Papers of John Adams Volume 20, June 1789 – February 1791 Front Matter Copyright Dedication Sponsorship Committees Descriptive List of Illustrations Introduction Guide to Editorial Apparatus Documents 1 June 1789From Samuel BarrettHonored & dear Sir, On Advice of my very excellent Friend the honbe Mr Bowdoin I inclose you Copies of my Letter to Major General Knox & his ... 4 June 1789To James LovellMy dear Friend— By the last post I was favoured with yours of the twenty first of May: Mr Duncan I presume has not come on—neither by his... 4 June 1789From Benjamin RushDear Sir, I find you, & I must agree, NOT to disagree, or we must cease to discuss political questions. I could as soon believe that the ... 5 June 1789To Jeremy BelknapDear Sir I have this Evening received, your favour of May 30th. inclosed with a Sermon at the Installation of Mr Morse. This elegant Disc... 5 June 1789To Richard PetersDear Sir Yesterday I had the Pleasure of receiving your Letter of the 28th. of May. Mr Beals Intention was not to Stay in Philadelphia ... 6 June 1789From Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir your long silence gave me much uneasiness but I endeavour’d, to assign a thousand reasons which must have prevented you & some o... 6 June 1789From William TudorDear Sir That I was right in my Position “that a considerable Time must elapse before the united States can arise to Greatness” I find co... 9 June 1789To Benjamin RushDear Sir No! You and I will not cease to discuss political questions: but We will agree to disagree, whenever We please, or rather ... 10 June 1789From James SearleDear Sir I was duely favoured with your obliging letter of the 15th. of last Month and feel myself not a little gratified with the renewa... 10 June 1789From James SullivanSir The Communicating our Sentiments to men in power, when done with the respect due to their characters, and without a troublesome intru... 11 June 1789To Samuel BarrettDear Sir I have received the letter you did me the honour to write me on the first of this month with its inclosures: The Letter to The P... 11 June 1789To James BowdoinDear Sir I have recieved the Letter you did me, the honour to write me, on the 30. of May: but have not yet had an opportunity to See Mr ... 12 June 1789To William TudorDear sir Your Letters put me more and more out of Patience every Post.— Why, in that of the 6th. do you call our national Government a ... 12 June 1789To Cotton TuftsDear Sir The last Evenings Post favoured me with yours of the 6th. Many Gentlemen are in favour of a national Excise: and Some would have... 13 June 1789From C. W. F. DumasMonsieur L’affection dont vous m’avez honoré pendant votre séjour en Europe, & les sentimens inaltérables de mon attachement pour Votre... 15 June 1789From Joseph MandrillonMonsieur Le Vice-Président, Le tems peut sans doute avoir detruit le souvenir dont vous m’honoriez, lorsque les interêts del’Amérique vou... 15 June 1789From Eliphalet PearsonSir, President Willard having resigned the office of corresponding secretary to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, your goodness wi... 15 June 1789From Richard PetersDear Sir I am honoured with yours of the 5th. instant I thank you for your kind & polite Offers of Hospitality. Experience has ... 15 June 1789From Benjamin RushDear Sir, I have been so long accustomed to regard all your opinions upon goverment with reverence, that I was disposed upon reading your... 16 June 1789From Jabez BowenSir, I Returned yesterday from attending the Genl Assembly, the great matters on which the ins. & outs differ were bro’t on. we lost the ... 18 June 1789To Richard PetersDear sir— Success you say, in yours of the 15th. stamps a substantial value upon measures, Yet the Motto under a Picture of O. Cromwell, ... 18 June 1789To James SearleDear sir— I have received your Letter of the 10th. and in answer to your question, I have no scruple to say, that on your arrival in Holl... 18 June 1789To James SullivanSir. I have received your favour of the 10th. and am obliged to you for a free Communication of Your sentiments upon some important point... 19 June 1789To Benjamin LincolnDear Sir I am honoured with yours of the 30th. of May, and find We are well agreed in opinion in all points. Nothing Since my return to A... 19 June 1789To Benjamin RushDear Sir Your Single Principle, in your Letter of the 15th must fail you.— You say “that Republican Systems have never had a fair Tryal.”... 20 June 1789To George WashingtonDear sir— Among the Candidates for the Honour of public Employment, under the New Government there is one, whose connection in my family,... 21 June 1789From William TudorDear Sir, I thank you for correcting my careless Appellation of federal Republic as applied to the National Government. We are so used to... 26 June 1789To Jabez BowenSir I received your letter of June. 16: and am glad to learn that you “gain a little.” If as I have learnt from Dr Manning, the ... 26 June 1789To Uzal OgdenSir I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me, on the twefth of this month, with the first number of a new periodical p... 26 June 1789To Eliphalet PearsonSir By my Son Charles, who arrived Yesterday, in good Health, I received the Letter you did me, the honour to write me, on the fifteenth ... 26 June 1789From Francis DanaDear Sir When you was last at Cambridge at my house, in consideration of the weight of the business of my present office, and of the feeb... 28 June 1789To William TudorDear Sir I Shall not grant the Indulgence you request in yours of the 21st, most certainly: I mean that for hastily adopting Expressions,... 28 June 1789To Cotton TuftsDear sir I have received your favour of the 22.— Mrs Adams, Mr Charles and Miss Louisa, arrived on Wednesday the 24th. after a tedious Pa... 30 June 1789From James Boyd Your Excellency will pardon the freedom of my addressing you, when you are acquainted with my sufferings & my present Indigence. which is... 2 July 1789From James SullivanSir When I had the honor of addressing a Letter to your Excellency, upon a subject of allowed importance to the united States, I did not ... 