1John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have all along flattered myself with hopes that I might with Propriety have taken Leave of the Senate and returned home, as soon as the Roads might be settled: But such is the critical State of our public Affairs, and I daily hear Such Doctrines Advanced, and Supported by almost and sometimes quite one half of the Senate, that I shall not prevail on myself to abandon my Post. This Day the...
2John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
This Morning I received your favour of the 21 st. of January. I am Sure your People do a great deal of Work, So dont be concern’d— I am very well Satisfied with your Agricultural Diary. The venerable Governor made the best Speech he ever made—but the old Leaven ferments a little in it.— I wonder you had not rec d two Letters from Thomas which I inclosed to you. I now inclose you one from M r...
3Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind favours last Evening of march 2 d & 8 th . the seasons I belive have been very near alike both here and with you. we have had several days of warm & muggy weather, the Ground thawing the slug & miller very industerous, and as the Scripture assures us that tis Lawfull to do good upon the Sabbeth, my people are employd in Annoying these destructive Enemies, who make not...
4John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Judges are now here— Judge Cushing is under the Hands of D r Tate who is Said to have wrought many Cures of Cancers and particularly one for the President. The Judge appears to be under serious apprehensions for something in his Lip which he thinks is a Cancer but his hopes from Tates Prescriptions seem to be lively. M rs Washington is happy in the Company of her three Grand daughters, the...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter by my Brother was delivered a few days since; as the proposal it contains is of very considerable importance, I have taken time to consider it before I returned an answer. As you have been good enough to leave it in my option whether to adopt the plan, or not, I shall express my sentiments with the freedom which your indulgence seems to authorize. I am sensible that a young...
6John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment rec d your favour of 25. April.— If you want more Money before June borrow it of the General whom I will repay when I return. The freight of the furniture was in Mass. L. M.— The Farm goes on admirably well— I am well Satisfied with all you do. The Weather is terribly hot and dry for the season. Yet the Country looks charmingly. I hope to be at home by the first of June....
7John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Senate are now in Possession of the Budget.— It is a Bone to gnaw for The Aristocrats as well as the Democrats: And while I am employed in attending the Digestion of it, I send you enclosed an Amusement which resembles it only in name. I can form no Judgment when the Proscess will be over. We must wait with Patience. I dined yesterday in the Family Way with The President— He told me that...
8Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 13 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I should be unpardonable if I neglected this Opportunity of writing to you by a private hand, & returning my grateful acknowledgements to my dear Brother Adams & you, for all your kindness—but alas! how inadequate are words to express the feelings of my heart. Upon those occasions I think it my duty to trace mercy’s to there great Source, & look up to heaven with thankfulness that I, & my...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 26 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I hasten within two hours after the receipt of your Letter, which came to my hands while at my Father’s lodgings, to commerce an Answer—tho’ I must frankly own, without the smallest idea of the arrangement of the matter which crouds itself upon my mind in the perusal of your favor— I wish to communicate my whole soul to a friend, of all others, most deserving of the confidence— But how I shall...
10John Adams to Charles Adams, 24 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Our Patriots are so anxious lest Aristocracy should take root, that I wonder they do not eradicate all the seeds of it. instead of Addressing M r Speaker, they should address Freddy Mulenbourg— instead of talking of the Gentleman from Virginia they should quote Billy Giles &c &c &c The Purity of this Symplicity has always appeared among Insurgents. In Chaises and Bradfords Patriotick Efforts I...
11John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Mail of Yesterday brought me, a rich Treasure in your kind Letters of the 18. 24 and 25 th of January— Ice in the Rivers or Snow or some other Obstructions on the Roads have delay’d the Conveyance of some of them and occasioned their Arrival all together. Columbus and Barneveld were both written with Elegance and Spirit and the poor Wretches who so justly fell under their Lashes were never...
12Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of Nov br. 9 th 11 th 12 & 14 th . you are made easy respecting the Election of mr Ames tho I believe that many of the Electors would not bear a strict scrutiny any more than Jarvis’s Party. I fear that in one sense evil was done, that good might come of it. there was no other way of Parrying the stroke, but making use of similar weapons and as Hudibrass has it, “to Combat...
13Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
This day compleats Ten weeks, since you sailed and I have had no opportunity before this, by Captain Scott, of writing to you, unless by way of Amsterdam, where I have little hope of finding you. The Arms of France have proved so powerfull, and their victorys have been so rapid, that I should not be surprized to learn, that they had renderd your commission Nul & void, by overturning the...
14Charles Adams to John Adams, 9 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Suppose that for a few moments we should indulge in the regions of fancy and imagine a nation about to form into civil society Suppose their fundamental law to be that no member of the community should possess more land than he could actually cultivate Suppose them determined to be an agrest people without commerce without communication with foreigners. Could not thier exist in such a...
15Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 19 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter to you was of such a nature, that I can easily persuade myself no matter arose out of it sufficient to furnish an answer. the subject was personally interesting to me alone, and as such, it deserved only to be dwelt on by me. I am manifestly also in your debt for your agreeable favor of the 18 th Jan y: . You ask me to “let you know the State of Politic’s at the fountain head.”...
