams D.D—Franklin D.D.J—Franklin Junr. SS—Foulke Missa—Jay Merry—Carmichael Snapo—Ch...

15 January 1781Amsterdam, 15 January 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 225–227. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:233. ...

15 January 1781Amsterdam, 15 January 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 29–32. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:234. Read in Congres...

15 January 1781Sir Zealand is still endeavouring to divert the Republick from its Interest and its Duty, to embarrass its Operations and involve it in disgrace and ...

15 January 1781Sir Congress will not expect me to write upon the Subject of Peace at this time, when the Flames of War are spreading far and wide, with more rapidit...

Translation Group

15 January 1781Honoured & dear Sir I cannot find a french form to adress you at the head of my Letters which pleases so much to my heart as this English. Give me le...

15 January 1781Honoured & dear Sir I cannot find a french form to address you at the head of my Letters which pleases so much to my heart as this English. Give me l...

16 January 1781Gentlemen There are three Gentlemen, in the Mercantile Way, Mr. Sigourney, Mr. Ingraham and Mr. Bromfield, who are now in this City, and propose to r...

17 January 1781Dear Sir I had the Honor of receiving your favor of the 1st. instant by Mr. Searle, who arriv'd here two daies ago and intends to pursue his Journey ...

18 January 1781Amsterdam, 18 January 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 87–44. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:235–238. Read by Cong...

18 January 1781My dear Sir Yesterday I had the Pleasure of yours of the 7th. both the Packetts came Safe and in good order. As to a secret Address, you may direct u...

18 January 1781Sir I have the Honour, to transmit you, a Letter from the Honourable the Committee of Congress for foreign Affairs, with a Resolution of Congress of ...

18 January 1781Dear Sir Your kind Letter of the Eleventh, came to my Hand Yesterday. I am much obliged to you Sir, for the News, you were So good as to communicate:...

18 January 1781Dear Sir I yesterday received yours of the 19 of October. Sometime Since I received the other of the 19th. of August. Both went to Paris and I being ...

18 January 1781Sir I have had the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of the 3d. Instant, it was full, Satisfactory and very Comfortable. I have had since t...

19 January 1781Honourable Sir I am sorry, there appeared something suspicious to you in the paragraph, mentioned in your last Letter. If it had been send to me by s...

20 January 1781Dear Sir I have just received your Favour of the 18th., and thank you for the good News. I dont believe any Thing of the story of the French Fleet an...

21 January 1781Sir I have not been able to find an opportunity to acknowledge the receit of the esteemed favour with which you honoured me on the 24 of December, un...

21 January 1781My Dear Sir Your favor of Sepr. 20 from Amsterdam came safe to hand. The contents of it were of so important a nature that I took the liberty of publ...

22 January 1781Sir I have received your favour of 19 and am much obliged to you for your frank and candid Account of the Paragraphs mentioned. I could not wish, if ...

Translation Group

22 January 1781Monsieur Fidele à ma promesse, j'ai l'honneur de vous donner connoissance, que le Courier attendu est arrivé hier au Soir de Pétersbourg, avec la nou...

22 January 1781Sir As promised, I have the honor to inform you that the expected courier arrived last night from St. Petersburg, with news of the signing of the con...

22 January 1781Honourable Sir I could not return You the Papers, which Mr. Thaxter was so obliging as to deliver us early this morning, without giving You my best a...

Enclosure Group

22 January 1781 May it please Yoúr Excellency that we now lay before her the papers she hath charged us with to prepare for a Loan, we shall have the honoúr to under...

22 January 1781His Excellency Esqr President of the Generall Congress of the United States of North America To all those who should read or hear this present greet...

23 January 1781 I am without any of your favours for some time. Not a word of news to write about that concerns your country. We English yet think that the Mynheers ...

Translation Group

24 January 1781Mon cher monsieur Le capitaine chavagnes est trop flatté de lhonneur de votre connoissance, et vous a voué des sentiments trop sinceres pour ne pas v...

24 January 1781My dear sir Captain Chavagnes is very flattered by the honor of your acquaintance and promises to you the most sincere sentiments in reiterating the ...

Translation Group

24 January 1781Dear & Honoured Sir Pour Satisfaire à ma promesse de vous informer de tout ce qui se passera d'essentiel, gagner du temps, et m'épargner la peine, so...

24 January 1781Dear & Honoured Sir In order to keep my promise of sending you all essential news, to save time, and to spare me the sometimes intolerable task of co...

24 January 1781Sir I have had the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of the 20th. Instant, I receivd it with the greatest pleasure for I think it marks, th...

25 January 1781Dear Sir I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Favours of the 15 and 24. the latter inclosing a Letter to Congress, which I will do myself the Ho...

Translation Group

28 January 1781Honoured & dear Sir J'ai l'honorée vôtre du 25e., dont le contenu m'a fait grand plaisir, non seulement par l'approbation que vous donnez de vous adr...

28 January 1781Honoured & dear Sir I am honored with your letter of the 25th, the content of which gave me much pleasure, not only because you agreed to send my let...

28 January 1781Dear Sir I have received your favor of the 20th. instant which disappointed me a good deal, for I had received much pleasure from being told by Mr. S...

Translation Group

29 January 1781Monsieur Dans ma Lettre d'hier il y a une erreur qui doit être redressée. Ce n'est point parce qu'on attend un Courier de Petersbourg, que le Manifes...

29 January 1781Sir In yesterday's letter I made an error which must be corrected. It is not the awaited arrival of the St. Petersburg courier that has delayed the p...

29 January 1781Sir By order and for Account of M. Fr. Dana I am to credit your Account for 2658.16.10 which I have already done, and said Money wi...

31 January 1781Dear Sir I have to thank you for your Favours of 28 and 29 which arrived untouched, by any hand too inquisitive. The extraordinary demand for Bread i...

31 January 1781Dear Sir Your Favour of 24 is received. I wish that Madrid would put an End to Husseys and Cumberlands Masquerades. They do no good, if they do no ha...

31 January 1781Dear Sir I write you at present principally to communicate the following intellegence from Martinique. It is just given to me by our good Friends the...

31 January 1781Sir Four mails arrived yesterday, by them we find that Eleven East Indiamen are arrived at Brookhaven in Ireland. A Ship is arrived from N York, but ...

31 January 1781Dear Sir I had the Honor of writing to you the 28th. but omitted answering your Quere about the Southern States determining to embody Ne­ groes as a...

1 February 1781Amsterdam, 1 February 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 244–254. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:244–24...

1 February 1781My dear Sir The enclosed letters of our Friend, of the 12th. and 14th. of last Month, the Resolution of Congress of the 12th. together with the journ...

2 February 1781Today the Apeared before me Notary Publicq the Honorable John Adams Esqr. of the City in the State in North America at present Residing in the Cit...

2 February 1781Gentlemen Having adjusted the Form of the Obligations to be given in the proposed Loan, nothing remains but to agree upon the other Terms, respecting...

2 February 1781Dear Sir Nulla Dies Sine Lineâ, said a great Geometician and you are so good an American, that you will agree with me, that We ought to let no day no...

Translation Group

3 February 1781Honoured & Dear Sir J'ai les honorées vôtres des 31e. Janvr. et 2e. fevr. reçues toutes les deux à la fois ce matin. Je suis bien charmé that all's w...

3 February 1781Honoured & Dear Sir I have received your letters of 31 January and 2 February together this morning. I am very delighted that all's well in America. ...

4 February 1781Dear Sir I had the Honour of yours of 24 Jan. only yesterday. F. is indeed arrived here, but I cannot learn that R.R. is. I have not been honoured ...

