1From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 19 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 9. ult. has been a circuit to Philadelphia and returned to me, only on Saturday last. Your friendly Congratulations, on a late Re election, are very obliging. I am as well as you, and have been these Eighteen years a Friend of Governor Clinton: but, although I feel no Resentment at his consenting to stand a Candidate for the office I held, I cannot but regret that he yields...
Before I left The Massachusetts I had the Pleasure of receiving a Letter from you: But I learned from it, with Some Uneasiness that you meditate a Removal to a greater distance from us. I had Yesterday another Letter from you of the 23 of November. I thank you for introducing to me, Major Peter Van Gaesbeek, whom however I have not yet had the Pleasure to see as he happened to call when I was...
I have just now received your kind Letter of the 3d of this month. I read every Thing which falls in my Way, which relates to the French Revolution: but I Suffer inexpressible Pains, from the bloody feats of War and Still more from those of Party Passions. Disgrace to the Cause of Liberty, and a general Depravation of hearts and manners among the rising Generation, is much to be dreaded from...
I received this morning, your kind favour of the 9th. of this month dated at Kempwick at the Oneida Lake. Your Letters always give me Pleasure, both as they contain interesting Reflections, upon public Affairs and as I take an interest in every Thing that relates to yourself and your family, believing as I do, your inflexible Integrity and wishing you every Prosperity. I am very glad, the...
5From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Reverend Dr Belknap and Dr Morse being upon a Journey into your Neighbourhood I have been desirous that they Should have an Opportunity of Seeing you, and that you Should have an Opportunity of Seeing them. They are clergy men of great Fame and what better of great Merit. I have not add any Thing more , assurances of unva esteem humble sert PHi : John Adams Papers.
I have recd your favour of the 10. of Nov. and thank you for the quotations from the Posthumous Works of the late K. of Prussia. The Quotations from Condorcet are Proofs of Insincerity or Inconsistency but the latter may be easily expected from a Person who writes upon a subject he knows nothing of. I am able unfortunately to give you some Extracts of letters concerning a Man of more Sense,...
I have just received your favor of the 20th of Jan. & am sensibly touched with the remembrance of our learned & ingenious friend whom I saw at the red Lyon in Leyden I thank you for his poems. Whether you will find purchasers for the edition of his juvenile poems you meditate I cannot say. My Countrymen I fear do not sufficiently attend to Greek & Latin after they leave College, perhaps not...
I have recd your favour of the 13th and thank you for your Zeal for the honor of my “Defence”. That Work which was begun on the 4 of October 1786 and finished on the 26 of December 1787 was written in haste. It was not the fruit of twenty Years Labour like Montesquieus & Gibbons and as it was written in haste may be supposed to have marks enough of Inaccuracy. I am not yet sensible of any...
I have received your favor of the 13th and thank you for your zeal for the honor of my “defence”. That work, which was begun on the 4th of October 1786 & finished on the 26th of December 1787, was written in haste. It was not the fruit of twenty years labor, like Montesquieu’s & Gibbon’s, and as it was written in haste, may be supposed to have marks enough of inaccuracy. I am not yet sensible...
10From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I last night recd your favour of the 19 Dec, it Should be I presume 19 Jan. The Compliments you make me on this new year, are very flattering to the Vanity of an old Man: but there is one very wicked one among them, I mean when you insinuate that intriguing Individuals, when I am no more, will join in my Eulogies to defame my Successor . When it happens if I know it I shall laugh in my grave,...