1From John Adams to Oliver Whipple, 3 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your favour of February 23rd and thank you for the friendly as well as the complimentary sentiments expressed in it It has been now and then my fortune in the course of a long life, though not frequently to receive a compliment. yours is a pleasant one; and as an instance of adversity seldom comes alone, so I have observed that an instance of prosperity is seldom quite...
2To John Adams from Daniel Wright, 3 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
BORN and educated in the same state which has given birth to you, and to which our hearts are tied by the dearest and most sacred ties; we address you in the name of this our common country, at a time, in our opinion most ominous, and threatening the destruction of our rights, liberty and happiness. We look up to you in the name and in behalf of many in the interior of Massachusetts, for...
3To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 2 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 19th. of February was alike acceptable with all your former letters. The papers will inform you that our government is about to yeild to the Clamors of your part of the United States against the Embargo laws. Had our Legislators been better historians they would have promptly saved their honor, and preserved the peace of our Country. Augustus repealed a law to compel...
Mr Gurney having called on me yesterday, to give notice that he should quit your house next quarter day, and that he wished to settle with you as soon as possible, I have thought it best to write you my beloved friend, he having expressed a desire to leave it immediately, which I did not think you would approved; he mention’d not having it in his power to pay you at present, but will give you...
5From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The Saturday after you left Boston, I went to Town, and brought up George. he went the next week to his uncle Cranch’s, and goes daily to school to mr Whitney. he appears well pleased, and learns to the Satisfaction of mr Whitney as I hear, who has put him into Lattin, which George Says is not so hard as French, in his French Bible his Aunt hears him daily. he is a Good Boy, save now and then,...
I intended to have written to you when at your own house or Office in Boston, but was prevented by the intense severity of the weather , added to the general ill health of both your & my family, during the whole time we sojourned under your Roof, which, by the assiduity of your wife & Catharine and the faithful attendance of their domesticks was made, in every respect, our own house . My...
Your letter of the 16th: brought me consolation and hope in the information that you were all getting well—My anxiety on account of my mother has been extreme; having heard through Mr: Cranch & Mr: Quincy, that she had been very dangerously ill—I learn also that George is at Mr. Cranch’s I am still waiting for my Cause to be called in Court—It was called again the day before yesterday; but Mr:...
Percieving from your last letter my beloved friend that you suffer great anxiety concerning Charles; I can with pleasure assure you, that he is very fat, very handsome, and apparently very well; though he still has the Cough which is sometimes very troublesome. Your Mother is recovering slowly and all the rest of our family are in good health— Your father was in Town yesterday and brought...
9To John Adams from William Cunningham, 23 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you under the date of the 20th. inst. and sent it to the post office, but arriving there a few minutes too late to be forwarded by the mail it was returned. I now forward it under cover with this. There is a sentence in your favour of the 11th. demanding my particular attention:—“When you told me,” you observe, “that my Letter had been a topick at Boston, and given rise to free...
10To John Adams from Oliver Whipple, 23 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
When I consider, I was once a Pupil at Braintree in the mansion House of your venerable Father, I claim a Sort of Right to Indugence to address you, which your wontted Benevolence will not deny me; Time, I dare say, has not yet effaced the Remembrance of the little Phamphlet , intitled, “ Tears of the Serv’edors ” and another intitled The Progress of civil & rational Liberty . Through those...