4 February 1781Sir I have answer'd, three days ago, at Paris the Letter I have been honour'd from your Excellency by the honourable James Searle Esqer. My heart is ...

5 February 1781Dear Sir Yours of 31. Jan. is arrived. A Courier is arrived from Petersburg, who carried the Notice of Sir Yorkes leaving the Hague. All's well in th...

Translation Group

5 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir La Lettre ci-jointe au Congrès répond en grande partie aux honorées votre du 31e. Janv. et 2 fevr. Je pense avec vous que la dise...

5 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir The enclosed letter to Congress is mainly a response to your letters of 31 January and 2 February. I agree with you that the grai...

5 February 1781Sir I have the Honor of receiving this Day your Excellencys Letter of the 31st. Ultimo. The deferring the Acknowledgment of our Independancy to the T...

5 February 1781Dear Sir I had the Honour of your Letter by Monsieur Jean Baptiste Petry about six Weeks since, and should before this Time have acknowleged the Rece...

6 February 1781Dear Sir I have received your Favours of the 3d. and 5th. with their Inclosures all in good order. I have but one Copy of the Treaty of Alliance, oth...

7 February 1781Sir By the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Alliance with France “The most Christian King and the united States agree, to invite or admit other Powers,...

Translation Group

7 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir Je n'ai qu'un instant avant le depart de la poste, pour vous faire parvenir le Poscrit ci joint pour le Congrès. Mr. Deane a repa...

7 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir I have only a moment before the mail departs, to send you the enclosed postscript for Congress. Mr. Deane passed through here yes...

Translation Group

7 February 1781Monsieur J'ai l'honorée vôtre du 6e. et j'y répondrai à loisir un autre jour. Je vous dirai seulement que je suis bien faché que vous n'ayiez pas les...

7 February 1781Sir I have the honor of your letter of the 6th and will respond to it at my leisure another day. I will only say to you that I am angry that you do n...

7 February 1781Sir I have this day the Honor of receiving your Excellency Letter of the 5th. Instant: It mentions no particulars, but says in general all things are...

7 February 1781Sir Yesterday I had the Honor of your's of the 4th. instant. I acquainted Mr. Luzac immediately with your Request respecting the Crisis, who informed...

8 February 1781Dear Sir I had yesterday the Pleasure of receiving two Letters from you, one dated Feb. 1. and one without a date, but I suppose written the day befo...

8 February 1781Dear Sir Thus you See that I began the Mischief, and I assure you I am ready to finish it, if properly invited, and a very little Invitation will do....

8 February 1781Dr Sir Yesterday I was honoured with yours of the 1. Feb. I agree with you, that affairs look very well at home, but what shall We do with the Croake...

8 February 1781Honourd Sir After the late conference yoúr Excellency honourd me with, we should have had the honoúr to answer her most Esteemd favoúr sooner, bútt I...

8 February 1781Dear Sir The Bearer of this, Mr. Brailsford a native of South Carolina, is now on his way to America with the laudable design of serving his Country ...

9 February 1781Dear Sir I have this day the Honour of yours of 5. It would be unwise in Congress, to neglect any Effort to induce other Powers of Europe to acknowle...

9 February 1781My dear Sir Colonel Johonnot who sails in the Frigate Alliance, I expected would have tarried with us a day or two longer. His sudden and unexpected ...

Translation Group

C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, with a Démarche from Dumas to Prince Gallitzin

9 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir J'ai reçu et vu avec autant de satisfaction la belle et bonne Résolution du Congrès du 5 Octob., que j'ai eu de regret de voir ce...

9 February 1781Copie du paper qui accompagnoit la Resolution que j'ai portée ce soir à &c. Sans égard à une Traduction très fautive que le Gazettier d'Amsterdam vien...

Enclosure Group

9 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir I have received and have seen with much satisfaction Congress' great and good resolution of 5 October. Unfortunately it was publi...

9 February 1781Copy of the paper which accompanied the resolution that I have carried this evening &c. Without regard to a very defective translation that the gazett...

Translation Group

9 February 1781 Je vous ai, Monsieur, une obligation infinie de m'avoir procuré la connoissance de Monsieur Searle. Je n'en ai encore gueres profité. Je n'ay eu Lhon...

9 February 1781I have an infinite obligation to you, sir, for providing my introduction to Mr. Searle. I have hardly been able to profit from it since I have only ha...

9 February 1781Sir I had the honour of yours of Yesterday a few Moments past. I was happy to learn, that the News from our Country is agreable. The Extract from Cha...

9 February 1781Dear Sir Capt. Charles Jenkins of the Brig Sally arrived here this morning to my address, he left Rhode Island on the 12 Jan and reports that affairs...

Translation Group

10 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir Je suis encore inconsolable de la publication précipitée de la Résolution: car elle m'a fait manquer l'occasion d'une adresse tou...

10 February 1781Honoured & dear Sir I am still disconsolate about the precipitous publication of the resolution. Because of it, I missed the opportunity to write, on...

11 February 1781Dear Sir I thank you for the Translation, which came to hand yesterday. I do myself the Honour to inclose you, a Pamphlet, translated from the third ...

11 February 1781Dr Sir My long silence has not been owing to any want of regard or attention to you, but has been solely occasiond by the imprudence and folly of som...

12 February 1781Sir I have received yours of the 9 and 10th. of this month. The Resolution of Congress is printed and published in the publick Journal of Congress an...

12 February 1781Dear Sir Just in the moment I was sitting down to write to you, I had the pleasure of your's of the 8th. instant in which you acknowledge the receipt...

15 February 1781Sir This Morning, the House of Botereau & Co. of this City, presented to me, Sixty Six Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress on the 26th. day of Octobe...

Translation Group

15 February 1781Honoured & Dear Sir Sans vouloir rien opposer aux bonnes raisons que vous donnez dans votre faveur du 12e. pour la prompte publication de la Résoluti...

15 February 1781Honoured & Dear Sir Without wanting to disagree with any of the good reasons you gave me in your letter of the 12th regarding the prompt publication ...

16 February 1781Sir Your favour of yesterday was recieved this morning. I am never more happy than in hearing, that things are in a good State in our Country, and th...

18 February 1781Sir I sit down to acknowledge the Receipt of your Excellencys two Letters; one by the Post this day and the other by the preceding Mail. The New peri...

19 February 1781Sir Your Questions to me, today, have induced me to communicate to you, in Confidence a Copy of my Commission. You See, that I have not the Title of ...

19 February 1781Sir As I have been informed that your Excellency has had occasion, lately to enquire, whether any Person now in the Republick had Authority to treat ...

Translation Group

19 February 1781Monsieur Les derniers papiers Anglois ont copié de la Gazette de N. York un long article au sujet d'une prétendue sédition d'un Corps de 2000 h. de l...

19 February 1781Sir The latest English newspapers have copied a long article from the New York Gazette on the subject of an alleged mutiny of 2,000 men in General Wa...

20 February 1781 By this days post we are advised of the sailing from Cadiz of the Spanish Fleet consisting of thirty Sail of the line to cruize off Cape St. Vincent ...

Translation Group

21 February 1781Monsieur Pour que je ne fusse trop preoccupé de mon sisteme, j'ai profitté de votre permission de consulter autrui, quoique seulement une seule perso...

21 February 1781Sir In order that I not be too absorbed in my own system, I profited from your permission to consult with others, and even though it was only with on...

22 February 1781Sir I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me the 15th. Instant, respecting Bills presented to you for Acceptance, dra...

