1From John Adams to Henry Marchant, 2 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
This morning I received your kind letter of Febry: 19, and I thank you for the handsome charge to the Jury in the Newspaper inclosed. With sincere pleasure I learn from you, that Rhode Island is become in heart as well as voice one of the family again. Nothing gives me so much satisfaction as the prospect of peace and harmony among ourselves. The accession of Vermont & Kentucky are in my...
2From John Adams to Hannah Adams, 10 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have this day received your obliging Letter of the twenty first of February, inclosing a Copy of a proposed Dedication. Your request of my permission to dedicate to me, the Second Edition of your View of Religion is very flattering to me: because, although I am ash to acknowledge I have never seen the Book, I know its reputation to be very respectable, not only in country but in Europe....
3From John Adams to Perez Morton, 10 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received this day the letter you did me the honor to write on the 23 of Feb, with a Letter from Miss Hannah Adams. It has very oddly happened that I have never seen Miss Adams’s works, tho I frequently heard it mentioned in England with great respect and applause by Gentlemen of Letters, who had read it. Her request to me is the more flattering, because tho’ personally unknown, she is a...
4From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 15 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
Thank you for yours of Feb. 27. You seem to threaten me with a Place in the Pages of some Tory Historian. If the Party “to a man supposed me the most energetic Plotter and intrepid Projector of all the Authors of the Revolution” I shall no doubt have it. The Papers signed Novanglus, and the Controversy with Brattle about the Independence of the Judges they could be no strangers to. Nor could...
5From John Adams to Charles Storer, 16 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
The letter to your Counsel at Boston, inclosed in yours of the fifth of March is gone on by the Post. Your reflections on the day of the date of your Letter are natural and just. It is a day that I have more reason to remember than any one of my Life. It is a day that has occasioned me more obloquy and slander, than any other, or all the other days I have beheld. It is a day that brought me...
6From John Adams to Samuel Allyne Otis, 28 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I believe you may with propriety deliver to Mr Macpherson all his Papers except the Petition which was read in Senate, and a Copy of that if he desires it. I am Sir, with great regard / your most obedient OFH .
7From John Adams to John Trumbull, 31 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
The Secy. of the Treasury is so able and has done so well that I have Scarcely permitted myself to think very closely whether he could or could not have done better. I may venture however to Say to you, that I have always been of your Opinion, that a System a little bolder would have been more Safe: and that it would have been better to have begun at once with a small direct Tax, a pretty...
8From John Adams to Alexander Hamilton, 9 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the honor to write me this morning and as the Secretary of State accidentally fell in before I had opportunity to answer it, we agreed to propose a meeting at his House at two o’Clock on Monday next. If that time and place are agreable to you, and the Secretary at War, they will be particularly so to me, who have the honor to be with great regard, Sir your...
9From John Adams to Alexander Hamilton, 25 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
I do my self the honour to transmit to you my Accounts which remain unsettled, for the last two years and Eight months of my Administrations abroad in the service of the United States. I have left a Blank for my Salary. In my own opinion it is but Justice that it should be filled up with the sum of two thousand five hundred Pounds sterling a year, because this was the contract under which I...
10From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 19 June 1791 (Adams Papers)
I am under obligations to you, for two kind Letters, in one of which was inclosed Observations on Lord Sheffield, made with So much Candour, Politeness, and Force as must command the Attention and Esteem of all Men. The Trouble you have taken to inform me of the two hundred Dollars paid to my Steward has my best Thanks. Unfortunately I am obliged to give you a little more trouble. The Bill for...
11From John Adams to Henry Knox, 19 June 1791 (Adams Papers)
I had yesterday the Pleasure of receiving your kind Letter of the 10th of this month, and am happy to find that you are pleased with your situation at Bush Hill. I hope soon to hear of the Birth of a peaceable son of Mars, and that Mrs Knox is as well and in as good Spirits as you appear to be. The Paragraphs in the New York Papers I know nothing of: The Lyes in the New Haven one I never heard...
12From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 14 July 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the thirtieth of June, with a continued Bill of the Treasurers Set of exchange No. 1351 for five hundred Dollars in my favour bearing date the 4th. day of May 1791 and drawn on Benjamin Lincoln Esq Collector of Boston, and I thank you for the trouble you have taken in this Affair.—I shall certainly hold myself bound to indemnify the United States for any Injury...
13From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 July 1791 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, at Boston, I received your friendly Letter of July 17th. with great pleasure. I give full credit to your relation of the manner, in which your note was written and prefixed to the Philadelphia edition of Mr Paines pamphlet on the rights of Man: but the misconduct of the person, who committed this breach of your confidence, by making it publick, whatever were his intentions, has sown...
14From John Adams to John Lathrop, 1 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
With this, you will receive a Box of Books containing the Byzantine History in 28. Vols. and Muratori’s Collection in 29, which I pray you to present to the American Accademy of Arts and Sciences, and place in their Library, in behalf of / Sir your most obedient / and most humble Servant MBAt : American Academy of Arts and Letters Collection.
15From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 20 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have determined in all Events to remove my family into Philadelphia from Bush hill, on Account of the many Inconveniences We experienced last year in passing and repassing. I write this to beg the favour of you to give my Steward John Brisler, your Advice and Assistance in procuring a house in Town. As the time is short, I expect to be obliged to some disadvantage. But any house and any rent...
