1To John Adams from Jabez Bowen, 28 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
In Examining the Debates in the Lower House of Congress I find Melasses mentioned as Charged with a Duty on Importation of six Cents. which sum in my opinion is much to high. Before the Revolution I was largely concern’d in Navigation, at which time Melasses paid a Duty of 3 d pr Gallon, but it was found impossible with all the British severity with Americans that knew the whole Business of...
2To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have never known more Pleasure discovered amongst all Ranks of Citizens, than what appeared here, on the news of our Two Presidents safe Arrival, the same Week, at New York. And this Satisfaction was not lessened by reading your Address to the most honorable Senate. This Speech has greatly tended to confirm what the zealous Federalists prognosticated, & the considerate & patriotic Part of...
3John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I expected to have received ere this some Letters either from Braintree or Boston; But excepting what I have collected from the Newspapers I have heard neither directly nor indirectly from either. Had any good opportunity for sending, presented itself I should have written, although the only topic of information, would have been concerning myself.— The sum total of my news is that since I...
4Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Major Gibbs Captain Beals & mr Woodard all are going to New-york, and all have desired Letters, but as they all go at the same Time one Letter must answer. I wrote you this week by mr Allen, since which nothing has transpired in our little village worth communicating. the Newspapers I inclose to you all that I get in the course of a week, but the printers or the persons to whom they are...
5To John Adams from John Rodgers, 25 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
D r. Rodgers presents his most respectful Compliments to His Excellency the Vice President of the United States, & informs Him, there are two Pews set apart for the Members of Congress in his Church in Wall Street—nearly opposite the Governor’s Pew & lined with Green. And another Set apart for the same Purpose in the Brick Church on the Side of the fields, distinguished by the federal Arms and...
6To John Adams from Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant, 25 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
when I had the pleasure of conversing with you at Boston I took the freedom to recommend M r. William Pickman of Salem for some place in the revenue Department at Salem— you was kind enough to suggest the Propriety of putting a recommendation in writing, where the Person is a Stranger— The Observation immediately struck me as perfectly just— He that recommends another ought to do it in that...
7To John Adams from Robert Duncan, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to join the Citizens of America in heart felt Congratulations on your Excellencys appointment to the Vice Presidency of the United States May every blessing await you Sir in that, and all other important stations, you may be engaged in for the salvation of your Country.— It is now about 11 years since I had the honor of seeing you in Philadelphia, and then as an inmate in my family—...
8To John Adams from the Comte de Sarsfield, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Lorsque nous nous Sommes quittés, Jeme Suis dit qu’il ne falloit pas penser a vous Ecrire parce que, quand on parle tout Seul, c’est le diable qui repond. Je ne Sai Sil Soccupera de cette lettre cy, J’en veux bien courir les risques, J’attens de vous moins de reponse que Jamaiz; mais Je ne puis me refuser la Satisfaction de vous parler de votre nouvelle dignite dont la nouvelle m’a fait un...
9Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Bourn’s Letter to day, dated this day week, and I was very happy to Learn by it that you had made so Rapid a progress. I hope you stoped at my old acquaintance Avery’s, and that you met with as good entertainment as I had led you to expect. all your Friends rejoiced in the fine weather which attended you, and conceive it, a propitious omen. I enjoyed, the Triumph tho I did not...
10Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I this evening received your letter of April 12 th. tho’ you love a labyrinth you always give a clue. M r & M rs L may be assured that an old friend so well qualified for the office he holds will not be forgotten, and that it would be of little consequence whether P: is at Braintree or N York. M r L is surely sufficiently acquainted with my friend to know that he may be sure of his interest. I...
11John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
This is the first Moment I have been able to Seize, in order to acquaint you of my Arrival and Situation. Governor Clinton The Mayor of New York, all the old officers of the Continental Government, and the Clergy, Magistrates and People, have Seemed to emulate the two houses of Congress, in shewing every respect to me and to my office.— For Particulars I must refer you to the public Papers....
12To John Adams from Benjamin Lincoln, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
At my last interview I mentioned to your Excellency my apprehensions that there were some influential characters in the United States, who, if a change of the constitution could not be effected in the first instance would endeavour to destroy the influence of the new government and make it subservient to the views of the different States I see no reason since to change my opinion but am rather...