22 February 1781Honour'd Sir May it please Yoúr Excellency! that we remove the doúbts which are laying on oúr mind for two letters we received for her from France, a...

24 February 1781Sir Since my last to you before you left Paris, I have been favored with no Letters from you except a few Lines sent me by Mr. Montgomery of Alicante...

24 February 1781 Plan of a Negotiation to the Amoúnt of One Million Gilders. at the Charge of the United States of North America. His Excellency John Adams Esqr. Mini...

25 February 1781Dear Sir The enclosed letter came to hand the last Evening; I was about breaking it open, agreable to your directions, but observing it marked Cadiz,...

27 February 1781Dear Sir On my Return from a little Excursion, I received yours of 18. I dont know whether Calkoens, Pamphlet is unanswerable or not. There are two v...

Translation Group

28 February 1781Monsieur Il y a dix jours que l'honorable M. Searle m'a remis la Lettre que votre Excellence m'a fait l'honneur de m'écrire le trois janvier dernier....

28 February 1781Sir Ten days ago Mr. Searle gave me the letter that your Excellency had the honor to write me on the 3rd of January. I could not answer it right away...

1 March 1781 I the Subscribed John Adams, of Braintree in the County of Suf­folk, in the State of Massachusetts in North America Esquire and Minister plenipotenti...

1 March 1781Sir I received your Letter at Leyden, inclosing the Copy I had the Honour to Send you, and thank you, for your candid Judgment of its Extent and Impo...

1 March 1781Dear Sir The Letters I received at Leyden, obliged me to leave you Sooner than I intended, but , I shall soon See you again, at the Hague. I have rec...

2 March 1781Honourd sir This will reach yoúr Excellency at his levee, I make no apologie for not forwarding it sooner while by the time I left her, and being aft...

Translation Group

3 March 1781Monsieur L'incluse vous apprendra tout ce qu'il y a de nouveau ici. Nos amis ne sont guere contents du Mémoire Russe. Pour moi, je ne trouve pas que ...

3 March 1781Sir The enclosed will tell you all that is new here. Our friends are hardly content with the Russian memorial. As for me, I do not think that Russia ...

5 March 1781Sir I had the Honor of receiving a Letter from your Excellency yesterday without a date in Answer to that, which I took the Liberty of writing of the...

5 March 1781Honoúrd sir May we have the honoúr, to offer to Yoúr Excellency, the inclosed pack, received from Mr. Searle, who now is at Paris; and to join there ...

Translation Group

6 March 1781 M. Searle nous à remis dans son tems, notre cher et estimable ami, la lettre donc vous l'aviez chargé pour nous, il a dû vous ecrire que nous étions ...

6 March 1781 Mr. Searle delivered to us, our dear and estimable friend, the letter that you put in his charge for us. He should have written to you that we have b...

6 March 1781Dear Sir I desired Mr. Searle when he wrote you a few days since, to present my best regards to you, and to acquaint you that I wou'd write in a few ...

Translation Group

7 March 1781Monsieur J'ai l'honneur de vous communiquer ci-joint, dans une Lettre au Congrès, ce que je vous avois lu ici de ma petite note. Après avoir bien réf...

7 March 1781Sir I have the honor to communicate to you, through the enclosed letter to Congress, what I read to you from my short note. After much reflection on ...

7 March 1781Honourd Sir May we begg leave to address yoúr Excellency again, as yesterday we chose to do it by the scoot for Safety; and now we may be something m...

8 March 1781Dear Sir I Send you the Letters. If any Thing is necessary to be added to the Memorial before the Signature, you will be So good as to add it. I shou...

8 March 1781Sir I have lately received from Congress, as one of their ministers plenipotentiary, their resolution of the fifth of October last, relative to the r...

8 March 1781Sir I have the Honour to inclose, a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of the fifth of October last, and to inform your Excellency, that I have this da...

8 March 1781High and Mighty Lords The Subscriber, a minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the Honour to lay before your high mightinesse...

8 March 1781Dear Sir It has been some Weeks since I have heard from you and indeed near a month since I wrote myself. You may easily suppose the cause, and that ...

8 March 1781Sir Since I have been Honoured with Your Excellency's Reply of 12th November to my Application to You the same day in behalf of the State of South Ca...

10 March 1781Sir I have received the Letter which you did me the Honour to write me on the Eighth of this Month, requesting of me to furnish you with fifty obliga...

Translation Group

10 March 1781Monsieur J'ai porté ce matin vos divers paquets, en commençant, selon vos ordres, par le Pt. de L. h. P——. Sur les questions qu'il m'a faites, d'où e...

10 March 1781Sir This morning I delivered your various packets, as you ordered, beginning with the president of their High Mightinesses. He asked some questions s...

Translation Group

10 March 1781Monsieur Votre Excellence pardonnerés l'hardiesse de Vous incommoder de mon Ecriture. Un certain Colonel Americain, qui a servi au Roi de Prusse comm...

10 March 1781Sir Your Excellency will please excuse the boldness of this inconvenience in my writing to you. A certain American colonel, who served as a volunteer...

11 March 1781Sir I recieved your favours of Feby. 4th. and 28th. but today. I am much obliged to You for giving me the Opportunity to send the inclosed Letters to...

11 March 1781Sir I received this Morning your Favour of Yesterday with the Inclosures. You Seem to think that the Loan has been opened too Soon: but I am not of t...

12 March 1781Dear Sir I dont know whether I have acknowledged yours of the 12th. Feby.: that of the 25th. came to me yesterday. The Letter inclosed was from Mr. I...

12 March 1781Dear Sir I am honoured with yours of 5. You will honour and oblige me much sir, by your Thoughts upon the Subject of European Jealousy and Caprice, h...

12 March 1781Honourd Sir May it please Yoúr Excellency to receive by this Conveyance pro­visionally two hundred of the bonds or obligations with the coupons there...

13 March 1781Honourd Sir With infinite pleasúre we always obey Yoúr Excellencys commands, and are preparing fifty bonds provisionally with their coupons, to be se...

14 March 1781Dear Sir This is just to acquaint you that Colo. Lawrens arrived at L'Orient on the 8th. instant in our Frigate the Alliance from Boston, and was to ...

Translation Group

14 March 1781 J'ay recu Monsieur la lettre que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'ecrire aussi que la Copie de la Resolution du Congres des etats unis de l'amerique s...

14 March 1781 I have received, sir, the letter which you did me the honor to write to me, and the enclosed copy of the resolution of the Congress of the United Sta...

14 March 1781Most Honourable Sir May we begg leave to offer to Yoúr Excellency annexed to this present fifty bonds or obligations with the thereto belonging Coupo...

15 March 1781Dear Sir I wrote you a few days ago the Impromptú. I send much the same Papers now as then. Beg if the others have not arrived before this reaches yo...

15 March 1781Sir Having been taken the 25th. January last, in the Brig Active, on my passage from Philadelphia to L'Orient and Carry'd into England, The British t...

16 March 1781My dear Sir The dispatches you will receive with this, were sent to me by Colo. Lawrens, last evening, some of them he brought from America, the othe...

17 March 1781Dear Sir I received this Morning, your Favour of the 16. inclosing a polite Letter from the Duke de la Vauguyon. I hope to receive another from you t...

17 March 1781Sir As we doubt not of your having Letters by the Alliance our advices of course will serve only as repetition to relate. I shall therefore inlieu of...

Translation Group

17 March 1781Monsieur Je n'eus le temps hier au soir que de vous envoyer la Lettre que S. E. Mr. l'Ambr. de France m'avoit fait remettre pour vous en réponse de c...

