31To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 24 November 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have to answer two Letters from you—one of 28 October, and the other of 13. November—Tant va la Cruche à l’eau qu’à la fin elle se casse, was an old french proverb, long before Washington’s Mother was born. Tant va la Cruche a l’eau qu’à la fin elle s’emplit is the variation of Beaumarchais’s Basila in the Marriage of Figaro—But whether the pitcher is filled or whether it is broken it was...
32From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 24th. ulto. with the draft on the Branch Bank for 3000 Dollars in received.—Messrs: Payne and Co wrote me lately mentioning the opinion of our friend Mr. Jos: Stall Senior, that there would be no dividend upon the Canal Shares next January.—I immediately answered them that if that was now their own opinion, I wished them to suspend further purchases on my account.—I say the same...
33From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 14 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
A very few days after my arrival in this City, I received your Letter of 19. September, the contents of which I dare say you have before this time forgotten; unless you kept a copy of it, as you remember you used to do, of the Letters that you wrote to me from St. Petersburg, when I was at Ghent. This Letter of yours of 19. September last, I have kept upon my file, ever since I received it;...
34To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 21 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of 21 and 26 Novr. and of the 8th: instant have been received—Of Mr Mason the bearer of the first, I have seen much less than I could have wished; and of Mr Barrell who brought the second a little more; for coming not only with your Recommendation, but with a volume of others all highly respectable, he pushed his importunity to such an excess, that I lost my temper with him, for...
35From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 21 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer, Mr. N. Pope Delegate in Congress from the Territory of Illinois, and Brother of Mr. John Pope of Kentucky who is well known to you in making a visit to Boston, and I am happy to have the opportunity of introducing him to your acquaintance and of recommending him to your attentions—for which I pray you to be assured of the gratitude of your friend and faithful Servt. MHi : Adams...
36From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Welsh, 21 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr Nathl. Pope, the bearer of this Letter, is the Delegate in Congress from the Territory of Illinois, and Brother of Mr. John Pope of Kentucky who married my Wifes Sister Eliza.—I am happy to have the opportunity of introducing him to your acquaintance, and shall be grateful for every attentions which it may be in your power to bestow shew him on his tour to Boston I am with great Respect and...
37From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 26 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have but one moment of time to answer your Letter of the 2d: instant—and to direct you at the close of the Winter Vacation to offer yourself and pass examination for admission to the present Freshman Class; and, I hope you will assiduously employ the interval in preparing yourself for it. I cannot but acknowledge my surprize and mortification, to learn that you have been wasting your time...
38To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a Post-Note upon the Branch Bank of the United States at Boston, for Nine hundred and one dollars, and ninety–five Cents, being the amount of the dividend of five per Cent upon the debt proved under the Commission of Bankruptcy of Robert Bird and Co at New-York—I will thank you for a line acknowledging the receipt of this, and remain, Dear Sir / ever affectionately yours CSmH .
39From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 19 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your new-years day Letter was received with much pleasure. I had heard something before, about your having had the Φ. Β. K. medal to wear for a week, and generally that Mr Gould was well satisfied with your attention to your studies, and with your good conduct; all which was very delightful to your mother and me—But it would have been still more agreeable if you had written that you continued...
40From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 19 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I received with much pleasure you new year’s Letter, with the copy of the Lamp–lighter’s address, and the hint from the fount of the Centinal about a Present; which your uncle Thomas will tell you I have not forgotten. Your Parents were very highly gratified with what Mr Gould gave you leave to write to me concerning your promotion to the second Class, in which you will no doubt take care to...
41From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your N. 5. of 2. and 4. January has been duly received As I have but little time to think of my own affairs, I have every thing of mine in your hands, at your discretion—In the way of advice only, I think it best not to purchase Armstrong’s land—With Homer, and Spear, and all other tenants you must do as you think proper, and for the Rent of the house in which you dwell, fix it at your own...
42From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of 13 and 17 Jany, the Letter numbered 7. and enclosing your account to the close of the year—The other two Powers of Attorney, both of which I am obliged to return to you re infecta . Mr. Cutting’s Letter will explain to you the state of things with regard to the Land-Claims, and you must ascertain whether you can furnish the proof required As to the Stock, the...
43From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Welsh, Jr., 4 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
You will find it most advisable to address your request for the appointment of a commissioner of bankrupts, if the law proposed should be adopted, directly to the president.— With such attestations of respectable persons, of known character, to your gratifications for the office, as you may be able to obtain.—I have found it necessary to establish it as a rule, to recommend for appointment no...
44From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 5 Feby. has been received.—I shall attend to its contents as it regards Mr S. Codman, if the Bankrupt Law should pass—But I recommend no kinsman of mine for any thing—I think the proposed Bill for making national Justices of the Peace will not be adopted but if it should, and your name should be proposed as a Candidate there will be opposition—You know I presume that there is a...
45From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 1 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 19th: of Last Month, informing me of your admission to the University gave me great Satisfaction; and as you are now fully enrolled among the Sons of Harvard, I hope you will make it your constant and earnest object to do honour to that Institution, by the regularity of your conduct, and the steadiness of your pursuits You say that in the Class which you have entered,...