13To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Accept of my sincere Congratulations upon your arrival in new york, and upon your advancement to the second honor in the United States.— Your influence in the Senate over which you have been called to preside, will give you great weight (without a vote) in determining upon the most suitable Characters to fill the first offices in goverment. Pennsylvania looks up with anxious Solicitude for the...
14To John Adams from William Tudor, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had not the Pleasure of bidding You a personal Adieu on the Monday of your leaving this Town, because I could not have done it without being at a House, which I never will enter. And to the same Cause was it, as I have been requested to tell you, that you did not Meet so many of your Friends & the Friends to dignified Government as would otherwise have crowded about you to have paid that...
15John Adams’ Address to the Senate, 21 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Invited to this respectable situation by the suffrages of our fellow citizens, according to the Constitution, I have thought it my duty cheerfully and readily to accept it. Unaccustomed to refuse any public service, however dangerous to my reputation, or disproportioned to my talents, it would have been inconsistent to have adopted an other maxim of conduct, at this time, when the prosperity...
16To John Adams from Jabez Bowen, 21 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will find you in Health and that Harmony and Unanimity prevails in the Councels of the United States, altho we cannot yet joyn, them. By the Choice of the Representatives that has taken place in this State we have some prospect of the Lower house Voting a State Convention, hope our Friends in Congress will be mindfull of the Mercantile Intrest in this State. and if a Letter could...
17To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 20 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
After my most sincere congratulations upon your arrival at the present Seat of the Federal Goverment, I do myself the honor to enclose you a Copy of the Rules adopted by the Senate, A list of the members, present, a list of the members of the House, present, And a Copy of an order passed the Senate this day, which will be executed whenever your Honor shall appoint, as I presume the Committee...
18John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have been so diligent on the Road and so much interrupted by Company at the Taverns that this is the first time I have been able to get an opportunity to write to you. We arrived at this house last night (Saturday) Shall rest here to day and go into N. York tomorrow.— at Hartford, the Manufacturers presented me with a Piece of Broadcloth, for a Suit of Cloaths. at N. Haven the Corporation...
19To John Adams from William Stephens Smith, 19 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of receiving your letter of the 10 th. ins t. the last evening, and should have done myself the Honour of meeting you at New Rochelle this day were I not kept in check by Mr: Jay’s proposing that if I would wait untill the morning he would accompany me to meet you at Kings-Bridge, where we suppose you will be at 12. o Clock— The arrangements for your accomodation and that of...
20To John Adams from John Bubenheim Bayard, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
It is with great sincerity, I beg leave to congratulate your Honor on your election as Vice President of the United States— the many high offices you have been called by your Country to fill, & the eminent services you have render’d to your fellow Citizens during our important struggle, justly entitle you to this distinguished mark of their gratitude & affection— I take the liberty to inform...
21To John Adams from Robert Treat Paine, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
When we were going to the first Congress our worthy Freind Hawley, gave us in writing some broken hints— I take Liberty to imitate him in the method tho not in the matter, I intended to have done my self the great pleasure to wait on you at Braintree for the benefit of social Conversation, but innumerable Accidents have prevented, I wish to Communicate a few Ideas respecting my Official...
22James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 12 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
M r. Du err , as you pronounce it, and my Wife seem to think alike as to the Powers of an Ambassadress when placed as an Helpmate to the Ambassador. M r D. had an Idea of an handsome Face M rs. L thought only of the Good Sense of the Lady. If this is ambiguous , y r. best Friend can make it plain so far as relates to Du err . As to M rs. L I will show her to you in a Minute, just as She...
23To John Adams from James Lovell, 12 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Advised and even pressed, by Friends near me and at a Distance, “ to go on to New York;—to be in the Way of soliciting, counteracting ” and such kind of Measures respecting the Collectorship here, I am sure I need only say to you that my Duty lays in this County; and that the very Circumstance of quitting & neglecting it for the Purposes mentioned would be a very ill Proof of that Degree of...
24To John Adams from Richard Peters, 10 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I should be wanting in those Evidences of my very sincere Respect & Esteem for you which I shall ever be happy in shewing, if I did not take the Oppertunity your Election to the honourable & respectable Station you now fill affords me of joining my Congratulations with those of the great Numbers of our Fellow Citizens who are gratified by your Appointment. I very truly wish you every...
25William Stephens Smith to John Adams, 6 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
M r: Bourne has this moment waited upon me and informs, that he has been honoured by the senate with the appointment of being the Bearer of their Dispatches to you, relative to your election as Vice President of the Western Empire, upon which please to accept of my affectionate congratulations and of my sincere prayers that Heaven may guide and protect you in this great Career— The Virtuous...