17 March 1781Sir I did not have the time last evening to forward to you the letter that His Excellency the French Ambassador gave me in response to your letter to...

Translation Group

17 March 1781Monsieur Je viens de lire dans la Gazette de Berne No. 20 en datte du 10 mars article de la haye que V. Ex. est actüellement occupée en hollande de l...

17 March 1781Sir I just read in the Gazette de Berne, No. 20, dated the 10th of March from The Hague, that your Excellency is currently in Holland occupied in rai...

17 March 1781Sir The reason, why I have not called on Your Excellency for seeing together the House I had spoken of, is that it is doubtful, as I have been inform...

17 March 1781Honourable Sir May it not displease Yoúr Excellency; that forwarding the inclosed Letters, we repeat again oúr reqúest, that we may be favoured with ...

18 March 1781Leyden, 18 March 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 78–93. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:306–313. This letter was r...

19 March 1781Sir I have recieved your Excellency's Letter of the first of January, with the Commission and Instructions inclosed. I am very sensible of this fresh...

19 March 1781Dear Sir The inclosed Extracts, are of So much Importance, that I send them to you, for your opinion whether it is prudent to communicate them to the...

19 March 1781Sir I have recived your Excellencys Letter of the 12th. Instant. It afforded me much Consolation being much depressed at the possible ill turn affair...

19 March 1781Honourable Sir May we thank Yoúr Excellency for the Obligations she was so kind as to retúrn ús by Mr. Thaxter. The best way we foúnd to remedy the d...

Translation Group

20 March 1781Monsieur J'ai l'honeur de la vôtre du 17; et celui d'y répondre, que par la Constitution le Présidt. n'a point le Droit de Supprimer les Papiers adre...

20 March 1781Sir I have the honor of your letter of the 17th and respond to it here. According to the Constitution the president has neither the right to suppress...

21 March 1781Gentlemen I have received your favour of the 19th. and will direct Mr. Thaxter to number your Bonds again in figures under your written Numbers and S...

21 March 1781Sir The Capture of St. Eustache, which was to be expected, and the immense Acquisition of Property in the Ships taken will surely rouse the antient S...

21 March 1781Honourd Sir May it not displease yoúr Excellency that by this present we tútch upon the unhappy afair of St. Eústacia, we do realy pity them who will...

22 March 1781Dear Sir I have recieved several Letters from You, but have been so busy signing my Name, that I could not answer. I give You Joy of Laurens's Arriva...

22 March 1781Dear Sir With great pleasure have I recieved yours of the 19th, with its Inclosures. I wish I could answer more at large, but in addition to a thousa...

22 March 1781Honourd Sir May it please Yoúr Excellency. That we acknowledge the receipt of her most esteemd favoúr, the sentiments expressd there in are most libe...

24 March 1781Gentlemen I received last night your favour of the 22d., inclosing three Bills of Exchange which I have accepted and return inclosed. I have also rec...

26 March 1781Honourd Sir May it please yoúr Excellency that we thank her for the most kind reception I had the honoúr to meet with. I am sorry my time is so múch ...

27 March 1781Sir I am very much obliged to you, for the Trouble you have kindly taken in Sending me Gazettes, Pamplets, and Books, but the alteration of Circumsta...

27 March 1781Sir Since I had the Honour to communicate to you my Commission to their High mightiness, by which the general Affairs of America, in this Republick c...

27 March 1781Gentlemen I have just received yours, inclosing the Lettres Hollandoise, and thank you for your Attention. You give me great Joy by your Account of t...

27 March 1781Honourd Sir May we begg leave to mention to Yoúr Excellency that nothing materiall hath happend Since oúrs of Yesterday. The greatest news we now mús...

28 March 1781Sir It is so long since I wrote You, that I am almost ashamed to recollect. I have been in the most curious Country, among the most incomprehensible ...

28 March 1781Dear Sir Your much esteemed letter of the 18. of January, which on account of my late journeys was sent after me from Florence to Pisa, Leghorn, and ...

28 March 1781Honourable Sir We begg leave to thank yoúr Excellency for her most obliging favoúr of Yesterday, with the inclosed bills Accepted, may we begg the sa...

29 March 1781Leyden, 29 March 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, Misc. Papers, Reel No. 1, f. 287–294. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:335–337. Re...

29 March 1781Sir It is of Importance to the People of America to observe how much lighter their own Burthens are than those of their Enemies, and for this Reason,...

Translation Group

30 March 1781 J'ai bien reçu l'honneur de votre Lettre du 27e. et vous suis trèsredevable de l'obligeante intention qui vous a engagé à me l'écrire. Je n'ai pu voi...

30 March 1781 I have received the honor of your letter of the 27th and am indebted to you for your obliging intentions which prompted you to write me. I have not b...

31 March 1781Dear Sir I send you a few Prints and the last monthly Journals yet from the Press. The Enemy will give you one of the most candid accounts of the nav...

Translation Group

2 April 1781Monsieur Vous voudrez bien avoir la bonté de joindre le Postcrit ci joint à ma derniere Lettre pour le Congrès. Deux personnages, sur lesquels je pui...

2 April 1781Sir Could you kindly attach the enclosed postscript to my last letter for Congress. Two people, whom I can trust, have promised to keep me informed o...

3 April 1781Honourd Sir May it please Yoúr Excellency; to receive with the assúrance of oúr most respectfúll regard, the compliments of Mr. Ch. H Themmen of Gron...

4 April 1781Sir By a London Newspaper receivd this Day by the way of Margate (for the two last posts are not Arrivd) I find that Tarlton has been defeated by Gen...

4 April 1781Honourd Sir The expection of the french Letters made it to late yesterday, so that oúr Letters reached to late even for the post, where for we múst b...

6 April 1781Sir This Day the Skipper of a Trech Schuit, brought me, your Excellencys important Dispatches by Coll. Laurens. The Coll. delivered them to Mr. Dana ...

6 April 1781Sir I have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that I have received from Congress a Commission, to their High Mightinesses with full Powers and I...

6 April 1781Sir Letters from Cadiz inform us of the arrival of a Vessel at that port from Baltimore she left the Bay the 16 february. The Capt. reports more than...

7 April 1781Dr Sir Persuaded as I am that the mentioning the Observations I have lately heard made by many respectable men of this place, will be taken in a prop...

7 April 1781Sir Among the late intercepted Letters from London, is one from the Army Agent there to the Traitor Arnold, by which it appears that his Bribe was 50...

8 April 1781Sir I returned last night to Leyden, and would Set off this morning for the Hague, if particular Reasons did not oppose. Having Something, a little i...

9 April 1781Gentlemen I am engaged in some Affairs, which will oblige me to be absent from Amsterdam for some days if not for some Weeks, but when I return it wi...

10 April 1781Sir Relying on your Virtues of and Graces of Faith and Hope, I accepted SSix Bills to the Amount of ten thousand Pounds Sterling, drawn in favour of ...

11 April 1781Gentlemen I am this Moment favoured with your's of the 10th. and thank You for the readiness with which You have undertaken to get me House as soon a...

11 April 1781Honourable Sir May we thank yoúr Excellency for her obliging favoúr, which brought ús the Bills accepted, that which Yoúr Excellency refers to ús; we...

13 April 1781Gentlemen It will be necessary for me to have, Tea Geer and Coffee Geer and Knives and Forks and Table Linnen. I believe a dozen and half of Tea Cups...

Translation Group

14 April 1781Monsieur Quoique je n'aie encore vu personne, je prends néanmoins la plume, pour avoir l'honneur de vous dire, qu'après y avoir bien murement pensé d...