4 July 1789To William MacPhersonSir I have received your polite letter of the second of this month, and am obliged to you for this instance of respect and attention to m... 4 July 1789To George Mason Jr.Dear Sir With great pleasure, I received your kind letter of the twenty fifth of last month, give me leave to congratulate yo... 4 July 1789From Stephen HigginsonSir Since I had the honour of seeing you at your own house, I have been so unwell, & so much occupied with my private Business, when able... 5 July 1789To Benjamin RushDear Sir Without waiting for an Answer to my last, I will take a little more notice of a Sentiment in one your Letters. You Say you “abho... 8 July 1789From Theophilus ParsonsMy dear Sir— Conscious of the persecutions you would meet with, by applications for your influence in the appointment to offices, I had d... 9 July 1789From James LovellDear Sir altho’ this Letter is somewhat of a public Nature, yet I dare not address you in a consonant manner, ’till the Point is settled ... 9 July 1789From William TudorMy dear Sir However you & I may have been taught by Civilians, & however History confirms the Maxim, that an Imperium in Imperio is a Sol... 10 July 1789To Francis DanaDear Sir I have received the letter you did me the honor to write on the 26th of last month and am much obliged to you for it. The ... 14 July 1789To Stephen HigginsonSir I received your favor of the 4th of this month, but not till the impost bill was enacted and published. In the progress of ... 14 July 1789To Thomas MifflinDear Sir I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the third of this month, and I thank you for giving me an opportu... 14 July 1789To James SullivanSir I have received your favor of the second of this month. The report I mentioned to you in a former letter, was spoken of to me by gent... 14 July 1789From Benjamin LincolnDear sir I had the pleasure a few days since of receiving your kind favor of the 19th. ulto— When I first saw the new constitution I was ... 15 July 1789To John JenksSir I received your letter of the first of this month and thank you for you kind congratulations. The application in favor of... 15 July 1789To Benjamin RushDear Sir I have read Dr Rush, de moribus Germanorum, with pleasure. As I am a great lover of paradoxes, when defended with ingenuity, I ... 15 July 1789To William ThompsonSir I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the fifth of this month, and am the more earnest to give it an early a... 16 July 1789To James LovellDear Sir There is no such point in dispute, as that you mention in your favour of the 9th. The only question is concerning the title ... 16 July 1789To Theophilus ParsonsDear Sir I have received your favor of the eigth of this month, and am much obliged to you for the frank and manly representation it cont... 16 July 1789From Henry MarchantDear Sir I have yet to acknowledge Your Politeness and Kindness in ranking me in the List of your Friends by your Letter of Invitation to... 17 July 1789To Roger ShermanDear Sir I have read over with Pleasure, your Observations on the new federal Constitution, and am glad of an opportunity to communicate ... 18 July 1789To Roger ShermanDear sir In my Letter of Yesterday, I think it was demonstrated that the English Constitution is a Republic, and that the Regal Negative ... 18 July 1789From Jeremy BelknapMuch respected & dear Sir It was a very singular pleasure to me to receive a Line from you approving the discourse which I did myself the... 19 July 1789From Samuel Mather Jr.Sir My Friend Robert Young Esqr. of Warwick Court Holborn having lately published an Essay on the Powers and Mechanism of Nature, in ... 19 July 1789From Edmund RandolphDear sir Your friendly answer to the letter, which I took the liberty of addressing to you in favor of Colo. Heath, has increased the ... 20 July 1789To Roger ShermanDear Sir There is a Sense, and a degree, in which the Executive, in our Constitution, is blended with the Legislature: The President, has... 20 July 1789From Robert MontgomerySir The honour I had of an Aquaintance with your Excellency Shortly after your arrival at the Court of Varsailles; and some friendly lett... 20 July 1789From Roger ShermanSir— I was honored with your letters of the 17th. & 18 Inst. And am much obliged to you for the observations they contain— The Subject of... 21 July 1789To Peter CunninghamDear Sir I have received your favor of the thirteenth of this month, from the hand of Mr McGuire, and am much obliged to you ... 21 July 1789To Alexander HamiltonSir Mr Charles Adams, my Second son, the Bearer of this Letter, I beg leave to introduce to you.— He took his degree at our U... 21 July 1789From Benjamin Rushmy dear friend, From an unfortunate concurrence of circumstances, I find myself under the influence of the same difficult command in corr... 22 July 1789To Roger ShermanDear Sir As the Citizens of these States, are all Legislators, or Creators of Legislators, it is, as you observe in your favour of the 20... 22 July 1789From Jabez BowenSir— I was honoured with your favour of the 18th. of June for which I return you my Thanks, and was happy to hear of the safe arival of M... 23 July 1789From James SullivanSir I have to acknowledge the honor of receiving your Letter dated the 14th July. as to the subject respecting an opposition to the con... 24 July 1789To Jeremy BelknapDear Sir I have, this morning received your Letter of the 18th., George Chalmers, I have Seen in London. He is a Scot, who adventured to ... 24 July 1789To Benjamin RushMy dear Friend I have persecuted you, too much with my Letters.— I beg you would give yourself no trouble to answer them, but when you ar... 24 July 1789From John Brown CuttingMy Dear Sir By a vessel that departs from hence in half an hour bound for the Potowmack I send you some authentic papers which contain de... 26 July 1789From James LovellMy dear honoured Friend I had often considered your Situation, before the Receipt of your Letter of the 16th, and I had hoped you would “... 27 July 1789From Roger ShermanSir— I received your letter of the 20th Inst. I had in mine of the Same date communicated to you my Ideas on that part of the constitutio... 27 July 1789From William TudorDear Sir Our Citizens here disapprobate the Compensations, as they are called, which have passed the lower House of Congress. They genera... 28 July 1789To Benjamin RushDear Sir “The Characters, I So much admire among the ancients,” were not “formed wholly by Republican forms of Government”— I admire, Phi... 31 July 1789From Francis DanaDear Sir I did not receive your very obliging favour of the 10th: inst: till yesterday, when I returned from the eastern Circuit. I have ... 