RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 395–400). LbC (Adams Papers); notation by Thaxter: “No 32 delivered Capt. Landais 3d. April.” printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:593–596.

In this letter, which was read in Congress on 11 Sept., John Adams began by observing that while “the Fermentation in England” had alarmed the ministry and influenced some members of the House of Commons, he thought it was largely due to the impending election. Adams then provided the texts of resolutions adopted by the meetings of the county and city associations at St. Alban's Tavern from 11 to 20 March (see JA to the president of Congress, 23 March, No. 23, note 3, above) and those adopted on 15 and 19 March by the Westminster committee. The St. Alban's resolutions served to justify a general association for parliamentary reform, those of the Westminster committee focused on the inequities of parliamentary representation. Adams indicated that he had included the texts of the resolutions because he believed the association movement to be of great importance and that if wisdom and virtue prevailed, its objectives would be accomplished, thereby bringing fundamental change to the government and policies of Great Britain. If the movement was unsuccessful, however, Adams believed that it would “probably be the last rational Effort made in favor of Liberty, and Despotism will range at large.” Furthermore, if George III concluded an immediate peace, the movements in England and Ireland would lose momentum and his conflicts with the Netherlands and Spain would largely disappear. If he continued the war and was successful, at least his problems in England and Ireland would be dissipated. But if he continued the war and was unsuccessful, “the new Sovereignty will probably prevail against him, after involving the three Kingdoms in Confusion and in Blood.”

RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 387–394). printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:588–592.

John Adams began this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, by paraphrasing the first portion of William Lee's letter of 30 March (above), regarding the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and the Netherlands. He then provided English translations of a petition of 25 Feb. to the States General calling for the outfitting of fifty-two warships; Sir Joseph Yorke's memorial of 21 March demanding that the States General reply within three weeks to his previous memorials for support of Great Britain's war efforts, or face suspension of the Anglo-Dutch treaties insofar as they related to neutral commerce; the States General's reply of 24 March requesting additional time; and a paraphrase of Yorke's rejoinder that he was unable to satisfy that request.

RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 405–408). printed: various American newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette of 12 July and the Boston Independent Chronicle of 3 Aug. 1780.

In this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, John Adams paraphrased the resolutions praising Henry Grattan for his efforts on behalf of Ireland in the Irish Parliament adopted at a meeting of Dublin merchants on about 20 March. He then noted a proposal made in Dublin to raise funds for warships to give Irish shipping the protection which the British were neglecting to provide, and reported the speculation that this effort could lead to an Irish navy. Adams also included the texts of Grattan's reply of 24 March in which he vowed to continue his efforts to modify Poyning's Law; the reply of Luke Gardner, member of the Irish Parliament for Dublin, to his instructions in which he promised to work to modify Poyning's Law; and the reply of Edward Newenham, another member from Dublin, to the same effect. Adams ended by apologizing for “stating so particularly proceedings, which must have such momentous Consequences. These are foundations of another Revolution, and will effect a total Independence of Ireland on England. If England should resist these demands, and at the same Time continue the War with America and the House of Bourbon, Congress may have an Ambassador at the Court or Congress of Ireland, in a very short Time.”

RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 409–410). printed: various American newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette of 12 July and the Boston Independent Chronicle of 3 Aug. 1780.

In this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, John Adams provided {p. 109} the text of a resolution adopted by the City of London on 22 March concerning the maintenance of a correspondence with the various committees named by the counties, cities, and towns regarding the general association.

RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 413–414). LbC (Adams Papers); notation by Thaxter: “Nos. 33, 34, 35 & 36 were delivered Capt Snelling on the 8th April 1780 at the Hotel de Valois by Mr Adams.” printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:596–597; various American newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette of 12 July and the Boston Independent Chronicle of 3 Aug. 1780.

In this letter, which was read in Congress on 10 July, John Adams related a report from Malaga concerning an unprovoked attack on the Swedish frigate Illerim by an English privateer from Minorca, which resulted in the death of the frigate's captain.

RC (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 417–423).

In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, John Adams provided Congress with a substantial extract from Sir James Marriott's decision in the case of La Sybellina Hillegonda, one of the Dutch vessels seized by Como. Charles Fielding from the convoy under the protection of Adm. van Bylandt. Marriott condemned the ship because the convoy of the vessel to a French port and the resistance put up by van Bylandt violated the existing Anglo-Dutch treaties, but also because necessity required that neutral vessels carrying naval stores to an enemy port be stopped regardless of any treaty provision. Adams included a list of the other Dutch vessels, with a summary of their cargoes, seized and condemned for the same reasons.