26To John Adams from John Langdon, 6 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to you the information of your being elected to the office of Vice-President of the United States of America. Permit me, Sir, to hope, that you will soon safely arrive here to take upon you the discharge of the important duties, to which you are so honorably called by the Voice of your country. I am, sir, with sentiments / of respect, your obedient / humble...
27To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 3 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by the Hon. William Smith Esquire one of the representaives in Congress from the State of South Carolina—whom I beg leave to introduce to you as a friend and a fellow citizen whose talents, integrity, fortune and connexions are respectable in the eyes of his constituents in the district which he represents, and whose family since the earliest settlement of...
28Address from Rhode Island Federalists, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
The Federalists of this State though denied the Priviledge of giving you their Suffrages, are peculiarly happy, to find your Excellency by so decided a Majority, One of the Gentlemen placed at the Head of that August Body, to which, with Anxious expectation, this Country now looks up to rescue it from that Anarchy & Prostration which have So long degraded the American Character, and rendered...
29To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
You are too well acquainted with the history of the world & the distresses of mankind to expect to stand on the eminence of rank, fortune, and influence without solicitations from various quarters— Where you feel a friendship it will always be a sufficient stimulous for the exertion of every kind office without importunity: & when applyed to by strangers in distress your benevolence I trust...
30To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 19 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
From the influence as president of the senate, and a Citizen of massachussets, that you will have in the Councils of our Nation, and more especially upon the Votes of the eastern delegates in both houses I have taken the liberty of addressing a few thoughts to you upon the Subject of the residence of the Congress of the United States.— 1 The active and useful part which the Eastern states have...
31Address from the Inhabitants of Marblehead, 16 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
the Inhabitants of Marblehead in Common with their fellow Countrymen have ever felt Strongly impressed with Sentiments of gratitude and satisfaction for the eminent Services rendered by you to the United States of America. in all their foreign Negotiations, which have been Committed to your Charge, in considering the result of those Negotiations we find Ourselves under Very peculiar...
32To John Adams from Ebenezer Storer, 10 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had yesterday the honour to go to Braintree on purpose to pay my respects to you on the commencement of the new Federal Government, & to assure you of my partaking in the general Joy on the choice of the President & Vice President of the united States.— Had I been so happy as to have seen you, I should have taken the liberty, after congratulating you on this pleasing event, to have made an...
33From John Adams to William Cushing, 7 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am greatly obliged, by the Letter you did me the Honour to write me on the 18 th. of February; and regret very much the Want of Leisure to examine the Subject of it, with that Attention which its great Importance requires. That the Truth may be pleaded in Bar of a civil Action for Damages, for actionable Words, Spoken or written, I remembered very well: but it lay in my mind that Some just...
34To John Adams from Richard Price, 5 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having been very happy in your friendship, and much honoured by it while you resided in this country, I cannot avoid taking the opportunity which is now offer’d me of conveying to you a few lines. While at Portsmouth you favoured me with two letters. The first I answered; and the Second I Should have answered had I not imagined that you were on the point of Sailing, and therefore doubted...
35To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I find on enquiry that you are elected Vice-president, having three or four times the number of votes of any other candidate. Maryland threw away their votes on Col o Harrison & South Carolina on Governor Rutledge, being with some other states which were not unanimous for you, apprehensive that this was a necessary step to prevent your election to the chair— in this point they were mistaken,...
36To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 3 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
The accounts received of the votes given for Vice President of the federal Senate render your Election to that high Office undoubted— will you permit me to congratulate you on the occasion, tho’ premature? not only because I wish to express my earliest Joy, which is sincere—but that I may, in season , propose accompanying you to New York—if your arrangements should make it convenient to you— A...
37From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 2 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your friendly Letter of the third and twentieth of February, I did not receive till Saturday last. To your Friend, who has now been returned from N. York these five Weeks, I have delivered your inclosed Letter as desired.— She will acknowledge the Receipt of it, and transmit you the Compliments of her fellow Travellers.— our Correspondence has had a short Interruption, it is true, as all...
38From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 1 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter from The Hon. Stephen Higginson Esq r , is upon a Subject of so much Importance, and contains so much Information that I cannot withold it from you. The little Jealousy, Envy or Caprice, that shall deprive our Merchants of the Benefit of Trading to the Isles of France & Bourbon, will only compell them to seek the Ultimate Marketts upon the Continent, directly. In four days,...
