1051From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
It is a great affliction to me to be deprived as I am by constant and indispensable obligipations, of the pleasure of writing to you, at least every week; but so it is, and I am now to acknowledge the receipt since I wrote you last of your Letters of 17. May. N. 8.—of 1. June. N. 9. and of the 2d: of this Month, which is without number but should have been numbered 10. Your observations upon...
1052John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
The Louisiana revenue bill (of which I sent you some time since a copy) has this day pass’d the third reading in the Senate— But with various amendments so that it must go back to the House of Representatives, where it will probably pass on Monday— The first section has been altered in point of form, and made as I conceive more vague and uncertain than it was at first— In thirty-five days from...
1053From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
Who of all the world should bolt into my bed-chamber yesterday-morning before 8 O’Clock, but George Boyd!—He comes as bearer of Dispatches to us, and to Mr Crawford, from the Department of State—Left Washington the 12th: and New-York the 16th: of August. in one of the swift-sailing Baltimore Schooners, arrived at Bordeaux, the 17th: of this Month, at Paris the 23d: and here about 6 O’Clock...
1054From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 12 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
On the 10th: of August 1811. we received your favour of 22. September 1810 to my wife; not quite eleven months after it was written; and the next day we received that of 8 June 1811. which has performed its voyage in a little more than two. Whether the Passage has been short or long the letter always gives pleasure, and always contains some intelligence that is new. You have repeatedly...
1055John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
Though not many days have elapsed since I wrote you last, and I scarcely know what I can write for your amusement, I cannot omit the acknowledgment of having recently received your kind Letter, dated November. 11. which besides the pleasure which your Letters always afford, had the additional merit of relieving me from great anxiety on account of your health. The address of the President...
1056From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Your Mama and I have received your letter dated the 28th: of February last; which gave us much pleasure—I suppose by the hand-writing that your Cousin Susan was kind enough to write it for you; for which we thank her.—By the time when you will receive this I hope you will be able to write me an answer to it yourself: and I shall expect you write to me, or to your Mama, as often as you know of...
1057From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
The Opportunities for writing to you are now so frequent, that it is impossible, to avail ourselves of them all—They are indeed principally from Liverpool, through which place, I have for the last two Months and upwards sent Letters or despatches almost every week—There are however occasionally Vessels going from the Port of London, and by one of them I now write—I have determined to forward...
1058From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 3 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
This morning I had the satisfaction of receiving your kind letter of the 21st: ulto: which partly relieved me from the anxiety occasioned by the letter of a previous date from my brother, mentioning your illness and confinement—The weather has of late been so remarkably fine and mild in this quarter that I hope its benign influence has been extended to your regions, and has restored you...
1059John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, 23 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
I hope you have duly received the letter which I wrote you, from New-York, giving you a regular account of my proceedings untill I reached that city.— T[he] packet on board of which I took passage was detained by adverse winds untill Friday , the 18 th: when we sailed at about 5 in the afternoon— Of all the passages by water that I ever made, this I think was the most perfectly pleasant; and...
1060From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 31 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
By the last Post I sent you the Journal of my Voyage from Reval to this place, and at the close of it, had just time to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favour, and my dear Charles’s Letter of the 8th:—Mr Peyron arrived here only one day after me, and brought a Post-Office of Dispatches and letters for me, among which one and the most precious of all, was your’s of the 15th:—which with the...
1061From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 September 1822 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday afternoon at four, we performed the last sad offices of mortality to the remains of Mr. Josiah Meigs—It was but the Sunday week before, that happening accidentally to attend the Morning worship at the second Presbyterian Church I had seen him there ordained a Ruling Elder —He was suddenly seized yesterday was a week, immediately after returning early in the morning from Alexandria,...
1062John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 July 1796 (Adams Papers)
Your letters of May 20. and 25. have both reached me forwarded from London. The latter was brought by M r: Gore, who sent me at the same time the speech of M r: Ames which one of your letters mentions in terms of applause which I think it well deserves. After the apprehensions and anxiety, which the preceding accounts from America had excited, I was not a little gratified at the intelligence...