16From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 13 September 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your Letter of the 3d and pray you to accept of many Thanks for your obliging Attention to my Affairs. Although the Rent is very high, I am perfectly Satisfied that nothing better could have been done. The House I hope will be deemed Democratical enough, although the Rent is quite princely: rather too much for a simple Duke. Mrs Adams joins with me in presenting our best...
17From John Adams to Henry Knox, 13 September 1791 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your favour of the 4th. and am much obliged by your Account of Affairs in this as well as in the Letter you wrote the Week before which I have also received. Mrs Adams joins me in friendly regards to Mrs Knox and yourself. We are very Sorry for any unpleasant Circumstances you have found at Bush Hill: and very happy that it happened to be in our Power to accommodate your...
18From John Adams to George Washington, 31 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
The Senate of the United States have received with the highest satisfaction the assurance of public prosperity contained in your Speech to both Houses: the multiplied blessings of providence have not escaped our notice or failed to excite our gratitude. The benefits which flow from a restoration of public and private confidence are conspicuous and important and the pleasure with which we...
19From John Adams to United States Congress, 7 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
The Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, The Chief Justice, the Secretary of State, The Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General respectfully report to the Congress of the United States of America. That pursuant to the Act intitled an Act making provision of the reduction of the public debt and in conformity to two resolutions agreed upon by them one on...
20From John Adams to Joseph Brown, Jr., 8 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
By what accident it happened I know not, but your kind letter of the 6th. of August never came to my hand till the 7th of this month of Novr. before which time the vacancy in the Office of Collector of the Port of Charleston was filled. But if even that event had not happened it is probable that no representation of mine concerning a Gentleman in your State, of whose character and...
21From John Adams to George Morgan, 20 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning, Receiv’d your kind letter of the 15 of May, from the hand of Mr: Cazinave, who arrived here from Bayonne a few days ago. Among the many mourners for Dr. Price, I believe myself to be one of the most sincere in America because my esteem and affection for him was the result not only of his writings, but of a personal knowledge of his many virtues and endearing social...
22From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, 20 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for your kind letter by the Earl of Wycombe, a Nobleman who in his short visit to America, has acquired much esteem, and excited no regret but that his residence was no longer. Mr. Hammond too has been publickly received, and will be much respected in his public, and greatly esteemed in his private character. Your letters Sir would have allways given me pleasure;...
23From John Adams to Oliver Hart, 26 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received from you an agreeable present of your Thanksgiving Sermon, and have read it with pleasure; The text I think was very appositely chosen; for every Balaam in the World, I think, unless a more abandoned deceiver of himself than the original prophet of that name must cry, “How shall I curse, when God has not cursed,” when he is called upon to prophecy evil concerning America....
24From John Adams to John Jay, 4 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
As the Week is approaching when you are to be expected at Philadelphia, I take this opportunity to present to you and your Lady the Compliments of the Season, and request the honour and pleasure of your Company at our House during your Visit to this City. We live in Arch Street at the Corner of fourth Street where your old bed is ready for you in as good a Chamber and much more conveniently...
25From John Adams to Anonymous, 19 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
At a time when all the Men of Letters in the World are or ought to be employed in researches after the Principles of Society, although my friends and my Ennemies, (for I must at length acknowledge that I have such) concur in forbidding me to publish any of my Speculations, I see no reason why you and I may not exchange a few Letters, upon these important Subjects. A Society can no more Subsist...
26From John Adams to Pseudonym: "The Recluse Man", 19 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
I received by the last post a sheet subscribed, “A Recluse Man” enclosed with another in Print, and have read both with feelings and reflections, some of which I should not choose to commit to paper. The printed one, I had read with much pleasure in its season, and felt myself obliged to the writer, altho’ I had no knowledge or suspicion of the Author. I have sometimes thought of collecting...
27From John Adams to Thomas Brand Hollis, 19 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
I ought not to neglect an opportunity by Colo. Smith to assure you by a few lines, of the continuance of my regard. I received last Spring a Box of Books from you, for which I fear I have never before expressed my gratitude. The best apology, I have to make for this seeming negligence is continual ill health, in my own person & all my family. Your friend, my dear Mrs: Adams, is now dangerously...
28From John Adams to Joseph Priestley, 19 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
I take an opportunity by part of my family bound to London, to remind you of a person who is taken once had an opportunity of knowing you personally, and to express my sympathy with you under your sufferings in the cause of Liberty. Inquisitions and Despotisms are not alone in persecuting Philosophers. The people themselves we see, are capable of persecuting a Priestly, as an other people...
29From John Adams to Henry Marchant, 3 March 1792 (Adams Papers)
I have received and read with much pleasure your kind letter of the 20th: Ult; Your sympathy with me under the Case effusions of mallice and falshood ought to be converted into shame for your Country, which wanted virtue, sense and spirit to discountenance what will remain a lasting disgrace to America to the Press and to letters. A Brown, a Markoe, & a Finley, suffered to insult for a whole...
30From John Adams to Nathaniel Hazard, 10 March 1792 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 29th. of January would not have remained so long unanswered had not sickness in my family of a long continuance and distressing nature interrupted my inclination to acknowledge my obligations to you. The “Anticipation” which you observe to have retarded an “heavy attack”, I do not fully understand. Such is the constitution of the human mind, that nations and other...