39To John Adams from Tench Coxe, 1 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having just rec d. a letter from my friend Doctor Rush, which contained the enclosed pacquet for you, I do myself the honor of covering it to you lest Col. Smith should have left Massachusetts: and since I have taken this liberty, Sir, I will do myself the pleasure to add such information as I conceive it may be any pleasure to you to receive. The Returns from Virginia are rec d. as far as...
40To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Few events have happened since the 17th of septem r: 1788, which have afforded me more pleasure than your election to the Vice president’s chair. It is the cape stone of my our labors respecting the new goverment. M r Rutledge had some friends in Pennsylvania—But your friends prevailed. M r Wilson had great merit in this business. M r Morris likewise advised it. There is an expectation here...
41Abigail Adams to Sarah Livingston Jay, 20 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
When I left your Hospitable mansion, I did not design so many days should have elapsed, before I had express’d to you the pleasing sense I entertaind of your kindness and Friendship. they have left a durable impression upon my mind, and an ardent desire to cultivate them in future. I reachd Home Ten days after I left Newyork. we had an agreeable journey, good Roads fine weather and tolerable...
42To John Adams from William Cushing, 18 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
I know you will forgive me if I draw your attention, a moment, from the weighty matters that employ it, to the Subject of libels & liberty of the press; on which I had the pleasure of a word with you— lately. Our 16 th. Art. of declaration of rights, holds forth that, “ The liberty of the press is essential to the Security of freedom in a state ,” and that—“it ought not, therefore, to be...
43Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 14 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
You cannot think how mortified & grieved I was, by being so unexpectedly disappointed, of seeing my dear, long absent Friends last night— Mrs Smith had kindly given me information of the intended Visit—& as the Weather was uncommonly fine, though it had injured the smoothness of the road in some measure, yet here it was no impediment to any ones business— In the full assurance of seeing you...
44To John Adams from Abraham Fuller, 12 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Since I made the last return of the number of Polls in the Commonwealth, to your Hon r , I find a Mistake of 45 Polls, being Short of the number in the County of York, they being Added to the County of York makes the number 4944; than the whole number in the Commonwealth is 90513— Your Hon r. most Obedient & / Hum l. Servant RC ( Adams Papers ); internal address: “Hon’ John Adams Esq r.”...
45To John Adams from John Murray, 10 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
How grateful, how thankful, this moment I feel— To who, for what? To the infinitely good, the infinitely great, who, having the hearts of all in his hand, hath in the course of his Providence, dis-posed one of the best, one of the greatest of his speies to feel kindly disposed towards his humble thankful servant. You will, good Sir, (I might had said great , but great you may be, and not good,...
46From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 22 d Ult I rec d. last night.— I remember so much of the transactions, at the formation of the Pensilvania Constitution, that I wish you could save time enough from almost any other pursuit, to arrange your materials for an History of the Revolution in Pensilvania, to be published hereafter; at present perhaps it might not be prudent. The four respectable characters,...
47Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 3 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
How dos my dear M rs Adams like the City of New york: its manners & amusements as it may probably be her future residence I hope she found every thing prefectly agreable— shall I hope before you fix in that distant abode that you will make us an Visit at Plimouth: to such a traveler the journey can be nothing. and since that M rs Adams, friendship is unimpaired: I should think (judging from my...
48To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 31 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Probably before this will reach you the election of Vice President will be determined, upon which I may venture to congratulate you Sir, as I hear of no Competition of any importance. M rs Adams & Col Smith can give you a more minute acc t of public affairs & particularly of the dispositions of the people of this State, having good information from your friend M r Jay and others, than it is in...
49To John Adams from Sylvanus Bourne, 28 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Pardon the liberty I take, and permit me to call to your Excellency’s recollection, a Person who (at the time the Committee of Convention for framing this State’s Constitution were sitting in this town) requested to be taken into your Office, as a student at Law, and had your promise to be received if the services of your Country should not call you abroad; but which proving to be the case in...
50To John Adams from John Eager Howard, 23 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to enclose a proclamation which will inform you of the result of the late elections in this State. The federal ticket has been carried by a very large Majority. Knowing that this circumstance will give you pleasure I have taken the earliest opportunity of communicating it— One circumstance I will add that in the County which bears your name out of 1164 taken there was not one...