4591John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
I ought to acknowledge with Gratitude, your constant Kindness in Writing to me, by every Post. Your favour of Septr. 29. came by the last. I wish it had been in my Power, to have returned your Civilities with the same Punctuality, but it has not. Long before this you have received Letters from me, and Newspapers containing a full Account of the Negociation. The Communication is still open and...
4592From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 12 August 1819 (Adams Papers)
you have my full consent to publish all my letters. I only wish request that you would print them, verbatim, literatim and punctuation—They were written at a time when I had not yet learned the necessity of keeping Copies of my letters, These have burst upon me, therefore, with real surprise. I had totally forgotten them, but my own hand writing I never can deny. The essence of them is as...
4593John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 19 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour of your Letters of the 27 of June and 4. July, and Should advise your Excellency to present the C. de Mercy, a Copy of the Instruction as you propose. By the Length of Time, We have been left without Information respecting foreign Affairs, and by other Circumstances, there are greater Divisions among our Countrymen, respecting these as well as their Finances, than are...
4594John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
We arrived here last night in good Season. The Roads were not very bad, and the Weather, tho Showery, was not inconvenient. M r Freeman the Son of our late Neighbours at Milton and a M r Thorp of New York were our Companions in the Stage. M r Freeman is a very agreable Man. I never travelled with any Man more assiduous to make me comfortable. At Church I met my Old Friends Governor Huntington...
4595From John Adams to John Davis, 11 April 1804 (Adams Papers)
I received Yesterday your favour of the ninth. Of Mr Baron I know neither the Person nor the Character: but it Seems to me that a demonstration will not be the less mathematical for the Nation or the Morals of the Author. The Accademy can not know the Manners of all their correspondents, and if the Cause of Truth and Science is really promoted by a bad Man even whom they know to be Such, I...
4596John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
You will learn from the Newspapers before this reaches you, the situation of Things here. Mr. Howes Army is at Chester, about fifteen Miles from this Town. Gen. Washingtons is over the Schuylkill, awaiting the Flank of Mr. Howes Army.—How much longer Congress will stay here is uncertain. I hope We shall not move untill the last Necessity, that is untill it shall be rendered certain, that Mr....
4597Thursday. May 13th. (Adams Papers)
Went on Shore and dined with Captain Jones at the Epèe Royal. Mr. Amiel, Mr. Dick, Dr. Brooke, officers of the Poor Richard, Captain Cazneau, Captain Young, Mr. Ingraham, Mr. Blodget, Mr. Glover, Mr. Conant, Messrs. Moylans, Mr. Maese, Mr. Nesbit, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Tayler, made the Company, with Captain Landais, myself and my Son. An elegant Dinner we had—and all very agreable. No very...
4598From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
I last night received, the Ratification of my last Loan and the inclosed Resolution of Congress of 18 July last, for the Redemption of Prisoners at Algiers.— It is probable you have received it before, but as it is, in your Department to execute it, and possible that you may, not have received it, I thought it Safest to transmit it to you, as I have now the honour to do, here inclosed. M r...
4599From John Adams to William Lee, 29 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour of yours of the 25th. and am in equal pain with you for Charlestown, especially Since the Arrival of A Vessell at Nantes from Baltimore, which brings a certain Account of Clintons Arrival the latter End of February, at the southward, with forty five Ships, escaped from the Wreck of the Tempest. There is no certain Account of his Landing nor of the precise Place where he...
4600John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 July 1787 (Adams Papers)
We Suppose, that you had your Degree last Wednesday, and upon that Supposition, I congratulate you upon it. it is hinted that you think of studying Law with Judge Dana till next Spring. if you can have the Honour and the Priviledge of studying under, two such great Masters as Judge Trowbridge and Judge Dana, I approve very much of the design. You cannot be in so good hands. but will the...
4601From John Adams to Alexander Bryan Johnson, 10 March 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter this morning of March 1st. and congratulate you on the birth of another Son, and condole with you on the illness of your father; we must sing of mercy & judgement together from the cradle to the grave, and we must bend our minds to a perfect resignation; nothing short of this, will procure us the happiness of which our nature is capable in this world. The name you have...
4602From John Adams to Amos J. Cook, 30 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have received the favour of your letter of the 21st. day of this month, and have complied with your request so far as to inclose with this letter, a Copy in my hand writing, of some Latin Verses, which I copied into my Pencil Book, in December 1779 from an inscription over the Door of the Cell of a Monk in Corunna in Spain.—The moral is so good, that they are worth the attention of the young...
4603From John Adams to North Carolina Militia, 5 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for this address. Our Commerce is plundered, our Citizens treated with the Vilest indignities, our Nation itself is insulted in the persons of its ambassadors and supreme Magistrates, and all this because we are beleived to be a divided people—how is it possible in such circumstances for Metaphisicians to Chicane or Mathematicians to Calculate, it is to me as to you,...
4604From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 3 August 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Fiscal Systems of the Powers of Europe, have such an ill Influence on Commerce, that they deserve the Serious attention of Congress and their Ministers whenever they have under Consideration a Treaty with any foreign Power. In Conversation yesterday with M r: D’Asp the Chargé des affaires of Sweeden, I enquired of him what Imposts were payable in their Ports upon the Importation and...
4605From John Adams to James Warren, 24 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Morning, a Vessell has arrived in this City with 6800 stand of excellent Arms and 1500 Gun Locks, belonging to Congress and 1500 more private Property. These last We have ordered to be bought. This News you may depend on, the Letters were brought into Congress, in the Midst of a Debate concerning a Resolution to impower the General to procure Arms wherever he could find them. Thus, it...