14 April 1781Sir Although I have still not seen anyone, I am nevertheless taking up my pen to have the honor to tell you, after much deliberation since we left ea...

Translation Group

15 April 1781Monsieur Nous recumes, il y a quelques jours, les Gazettes Anglaises que j'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer. Comme elles ne peuvent être pour notre compt...

15 April 1781Sir Several days ago we received the English gazettes which I have the honor to send to you. Since they could not be for our agency, I presumed that ...

16 April 1781Sir I yesterday had the honour of your's of the seventh. The letter inclosed is a bitter satire on the nation which produced it. Is it possible that ...

16 April 1781Sir I have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that I have received from Congress, full Powers and Instructions to treat with the States General,...

17 April 1781 Mr. Adams's Compliments to Mr. Van der Kemp and asks the favour of his Company this Evening at the golden Lyon, to Spend the Evening and Sup with a c...

Translation Group

17 April 1781 J'ay recu Monsieur La Lettre par laquelle vous m'informez que le Congres des etats unis de l'amerique septentrionale vous a revetu du Caractere de So...

17 April 1781 I received your letter, sir, informing me that the Congress of the United States of North America has bestowed upon you the character of minister ple...

17 April 1781Hounoured Sir We found out by the bring in that the Amsterdam Leyden and Utrecht Newspaper are all belonging to Your Excellency and have accordingly ...

18 April 1781 I feel myself happy that Congress have made it my duty to consult your Excellency upon the Mission with which they have charged me for the Court of P...

18 April 1781Dear Sir I am at no Loss, what Advice to give you, in answer to the Questions in your letter of this day, because they relate to a Subject, on which ...

Translation Group

18 April 1781Monsieur Je fus hier au Soir chez un ami de poids, qui, Sur ce que je lui témoignai ma surprise de ce que votre Mémoire avoit été remis au Greffe, c'...

18 April 1781Sir Last evening I visited an influential friend who, upon learning my surprise that your memorial was back at the clerk's office and, as I understoo...

19 April 1781Sir I have the Honour to inclose to your Excellency a Copy of a Memorial to their High Mightinesses the States General of the United Provinces. With ...

19 April 1781 High and Mighty Lords The Subscriber has the Honour to propose to your High Mightinesses, that the United States of America, in Congress Assembled, h...

19 April 1781 The Subscriber has the Honour to inform your most Serene Highness, that the United States of America, in Congress assembled, impressed with a deep Se...

21 April 1781Sir Agreable to my Faith I have obtain'd a Promise of Money sufficient to pay the Bills you have accepted, and shall accordingly accept those you dra...

22 April 1781Sir It is so very long since I had the Honor of hearing from your Excellency, that I am fearful your Excellency is out of order. I take the Liberty o...

22 April 1781Sir Having recieved so many proofs of your Friendship and Civility to me personally, and being fully convinced as I am of your Ardent desire to be us...

Translation Group

26 April 1781Monsieur Je n'ai rien, pour le coup, de nouveau à vous marquer, Si ce n'est, que je viens d'apprendre qu un certain nombre de Marchands de la grande ...

26 April 1781Sir I have nothing new to relate to you except that I just learned that several Amsterdam merchants will make a démarche to the British minister to s...

27 April 1781 I have received your Excellencys Letter of the 21. and will Send you the List of the Bills, and of the times of their becoming due according to your ...

John Adams to Edmund Jenings, with a Draft of an Article

27 April 1781Dear Sir I have received yours of the 22. Will you be so kind as to give me the Address of your Nephew, that I may be able to convey to him, Letters ...

23 April 1781Sir It is often Said in this Country, “We have nothing to gain by this War.” But who is to gain? If Holland has nothing to gain, it has much to loose...

28 April 1781Sir I have the honor of transmitting to your Excellency copies of a representation made to me by Commodore Gillon on the subject of the frigate South...

29 April 1781Dear Sir The Bearer of this Mr. Winslow Warren, is the Son of my Friend Major General Warren of the Massachusetts. He is, on all Sides of Families th...

Translation Group

29 April 1781Monsieur L'orsque j'eus l'honneur de Vous voir dernierement a Amsterdam j'ai pris la liberté de Vous preter une Lettre et quelques papiers que Son Ex...

29 April 1781Sir When I had the honor to see you last in Amsterdam, I took the liberty of lending you a letter and some papers that you wished to read that were s...

29 April 1781Sir I received the Letter you honour'd me with of the 16th. Instant. I had written to you on the 21st. which I hope you have received, that I would a...

30 April 1781Dear Sir Arriving this moment, I received your Favour of 26; and am happy to find that you continue in the Same Sentiments. I am Still of the Same mi...

30 April 1781Sir I had yesterday the Honor of receiving your Excellencys Letter of the 27th. Instant, which afforded me the greatest pleasure, as it assured me of...

1 May 1781Sir By the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Alliance between France and America, the most Christian King and the United States agree, to invite or admi...

3 May 1781Sir On the first of May I went to the Hague, and wrote to his Excellency Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr. Grand Pensionary of Holland, that having something...

3 May 1781Honourd Sir May I begg leave to inform yoúr Excellency of the invitation I have gott on a súdden to vizit Paris for a few days, where I had the honoú...

Translation Group

6 May 1781Monsieur La même personne qui m'avoit donné l'avis, que vous m'aviez en partant laissé le maître de suivre, me dit hier matin qu'après y avoir bien p...

6 May 1781Sir The same person who notified me that you left me in charge of forwarding the démarche, told me yesterday morning that, after much thought, he fin...

7 May 1781Sir On the fourth of May I did myself the Honour to wait on Peter Van Bleiswick Esqr., Grand Pensionary of Holland, and presented him a Letter contai...

7 May 1781Dear sir I have this moment received yours of 6th. I have no Objection against your Plan. I informed the Grand Pensionary and the President that I sh...

8 May 1781Sir I have the Honour of yours of the 29th. of April, and according to your desire, have inclosed a List of the Bills accepted with the Times of thei...

8 May 1781Sir I have received the Letter you did me the Honour to write me, on the 28th. of April. I Sincerely congratulate you, on the most essential Aid you...

10 May 1781Sir Commodore Gillon has applied to me by letter requesting that I would furnish Captain Joyner with bills of exchange on Paris for Twenty thousand G...

11 May 1781Sir I am honoured with your Excellency's Letter of the 27th. past, acquainting me with your Appointment as Minister Plenipotentiary to the States Gen...

Translation Group

12 May 1781Monsieur Vous aurez reçu par Mrs. De Neufville un paquet contenant 25 Exemplaires du Meme. dans les trois Langues. Aujourd'hui je vous envoie un autr...

12 May 1781Sir You should have received a package from Messrs. de Neufville containing 25 copies of the memorial in three languages. Today I am sending another ...

12 May 1781Sir By a vessel to my address from Philadelphia in 40 days I received with my own Letters, the Packet I have now the pleasure herewith to transmit yo...

Translation Group

13 May 1781Monsieur Après la Lettre que j'ai eu l'honneur de vous écrire hier, n'ayant plus rien à vous apprendre, pour le présent, des affaires publiques, mon ...

13 May 1781Sir After the letter that I had the honor to send to you yesterday, my intention was not to write again until next week since there is no news to rel...

14 May 1781Sir I herewith take the Liberty to send you the State of your Account currt. by which you owe me 24742. 2.11. After you have examin...

16 May 1781Sir I have the honor to inclose Copies of the Memorials, which I had the honor to present on the fourth instant to the President of their High Mighti...

