1Thomas Boylston Adams to Rufus King, 2 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
I take the liberty to enclose to your care a letter for my brother, who may possibly be in England, on his way to America, about the time this will arrive in that Country. I have been instructed by my brother, as long ago as the beginning of February, that I might draw bills upon you, to the amount of £ St g 1400, and the reason why I have not complied with his wishes, in this respect, is...
2From John Adams to Rufus King, 23 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the 2 d. of November, and hope that a Correspondence So agreably begun may be prosecuted, to the Benefit of the Country We have the Honour to serve. Although I may be not personally known to you, the Character uniformly given of your Talents, Application, and publick Spirit, leave me no room to doubt, that I Shall derive much necessary...
3From John Adams to Rufus King, 22 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I was honoured with your Letters of the 4. and 10. Dec r. — The Act of Congress respecting the British Consul General, is wise, and well guarded: Nevertheless I think that We Should not be So inattentive to Ettiquette, as to omit a Proposition for Sending a Minister Plenipotentiary. We give up, a Point, by receiving a Consul in return for a Minister, which, although it may appear of...
4From John Adams to Rufus King, 14 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
I have inclosed to M r Ramsay an Address to the landed trading and funded Interests of England, which contains Some good Sense, intermixed here and there with a little Folly. M r. Ramsay will be so good as to let you read it and in return you may let him read the inclosed Principle of the Commutation Act. As the Commerce of the United States begins to run to the East Indies, every Thing which...
5From John Adams to Rufus King, 14 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, arrived by the Post your Favours of the 2. 4. & 5. of May. Every Day will furnish America with fresh Proofs, of the fallacious nature of all her hopes of Prosperity, Grandeur and Glory, from the friendly disposition of foreign Powers. Whatever Assistance she may ever derive from any of them, must be purchased at a greater Price than it will be worth. Reverence thyself, is a Prœcept...
6From John Adams to Rufus King, 14 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I had heard Sometime ago, of your Marriage with the amiable Daughter of my old Friend, M r Alsop, as well as of that of M r Gerry, and of both with the more Pleasure, probably as a good Work of the Same kind, for connecting Massachusetts and New York in the Bands of Love was going on here. Last Sunday under the Right Reverend Sanction of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of st Asaph...
7From John Adams to Rufus King, 29 November 1786 (Adams Papers)
The tumultuous Conduct of many People in New England which is mentioned in your obliging Letter of the 3 d of October, does not I hope arise from any Competitions for the Government. If the People who wish for Hancock, or those who prefer Bowdoin, those who vote for Sullivan—or such as desire Langden, are Capable of exciting such kinds of Discontent, and Convulsions in order to keep out—or to...
8From John Adams to Rufus King, 19 April 1787 (Adams Papers)
M r. Francis Upton, a Gentleman recommended to me by M r: Hartley, will have the Honour to deliver you this Letter, He goes to NewYork, about an Estate Claimed by him, his Brother & Sister I beg Leave to introduce him to you— This Country affords nothing new—an obstinate continuation of the same Ministry, the same Principles Spirit, Passions, Prejudices, and in one word system is no News,— I...
9From John Adams to Rufus King, 11 October 1792 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged, Sir, by your kind Letter of the 30th of Septr, and for the important Intelligence contained in it There is Such a Complication of Tragedy Comedy and Farce, in all the Accounts from France that it is to me, to the last degree, disgusting to attend to them in detail. I read over the Accounts in general and then endeavour to divert my own Attention from y very Serious,...
10From John Adams to Rufus King, 18 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be presented to you, by Mr Peter Cunningham a Relation and an old Acquaintance of mine, for whom I have a good regard. He is going to London, with an honest American Soldier as well as Citizen, who is a fortunate Legatee to a good Estate in England. His Papers are very Authentic and he can I presume have no Difficulty. If he should however, your Advice and Countenance to him,...
11From John Adams to Rufus King, 16 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter from the Sec. of State I pray you to convey in Safety and as Soon as may be to Berlin. I ought not to omit the opportunity to thank you for the Pamphlets you have Sent me from time to time. They not only entertain and amuse me but I flatter myself are Usefull. Our Country Seems to be, as we used to Say in 1774 unanimous & firm. They are much more So now than they were then....
12From John Adams to Rufus King, 10 July 1803 (Adams Papers)
I duly received, his Britannic Majestys Declaration and the List of Papers presented to Parliament with the kind Letter you did me the Honor to write me on the twenty Second of June. With great Sincerity I thank you, Sir for this instance of your polite Attention to me, and for a great number of others of a like kind, during your Embassy in England. I was then So Situated that I could not...
13From John Adams to Rufus King, 24 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
I run the risque of introducing to You, the Reverend Mr Henry Colman of Hingham. He is one of our liberal Divines; one of our Christian Disciples; one of our Biblio critical Students. But you must not tell this in N. York; He is worthy of your Esteem. He is highly esteemed by all Men who know him here. He wishes to see all the great and good Men and all the great and good Things in New York...
14From John Adams to Rufus King, 2 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for the information, melancholly as it is to me, of the death of Mr Gerry. A Friendship of forty years I have found a rarity, though not a Singularity. I am left alone. While Paine Gerry and Lovell lived, there were Some that I Seemed to know: but now not one of my Contemporaries and Colleagues is left. Can there by any deeper damnation in this Universe, than to...