1063John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Nov r: 26. Was not quite five months in reaching me. I received it about a week since, and as the first direct communication from you, since we sailed it was peculiarly acceptable, though it had been so long on the way. You have received before this time I presume, my letter of Feb y: 12. at least you are informed of the great changes which have taken place in the Government of...
1064From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the first instant did not come to hand until last Monday—That of the 9h. enclosing Mr. Whitney’s Sermon upon the decease of our dear and ever to be lamented Mother, for which I beg you to thank him in my name, reached me yesterday, together with a Letter from my Son George—I am yet almost without any account of the particulars of her illness—A line from Harriet Welsh, received...
1065From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
The Evening before last, Mr Russell received, enclosed in a letter from Mr Beasley a scrap of an English Newspaper, containing the President’s Speech, or Message, at the commencement of the Session of Congress, and immediately under it a paragraph asserting that the Letters from Liverpool affirmed in the most positive terms, that the American fleet on Lake Ontario was totally destroyed, and...
1066John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 10 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
How painful it is to me, my amiable friend to feel the assurance that my Letters for which you wait with so much anxious expectation, when they arrive, can bring to you none but unacceptable news, and that they can relieve you from suspense only by the confirmation of disappointment. My Letters of November 19. December 5. 13. 20. and 31. are most probably before this time all in your hands....
1067From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 7 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
After I had closed my last Letter to you dated 1st. October, I received on the same day your favour of the 30th. August, and some day’s afterwards the collection of Pamphlets on the late Trinitarian controversy, they were brought as far as Liverpool by Mr. Cary, who survived the Passage across the Atlantic, but who was not destined to reach London alive. he died at Royston on the road from...
1068From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 27 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
I wrote a few days ago to your Grandmama, and desired her to inform you, and your brother John, of the heavy misfortune that had just befallen us, in the loss of your Sister, who after a very severe illness of four weeks, left this world, I trust for a better, on the morning of the 15th. of this Month.—I need not tell you how much distressed your Parents are at this afflicting dispensation of...
1069From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have received two letters from you, since I wrote you last; but I presume you will know the reason which has prevented me from answering the first of them before the coming of the last.—As the Session advanced the business to which my attention became necessary accumulated so much that I had scarcely time to go home and come to the Capitol from day to day—And besides all the subjects which...
1070From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 31 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
If the twenty-five Volumes of the projected compilation of English Poetry, which were published at Philadelphia, for which I subscribed, and which I promised to give you, should be sent on to Boston, you shall still have them; but it is not worth while to purchase them there, if the remaining volumes are not to be published—You shall not lose however an equivalent for the donation, and you may...
1071John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, 31 May 1804 (Adams Papers)
This morning I received your kind favour of the 20 th — And am delighted to hear that you and the children are so well— M rs: Hellen’s indisposition, I hope will prove only to be “the pleasing punishment that women bear”— I wish we could have here a little of that superfluity of rain which fell just before you wrote me; as it would bring forward my garden stuff as we call it.— You have no...
1072From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
I am informed that a vessel belong to Mr: W. R. Gray, called the Washington, which sailed from Boston the 20th. or 28th: of February last has arrived at Baltic-Port, not more than two hundred miles distant from this place, and is expected at Cronstadt as soon as the Navigation of the gulph will be entirely clear—We had heard a week or ten days since the arrival of this vessel at Elseneur, and...
1073From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Austrian Minister, Count H. Julian, some time since, jokingly asked me if I had received any very late advices of the year before last from home—When I turn to the last letter that I have received from you, and find it dated 7. May 1810. the Count’s wit seems to have lost all its exaggeration. The longer we remain absent from our Country and our friends the more uneasy we feel under the...
1074John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I do not take the Washington Federalist; and it is now in general so poorly conducted as hardly to be worth sending you if I did— But I sent you some time since one of its numbers, and will send you others if they should contain any thing interesting to the fire-side. I can also inclose to you the Intelligencer which contains a pretty good report of the debates in the House— Those in the...
1075From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received but one letter from you since I left Boston, and that was written only two days after my departure—So long an interval during which I have not heard a word from you, and neither your mother, nor any other of the families here have received a line, begins to make me uneasy; and the state of our Charles when I came away, and of Kitty’s health when you wrote tends to increase that...