16 May 1781Sir There has been much said in the public Papers concerning Conferences for Peace, concerning the Mediation of the Emperor of Germany and the Empres...

17 May 1781Amsterdam, 17 May 1781. Adams Papers. printed: JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot, p. 455. This letter is not in the PCC and was probably never sent. It...

Translation Group

18 May 1781Monsieur Depuis ma derniere du 13e. qui en renfermoit une de France pour vous, je Serois en peine de son sort, Si je ne savois que Mrs. De Neufville ...

18 May 1781Sir Since my last letter of the 13th, with the enclosure from France directed to you, I have been somewhat troubled because I did not know that Messr...

19 May 1781Sir I have the honour of your Letter of the twenty ninth of April, and will look up the Papers You mention as soon as possible, but I have been remov...

19 May 1781Dear Sir I have received two Letters from you, one covering a Letter from Leghorn. In the English Copy of the Memorial, there are several Errors of t...

19 May 1781Sir Yesterday I received your Favour of May 14th. inclosing my Account, which I will examine, and compare with my own, and write you about it, as Soo...

19 May 1781Sir I received the Honour of yours, with an Account of the Bills you have to pay. I have accepted your Drafts for 77,000 Crowns, at 15 Days Date. The...

21 May 1781Amsterdam, 21 May 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 151–157. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:424–427. This letter co...

23 May 1781Amsterdam, 23 May 1781. in John Thaxter's handPCC, No. 84, III, f. 159. printed: JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot, p. 465. This letter requested Congr...

23 May 1781Sir I have the honour of your Letter of the 19th. with its Inclosures, and I thank your Excellency for the pains You have taken to communicate the Ne...

Translation Group

23 May 1781Monsieur En réponse à l'honorée vôtre du 19e. je pourrai vous faire voir quand il vous plaira que l'expression Treaties with France and Spain est dan...

23 May 1781Sir In response to your honored letter of the 19th, I will show you, when you wish, that the expression Treaties with France and Spain was included i...

24 May 1781Amsterdam, 24 May 1781. in John Thaxter's handPCC, No. 84, III, f. 163–168. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:431–433. In this letter ...

24 May 1781Dear Sir I have recieved your obliging Letter of May 8th. with the Newspaper inclosed, for which please to accept my thanks. The English meet a warm ...

Translation Group

24 May 1781Monsieur Les Etats d'Hollde. ne pourront former une Résolution, que dans 15 jours ou 3 semaines; car ce ne sera qu'alors que sera l'Assemblée prochai...

24 May 1781Sir The States of Holland will not be able to form a resolution for another fifteen days or three weeks. This is because the next assembly finally de...

24 May 1781Dear Sir Mr. Dana's journey to Russia (the first notice of which I have it in Mr. Favi's Letter of the 6. instant) will probably have retarded my ans...

25 May 1781Amsterdam, 25 May 1781. PCC, No. 84, III, f. 169–170. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:435–436. John Adams provided an English transl...

26 May 1781Sir I am honoured with yours of the 23d., and percieve by it that the Error I mentioned was not of the Press but of the Copy. I am very much obliged ...

26 May 1781Gentlemen I have the Honour of your Letter of the 17th. instant, inclosing the 66 Bills of Exchange accepted by me, amounting to Bf. 109780, which yo...

27 May 1781Amsterdam, 27 May 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 173–176. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:448–451. John Adams pro...

29 May 1781Sir The English, by the capture of St. Eustatia, seem to have committed the most compleat blunder of all. There was found in that Island a greater qu...

Translation Group

29 May 1781Monsieur J'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer ci-joint un numbre encore du Mémoire, de peur que vous n'en manquiez: car on m'en demande encore fréquemment,...

29 May 1781Sir I have the honor to send you the enclosed copies of the memorial in case you do not have enough. Since I am frequently asked for them, I will dis...

30 May 1781Sir We have been honourd with your very esteemd favour of the 26th. Instant acknowledging receipt of your sundry acceptations amounting in all to Bf ...

31 May 1781Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 181–182. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:461. John Adams provide...

31 May 1781Amsterdam, 31 May 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 185–187>. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:463–464. John Adams p...

31 May 1781Dear Sir I have perused with the greatest satisfaction your most sensible and eloquent memorial to the Dutch united States, especially as it contains...

1 June 1781Sir I have received from my Sovereign, the United States of America, in Congress, their express Instructions to notify to their High Might­inesses th...

Translation Group

1 June 1781Monsieur Mr. Rosenblad, porteur de la présente, est le Gentilhomme Suédois, dont j'ai eu l'honneur de vous parler ici, et pour lequel vous m'avez pro...

1 June 1781Sir The carrier of this letter, Mr. Rosenblad, is the Swedish gentleman of whom I had the honor to speak to you here, and for whom you promised to gi...

Translation Group

3 June 1781Monsieur J'ai bien reçu vos ordres d'avanthier; et je ne manquerai pas de les exécuter Mardi prochain au Matin, ne le pouvant plutôt à cause des Fête...

3 June 1781Sir I received your orders of the day before yesterday, and I will not fail in executing them next Tuesday morning, not being able to do so earlier b...

4 June 1781My dear Sir It is some Time since I wrote to you, and much longer since I have been honoured with a Line from you. I have but Just got to Town. Mr. G...

5 June 1781Amsterdam, 5 June 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 193–195. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:468–469. John Adams in...

Translation Group

5 June 1781Monsieur Je viens de recevoir une Lettre de Mr. le Comte de Vergennes par laquelle il m'ordonne d'avoir l'honneur de vous dire, que les intérêts des ...

5 June 1781Sir I just received a letter from the Comte de Vergennes in which he gave me the honor to tell you that the interests of the United States require yo...

5 June 1781Sir I have received the honour of your Letter dated the 25th. past, advising me of your Drafts for Forty Thousand Livres payable to the Order of Capt...

5 June 1781Sir Your Excellency will find by the date hereof that it Comes from a prisoner, and which is the cause of my present address, therefore on the Confid...

Translation Group

5 June 1781Monseigneur Aÿant reçú plusieurs temoignages d'amitie et d'estime de votre Excellence, pendant votre Sejour a Leÿde, je me flatte a present, qu'il ne...

5 June 1781Sir Having received several expressions of your Excellency's friendship and esteem during your stay in Leyden, I flatter myself now that it will not ...

Translation Group

6 June 1781Monsieur Selon vos ordres du 1er. du Courant, j'ai cacheté de mon cachet la Lettre que Vous m'avez envoyée pour M. le Président de L. H. P. et mis de...

6 June 1781Sir According to the orders in your letter of the first of this month, I sealed the letter you sent me for the president of Their High Mightinesses w...

6 June 1781Hond. Sir I presume the Liberty of presenting to your Honor my Destressing Situation, that long Captivity has much impaired my health, and what adds ...

7 June 1781Sir Capt. Isaac Cazneau of Boston, lately arrived here from Norway, in his passage on board a Danish Vessel, unfortunately fell in with an English Pr...

8 June 1781Sir I have received the Letter which you did me, the Honour, to write me, on the fifth of this month, informing me, that you have received a Letter f...

11 June 1781Amsterdam, 11 June 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 197–205. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:487–491. John Adams in...

11 June 1781Sir Mr. Grand has communicated to me a Letter from your Excellency to him, relating to certain Charges in your Account, on which you seem to desire t...

12 June 1781Amsterdam, 12 June 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 209–217. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:495–498. John Adams p...

12 June 1781Sir At the receit of the two Letters you honoured us with, I went and laid before Dr. Franklin your observations, the first of which Letters he desir...