15From John Adams to Rufus King, 29 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter of th 12th has greatly obliged me. I had read the Speech before in the public papers and now again more than once, and always with great Satisfaction. It is a Master Piece of a Master Spirit. As far as my information goes and Memory recollets, I have not Seen So accurate and judicious So comprehensive and concise a View of the important Subject. I admire the Wisdom which...
16From John Adams to Rufus King, 7 December 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received, and read with Avidity and pleasure your Eloquence and Ratiocination, on the great question of Slavery in the Missouri.—I have rarely if ever; meet a Stronger proof of the importance to a Nation of having in her Councils, Men of great Sagacity, and long experience in public affairs—As far as my Memory serves me, the facts you have stated, are perfectly correct—I believe there...
17From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [20 August 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Since my arrival here, I have written to my colleagues, informing them, that if either of them would come down I would accompany him to Philadelphia. So much for the sake of propriety and public opinion. In the mean time if any material alteration should happen to be made in the plan now before the Convention, I will be obliged to you for a communication of it. I will also be obliged to you to...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [28 August 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you some days since, that to request you to inform me when there was a prospect of your finishing as I intended to be with you, for certain reasons, before the conclusion. It is whispered here that some late changes in your scheme have taken place which give it a higher tone. Is this the case? I leave town today, to attend a circuit in a neighbouring County, from which I shall...
19From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [15 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter by the last Post but one. I immediately sat about circulating an idea, that it would be injurious to the City to have Duane elected—as the probability was, that some very unfit character would be his successor. My object was to have this sentiment communicated to our members. But a stop was put to my measures, by a letter received from Burr, announcing that at a general...
20From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 8 July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter on a certain subject and was obliged by it. But there was nothing practicable by way of remedy. The thing, as it has turned out, though good in the main, has certainly some ill sides. There have also been faults in the detail, which are not favourable to complete satisfaction. But what shall we do? ‘Tis the lot of every thing human to mingle a portion of ill with the...
21From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [17 August 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of Monday Evening has a good deal tranquillized me. I am glad to learn that the mischiefs from the over rise of scripts are not likely to be very extensive. I observe what you say respecting the quotation of my opinion. I was not unaware of the delicacy of giving any & was sufficiently reserved ’till I perceived the extreme to which Bank Script and with it other stock was tending....
22From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 28 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have not, as you will imagine, been inattentive to your political squabble. I believe you are right (though I have not accurately examined) but I am not without apprehension that a ferment may be raised which may not be allayed when you wish it. Tis not to be forgotten that the opposers of Clinton are the real friends to order & good Government; and that it will ill become them to give an...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 25 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I received lately a letter from you in which you express sentiments according with my own on the present complexion of your party politics; as, if a letter of mine to you did not miscarry, you will have seen. I wished that Clinton & his party should be placed in a just light before the people, and that a spirit of dissatisfaction within proper bounds should be kept alive; and this for National...
24From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 27 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Desirous of examining accurately the question decided by the Canvassers —I will thank you for a minute of all the authorities which were consulted by you when you gave your opinion. Yrs. truly I shall be glad to have them as soon as may be. ALS , New-York Historical Society, New York City. This is a reference to the decision of the board of canvassers of New York State in the disputed...
25From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 23 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Though I had had a previous intimation of the possibility of such an event; yet the inteligence contained in your letter of the 17th surprised me. Even now I am to be convinced that the movement is any thing more than a diversion in favour of Mr. Clinton. Yet on my part it will not be neglected. My attention as far as shall be in any degree safe will be directed to every state South of New...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 2 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
When you are acquainted with all the facts, I think you will alter the opinion you appear to entertain. My application comes literally within your rule. The loan is necessary for the current expenditure independent of any new advance to France or of purchases of the Debt. This has arisen from my having been under the necessity of remitting to Holland for a payment in June of 1000,000 of...
27From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 2 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
The failures in England will be so seriously felt in this Country as to involve a real crisis in our money concerns. I anxiously wish you could be here to assist in the operations of the Bank of the UStates —never was there a time, which required more the Union of Courage & Prudence, than the present and approaching Juncture. You can imagine all that I could add on this subject. Is it...
28From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [15 June 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
The ideas expressed in your letter of the 14th correspond with my view of the subject, in general. I did not perceive that any process could be devised to detain the Privateer and concluded that the issue would be to leave her in military custody. Indeed I believe this was rather the expectation with all, though it was thought adviseable to make the experiment of a reference to the Civil...
29From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King [13 August 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
The Post of to day brought me your letter of the 10th, but I was too much engaged to reply to it by return of Post. The facts with regard to Mr Genet’s threat to appeal from the President to the People stand thus— On Saturday the 6th of July last, the warden of this Port reported to Governor Mifflin that the Brig Little Sarah since called The Petit Democrat (an English merchant vessel mounting...
30From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [23–24 August 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
It is not yet finally determined that there shall be a publication & there has been some difference of opinion on the point. But it seems to me the publication of the letters renders it indispensable, that the whole story should be told. Yet when it appears, it will probably include only what is regularly official, so that the present question may be pursued independently. Perhaps you will not...