1John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I thank you my dear Son, for your dutiful Letter of the 28 th. of June, and rejoice, with exceeding Joy, in the recovery of your health My Advice is, to give yourself very little Thought about the Place of your future Residence. a few Months will produce changes that will easily Settle that Question for you. M r Parsons’s great Law Abilities make me wish that the Public may be availed of them,...
2John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
I hope your Anxiety, about your Prospects of future Life, will not be indulged too far. If, after your Term with M r Parsons expires your Judgment, Inclination and Advice of your Friends lead you to Boston, you shall have my full Consent and Approbation. If you could contrive to get a Small Family into my House with whom you could reputably board: and could reserve the best Room and Chamber,...
3John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
There is a sett of Scotch Writers that I think deserve your Attention in a very high Degree. There are Speculations in Morals Politicks and Law that are more luminous, than any other I have read. The Elements of Criticism and other of Lord Kaims’s Writings—Historical Law Tracts—sir James Steuart—Adam Smith &c both his Theory of Moral Sentiments and his Wealth of Nations— There are several...
4John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your agreable Letter of the 19. Ult. and am pleased with your prudent deliberation and judicious decision, upon the Place of your future residence. The Promotion of M r Sullivan, will lead him out of Town upon the Circuits and give room to others to take his Place upon occasions. You are not however to expect a run of Business at first. Your Project of boarding...
5From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
I am not willing you should want Information from the Seat of Gov t: but I can do little more than send you a Newspaper. This Day twelve months I first took the Seat in which I now sett, and I have not been absent one Moment, when the senate has been sitting, excepting one Day when my own Salary was under Consideration. This Confinement will injure my health, if I cannot soon take a Journey. M...
6John Adams to John Quincy Adams, before 8 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received with great Pleasure your Letter of the 9 of August, inclosing a Receipt from Mr Parsons for one hundred Pounds lawful Money, which you paid him in the month of August, Second day, in full for your Tuition as a Clerk in his office for the term of three Years. I learned, with Pleasure also, that on the 9 th of August you took Possession of an office in my house, where I wish you more...
7John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
Since my return from Philadelphia where I have been to get Lodgings, against the meeting of Congress, your Mamma has shewn me your Letter: and I consent you Should keep the Horse for the present.— My Brother may Supply you with hay, as far as your occasion for it may go. Can nothing be done to make my Estate at Boston and Braintree more productive? The House where you are is at a miserable...
8John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you before to day: but I forgot to say Several Things.— Have you ever attended a Town Meeting? You may there learn the Ways of Men, and penetrate Several Characters which otherwise You would not know. There are Several Objects of Enquiry, which I would point out to your consideration without making any noise or parade about them. 1. The State of Parties in Religion, Government Manners,...
9John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have received and read with great Pleasure, your modest Sensible, judicious and discreet Letter of the 31. of Sept r. The Town of Boston is at present unhappily divided into political Parties, and neither Party I presume has tried Experiments enough upon you to discover to which Side you belong. You might very easily induce either Side to make much of you, by becoming a zealot for it: but my...
10John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
The Note from Piemont, I would not have Sued by any means. Hopkins’s Pretentions I have no Idea of. I Suppose an account with him may be found in my Ledger, But I can Say nothing upon memory. Piemont ought to make out his Account— He says I had a Bar Wig and a Bob Wig of him. If so he should make out his Account and if they amount to as much as the Note, there is an End of the Business. If...
11John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your Brother Charles arrived on Saturday night from New York and has dissipated some of the Gloom of the Family. Your Mother however Seems pretty well recovered from her Indisposition: and Your Brother Thomas, tho very weak is on the Recovery, as We hope. The rest of the Family is well. In a Letter to your mamma, you intimate an Inclination to make Us a Visit. Nothing I assure you would be...
12John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 4 th , has given me as much Pain by opening the Sceenes of Ambition in your neighbourhood as it has pleasure by the Elegance of its composition and the Intelligence with which it devellopes the Maneuvres of Parties and the Passions of Individuals. Another Drama at New York has been acted with equal Spirit and of more Importance. At Philadelphia too We have had our...
13John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
at 9 last night I arriv’d and this Morning have taken my Seat from whence I write this. I have just rec d yours of 22. Nov. with its Inclosure. I am told most confidently that all the Votes in N. Y. will be for Clinton and all the Votes in Pensilvania for me. I believe neither. If the People of the Union are capable of being influenced by Such Characters as Dallas and Edwards, I should be...
14John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be delivered you, by M r Roberdeau a Son of General Roberdeau my ancient Friend, lately married to Miss Blair a Daughter of Doctor Blair, whom your Mamma knows. I pray you to Shew all the Civility to M r Roberdeau in your Power. invite him to Quincy with you to keep sunday with your Mamma and shew him Boston and Cambridge, Colledge Library Apparatus &c and give him all the...
15John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
I rec d by the last post your favour of the 16. The Votes from New Hampshire to Maryland inclusively have been unanimous excepting the factious Voice of New York, and one D r Johnson of Conecocheague formerly a New Yorker a Particular Friend of M r Clinton and by his own confession under particular Obligations to him. Southward of Chesapeak all are for Clinton except S. C. I thank you for your...
