1To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
When a young man I read Sidney upon government. In one of his Chapters, he agitates the following question—“Whether A civil War, or slavery be the greatest evil” and decides in favor of the Latter. In ing and revolving that Subject in my mind, I have been led to suppose there are evils more afflicting and injurious to a Country than a foreign War. The principal evil of War is death. Now Vice I...
2To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 13 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Retired as I live from the political World, and devoted as I am Obliged to be to the duties of my profession, I have not been an indifferent Spectator of the events Which have elevated you to the Chair of the United States. Permit me to express, not only the pleasure I feel in common with a great majority of your fellow Citizens, but to unite my Congratulations with those of your early and...
3To James Madison from Benjamin Rush and Others, 29 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
The Medical Professors of the University of Pennsylvania beg leave to address you upon a Subject highly interesting to the honor, and interest of the United States. It has been the practice of the Professors, ever since the establishment of the University, to give Certificates to the Students who have required them, of their having attended their respective lectures. These Certificates are not...
4To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 1 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
It would be well, if legislators were taught before they begin to legislate, that there are certain things which elude the power of government as certainly as a stone when thrown into the Air falls to the ground. In addition to those Subjects which have been mentioned in our letters I will add—“the dictates of Conscience, religious & philosophical opinions—the current prices of goods, and...
5Benjamin Rush to Thomas Jefferson, 3 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Though late, I hope I am not among the last of your friends in congratulating you upon your escape from the high and dangerous appointment which your Country (to use the words of Lord Chesterfield ) inflicted upon you during the last eight years of your life.—Methinks I see you renewing your Acquaintance with your philosophical instruments, and with the friends of your Youth in your library —...
6To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with the Specimen you have given of the Use of your Wings upon a certain Subject in your last letter. Your publications in the newspapers show still further how important to the public, to posterity, and to your family honor are the words you have preserved of your political life. Your defence of the rights of our Seamen is much admired. It discovers with the Experience &...
7To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 20 May 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 May 1809, Philadelphia. His son, Dr. James Rush, visits Washington to make a call upon the Madisons before he departs for Great Britain, where he will continue his medical studies. Asks JM to introduce young Rush to Mrs. Madison. RC ( DLC ). 1 p. Docketed by JM.
8To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 14 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
My son Richard who has been a customer for the Aurora ever since he lived at the Jersey College, after reading your last letter, brought the enclosed papers from his office, and requested me to forward them to you. I have lately met with an account of the brain of Voltaire being preserved by a Lady in a France, and showed to her friends as an object of affection and adoration. The author of...
9To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 26 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you three numbers of Duane’s papers that you may see in what manner the late news from St James’s has operated upon one Class of our Citizens. Your Communications Continue to excite Attention. A general wish prevails among those who read them, that they may be preserved & perpetuated in the form of a pamphlet, or of a larger Work. My Wife and youngest daughter left me on the 8th of...
10To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
“salus, honor et bonus Appetitus.” to use the Words of Molière— from Dear sir ever / Yrs MHi : Adams Papers.
11To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 14 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
I send you herewith some more of Col Duane’s papers. You will perceive in One of them proposals for republishing you letters in a pamphflet. It was from a Conviction that you saw things with Other eyes than most of the persons that cooperated with you in establishing the Independance of the United states, and that your Opinions and Conduct would bear the Scrutiny of posterity at that eventful...
12To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 25 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you four numbers of Duane’s paper. They contain a good deal of matter relative to the dispute between our Country & great Britain. I have not read a column of it, but it excites general attention in our city, and of course is probably worth the notice of a Man who has not, like myself, outlived his patriotism. My wife, Uncle Mr Boudinot and his daughter it is said, have lately paid a...
13To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 6 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
Although for many years past I have read nothing, but books upon medicine on week days, & upon Religion on Sundays, and have expected to continue to do so as long as I lived, yet you have almost persuaded me to read Fox’s history of James the Second. Your praise of it is enough for me, for I know how much your habits of reading and thinking qualify you to judge of the merit of books that...
14To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 30 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
“Great men (says Lord Bacon) have neither Ancestors nor posterity.” This, you and I know is not the case with Writers. The enclosed pamphflett pamphflet is a proof that the passion for pen, ink and paper has descended in my family. It is written by my son Richard, who requests you will do him the honor to accept of a copy of it. Health, respect & friendship from / ever yours MHi : Adams Papers.
15To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 6 October 1809 (Madison Papers)
My Son Richard Rush has requested me to beg the favor of you to accept of the enclosed pamphflet upon the Administration of Justice in Pennsylvania. At the same time, receive Dear Sir a copy of three lectures upon Animal life extracted from a new edition of my medical inquiries now in the press, a Mark of the great regard, of your sincere & Affectionate Old friend RC ( DLC ). Docketed by JM....