6 August 1789To Joseph HardySir In 1779 at Bilbao I was solicited for releif by a number of American seamen who had been captured by the English and turned adrift in... 6 August 1789From John Brown CuttingMy Dear Sir, Before this reaches You I hope You will have authentic accounts of the late revolution in France. At such a distance from Pa... 7 August 1789From John LowellDear Sir Although I have had frequent Occassions to sollicit in Favour of my Friends, (or such other Charecters) as I have thought migh... 8 August 1789From John BondfieldSir A ship Sailing in the morning as it interests you to know the state of the Nation. I have the pleasure to advice you that... 10 August 1789From James BowdoinSir As it is the duty of every good citizen to counteract, as far as he can, any measures that may operate injuriously to the Public, I a... 10 August 1789From Stephen HigginsonSir I never yet have had occasion to solicit an appointment either for myself or my friends, nor do I love to interest myself in matters ... 15 August 1789From Stephen HallMy very Dear & much honoured Friend; Permit me overwhelmed with grief & chagrined at disappointment to beg your kind attention for a minu... 16 August 1789From Roger Sherman Mr. Sherman returns his respectful compliments to the Vice-President, and would have done himself the honor of Waiting on him... 18 August 1789To Henry MarchantDear Sir I have received your kind and obliging letter of the 16 of July, and am sorry that the extream heat of the weather, and a consta... 18 August 1789From Sylvanus BourneRespected Sir— It gives me sensible pain to be under the necessity of troubling you further with my personal Concerns amid the weight of ... 22 August 1789From William CushingDear Sir, I hope you will excuse my indolence as to writing; but I ought before now to have expressed my thanks for your favor of the Sec... 24 August 1789From John BrownDr. Sr. The Federalest of this State are very much Alarmed that the Tunnage Act should be as is generly Supposed to be put in force ... 29 August 1789From Edward BancroftSir As Dr. Jeffries is about to return to America, I have desired him to take charge of a Letter from, & of two Volumes lately ... 29 August 1789From Henry MarchantDear Sir, Yours of the 18th. just came to hand— Mr. Jackson was in town some time past— I was attending a Court in the Coun... 30 August 1789To Sylvanus BourneDear Sir I have received your letter of the 18th of this month and have communicated that to the President, which was inclosed in it. The... 31 August 1789From Jabez BowenSir, By the operation of the Commercial Regulations of the United States, those that have been friends, and for adopting the New Consti... 1 September 1789To James LovellDear Sir I have not yet answered your letter of the 26 of July. You guess well—I find that I shall have all the unpopular questions to de... 1 September 1789From William Maclay Mr Maclay’s Compliments wait on the Vice President of the united States, begs leave to inform him, That he is in so ill a Sta... 8 September 1789From Sylvanus BourneMy respected Sir— I was honoured by the due Receipt of your obliging favr. of Augt 30th for which you have my Cordial thanks— I am fully sensible ... 14 September 1789To William CushingDear Sir I have not yet acknowledged my obligation to you for your favor of Augt 22. if my hasty scrawls written in gloomy times and ... 14 September 1789To John LowellDear Sir I received your Letter of the 7th in due Season and have delayed my Answer, in hopes it might be more determinate. I have ... 14 September 1789From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst and Nicolaas Hubbardsir On the 26th: last Month only, we received your respected favor of 2 Decbr to our Predecessors, accompanying the Second an... 15 September 1789To John BrownSir I received in due time your favor of August 24, the subject of which has since been under the deliberation of both houses. The act, w... 16 September 1789To John BondfieldSir I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 15 of May. and take this opportunity to return you my thanks for y... 16 September 1789To the Comte de SarsfieldMy dear Count Your friendly letter of the 23 of April, has laid me under obligations to you which it shall be my endeavour to discharge. ... 16 September 1789To Cotton TuftsMy dear Friend I have recd all your Letters, and the Post Office is very faithful. The Heat has been excessive and my daily T... 17 September 1789To Henry MarchantDear sir Your kind Letter of Aug. 29, gave me much pleasure. There is more Confinement, in my present Situation than in any, that I have ... 17 September 1789To James SullivanSir In your letter of the 18th of August, you ask why we may not have as much paper in circulation in proportion to our circu... 18 September 1789To Jabez BowenSir I am honored with your letter of 31 of August. Your complaint against our laws was well founded but we have passed a law which I hope... 18 September 1789To William TudorDear Sir Yours of July 9 & 27 are unanswered. I cannot reconcile myself to the Idea of a Division of this Continent, even fifty Years hen... 19 September 1789To John LauranceSir My second son the bearer of this letter as soon as he was out of College was entered as a student at Law in the office of Colo: Hamil... 19 September 1789From Jeremy BelknapDear Sir Your last favor of the 24th July should not have been so long without a reply had I not supposed that your attention must be so ... 21 September 1789To Stephen HigginsonSir Your favor of August 10th was duly received and immediately communicated with several other letters on the same subject to ... 21 September 1789To James SullivanSir Your letter of the 23 of July remains unanswered. There is in the United States and the regions to the southward of it a body of peop... 25 September 1789To George WaltonDear Sir The duplicate via Charlestown of your letter of the thirtieth of August, never reached my hand till a day or two before the nomi... 26 September 1789To Jeremy BelknapDear Sir Yesterday I received your favour of the 19th. and learn with Pleasure your design to pursue your valuable History of New Hampshi... 27 September 1789To Richard & Charles PullerGentlemen When I had my audience of leave of his Britannic Majesty, orders were given to the master of the ceremonies Sir Clement Cottere... 29 September 1789From Pierre DeschampsMonsieur Il m’a été informé que je dois m’adressér a Vr̃e Excellençe; Je le fais avéc confiançe. C’est au Sujet de deux balles de Lainage... 30 September 1789From William TudorDear Sir Your Letter of 18th. I received last Evening & it was particularly acceptable as I had experienced much Uneasiness from ... 