1076From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
I will not suffer the first day of this new year to pass over, without renewing to my dear Mother the expression of my fervent prayers to God, that it may be a year of health enjoyment, and every blessing to her and to my father, as well as to my beloved children who are with you, and to all the family around you—And with the hope of auspicating it to us all, I join that of having once more...
1077From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
My wife’s brother J. B. Johnson has written from New Orleans, to his sister and me, requesting us to send him our Portraits, and we are accordingly sitting for them to a young American named Locke, who is working hard to make a reputation as a Painter.—This is the second time that according to a melancholy yoke of poor Sheridan’s, I have undergone the operation of sitting for my Picture,...
1078John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 12 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I was reflecting this morning, with what peculiar force and propriety, I could make the application of these tender and affectionate lines of Hammond, and how much more truly they were suited to the object of my constant love than to the person for whom they were originally destined, when your Letter of the 31 st: of last month was brought me. … It put an end at once to the delicious...
1079John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 25 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
This is the eighth day it has rained and stormed without intermission, the weather is worse than that of England commonly is. The parson has been here to-day. Smoked some pipes, was sometimes witty, and always ready to laugh at his own flashes. The vacancy expires tomorrow. The weather has been such that we could not stir out of doors. I have employed my time in reading, writing and taking...
1080John Quincy Adams to Walter Hellen, 28 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
I received last evening your favour of the 20 th: inst t: containing the distressing intelligence of M r: Johnson’s decease; which I had indeed been in some measure prepared to expect, by a letter from M rs: Johnson to M rs: Adams, received a few days before— I endeavoured to communicate the melancholy event to my wife in a manner which might soften as much as possible the shock— The agitation...
1081To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 17 August 1811 (Madison Papers)
The Event, anticipated in the letters which I had the honour of writing you on the 7. Jany: 8. Feby: and 3d: June, has happened at the time when it was expected. On Monday Evening last the 12th. instt: I had a daughter born, the first example I believe of an American, a native of Russia. As it would have been impossible for me to have accomplished since the Commencement of this year’s...
1082John Quincy Adams to William Cranch, 17 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received almost a fortnight since your favour of July 23 d: and should have answered it before now, if I was in the habit of doing as I ought I sued the note immediately, but have not heard from Johonnot since The two actions to which you requested me to attend were both continued; I had not seen Nightengale, and thought it would be expedient to continue that: the other was continued at a...
1083From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 15. August, a few days since received informs me that even that you had received no Letters from me, later than these of March, which were sent by Mr. W. S. Smith—I know not how it happens that one of 22d. April which I gave to Mr Crawford had not reached you, so long after the arrival of the Neptune; but I have already explained to you, how it happened that the one of 7. May,...
1084From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 18 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
In the course of the last Autumn and Winter, I wrote you five Letters on a particular, but most interesting subject; one of which I perceive by yours of 18. December you had then received—Soon after writing the last of them I became engaged in occupations which stopp’d me in the progress of my plan to continue that Series of Letters, and afterwards during the remainder of the Winter, my own...
1085From John Quincy Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 11 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
When I pass’d through Baltimore on my way to this place, I applied to Mr: William Pinckney, late one of our Commissioners at London, and who has now returned to the practice of the Law, and left with him the management of your claim on the bills drawn in favour of Jonathan Titcomb. According to your direction I requested Mr Pinckney to draw upon you for his charges. Mr: Harper was not then at...
1086From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 27 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Ingraham of Boston left this place a few days since, and I gave him a packet for Quincy, containing letters from me to my father and my brother, and to you from my wife and from Catherine— I had shortly before enclosed a letter for you, to a friend in London, to be forwarded, and I shall dispatch the present probably by the way of Archangel— Notwithstanding the numerous accidents which have...
1087John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I am almost asham’d to acknowledge how long it has been since I wrote you last, and can only hope you will consider my numerous letters to my brother, most of which I intended as much for you as for him, to be a sufficient apology— I have not received a line from you or from my father since last June, though I think it impossible but that you should have written more than once— My last letter...