16To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 17 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
Who were the ancestors and posterity of Homer, Demosthenes, Plato and Aristotle? who were the ancestors and posterity of Cicero, Horace and Virgil? Were any of them philosophers, orators or poets? who were the ancestors and posterity of Walsingham Sully, Malborough and Wolfe? Were any of them statesmen generals, or heroes? I do not ask whether they were descended from gentlemen, or whether...
17To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
Philadelphia Decemr: 5th: 1809 I picked up some time ago a magazine in which I met with a revival of the Old controversy concerning the divine Origin of Episcopal and Presbyterian Ordination carried on by Dr Hobart and Dr Mason of New York. After reading a few pages of it, I threw down the magazine with disgust, and committed the enclosed thoughts upon that Subject to paper. The partiality you...
18To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, January 1810 (Adams Papers)
Accept of my thanks for your last letter.—I enclose you a few numbers of the Aurora. Shall we descend in a Calm or a storm to the our Graves? We are told your son is gone to Petersburg to put a torch to the flame of War, and that we are to be Allies of France and of all the powers on the Baltic in it. Mr Jackson has just left our city. He has been visited & entertained by Some of our first...
19To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 1 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
With this letter you will receive a bundle of Auroras, and another of the same size by the post of the next day—They are filled very much of late with our state politicks, but you will find many Columns still filled with complaints against Great Britain—so my son Richard tells me, for I assure you I have not read a Column in any one of them these six months. My wife asked me a few days ago...
20To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 26 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
In One of my letters written some time ago, I informed you that my eldest son had killed a brother officer and a friend in a duel at New Orleans. The distress and remorse which followed this event deprived him of his reason, and threw him into the marine hospital where he has been nearly ever since the duel. In the month of Feby: last he arrived in Philada in a state of deep melancholy &...
21To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 12 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Every moment of Amusement that I am able to afford you, is an Addition to my happiness, for which reason I send you from time to time all such numbers of Duanes papers as contain any new Speculations upon the state of our Country.—The enclosed, is I suppose of that nature, for I have read its title only. Have you seen Sillimans travels int o England, Scotland & Holland? They are gener ally...
22To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 20 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Wealth, respect and friendship! from your grateful and affectionate friend. War with the “great hammer of the whole earth” to use the words of which the prophet Jeremiah applied to the king of Babylon, is now the order of the day in Philada.— MHi : Adams Papers.
23To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 4 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have no objection to your knowing that by the “great hammer of the earth” I meant Napoleon. George the 3rd: I believe to be the great hammer of the ocean. I consider them both as the scourges of the human race, and in the language of the souls under the altar, I feel disposed to cry day and night,—“how long—how long” O! Lord wilt thou suffer them to trample upon the rights of individuals and...
24To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
In Contemplating the facility with which our Once chaste & vi mistress “American liberty” admits embraces of some of the most profligate and unprincipled men in our Country, I feel disposed to address her in the Words of the Song. “I loved thee! beautiful and kind, And plighted an eternal vow, So altered are your face and mind, ’Twere perjury to love thee, now. ” MHi : Adams Papers.
25To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 8 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Mr Denny is the principal writer in the portfolio. He is precluded from introducing politicks into it by its proprietor Mr Sam Bradford, but—not from traducing the works of Whig, and American Authors. One of his Coajutors is a Dr Chapman a former pupil of mine and who owes me many—very many Obligations. He is the son of a Virginia Tory. After failing in getting into business, and suspecting...
26To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 2 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
Hate on, & call upon all the pedagouges in Massachussets to assist you with their hatred of me, but and I will after all, continue to say, that it is folly and madness to spend four or five years in teaching boys the latin & greek languages.— I admit a knowledge of the Hebrew to be useful to divines, also as much of the greek as will enable them to read the greek testament, but the latin is...
27To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 8 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a small publication which contains an account of a new auxillary or palliative remedy for madness. It will serve perhaps be acceptable to some of your medical friends. You will I have no doubt amuse yourself and your fire side by wishing that it could be applied for the relief of napoleon,—George the third, and all the mad federalists & democrats in our country.— From Dear Sir /...
28To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 29 October 1810 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to send you herewith the 4th report of the directors of the African institution in London and an adjudication of an appeal connected with the African trade, both of which appear to contain matter highly interesting to the National honor of the United States. Can nothing be done to wipe away the Stain that has been brought upon our moral and national character by the infamous...
29To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 7 December 1810 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to your request I have in conjunction with my friend Dr Physick done every thing that I could for the relief of your nephew, but I am sorry to add—as yet without Success. We have in vain attempted to salivate him. In consequence of the failure of that, and Other remedies, we have concluded in a day, or two to make a small puncture in his breast in order to discharge the Water from...
30To James Madison from Benjamin Rush, 9 December 1810 (Madison Papers)
I have great pleasure in informing you that the operation I mentioned in my letter of Friday was this day performed upon your nephew, and with the happiest result. I refer you to Dr Physick’s letter for the particulars of it. The only design of this hasty note is [to] comply with my promise, and to inform you that I shall this evening at the request of your nephew communicate the news of the...