1From John Adams to William Cunningham, 4 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have yours of Feb. 20 and 23. The inclosed five sheets are the rough draught, which I have requested and you have promised to return. I shall burn it because I have made another Copy more correct in which I have left out the Name and much of the trumpery. In strictness, we have nothing to do with the question whether impressments of seamen are legal or illegal in England. Whatever Iniquity...
2From John Adams to William Cunningham, 20 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favours of March 11 and 14th. In answer to the first I wish to know whether you remember General Washington’s answer to Adet the successor of Genet. It was written by the gentleman in question and by the spirit of it represented the President almost as ardent a Jacobin as himself. He had not yet been converted from his Gallicism and Jacobinism. You remember the thing “Born...
3From John Adams to William Cunningham, 24 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of March 31 in due time: But I am become all at once and very unexpectedly a man of business and of so much importance in the world that I have not found time to acknowledge it till now. You say your sensibilities were exquisately touched by my last letter to you and my Letter to Wright and Lyman which you received at the same time. The word Sensibilities has a very...
4From John Adams to William Cunningham, 7 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
Yours of May 6th, I have not acknowledged, and cannot particularly consider the abundance of matter in it at present. If you see the Patriot, you will see that I am scribbling, twice a week. I am hammering out a brass farthing into an acre of leaf brass. But I was determined that posterity should know the facts relative to my peace with France in 1800. I expect “angry surges” enough. Let them...
5From John Adams to William Cunningham, 22 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
I most sincerely thank you for your excellent letter of the 14th.—It contains an abundance of matter that deserves, and shall have my most serious consideration. But at present I have not time to be serious. I had a delicious laugh with my family. I said nothing till we were all at table at dinner: My wife, my two daughters in law, my niece, Miss Louisa Smith, and my two grand daughters,...
6From John Adams to William Cunningham, 31 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received in season your favour of the 30th June as well as that of July 24th, and thank you for both. The first is full of the candour and frankness of true friendship, and deserves my mature consideration. I have not been able to answer it, for I have been very busy, and my son’s destination and preparations for departure, have claimed all my attention. It is an heartrending stroke to me. I...
7From John Adams to William Cunningham, 27 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your favour of the 23d and had before in its season received that of the 9th in good order, its enclosure unviolated. My boyish letter to Dr. Nathan Webb appeared with more propriety in a Worcester paper than any where else. It is demonstrative evidence that John Adams’ Declaration Of Independence was one and twenty years older than Thomas Jefferson’s . To understand my...
8From John Adams to William Cunningham, 23 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 17th.—I know the integrity, talents and intelligence of great numbers of the Federalists: and have no doubt of the good intentions of the great body of that party: but of a great number of their leaders, and the most active of them especially, I have no better opinion than I have of some of the leaders of the Republicans. By their writings they have deceived...
9From John Adams to William Cunningham, 15 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of Oct. 28.—I am very unexpectedly involved in Occupations and Correspondences very dispropotioned to the feeble Forces remaining to a Man of Seventy Four, and which make it impossible for me to reply to the various important subjects of your Letter. There is one however that my Feelings will not allow me to pass by. It is no fault to “Covet honor” any more than it...
10From John Adams to William Cunningham, 29 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
I return you the inclosed Letter, according to your desire.—No Eye but mine has seen it: and no Copy of it, or any Part of it has been taken. I See So many difficulties and objections in the Way, that I despair of Success and therefore think it would be imprudent to commit myself. What ever my Son Said to you, he said it by guess.—He knows nothing of my Plan.—You need be under no concern.—If I...
11From John Adams to William Cunningham, 16 January 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have received your three last Letters. The Correspondence and Conversations which have passed between Us have been under the confidential Seal of Secrecy and Friendship. Any Violation of it will be a breach of Honor and plighted Faith. I Shall never release you from it; if it were in my Power: but it is not. After all the Permission that I could give, your Conscience ought to restrain you. I...