46From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
You have here enclosed, a draft on the United States Branch Bank at Boston to the order of Charles Newcomb, for 172 dollars 54 Cents, being the amount of dividends on the six and three per Cent Stocks due to him standing on the Books here, and for which I have signed receipts as his Attorney. The payment comes down to the second Quarter of 1816—inclusive—Upon the subject of the other...
47From John Quincy Adams to Alexander Contee Hanson, 23 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
According to your request, I return the plat, which you had the goodness to send me with many thanks.—Your letter of 6th. Feby. had remained unanswered, not only from the pressure of public business, but from an inability to answer specifically in the name of all Mr. Johnson’s heirs—His affairs were left at his decease in 1802 in a state of great embarrassment, chiefly owing to a suit in...
48From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, for giving the necessary Bonds for the entrance of my Son George at the University and am very glad he is there—Market Projects, have lost most of their attractions for me—I desire to have nothing to do with that which is in contemplation, till something comes in the shape of returns from the other. I yesterday received a Letter from Messrs: R. P. & C. Williams of Boston,...
49From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 19 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr John Edwards Holbrook the bearer, is a Gentleman recommended to me, as of a highly respectable character, nephew of George Edwards Esqr. of Charleston, South Carolina—He is going to Scotland, and afterwards to London, with the intention of completing a medical education, and other views of liberal improvement and curiosity. I beg leave to recommend him to your kind attentions, and if...
50From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 10 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your dear Mother has this day received your Letter of the 3d: instant, which gave us both much pleasure; for various reasons—First because it gave us the gratifying intelligence of what you call Charles’s promotion—Secondly because it is a proof of your brotherly kindness to him, that you take the opportunity of writing to let us know of his success, which you know we have as well as your own...
51From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 18 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I direct this Letter to Quincy, concluding that you will be there during the Vacation which commenced last Friday—My last Letter to you, was dated the first of March, since which I have received only one from you—dated the 26th. of April. It would have given me pleasure to have received that which you wrote me on your birth-day; and if instead of giving it to Mrs: Gilman’s boy, you had taken...
52From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
On examining the Register which you sent me, I find that your Court sits at Nantucket the second and at Edgar Town the third Monday in May—This Letter may therefore find you, upon your return home—At the same time I trust you may will also receive the Register just published here, and also the Intelligencers containing the five Letters on Amelia Island. You must give me more particular...
53From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I am ashamed to find upon my file of Letters to be answered , one from you of 29. January; besides two or three from my father of as old standing—you know however the only cause, which has occasioned so long a postponement of my reply—There has been I believe no change in the office of Collector at Plymouth; and it was with much pain that I learnt it was probable there would be. Should it...
54From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 25 last Month; contains some particulars relating to my property the condition of my Estate in Boston, which as you anticipated, were not altogether welcome None however that gave me so much concern, as your declining ill management of it for the future.—Yet as it is so essential to your happiness to be relieved from it I cannot insist upon your retaining it any longer; and...
55To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 15 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
If your Letter of 20. May were the only one from you upon my files yet unanswered, every look at its date would give me a pang of self-reproach—How then shall I acknowledge at the same time the receipt of those of 31. Decbr. and of 2. 8. 13. 29. January, and apologize for not having replied to them sooner—During the Session of Congress, your indulgence would readily account for my...
56To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 30 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr G. W. Campbell is going out as Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to the Court of Russia. He is to embark at Boston in the frigate Guerriére, and I hope will find an opportunity to go out and see you, with Mrs Campbell, and their family at Quincy—You and my dear Mother will I am well assured take the more satisfaction in seeing them with the...
57From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
They have at length found on the Books of the Bank, the dividend of 24 dollars due to your father, and have given me for it the check on the Branch Bank at Boston which is herewith enclosed—I shall pass over to the proper office in the War Department, the Affidavit in behalf of William Oliphant, and as soon as I can get information of what has been done in the case of Peter Ellins will inform...
58From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
It is a great affliction to me to be deprived as I am by constant and indispensable obligipations, of the pleasure of writing to you, at least every week; but so it is, and I am now to acknowledge the receipt since I wrote you last of your Letters of 17. May. N. 8.—of 1. June. N. 9. and of the 2d: of this Month, which is without number but should have been numbered 10. Your observations upon...
59From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Welsh, 29 September 1818 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your Letter of yesterday I readily agree that the board of my two Sons residing with you should be for the ensuing year at the rate of five dollars a week each, and I beg you and Mrs. Welsh and Miss Harriet to accept our warmest thanks for your unvarying kindness to them— I am with the strongest respect and attachment Dear Sir / Faithfully Yours MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
60To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 2 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
By a Letter from my Son John, I have this day been apprized, of that afflictive dispensation of Providence which has bereft you of the partner of your life; me of the tenderest and most affectionate of Mothers, and our species, of one whose existence was Virtue, and whose life was a perpetual demonstration of the moral excellence of which human nature is susceptible—How shall I offer you...