15 June 1781Sir The long expected Courier has at last arrived at the Hague from Petersbourg. The Contents of his dispatches are not publick, but all hopes of imm...

Commissions and Instructions for Mediation and Peace15 June 1781

15 June 1781 The united States of America, To all to whom these Presents shall come send Greeting. Whereas his most Christian Majesty our great and beloved Friend...

15 June 1781 The United States of America in Congress Assembled. To all to whom these presents shall come send Greeting. Whereas these United States from a sincer...

15 June 1781 Instructions to the Honble. John Adams Benjamin Franklin John Jay Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson ministers plenipotentiary in behalf of the Unite...

16 June 1781Dear sir Mr. Le Roy the Bearer of this, is a young American educated in Amsterdam where he has good Connections. He wants mercantile Connections in A...

Translation Group

17 June 1781Monseigneùr Noùs sommes interressés dans ùn navire et Cargaison dont cÿ inclùs l'information, la qùelle noùs prennons la liberté de Voùs envoÿer avec...

17 June 1781Sir We are interested in a ship and its cargo of which we have enclosed information. We are taking the liberty to ask that you examine this informati...

18 June 1781 This is a Copy of a Letter from Coll. Laurens to me, which I have given to Major Jackson, to shew to his Excellency Dr. Franklin. I should think it m...

20 June 1781Sir You will receive herewith enclosed a letter addressed to his most Christian Majesty; with a Copy of the Same for your information. Also a Commiss...

21 June 1781Gentlemen I had, this morning, the Honour of your Letter of the Seventeenth of June, and have read over, attentively, the Papers enclosed. It does no...

21 June 1781Sir France appears to be most perfectly satisfied with the for an Arrangement final of the most . You would be made very happy by such an Event bein...

23 June 1781Sir The answer from Petersbourg, as it is given to the Public, is this. Her Majesty, the Empress of all the Russias, declares: That as much as She be...

23 June 1781Amsterdam, 23 June 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 228–230. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:515–517. This letter ...

23 June 1781Sir I had the Honor to pay my respects to you the 17th. March since which I am not favord with a line from you. We are without any arrivals of late d...

23 June 1781My dear friend The bearer Mr. George Harrison intends to spend a few years in a compting house in Amsterdam. He is the son of a Gentleman who once fi...

24 June 1781Sir I have received your agreable favour of the fifth of this Month, Commodore Gillon was absent, when your Letter came to hand, and for many days af...

Translation Group

25 June 1781Monsieur Je me proposois d'avoir l'honneur de vous écrire demain. Mais S. E. M. l'Ambassadeur de France, m'ayant fait chercher dans ce moment, pour m...

25 June 1781Sir I intended to have the honor of writing to you tomorrow, but His Excellency, the French ambassador, has just this moment asked me to write to you...

26 June 1781Sir The Rubicon is passed. A step has been at last taken by the Regency of Amsterdam, which must decide the fate of the Republick. The City of Amster...

26 June 1781Sir The Emperor appears to be more intent at present upon taking a fair Advantage of the present Circumstances, to introduce a flourishing Commerce i...

26 June 1781Sir I have received your Letter of the fifth instant, and am very Sorry, to hear of your Misfortune. I wish it were in my Power, to comply with your ...

27 June 1781Sir Major Jackson has been sometime here, in pursuance of Instructions from Colo. Laurens, in order to dispatch the purchase of the Goods, and the sh...

29 June 1781Amsterdam, 29 June 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 246–251. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:525–527. This letter ...

30 June 1781Sir This is to request that you will accept no more Bills with an Expectation of my Paying them, till you have farther Advice from me: For I find tha...

Translation Group

3 July 1781Monseiur J'ai été mortifié dernierement, de vous trouver justement parti lorsque je passai à votre Auberge, pour vous rendre mes devoirs après avoir ...

3 July 1781Sir I was mortified to find that you had just left your inn, when I came to call on you after having met with some patriots. I hope we can make up fo...

3 July 1781Sir In consequence of the conversation, which the writer of this had the honour to have with your Exellencey, Last Saturday, We now make free to entr...

5 July 1781Amsterdam, 5 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 254–261. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:540–543....

7 July 1781Amsterdam, 7 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 264–265. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:549. Joh...

7 July 1781Amsterdam, 7 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's handPCC, No. 84, III, f. 262–263. printed :Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:550. John ...

7 July 1781 Mr. Adams presents his Compliments to Dr. Franklin and prays him to let his servant take the Trunks left at Passy to Paris. Mr. A. will do himself th...

7 July 1781 Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Adams, and sends such of his Trunks as can be got at; W.T.F. in whose Chamber it is suppos'd there may b...

John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, with a Letterbook Memorandum

7 July 1781Sir I have the honour to inform, you, that, upon an Intimation, from your Excellency, Signified to me by Mr. Berenger, and afterwards, by the Duke de...

7 July 1781This Letter I sent by My Servant, who, waited, untill the Comte descended from the Council, when he delivered it, into his Hand. He broke the Seal rea...

7 July 1781Dear Sir I am not skill'd in writing introductory Letters—I must however write one to make you acquainted with a Gentleman whose conversation you wil...

John Adams to Joseph Mathias Gérard de Rayneval, with a Letterbook Memorandum

9 July 1781Sir I have this Moment the Honour of your Billet of this Days Date: and will do myself the Honour, to wait on his Excellency the Comte de Vergennes, ...

9 July 1781Accordingly on Wednesday I went to Versailles and met the Count at his office with Mr. Rayneval at 9 o Clock, who communicated to me, the following Ar...

10 July 1781Amsterdam, 10 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 268–269. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:556–557...

Translation Group

11 July 1781 Articles pour Servir de base à la négociation du retablissement de la paix. Il sera traité entre la grande Bretagne et les Colonies Américaines du ré...

11 July 1781Articles to Serve, as a Foundation of the negotiation, for the Re-establishment of Peace. There shall be a Treaty, between Great Britain, and the Amer...

11 July 1781Sir I have only time, by Major Jackson, to inform Congress, that upon Information from the Comte de Vergennes, that questions concerning Peace, under...

13 July 1781Amsterdam, 13 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 287–288. Adams Papers. printed:JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot, p....

13 July 1781Amsterdam, 13 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 283–285. Adams Papers. printed: JA, Corr. in the Boston Patriot, p...

John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, with Draft of Peace Negotiation Articles

13 July 1781Sir I have the Honour to inclose, to your Excellency Some Remarks, upon the Articles to Serve as a Basis of the negotiation for the Re-establishment ...

13 July 1781 Answer of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, to the Articles to serve as a Basis to the Negotiation, for the Re-establishm...

13 July 1781Sir By the direction of our Mutual Friend Mr. Jennings I have sent to Ostend to the Care of Messrs. Theodoor Van Moorsel & Co. there, a Small packadg...

14 July 1781Sir I have the honor to inclose Copy of a Letter to the Comte de Vergennes, and Copy of Articles and an Answer. Peace is so desirable an Object, that...

15 July 1781Sir I have the honour to inclose Copy of a Letter to the Comte de Vergennes and of certain Articles and their Answers. The British Court proposed to ...

16 July 1781Sir Since my Letter of the thirteenth, upon further Reflection I have thought it necessary to explain myself a little more particularly in some Point...

17 July 1781Amsterdam, 17 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 319–329 printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:584–588....

Translation Group

18 July 1781 J'ai reçû, Monsieur, la lettre que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'écrire le 13. de ce mois. C'est par une Suite de la confiance que je mêts dans vos...