2 October 1789From James SullivanSir I have to aknowledge the honor of receiving yours of the 17th & 21st. instant In my Letter of the 18th of agust, I suggested to your ... 28 October 1789To Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir, It was not till the last evening that I had the pleasure of your favor, with the pamphlets. They were sent to New-York, but had... 7 November 1789To Marston WatsonSir The Letter you did me the honour to write me, on the thirtieth of September, has been to New York; and from thence transmitted to thi... 7 November 1789From George Waltonsir, You have my thanks for the letter which you did me the favor to write to me on the 25th. of september last; and while I ... 15 November 1789From C. W. F. DumasMonsieur Après avoir présenté à Votre Excellence, dans une précédente, l’expression de mes sentimens sur son élevation au Poste éminent q... 20 November 1789From John BondfieldSir I am this day honor’d with your favor of the 16 September I am happy to find that the affairs of America are in a state to fix a perm... 25 November 1789From Mary PalmerSir I beg leave to inform you that Princes Chronology is now in the office, unless the same fairy who bro’t it has carried it away again—... 30 November 1789From Hendrik FagelMonsieúr. La lettre, dont voús m’avés honoré le 26 de Maÿ m’est bien parvenúe dans son temps, avec le second, et troisieme tome de Votre ... 8 December 1789From Wilhem & Jan WillinkSir.— Shortly after we had the pleasure of paying you our respects under date of the 30 April, we were honor’d with your Letter of 2 De... 14 December 1789From William SmithSr. By direction of the Boston Marine Society, I have the honor to forward you by the Honble. Mr. Otis a Certificate of your ... 19 December 1789From James LovellSir Though I know your extreme Delicacy as to any Interference in the executive Affairs of the U.Ss. yet to you I must apply; for, Heav... 19 December 1789From Henry MarchantDear Sir, Yours of the 17th. of Sepr. I have been honored with.— I truly esteem myself so by every Mark of Your Attention— Your unexpecte... 20 December 1789From John Paul JonesDear Sir, The within documents, from my Friend the Count de Segur Minister Plenipotentiary of France at St. Petersburg, will shew you ... 21 December 1789From Stephen HigginsonSir I intended myself the honour of a little conversation with you, before you went to Congress, as to the trade of this State. We are su... 28 December 1789From Jabez BowenSir I Congratulate you on the accession of No. Carolina to the general Government. our Antis are Thunderstruck at the News more especiall... 29 December 1789From Charles CarrollDear Sir Our Legislature did not rise till late in the night on the 26th instant. I have been obliged to attend the whole Session; consta... First Congress, Second Session Editorial Note[view document]... 6 January 1790From Richard & Charles PullerSir We are duly favoured with Your Letter of the 27th September last which We take the opportunity of the first Packet to answer & to acq... 7 January 1790From John JeffriesSir I lately received a pacquet from Dr Bancroft, containing the inclosed for you.— By the date &c of the Doctor’s to me, it appears, tha... 7 January 1790From François Adriaan Van der KempSir! Long before I read your Excell̃: defence of the Constitutions &c I saw their Criticism bÿ the Reviewers, which enlarged ... 9 January 1790From Pierce Butlersir. I feel very sensibly the impropriety of Your Address to me in senate yesterday— As it was a very indellicate departure f... 13 January 1790To John TrumbullMy dear Sir I am at length determined to omit no longer to write to you.— You read yourself to death. this let me tell you, is a Sin and ... 17 January 1790From Sylvanus BourneRespected & Dr Sir— I am pleased to find that the President in his late Speech to both Houses of the American Parliament has specifically... 17 January 1790From Pierre Charles L’EnfantSir. In may ’89. while I was Engage in supperintending some work at the Congress House Mr Ottis requested I should Direct the Execution of... 18 January 1790From Henry MarchantRespected Sir, We may at Length congratulate each other on well founded Expectations of a speedy Adoption of the Constitution by this Sta... 20 January 1790From Thomas McKeanSir, This will be handed to you by Mr; Francis Bailey, printer of the Freemans Journal in this city. I esteem him as an intel... 22 January 1790From Richard CranchMy dear Brother This will be delivered to you by my esteemed Friend Mr. Nathan Reed, who was a very worthy Tutor to your eldest Son, an... 24 January 1790From William CranchSir, I wrote you some time ago, & desired Mr Lovell, who told me he should see Mr Ames before he left Dedham, to forward it by him. Your ... 28 January 1790From George WaltonSir, Being on a circuit of our Superior Courts, & finding a Vessel ready to sail for New-York, I embrace the occasion of congratulating y... 1 February 1790From Richard PriceMy Dear Friend This comes to you with a Discourse which has been much talked of here; and which, I hope, you will accept as a Small tes... 1 February 1790From Wilhem & Jan WillinkSir We beg leave to refer to our last respects of 8 dec̃:, since whch. time we continue without your agreable favors, we are now paying t... 2 February 1790To Benjamin RushDear sir I cannot give up my dear Latin and Greek although Fortune has never permitted me to enjoy so much of them as I wished.— I dont l... 3 February 1790From Charles DillyDr Sir, I shd. not have troubled you with a Letter—but upon the peculiar instance of having received a Letter from Messrs; Wilhem of Amst... 6 February 1790From John TrumbullDear Sir Your letter found me on my return from the session of our Superior Court at Haddam—since which, I have attended a three weeks se... 9 February 1790From Benjamin FranklinSir, At the Request of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, I have the Honour of presenting to your Excellency the encl... 12 February 1790From Benjamin RushDear Sir. Ever since the last week in Octor I have been engaged in composing & delivering a new Course of lectures on the theory ... 15 February 1790From Jabez BowenSir I doubt not but You have been inform’d that our Genl Assembly have order’d a Convention to be called to meet a South-Kingston the fir... 17 February 1790To Benjamin RushDear Sir I had heard, before I recd your Letter of the 12th, of your new Engagements in the Colledge added to your extens... 23 February 1790From Charles Storerdear sir, From the friendship you have always expressed for me I am led to acquaint you with some circumstances in which I am interested ... 