16John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
I was not disappointed Yesterday, for the Post brought me your Letter of January. and I was relieved from an heavy Burthen of anxiety On Account of Nabby by a Letter from Charles assuring me that she was much better and thought to be out of Danger. Your Gratitude for the kind Protection of Providence to your Family is as natural as it is pious. Few Families have oftener been at hazard, and...
17Martha Washington to Abigail Adams, 19 July 1794 (Adams Papers)
M r Adams (your son) presented me with your obliging favor of June the 20 th. and I pray you to accept my thanks for your kind remembrance of me; and the assurance of the pleasure I felt at hearing that you had quite recovered your health again.— That parental feelings should be put to the test at a seperation (perhaps for years) from a dutyful, and meritorious son, is not to be wondered at;...
18John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
Col l: Hamilton arrived in Philadelphia, the night before you left it, but from the pressure of business more immediately urgent, was not prepared for me untill last Friday. On that Evening I left the City, in company with Gen l Knox, and arrived here (quite overcome with fatigue, and somewhat unwell of the complaint which you brought from the same place) on Saturday at about 6 in the Evening....
19John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
If I could take a Walk or a Ride to N. Y. in the Evening and come here again in the Morning how clever it would be!— I am Somewhat disappointed in not having rec d a Line from you Since I left you—You are not sick I hope— M r Jay Spent last Evening with me and let me into the History of the Treaty and Negotiation, explaining his Views of its intent and operation— I can Say nothing upon it at...
20Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have regularly received Your Letters and thank you for them. I have read the pamphlets. the Bone has much good natured Witt, contains many painfull facts, & Shows in a strong light what manner of Spirit actuates the pretended Patriots. the writer has in some places taken, a poetical Licence I have not offerd it where I am. Society and Interest and dissapointed ambition will have their...
21Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your kind Letters of Jan’ry 18, 21 & 22 d accompanied with the Negotiation’s I have read the two pamphlets you sent me before. if the American pamphlet is the production of the person to whom report asscribes it, I think very little honour is due to his Head, and none to his Heart. I am sorry he is calld to fill so important an office, as the one to which he is lately...
22John Adams to Charles Adams, 25 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 22 d , alledging Business as an Apology for not writing gave me more Pleasure than a long Letter would have done. Business is always an Apology, for declining Pleasure or Amusement of any kind. I Sent you, by a late Post other Tryals, Geralds, Muirs and Margarots. Geralds is worth all the rest. M r Laing, the Council for Gerald is I Suppose the Same with Malcolm Laing Esq r...
23Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
I was very sorry to learn by your last Letters that you had little hopes of getting home till May. there are so many new Arrangments to make upon our places that I really feel unequal to the Task, but if it must be so, I will do the best I can according to my ability, and if I fail in the execution, you must at least allow for the intention. I would wish you to think what you would have done...
24John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your fav r of 24 th marked by the Post office 22 d of Dec r. I rec d. Yesterday. M r Osgoods sermon was plenty here— I rec d one from Boston before.— The Clergy I think ought to pray for the national Government.— If our Dissenting Ministers will not at Quincy I will go to Church, where a form is prescribed by Authority which even M r Cleverly complies with. Within a Day or two after your last...
25Joseph Cranch to John Adams, 27 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
I will not add to my offence by troubling you with a long apology for this intrusion on your Valuable time— Suffice it to Say,—that encoraged by the Condesending manner in which you listen’d to my small affairs (interesting however to me in the extreem) I am embolden’d to beg your interest with the General in my behalf, so far as you can do it consistant with your princeples of Propriety — a...
26John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
We go on as Usual—Congress resolving one Thing and the Democratical societies resolving the Contrary.— The President doing what is right and Clubbs and Mobs resolving it to be all wrong. We had in senate a few Days ago the greatest Curiosity of all. The Senators from Virginia moved, in Consequence of an Instruction from their Constituents, that the Execution of the 4 th. Article of the Treaty...
27Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have neglected writing to you longer than usual, that I might have it in my power to give you some more favorable prospect of publick affairs, than for some time past has presented itself to my mind; I have had some serious thoughts of the alteration of my pospects, in the event of a war. Instead of peaceably pursuing the path of my profession; the law of Arms would probably excite my...
28John Adams to Charles Adams, 11 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 7 th relieved my Mind, from a great Anxiety and Depression on Account of my dear Daughter. My Apprehensions foreboded very melancholly Things from the Strange Accident, of which you apprised me— A strict Enquiry ought to be made into the Conduct of that Apothecary. The State of New York never behaved well— it has always been a fluctuating, injudicious selfish and...
29Abigail Adams to John Adams, 28 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received Yours of March the 15 and 17th together with the Money you remitted. it was very fortunate in its arrival, for in half an hour after, I had two fine cows offerd me which I immediatly purchasd tho I gave 40 dollors for them. The sheep Lambd so early, and my cows came in so early that we have expended more english Hay than I could wish, and they Rob’d my Horses to feed...
30John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
The arrival of the french Army in this Country, as the friends and allies of the Batavian People, and the Revolution, which has abolished the Stadholdership, the nobility, the former States of the Provinces, and the Regencies of the Cities, will undoubtedly be a subject of considerable attention in our Country; perhaps it may give occasion to many groundless rumours and reports, and possibly...