Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 December 1778 JA Tufts, Cotton

1778-12-03

John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 3 December 1778 Adams, John Tufts, Cotton

John Adams to Cotton Tufts

Dear Sir Passy Decr. 3 1778

I have the Pleasure of yours of the 5th. of August, for which I am much obliged to you. It is a great Satisfaction to me to be informed, 131of the Particulars which are enumerated in your Letter, upon which the Happiness of the People and their Exertions in the Cause so much depend.

I am not able to inform you of any News, except what the News Papers contain. Those inclosed, contain some Things that perhaps are not in any other. I wish you would lend them to the Printers as soon as possible.

Remember me to Mrs. Tufts and Mr. Cranch and all the Family. My son is very well, and I hope will not be the Worse for coming to Europe. Yet I will not trust him here long. The Manners of Europe are enough to debauch Angells.

I am, dear sir, with great Affection and Esteem.

LbC (Adams Papers). Enclosed newspapers not found or identified.

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 December 1778 JA AA

1778-12-09

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 December 1778 Adams, John Adams, Abigail

John Adams to Abigail Adams

My dearest Friend Passy Decr. 9 1778

I cannot let this opportunity slip without sending you a Line, but the Gentleman waits and it can be but a Line. I have ordered you some Wine as you desired and a Present of some Tea and sugar—But cant tell you by what Vessell it will go.1

All Well. No Hopes of Peace, at least in my Mind. We must be taught to set an higher Value upon our Liberties before We shall obtain them.

We are extreamly anxious to know the Fate and Destination of D'Estaing and Biron, but have no News from Boston later than 5 Novr., or rather the 4, I believe. Of Clinton and Washington We know nothing a long time.

RC (Adams Papers).

“I am anxious to send a few Articles to my Family by the first Vessell that shall go for Boston, and there is no Person at Nantes, to whom I have a better Excuse for applying. It is to send a Cask of Bourdeaux Wine, half a Dozen Pounds of Tea and Fifty Weight of Loaf Sugar Addressed to John Adams Esqr. Braintree near Boston, to the Care of Isaac Smith Esq. Boston. The Claret I fancy should be such as is sent to the English Markett.

“Captain McNeil, in the Privateer Gen. Mifflin was good enough to tell me he would take these Things on Board his Ship, but if you can conveniently send it on Board any other, it will be as well. If you will be so good as to take this Trouble, and draw upon me, alone, for the Expence and your Commissions, I will very gladly discharge your Bill upon sight.” (JA to John Daniel Schweighauser, 8 Dec. 1778, LbC, Adams Papers; see Schweighauser to JA, 12, 19 Dec., both in Adams Papers.)

132