24 February 1790From Benjamin RushDear sir, Your remarks upon the Conduct of the tories, and the “young fry” who are now crouding into the Councils of our Country, perfect... 27 February 1790To Jabez BowenSir Your letter of the 15th never reached me till yesterday I condole with you in the unfavorable aspect of your elections: but ... 27 February 1790To François Adriaan Van der KempSir Your agreable Letter of the 9. Jan. has lain too long unanswered.—Mr Mappa, I should be happy to present to the Preside... 28 February 1790To John Brown & John Brown FrancisGentlemen Your Letter of the 16th. I recd only by the Post of last Wednesday.— I am really much affected at the obstinate Infatuation of ... 28 February 1790To William ElleryDear Sir Many months ago I received a kind letter from you, which by some odd accident or strange fatality has never been answered, I rea... 1 March 1790From Stephen HigginsonSir Since I had last the honour of writing to you, the vacancies in our supreme Court have been filled up; & the event has pr... 6 March 1790From William ElleryDr. Sir, Engaged as you are in public business, and this State not having shown a disposition to join the Union I did not wonder, althoug... 7 March 1790From Henry MarchantSir, It is mortifying to be beat in a good Cause, without Sense or Argument, but merely by Self-Will and vile Principles— Our Convention ... 9 March 1790To John TrumbullDear Sir Coll Humphreys; at the Levee, this morning, delivered me Your kind Letter of Feb. 6, for the favour of which you cannot imagine ... 9 March 1790From Jabez BowenSir Your favour of the 27th. ulto. came safe to hand yesterday. I attended the Convention last week and after choosing a President &c we ... 10 March 1790From Jeremy BelknapDear Sir By your indulgence in permitting me to ask you any questions, I am emboldened to send you one of my circular letters; by which y... 12 March 1790To John TrumbullDear Sir Your Letter of Feb. 6. has made So deep an Impression that it may not be amiss to make a few more Observations on it as it respe... 14 March 1790To William CranchDear Sir Your favours of Decr 15. Jan. 24. and Feb. 17 are before me, and I thank for your Attention, and hope for a continuance of it, t... 14 March 1790To Stephen HigginsonSir I am much obliged by your favor of the first instant with the report of the Committee: and glad to find that the bench has been fille... 14 March 1790From John TrumbullDear Sir I have the honour of yours of the 9th. instant, & am happy to find that you are not displeased at the frankness of my ... 17 March 1790From François Adriaan Van der KempSir! After your Excellency’s advice, for which I am much obliged, I wrote, by this Sloop to his Excellencÿ the President, State the affai... 20 March 1790To Jabez BowenDear Sir If your state would as you hint in your letter of the 9th all turn tories and go back to Britain openly; I should not be obliged... 20 March 1790To Joseph MandrillonMr Mandrillon. The letter you did me the honor to write me, the 15th of June last did not arrive till yesterday. The memory of the time I... 20 March 1790To Henry MarchantDear Sir Your favours of 19. Decr. 18. Jan. and 7. March are all before me.— I am much obliged to you for the accurate and useful ... 20 March 1790To Charles StorerMy dear Charles. There is nothing improper in your application of the 23d of Feby nor should I find fault with your seeking honor or emol... 20 March 1790From James LovellHonored & dear Sir You will have a Visit from your old Friend Genl. Warren who supposed I could certify some Intentions of the former Congress greatl... 24 March 1790From James BowdoinDear sir The Gentleman, by whom this will be delivered to you, is Nathaniel Appleton esqr the Commissioner of the Loan Office for the ... 24 March 1790From Stephen HigginsonSir— Your obliging letter of the 14 instant I have received, & thank you for the friendly intentions you therein express. I did not mean ... 27 March 1790To François Adriaan Van der KempSir Your favour of March 17. is recd.— The French Revolution will, I hope produce Effects in favour of Liberty Equity and Humanity, ... 29 March 1790From Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir I ought to have acknowledged the receipt of your favour before this but indeed it is not easy to get letters conveyd to you. i... 30 March 1790From John TrumbullDear Sir You may easily conceive how much I was pleased, & flattered by your very friendly & confidential letter of the 6th ... 4 April 1790To Thomas Crafts Jr.Dear Sir Your favor of the 31st of January I received in its season. I have at two or three several times had conversation with ... 4 April 1790To Benjamin RushDear sir The Tories as you observe in your friendly Letter of 24 Feb. are more attached to each other; they are also, We must candidly ... 5 April 1790To James LovellDear Sir I am much obliged by your favor of March 20th and very apprehensive that this is not the only letter of yours unanswered. To lea... 5 April 1790From John Quincy AdamsDear Sir. I have more than once mentioned to you, the state of retirement from political conversation in which I live, and the restraints... 13 April 1790From Benjamin RushDear Sir, Your last letter is a treasure.— Every Sentence in it is full of instruction. I have often contemplated that passion in mankind... 13 April 1790From William Brown and John Hopkins To the Honourable John Adams Vice President of the United States of America The Petition of Wm: Brown & Jam̃. Hopkins with ad... 17 April 1790From John HurdSir I have the honor of your Excellency’s Favor of the 5th. Currt. & acknowledge myself extremely oblig’d by the kind & friendly manner i... 18 April 1790To Benjamin RushDear sir Your letter of April 13, soars above the visible diurnal Sphære.— I own to you that avarice Ambition the Love of Fame &c are all... 19 April 1790To Richard PriceMy dear Friend. Accept of my best Thanks for your favour of Feb. 1st. and the excellent Discourse that came with it. I love the Zeal and ... 20 April 1790From Thomas JeffersonSir Encroachments being made on the Eastern limits of the United States by Settlers under the British Government, pretending that it is t... 21 April 1790To John Quincy AdamsMy dear son I am not willing you should want Information from the Seat of Govt: but I can do little more than send you a Ne... 22 April 1790Dialogues of the Dead Dialogues of the dead. Charlemain Frederick, Rousseau Otis. Rousseau. have you Seen Franklin, Since he passed the River? or has the Boa... 24 April 1790From William SmithSir. It is sometime since I had the pleasure of addressing you but as I know it will not be displeasing to know the sentiments of your co... 25 April 1790To John TrumbullDear sir Your favour of March 30. and Ap. 17. came to hand last night. By the “attack in Metre” you mean I suppose, that written by Ned. ... 