The Newport Historical Society’s archival collections are currently being reorganized and rehoused. While most of the collection is cataloged, at least in part, we are regularly “finding” items that have not been seen or studied in many decades.
In 1798, President John Adams corresponded with many cities and localities after his administration severed treaty relationships with France. His hand-written and signed response to the “Inhabitants of the Town of Newport,” who wrote to offer their allegiance, is in our collection.
The full group of correspondences was published in 1798 and presented to the French Directoire. A scanned copy of the volume, which is not in our library, can be viewed here.