18 July 1781 I have received, sir, the letter which you did me the honor to write to me the 13th of this month. It was owing to the confidence I placed in your ju...

18 July 1781 I have received the Letter, Sir, which you did me the honour to write me of this Days Date: and I assure your Excellency I never had a Thought of app...

19 July 1781 In my Letter, Sir, of the Eighteenth, I had the Honour to mention Some Things which lay upon my Mind: but am Still apprehensive that in a former Lett...

19 July 1781Sir I think your Excellency will not be Surprized to find that I am stil at Amsterdam. Mr. Dana is so well Accompanied on his Route, that it was quit...

21 July 1781Amsterdam, 21 July 1781. and signature in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 331–332. printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:596–597....

21 July 1781 Since my Letter of the nineteenth, Sir, another Point has occurred to me, upon which it seems necessary, that I Should Say Something to your Excellen...

The Committee for Foreign Affairs to John Adams, with a Resolution on a Treaty of Commerce

21 July 1781Sir I do not find by President Huntington's Letter Book that he has forwarded the within Resolve of July 12th. respecting your Powers of Sept. 29th. ...

12 July 1781 By the United states in Congress assembled Resolved That the commission and instructions for negotiating a treaty of Commerce between these United st...

1 August 1781Sir Upon my Arrival here I found your Letter of the 30th. of June. Copy of which had been sent along to me by Mr. Thaxter to Paris, but by some unacc...

3 August 1781Sir I have the honor to inclose Copies of some Papers which passed between the Comte de Vergennes and me, lately at Paris. The Conjecture, that the B...

4 August 1781Sir I should Scarcely be credited, if I were to describe the present State of this Country. There is more Animosity against one another, than against...

6 August 1781Amsterdam, 6 August 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 347–350. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:623.. In this letter...

6 August 1781Sir In several of the London Newspapers of July 26th. appeared the following paragraph. “An order has been sent from Lord Hillsborough's Office for b...

6 August 1781Sir I some time since gave Orders as you desired to Mr. Grand, to furnish you with a Credit in Holland for the Remainder of your Salary to November n...

6 August 1781Sir After due Consideration we agreed upon sending your two trunks of Books, by land, which I have had executed, having first had them plumbed, by wh...

7 August 1781Sir We have many American Vessels arrivd within these five or six days past most of them belonging to No. Carolina but last from the West Indies, the...

8 August 1781Sir This People must have their own Way. They proceed like no other. There cannot be a more striking Example of this, than the Instructions given to ...

11 August 1781Sir On my return to this Town I found a Letter from London informing me that the 20£ was paid according to order. The Gentleman, who executed this Co...

12 August 1781Sir Since my last of the 6th. Instant there have been several Arrivals in France from America. I have Letters from Philda. of the 20th. June, tho' no...

12 August 1781Sir Could I have supposed that Your Excellency would have returned to Amsterdam before the Ship sailed, I should certainly have done myself the honor...

15 August 1781Sir Your Letter of May 14. with your Account inclosed I received: I have also received your Letter of August the 6th., with the Account inclosed in t...

16 August 1781Sir Mr. Temple has held offices of such Importance, and a Rank so considerable in America, before the Revolution, that his Return to his native Count...

16 August 1781Amsterdam, 16 August 1781. in John Thaxter's hand PCC, No. 84, III, f. 370–373. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 4:640. This letter, r...

16 August 1781The United States in Congress Assembled To all who shall see these Presents send Greeting, Whereas a union of the force of the several powers engaged...

16 August 1781By The United States in Congress Assembled. The report of the Committee on the communications of the honble. the Minister Plenipotentiary of France wa...

16 August 1781Sir I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I yesterday received Dispatches from Congress, refusing for the present, the Dismission I had re...

17 August 1781Sir The Day before Yesterday, were brought to my House, Fifty one Bills of Exchange, amounting to 40958 B.f. all drawn on the 22 June 1781 at Six mon...

18 August 1781Sir I have received your favour of August 7. with much pleasure, and thank you for the agreable News it contains. The Dutch have at last, Sent off Pa...

18 August 1781Sir We have recieved at last Parkers Account of the Action with Admiral Zoutman: according to which, the Battle was maintained with a continual fire ...

18 August 1781Dr. Sir I have received your favour of 11. will take measures to repay the 20£. The ode is very fine. I shall be happy if the News is confirmed, that...

22 August 1781Sir The Constitution of this Country is such, that it is difficult to discover the general Sense. There have been all along Circumstances in which it...

22 August 1781Sir The late glorious Victory, obtained by Admiral Zoutman over Admiral Parker, is wholly to be ascribed to the Exertions of Amsterdam. Pretences and...

22 August 1781Sir I have the Honor of receiving your Excellencys Letter, of the 18th. Instant, This Day. Indeed, Sir, the Dutch have Acted Nobly. They have astonis...

23 August 1781Sir I am desired to inclose, the within Copies to your Excellency: although I doubt not you have received the original, and although I know not what ...

25 August 1781Sir Last Evening I recieved your Excellency's Letter of the 16th. of this month, accompanied with a Letter from the President of Congress containing ...

29 August 1781Sir Mr. Mason here has received letters from his Father in Virginia to the 3 of June which inform him that at that time the Marquis la Fayette's forc...

30 August 1781Sir I have the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that Mr. Adams has been much indisposed for three weeks past with the fever of this Country, and is...

31 August 1781Sir I duly received the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 17th. Instant inclosing a Copy of one from Mr. John Ross, acquainting me wi...

1 September 1781Sir We had the pleasure to receive several letters from you before we left St. E– the contents of which were properly attended to, our answers have g...

Translation Group

6 September 1781Monsieur Ce fut avec la plus grande satisfaction et reconnoissance, que je reçus, il y a quelque tems, de la part de Votre Excellence, le Recueil des...

6 September 1781Sir It was with the greatest satisfaction and gratitude that I received, some time ago from your Excellency, the collection of constitutions and othe...

Francis Dana to John Adams, with a Key for a Code System

8 September 1781My Dear Sir It is not through want of attention that I have omitted to this time, to acquaint you of our arrival in this City. We reached it, after s...

8 September 1781 No. 1. The Empress. or Russian. 2. The Emperor—Austrian 3. The King. 4. The Minister—Ministry. 5. Prussia—Prussian. 6. Sweden—Swedish. 7. Denmark—Dan...

8 September 1781Dear Sir We Are Extreamly Sorry To Troughble you with A Letter of this Kind, But Our Unfortunate Situation In A Kingdom Remote From All Our friends A...

10 September 1781Sir I had the honor of your favor of yesterday's date this morning. I blush to aknowledge that I have not given you a more early Intimation of Mr. Ad...

14 September 1781Sir At the receit of your Letter I imparted your observations, concerning your Account, to Dr. Franklin, for the consideration of which he demanded a...

17 September 1781Sir I Hope this will find Your Excellency's Health well established, and that your Disorder has not left the Remains usually attendant on it, but tha...

19 September 1781Sir I have the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that Mr. Adams has for sometime past been confined to his Bed with a Fever; and tho' at present upo...

Translation Group

19 September 1781Mon cher monsieur Quoyque je ne puisse scavoir par personne positivement si vous estes a paris de retour de vos voyages, l envie que jay de scavoir d...

19 September 1781My dear Sir Although no one could tell me positively if you were in Paris back from your journeys, I felt a desire to find out any news from you, you...

24 September 1781Sir I had the honour of your favor without date this morning. I have a particular Satisfaction in assuring you, Sir, that the health of Mr. Adams has...

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Appendix: List of Omitted Documents