26 April 1790From Oliver WhippleMost respected Sr: The Length of Time, Since I had the Honour of a personal Interview, and the Vicisitudes of our public Affairs, perhaps... John Adams’ Discourses on Davila Editorial Note[view document]... 16 March 1791John Adams’ Discourses on Davila, No. 33 Discourses on Davila. N. 33. It seems by the Discourse of Boetius, that there was a strong Inclination, in some to destroy Monarchy a... 29 April 1790From AmicusDr Sir, I have ever considered the Assumption of the State Debts by Congress, as a measure necessarily flowing from the Adoption of the C... 10 May 1790From Eliphalet FitchDear Sir Since writing you, on the 7h. Instant, by this Conveyance I have delivered to Captn. Peters, of the Marianne, a Barr... 13 May 1790From Joseph HagueSir I hope you will pardon me for my presunption to you, but the Subject being so Interesting to the Public, I take the liberty to Write ... 17 May 1790From Thomas Crafts Jr.My Dear Sir I recieved yours of april 4th and should have wrote sooner but thought it best to wait sometime that I might answer your ... 18 May 1790To Oliver WhippleDear sir With much pleasure I received your favour of the 26. of April: it brought fresh to my Memory the many hours We Spent together, i... 19 May 1790To William ElleryDear Sir I have received your favor of the 13th, as I did that of march in due season— One wishes to be informed of all facts... 19 May 1790To Benjamin LincolnDear Sir I have duly received but not duly answered your favor of April 3d. It is a misfortune that a man can never be spoken to by a pro... 20 May 1790To William SmithDear Sir, Your agreable favour of the 24th of April, was brought to me in season and I thank you for it; though my thanks are not in ... 25 May 1790To Thomas Crafts Jr.Dear Sir I have received with a mixture of pleasure and gloomy melancholy your favour of the 17th. What motives the eastern members ... 28 May 1790From Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir Having an opportunity of writing by Mr Rutledge I embrace it with great pleasure to convey to you a few lines & some tracts & ... 29 May 1790From Bartholomew BurgesMay it please your Excellency— Sir, You did me the honor the winter before last to subscribe to a little Astronomical essay of mine and o... 29 May 1790From Henry MarchantMost respected Friend ’tis done,—’tis done— The Constitution this Day was adopted by Our State Convention, by a Majority of two— Never we... 1 June 1790To Thomas Brand HollisMy dear friend Nothing mortifies me more than the difficulty I find to maintain that correspondence with you which when I left England ... 1 June 1790To Alexander JardineSir I take the opportunity by General Mansell to acknowledge the receipt of your polite letter of the 29 of May 1789 and to present you m... 1 June 1790To Henry MarchantDear Sir Your obliging Letter of the 29. Ult. was brought to me Yesterday at my house, and as there happened to be a few Freinds with me,... 3 June 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir I inclosed You a few days ago a parcel of printed papers some of which I conceived might contain interesting intelligence especi... 5 June 1790From John TrumbullSir Since I had the honor of receiving yours of April 25th., my time has been wholly taken up in attending on our Supreme Court of Errors... 8 June 1790From Joseph WillardSir, I take the liberty of enclosing a petition to the National Legislature, from the Convention of the Congregational Ministers in this ... 11 June 1790To Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir I have received your kind letter of March 29th and the packet of pamphlets, and I pray you to accept of my best thanks for both—... 12 June 1790From William SmithDear Sr. I have to acknowledge the Rect. of your esteem’d favor of the 20 Ulto. Our Genl. Assembly are now in Session. their ... 14 June 1790From Jabez BowenSir I most sincearly Congratulate you on The accession of Rhode Island to the Union. by this event the Chain seems compleat. may our publ... 14 June 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir By a vessel that sails for Boston tomorrow I inclose You the british king’s speech on the adjournment prior to the late dissolut... 16 June 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir, I write this note just to inclose you a couple of newspapers. Such is the variable & distracted state of affairs at present her... 18 June 1790From François d’IvernoisMonsieur Votre patience à lire le premier volume de l’histoire dont j’ai l’honneur de vous envoyer la suite m’autorisait suffisamment à c... 19 June 1790From François Adriaan Van der KempSir! Your Excellencÿ’s favour of March 27. I received the 17̈ apr.—and was it not for a particularity attending this Letter, I would not ... 23 June 1790From Alexander Hamilton Mr. Hamilton will have the honor of Dineing with the Vice President on the 30th. of June agreeably to his Obliging invitation... 5 July 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir There are so many rumours concerning the present state of the dispute between Spain and Britain and so many individuals interest... 5 July 1790From Alexander HamiltonSir I have the honor to inform the Vice President of the United States and to request him to cause an intimation to be given... 8 July 1790From David HumphreysSir On Saturday next, the President proposes to go, with Mrs Washington and his family, to view the remains of the old fortifications nea... 12 July 1790From George Joy Mr: Joy presents respectful Compliments to the Vice-President and takes the liberty to hand him a sample of American made sugar ... 17 July 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir I embrace the opportunity afforded me by a vessel that sails to day for Philadelphia to send you some newspapers and to tell You... 18 July 1790To Eliphalet FitchDear Sir I have received the polite and obliging Letter, you did me the honour to write me, on the Seventh of May.— Although an intimate ... 