41To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 22 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Common Minds it is said, are governed more by feeling, than by sentiment; (my only apology for writing) late events are of nature to make deep impressions on minds that saw & acted in Revolution days. To witness pens, as well as tongues, “set on fire of hell,” to remove the Father of his Country from his parental Office, – to see mock patriots, learned cheats, & weak rogues, mingling their...
42To Thomas Jefferson from Joseph Ward, 23 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure & Honor to inform you, that in Consequence of the high opinion I have and entertain of your Superior talents integrity & political sentiments, that I have taken the liberty to Baptize one of My Sons and to use the highly respectable Name of Thomas Jefferson. This I hope will not be offensive to you, or be thought presumptious of me, as it has been the Custom in all ages &...
43To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 10 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have long felt an inclination to write to you, two circumstances forbid me, want of matter, & having no personal weight to supply its place. Love and venerration, to Gentlemen, as well as to Ladies, sometimes prompt to a familiarity bordering on rudeness. Thus in time past I feared I might be led into an error in addressing you. The strong existence of those sensations, is the only apology I...
44To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 10 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 15th April I have had the honor to receive; and have read it over and over again with great pleasure. I cannot let go the pleasing hope, that future historians may record with truth & impartiality, the glorious deeds of our revolutionary Patriots, whose preeminent merit in founding our Nation, and framing our System of Government, entitles them to the gratitude and is a...
45To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 23 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 6th Inst. I had the honor to receive the next day, just before I commenced a journey; I read it repeatedly and with great attention—and feel the importance of all your remarks. I wish every mind was duly impressed with the sentiments. The longer I live the more I am convinced that truth makes slow progress in the world; and to reform public errors is an arduous task. But...
46To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 9 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have to make my grateful acknowledgements for your favour of the 31 Ult. I read, it as I do every thing that falls from your pen, with great attention. Every letter in the Patriot, under your Signature, I have read with equal attention pleasure & profit. I wish most sincerely they might be read by all men. There never was a time when the propagation of sound principles was more necessary....
47To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 13 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor to receive in due time your favour of the 27th Sept. I read it with that attention which is due to every line from your pen. The approbation you have been pleased to express in respect to the sentiments in my letter, gives me more satisfaction, than I could receive from the united voice of the whole mob of Statesmen from Newhampshire to Georgia. I continue to read with much...
48To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 2 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your highly esteemed favour of the 24 ult. I had the honor to receive. I am instructed by your remarks upon Hutchinson, Hamilton, and other characters, and by your deep sentiments upon finance, the want of a correct History of American affairs, the conduct of England, &c. I admire your candor to Hutchinson. I think your remarks just as well as candid. If he had fortunately escaped the old...
49To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 27 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor to receive your Letter of the 14th, and after reading it several times, to fasten its contents in my memory, laid it up with your other favours, as a choice memorial of your Friendship. I have deposited them with similar estimable letters, received at different periods from the illustrious founders of our Nation, whose approbation encouraged me to hope I had not lived in vain....
50To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 1 January 1810 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor to receive your Favour of the 15th of December, for which I beg leave to express my grateful acknowledgements. I never read any thing from your pen, without deriving information and pleasure. You have Sir, I believe drawn a correct map of Bonaparte’s power. I had some similar ideas, but you have measured things by a large scale, and marked the limits of nature. Napoleon, like...