4606From John Adams to Richard Rush, 13 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
You must live to be 77 years and 9 months old, before you can know how much I am obliged to you for your favour of the 5th. Pray tell me Something of the Biography of Mr St. George Tucker of Virginia. I cannot Speak of the political morsell of his, without extravagance. I know not which to admire most, its Simplicity, its Beauty its Pathos, its Philosophy, its Morality, its Religion, or its...
4607From John Adams to James Warren, 18 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Letter of Dr—— is the oddest Thing imaginable. There are so many Lies in it, calculated to give the Enemy an high Idea of our Power and Importance, as well as so many Truths tending to do us good that one knows not how to think him treacherous: Yet there are several Strokes, which cannot be accounted for at least by me, without the Supposition of Iniquity. In Short I endeavour to Suspend...
4608To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 10 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I last night received, the Ratification of my last Loan and the inclosed Resolution of Congress of 18 July last, for the Redemption of Prisoners of Algiers. It is probable You have received it before, but as it is, in your Department to execute it, and possible that you may not have received it, I thought it Safest to transmit it to you, as I have now the honour to do, here inclosed. Mr....
4609From John Adams to Alexander Hill Everett, 4 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
Be pleased to accept my thanks for your Oration, which I read with great pleasure. But as it was immediately in so much request, as to be borrowed and circulated and not yet returned, I can only say at present that it is ingenious and eloquent. I am glad to hear that you are to pronounce an oration, before another society the day after commencement, which I hope to have an opportunity also to...
4610From John Adams to Caleb Stark, Jr., 7 December 1823 (Adams Papers)
I recieved two days since your favour of the 30th of last month for which I am as thankful as usual. By some strange combination of circumstances I find we have both chosen the Sabbath day for writing our communications. This in me is nothing as I am in the land of dissipation & what Ticknor would call “heartless frivolity” but in you who sojourn in the land of the blue laws & good habits is...
46111760. Decr. 27th. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Governor Bernards Speech to the two Houses, at the opening of the present sessions, has several Inaccuracies in it. “The glorious Con clusion of the North American War.”—The N. American War is not yet concluded, it continues, obstinate and bloody, with the Cherokees, and will be renewed probably, against the french in Louisiana. However with Regard to this Province, whose Legislature, the...
4612From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 13th, incloseing Mr. Seagroves talks with Methlogy, his letter to you & your answer, all which I return. The Indian attack upon Hawkins is probably as injurious as that lately of the Tennessee assembly. Mr. Seagroves answer is very clever & your answer to him is very proper.—The Indians do not always discover that honesty & sincerity, which some philosophers...
4613From John Adams to James Moylan, 22 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
As the Alliance is bound to America, and probably will go to Boston, I wish to avail myself of the Opportunity to send a few Necessaries to my Family, and a black Coat or two to a few Parsons in my Neighbourhood, whose Salaries are so reduced by the Depreciation of our Paper Currency that they cannot afford to buy a black Coat nor a Band at home. I will inclose you the Minutes of the Things I...
4614May 17. Monday. (Adams Papers)
L. gave Us an Account of St. George at Paris, a Molatto Man, Son of a former Governor of Guadaloupe, by a Negro Woman. He has a sister married to a Farmer General. He is the most accomplished Man in Europe in Riding, Running, Shooting, Fencing, Dancing, Musick. He will hit the Button, any Button on the Coat or Waistcoat of the greatest Masters. He will hit a Crown Piece in the Air with a...
4615Adams’ Minutes of the Testimony: Middlesex Court of General Sessions, Concord, September 1768 (Adams Papers)
Sarah Garfield. D eaco n Farrar. Last of Deer. It is Josiah Headleys. The next Saturday, she said she was sorry she had told me what she did. Not because it want true, but because he said he’d get her whipped. 10 days after she said if the Premisses were not fullfilled, she would tell the whole Truth. Afterwards she said Headly hired her to lay it to Zack Parkes, Simeon Hagar, or some body...
4616From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I nominate the Hon. Frederick Frelinghausen Es. of N. Jersey to be Attorney of the U.S. for that district in the place of Lucius Horatio Stockton who has resigned that office DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4617To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 26 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Robert Castle Norton Autograph Letters of U.S. Presidents, Western Reserve Historical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; copy, two press copies of copies, and transcript: National Archives One day, last Week, I recd at Amsterdam a Card from Diggs, inclosing two Letters to me from Mr David Hartley. The Card desired to see me upon Business of Importance: and the Letters from...
4618From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will teise you no more, at present, with Metaphysicks or Books. I expect with Something very like impatience, once more to embrace You and the dear Creatures about you, meaning your Wife and Children. One Star Sitts with brilliancy, and another rises with brilliancy, notwithstanding certain Spots, which you and I have had opportunities to observe. Mr Monroe has certainly had the good Fortune...
4619[In Congress, Fall 1775–Spring 1776] (Adams Papers)
At the appointed time, We returned to Philadelphia and Congress were reassembled. Mr. Richard Penn had sailed for England, and carried the Petition, from which Mr. Dickenson and his party expected Relief. I expected none, and was wholly occupied in measures to support the Army and the Expedition into Canada. Every important Step was opposed, and carried by bare Majorities, which obliged me to...
4620II. To the Boston Gazette, 18 January 1773 (Adams Papers)
It has been said already, that the common law of England has not determined the judges to have an estate for life in their offices provided they behaved well. The authorities of Lord Coke and Lord Holt have been produced, relative to the judges of the King’s bench. And indeed authorities, still more ancient than Coke might have been adduced. For example, the learned Chancellor Fortescue, in...