21 July 1790From Pierre DelivetDear Sir— The first cause that the federall Court of anapolis had on there dockett, To Judge, Since Its Erection, Was on a Process of acc... 21 July 1790From Richard VarickSir The Corporation of this City have applied to the President of the United States to permit Colo. John Trumbull take his Po... 22 July 1790To Richard VarickSir I received Yesterday the Letter you did me the honour to write me, Soliciting Permission for Mr Trumbul, to paint the Portrait ... 23 July 1790From C. W. F. DumasMonsieur, Quoique je puisse & doive être certain que Ve. Exce. a régulierement connoissance de mes Dépeches à l’honble. Départment des Af... 23 July 1790From George WaltonSir, By some intelligencies lately from Europe, it is said that Great-Britain is zealously endeavoring to repossess the Floridas; and I h... 25 July 1790To Henry MarchantDear Sir I have recd your favour of the 19th— I presume your answer to Mr Jefferson will be sufficient: but If you write to the President... 26 July 1790From Elbridge GerryMy dear sir As you were so obliging on saturday last as to inform me of your design to recommend my brother Samuel Russel Gerry to the of... 29 July 1790From Jeremiah AllenSir When I had the Honor of being with you, a Conversation turn’d upon the Consul for Russia, I observed it would not do, unless some pay... 7 August 1790From William CushingDear Sir, I intended myself the pleasure of calling to pay my respects to you before leaving the city, & for that purpose had engaged a h... 11 August 1790From John Brown CuttingDear Sir, If ever there was a time when the volunteer exertions of a citizen of America became a duty incumbent upon him in a foreign rea... 12 August 1790To Richard VarickSir, It is with great pleasure, that, in obedience to an order of the Senate of the United States, I have the honor to enclose their Reso... 15 August 1790From Sylvanus BourneDr Sir— Observing by the Papers that you are one of the Commrs: appointed for purchasing part of the public Debt at Markett in which you ... 19 August 1790To Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes Mr. Ducher, a French gentleman, whom you did me the Honor to introduce to me formerly by letter, and who is well esteemed in this country... 27 August 1790From John Codman Jr.Dear sir Enclosed is an Account of the Cost of your two Casks of Wine & the charges which I have paid upon it— agreeably to your desire I... 27 August 1790From George WashingtonSir, Being very desireous of obtaining such aids and information as will enable me to form a just opinion upon the subject of the enclose... 29 August 1790To George WashingtonSir That New Orleans, and the Spanish Posts on the Missisippi, will be among the first attempts of the English, in case of a war with Spa... 12 September 1790To Samuel AdamsDear Sir Upon my return from Philadelphia to which beloved City I have been, for the purpose of getting an house to put my head in next W... 13 September 1790From the Abbés Chalut and Arnoux Les abbés Chalut et Arnoux ont l’honneur de faire leurs sinceres Compliments à Monsieur Adams et de l’assurer de leur estime et de leur a... 18 September 1790From Cotton TuftsDear Sr. Accounts have been exhibited to me by several Depy. Sheriffs for Service of Writs committed to them by You while in the Practi... 4 October 1790From Samuel AdamsDear sir With pleasure I received your Letter of Septr. 12th; and as our good friend, to whom I dictated my last is yet in Town; I have r... 10 October 1790To John Codman Jr.Dear Sir, I duely received your obligin letter of the 27th of August; but a journey to Philadelphia, and the confusion of preparations to... 10 October 1790To Cotton TuftsDear Sir, I write at this time only to authorise and request you, to subscribe for me, to the new loan, all the final settlements, Loan O... 10 October 1790To Thomas WelshDear Sir It would give me great Pleasure to comply with your request, and to be of Service to you, in any Way in my Power: but I am not a... 11 October 1790From Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst and Nicolaas Hubbard We beg leave to introduce to your Excellency’s acquaintance, the Bearer Mr. Joseph Ceracchi Native of Rome & an eminent Sculp... 13 October 1790From William Temple FranklinSir, Permit me to inform your Excellency, that in consequence of pressing Letters from my Friends in England and France, urging me to g... 16 October 1790To William Temple FranklinSir Last night I had the pleasure to receive your obliging letter of the 13 of this month, and thank you for your information of your int... 18 October 1790To Samuel AdamsDear Sir I am thankful to our common friend as well as to you for your favour of the 4th. which I received last night.— My fears ... 19 October 1790From Thomas Brand Hollismy Dear Sir amidst the numerous & important concerns in which you are engaged, & for which I rejoice that you should sometimes think of m... 3 November 1790To Thomas Brand HollisDear Sir, By Mr. Broom, a worthy citizen of our states, I take the pleasure to inform you, that I have received your kind letter, and hav... 25 November 1790From Samuel AdamsMy dear Sir I lately received your Letter of the 18th: of October.— The Sentiment, and observations contained in it demand my attention. ... 26 November 1790From Thomas JeffersonDear Sir From a letter received from the President mr̃ Lear is satisfied he cannot be here to-day and doubts even the possibility of his ... 2 December 1790From Wilhem & Jan WillinkSir Deprived of your agreable favors since we had the honor of Paying you our respects under date of 1 febry, the present will principall... 3 December 1790From William Stephens SmithDear Sir— Permit me to introduce to your acquaintance Mr. Blodget, tho’ I believe you may recollect seeing him in London—he will present ... 7 December 1790To Thomas Mifflin The Vice President of the United States presents his compliments to Governour Miflin, & informs him, that the President of the United Sta... 9 December 1790To the Commissioners of the City and County of PhiladelphiaGentlemen: The Senate have considered the letter that you were pleased to address to the Senate and the House of Representatives, on the ... 11 December 1790From William CranchSir, Having neglected writing to you for so long a time, for which I can form no possible Apology, except a general aversion to writing, ... 11 December 1790From William MacCreeryDear Sir Altho’ it be the fate of persons high in power to be exposed to the importunity of the many, and they are obliged not only to su... 13 December 1790Address from the Senate to George Washington At twelve o’clock the Senate attended upon the President of the United States at his own House, when the President of the Senate delivere... 