1088John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 17 May 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favours dated Feb y 16. which M r: Wilcox sent me from Hamburg, and of March 10 th: which came in a Vessel arrived a day or two since at Amsterdam. The newspapers came with them, and proved a great entertainment to us. The Herald is a very excellent paper and I wish you by all means to continue sending it by every opportunity. But when you send them by...
1089John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
My last letter to you upon private affairs was of April 29. since which I have received none from you, untill last evening, when your’s of 4. to 12. March, from Quincy, and of 11. May from Baltimore, both came to hand.— In the last, you mention having written me, at full length, the week before by the way of London; but this letter I have not received. Your account of the administration of...
1090John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1786 (Adams Papers)
Three months have now elapsed, since, I have received, one line from Europe; and the only information I have had in all that time, were a couple of paragraphs in the newspapers, the one mentioning your departure from London, and the other your return there; I feel very impatient and anxious for letters, a vessel arrived a few days since; but, I do not hear, that she brought any: if I have been...
1091John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, 17 June 1804 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday my mother went to Boston, and in the Evening brought out M rs: Foster with her two children, one of whom is unwell, and requires the benefit of a little rural air— But what was of more immediate consequence to myself, was your letter of the 6 th: inst t: which my mother also brought out, the profiles and all. One of your profiles is much more like than the other; and that of course I...
1092John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 17 – 31 July 1785 (Adams Papers)
I went on shore upon Long Island with our Captain, and visited Monsr. de Marbois, who has taken a house there for the summer. He received me with politeness, invited me to dine with him, and enquired concerning my father in as friendly a manner, as he could have done had he wish’d him well. Madame de Marbois, may be called a pretty, little woman. She was a quaker, but appears not to have...
1093From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 January 1810 (Adams Papers)
The cypher consists of two parts—a Lock and a Key. The Lock is a sheet of paper, with four columns of letters at the left, and three columns of words at the right side of the page.—The Key is a strip of paper, adapted to the Lock, in the middle of the page, between the columns of letters at the left, and the columns of words at the right.—On the left border of the key, is an alphabet of Small...
1094From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 9 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
It is no small satisfaction to me to know that the Post-Office has become regular in the delivery of my Letters to you, and I should feel equally grateful for the favour, if they would with the same punctuality deliver yours to me—But I receive them only once a week, and most commonly on Tuesday’s, after my letter to you of the same day is closed, and then two at a time—Thus it was last...
1095From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Sunday before we embarked for this place, my excellent friend and Pastor Emerson, delivered in his pulpit a discourse upon the pleasing and not improbable doctrine of a guardian Angel, which Christians have often supposed to be assigned to every individual, to watch over him and as far as is consistent with the general designs of Providence to guide his conduct, and to preserve him from...
1096John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 10 th: inst t: came to hand last evening— And I would take this opportunity to request that all letters for me from Quincy, may be put in to the post-office there; without waiting to send them to Boston— I shall thus get them sooner— My own letters too I hope go directly to Quincy.— My brother I imagine will be satisfied with the frequency of my writing or inclosing...
1097John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few lines yesterday, jointly with my new partner informing you of our marriage, upon which I would once more invoke your maternal blessing.— At present I write in answer to your very kind Letters of 15. March. 15. and 23. June all of which I have received since my arrival here. Before the receipt of the latter, I was in doubt whether you were at Philadelphia, or at Quincy.— I...
1098John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Several months have again elapsed, since, I wrote you, but I shall henceforth, be able to spare more Time, than I could since I went to Haverhill before this. There is now neither the Necessity, nor indeed the possibility, for me to keep as close, as I was in the Winter. I was obliged in the Course of 6 months, to go through the studies, which are perform’d here, in 2 years and 9 months. So...
1099From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
Here I am at length, established as an intimate, in the family of Dr: Waterhouse; but from a variety of delays I did not come from Boston, untill the Evening before last—And being once here I concluded to adhere a sufficient time to get habituated and reconciled to my new Situation before I would absent myself from it—This prevented me from going out yesterday to Quincy, according to my...
1100John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 5 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received, my dearest friend, your letter of the 15 th: of last month, since which I hope you have before now received two from me; and would to Heaven, they could have been such as would have been more conformable to our mutual inclinations, or that I could now give you tidings more agreeable for me to communicate or for you to receive.— Instead of which a Letter from America,...