16John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
I am again entertained by your kind Letter of the 22. Ult. The Intrigues of M r Clinton M r Burke M r Dallas M r Pierpoint Edwards, &c with Several Members of Congress from Virginia N. C. Georgia and Kentucky aided by Governor Hancock, have given a very odd cast to the Election: but they have Seperated the sheep from the Goats— There must be however more Employment for the Press in favour of...
17John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
The Public Papers will inform you that M r Jefferson has resigned and that M r Randolph is appointed Secretary of State. The Attorney General is not yet nominated. M r Lewis M r Lawrence M r Benson M r Gore, M r Potts &c have been mentioned in Conversation. The Motives to M r Jeffersons Resignation are not assigned, and are left open to the Conjectures of a Speculating World. I also am a...
18John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
Although your modesty would not inform Us, of your commencement as a Faneuil Hall Orator, it is impossible to conceal from the Public so important an Event, when there are 500 talkative noisy Witnesses of it, and accordingly it has come to me from an Eye and Ear Witness, as I suppose, your young Friend Breck. I rejoice that you have taken the Unpopular Side of the Questions concerning...
19John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have great Satisfaction in your Letter of the 10 th. The Breaking of the Bubble of Banks would be a Blessing if it could teach our People to beware of all other Bubbles. But I fear We shall have a Succession of them. I hope however at least they will teach you caution. “The Rivalries of our most conspicuous Characters” are such as human Nature produces under the Cultivation of such a...
20John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
Congress have rec d from the President all the Negotiations with France and England as well as those with the Indians. On Monday We expect those with Spain and all the Intelligence rec d respecting the Algerines. The whole forming a System of Information which Shews our dear Country to be in a critical Situation. So critical that the most sanguine are constrained to pauze and consider. The...
21John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
This morning I had the Pleasure of your Letter of the 2 d of this month. The Town meeting did itself honour by its judicious Result. But there has not been the Same Wisdom in New York nor Philadelphia: nor is there equal Wisdom and Decision in either house of Congress. All that has been done has been to restrain and moderate the constant disposition to rashness Intemperance and Madness. M r...
22John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your favour of the 22 d I believe it is, and am glad to hear that the People of Boston are disposed to Stand firm on neutral Ground. Much will depend upon their Stability. There are so many Interests constantly contriving to draw Us off, from that Position, that if Boston should fail Us We should be in great danger. I feel for the Sufferers under the Unexampled depredations of the...
23John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Old Debtors to British subjects, united with the over Zealous Friends of France and the Democratical societies of our principal Cities, are urging a sequestration of Things in Action: and as I know you are not inattentive to any question of public Law, I have inclosed you some minutes of Authorities and I wish you to look into all others relative to this subject. I have not Grotius here,...
24John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
If the combined Powers are exhausted by their Exertions The French must be no less distressed by theirs, and each Party thinks it is contending for Existence.— My Calculation is that the other Powers in Combination will hold out as long as England although Spain and Prussia may Slacken their Exertions: and that England will continue the War till the Three Per Cents Consolidated fall to fifty...
25John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your favour of April 22 and am pleased with your Observations on the Doctrine of Reprisals on Choses in Action. As it is a Subject, which is likely to be discussed among Mankind for many Years to come, England France and Spain having lately attempted something of the kind, every Book which can throw any Light on it, ought to be looked up. Spain is Said to have confiscated or...
26John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
In reading the Advertisement prefixed to De Lolme p. 6. I met a Passage which recalled to my Mind a Letter of yours concerning the Papers signed Columbus and the cold reception they met with among their Friends. “I shall add, says he, a few Observations, of a serious kind for the Sake of those Persons who, judging themselves to be possessed of Abilities find they are neglected by those having...
27John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of April 27 was put into the Post office at New York and I have neither seen nor heard of M r Dorr nor M r Jones. It is probable they found a Conveyance for their Letters in the ship which carries our Envoy Extraordinary and their Journey to this Town became unnecessary. I should have been glad to have seen them and I suppose they might have obtained their Request without...
28John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Secretary of State called upon me this morning to inform me by order of the President, that it was determined to nominate you to go to Holland as Resident Minister. The President desired to know if I thought you would accept. I answered that I had no Authority from you— But it was my Opinion that you would And that it would be my Advice to you, that you should. The Salary is 4500 Dollars a...
29John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Since, I wrote you this morning, at the request of M r Randolph a thousand things occur to me to say to you, but as I have not time at present I shall write you from day to day. You will have a Collection to make of the Journals of Congress and the Laws of the Union; and all the Reports of our Ministers of State to take with you. You must remember all the Relations of the U. S. with all...
30John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Senate advised the Appointment of M r short to Madrid, but there has as yet been no nomination to the Vacancy at the Hague. The Person however is determined on, and the Nomination will probably be made as soon as I am gone homewards— I have but one night and an half more to stay here. This Nomination, which is the Result of the Presidents own Observations and Reflections, is as...