14 December 1790From James GreenleafSir The partiality of some of my American friends, has induced them to consider me, as not altogether uneligible, as Resident, from the U... 16 December 1790To Elkanah Watson Jr.Sir I have this moment received your favour of Nov. 30, and the Volume inclosed with it: an acceptable Present for which I thank you. I h... 16 December 1790From Johannes AltheerA Son Exellence Du Temps de votre Ambassade nous eumes l’honeur de vous voir en cette Ville et meme à notre magazin de Livres ou vous ave... 20 December 1790To John JayDear Sir Permit me in this Severe Season, to Salute your fireside, and congratulate you on your return from the Northern Circuit. As the ... 21 December 1790The Board of the Sinking Fund to Congress The Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, The Chief Justice, The Secretary of State, The Secretary of the Trea... 21 December 1790From Alexander Hamilton The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the Vice President and sends him the report of the Trustees of the Sinking Fund wi... 26 December 1790To Mercy Otis WarrenMadam Yesterday I had the pleasure of receiving your favour of September the 24th with an elegant copy of your poems dramatic and ... 26 December 1790From Elkanah Watson Jr.Sir I have unexpectedly been hon’d with a letter from your Excellency. The present edition of the Little performance I sent... 30 December 1790To William CranchMy dear Sir I have had the pleasure of receiving your letter and should be happy to furnish you with any hints concerning the study of th... 3 January 1791From the Boston Marine SocietySir In behalf of the Marine Society of this Town, we have the Honor of addressing you on a subject that has long engaged the attention ... 4 January 1791From John JayDear Sir a weeks absence on a visit to my friends at Rye, from whence I returned last Evening, prevented my having ’till then, the Pleasu... 5 January 1791From John RedmanSir, It is with great pleasure I obey the Orders of the Corporation of the 2d: Presbyterian Church, in Arch-Street, by commun... 5 January 1791To John RedmanSir I received this morning the Letter you did me the honour to write me, communicating the resolution of the Second Presbyterian Church ... 16 January 1791From William SmithDear Sr. By one of the last Posts, by direction of the Boston Marine Society, I forwarded you a number of Papers respecting a Marine Hosp... 17 January 1791From Thomas JeffersonSir I have the honour to enclose you a Postscript to the Report on Measures, Weights & coins now before your house. this has been rendere... 17 January 1791From Mercy Otis WarrenSir. An unsealed letter from you came to my hand this day. for the letter I thank you. as it contained expressions of regard & esteem whi... 20 January 1791From Thomas JeffersonSir I have the honor to inclose you a letter from one of our captive citizens of Algiers, if I may judge from the superscription and from... 21 January 1791From William SmithDear Sr. I take the freedom to introduce to your notice Major Kent. a Grandson of the late Cap Kent of Charlestown. he goes to Philadelph... 22 January 1791From James LovellSir From the Borders of the Grave, revived, and even established in Health, I once more present my Respects with my accustomed Fervency t... 23 January 1791To John TrumbullDear Sir I have been So much of an Antiœconomist as to leave your Letter of June the fifth unanswered to this day. The Defence of the Ame... 27 January 1791To Samuel TuckerSir I have received your Several Letters and Should have been glad of the opportunity to have Served you as far as might have been in my ... 2 February 1791From Thomas JeffersonSir As the information contained in the enclosed extracts from a letter of Mr. Short’s lately arrived, has some relation to a ... 5 February 1791From John TrumbullDear Sir You cannot doubt how much I esteem myself honored by your Correspondence— But in a Correspondence with Great Folks, it is my rul... 8 February 1791From Peter ThacherHond. & dr sir I must make an apology for asking you to accept of the sermon inlosed herewith. You knew and loved the ... 11 February 1791From Samuel Tuckersir I Yesterday receivd Your very Polite Letter by which I think myself highly Honour’d on this reception, from so great a Character, and... 12 February 1791From Thomas Brand Hollis Mr Brand Hollis having met with this second volume of the History of Bologna by Ghiradacci requests Mr Adams to accept of it from gratitu... 14 February 1791To Mercy Otis WarrenMadam. By the last post I received your letter of January 17th, and was as much surprised at the information that my last letter to you a... 15 February 1791To William TudorDear Sir My good Genius this morning has thrown in my Way, by perfect Accident, your oration of the 4. July last, and although I read it ... 19 February 1791From Stephen HallMy dear & honour’d friend; I have not forgot the Chagrin I suffered in not obtaining the Collectorship of Impost at this Port. ... 19 February 1791From Henry MarchantDear Sir, The Congress of the United States are once more seated at Philadelphia. I wish the People there may be more conscious of the Ho... 21 February 1791From Hannah AdamsSir, Desirous to gain the patronage of so distinguished a character, with the utmost diffidence I request your acceptance of the inclosed... 23 February 1791From Perez MortonSir At the request of Miss Hannah Adams, I enclose & forward to you her Request to honor a publication, she intends making to the World, ... 24 February 1791To Benjamin WaterhouseDear Sir It was not, till yesterday that I received your kind Letter, with your Discourse on Animation; for both of which obliging favour... 25 February 1791To Peter ThacherDear sir, I received by the last Post, and have read with great pleasure your obliging letter; and the Sermon which accompani... 25 February 1791From William Temple FranklinSir, In the Letter you did me the honor of writing to me previous to my Departure from Philadelphia, you intimated a Wish to be informed ... 27 February 1791From William TudorDear Sir I was greatly obliged by your Letter of the 15th Instant, although it gave me some Mortification arising from the Reflection tha... 28 February 1791To Ebenezer Hazard Mr Adams presents his Compliments to Mr Hazard, and returns, with Pleasure, the Proposal for printing his valuable Collecti... Back Matter Appendix: List of Omitted Documents
