1To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 17 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
I suppose by this time sober hill is in great glory, at least if your spring has been forward in any measure as ours has. And when we compare our peaceful Towns & happy villages with the garrisons & wasted fields of Europe we ought to bless God who has divided us by 1000 leagues of water. But the question occurs will this distance from that great awful & distressed Theatre of human misery &...
2To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 5 May 1792 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will find you agreeably reposing at your pleasant Seat after a tedious and fatiguing Session—which however is not ended nor do I know when it will be. They have agreed to Saturday next but such long speechifications as took place on the excise &c will protract the time two or three weeks.—The Senate are almost unemployed and wish for a recess, but it will hardly do for them to...
3To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 26 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose you the minutes of the last week and to repeat my wishes to see you here as soon as possible, and as I hear Mrs Adams has quite recovered her health and that your own is restored I flatter myself those wishes will soon be gratified. I have every day less fears of an unfavorable election of the two first officers in the Government—People seem to look with solemn...
4To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 5 March 1792 (Adams Papers)
I am hurt by your unexpected & I think unmerited resentment this morning, for I had not the most distant intention to give offence So many reflections have passed on the expenses of my office, I have redoubled my exertions to keep them as moderate as the nature of business will permit. I did accordingly at the close of the last Session agree with Mr. Heysham to bring up the business of the...
5To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 21 May 1793 (Adams Papers)
I am obliged for your favor covering the Clerks accounts. The affairs of Europe are changed since the last autumn and indeed are daily assumg a new face. Tis generally supposed that Dumorier is filed off, whether with or without an army is not yet ascertained. The next Ship from England, and must bring important accounts. We are disturbed here with the bickerings of French and English Sailors...
6To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 16 June 1791 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose you two Journals of Senate one same “ H of Reps. two copies of the laws } 3d Sess: Also a package from Fenno the printer. The laws with Marginal notes, the third Sess: I have not been furnished with by the Secy of State. Whenever I am they shall be sent. I hope this will find you, your good lady & family all well. We have had the pleasure to see Mr. Smith in...
7To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 3 October 1792 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to write you on the subject of your own and your Lady’s health, which I very sincerely wish may speedily be restored— I find your competitor is to be Col. Burr altho I am convinced he will not be a very powerful one. Major Butler says the Southern States are misrepresented when classed with your opponents. He appears your warm advocate and assures me there will be no...
8To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 7 October 1795 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your favour of yesterday, when I hinted at keeping bachelors-hall together I contemplated leaving my family in Boston this winter, but under all circumstances, find it will be expensive to carry them back to our old habitation; re, the pleasure I have had in your company, & a sincere wish to render your situation agreeable, are strong inducements to your accommodation, but for the...
9To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 11 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
You will pardon me a few observations upon some apprehended arrangements, by a Committee of conference now in being— When M r Thomson was my competitor, it was a doctrine, that the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of State were inseparably blended by the Constitution, and to elect other than M r Thomson Secretary of the Senate, would be an exclusion of him— The doctrine was admitted,...
10To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 24 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
As there was a degree of heat not usual in Senate, when the question was taken on the second reading of the Cunsular bill sent from the House of Representatives for concurrence, I think it incumbent to submit the journal to your correction on that question, & on the two last acts of Senate in their Legislative capacity; relying that if they are not perfectly right, you will be so good as to...
11To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 29 September 1792 (Adams Papers)
What a sad lesson against anarchy is indeed my honored & respected friend to be learnt, in the accts fm France! St. Bartholemew with all its horrors is again passing in review & sickens & astonishes the eye—I will not repeat the dismal tale you must have it in all its particulars before this can reach you—And surely every man not devoid of good policy & humanity will join you in deprecating a...
12To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 12 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose you a minute of the proceedings of Senate, the speech & answer of the Senate thereto. In addition to what appears on the journals there are official documents to evince that the hosti Southern Indians are determined to join in hostile measures against the US—And those documents evince that the Executive is doing everything possible to conciliate & be at peace....
13To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 17 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
By the enclosed Sketch of this weeks proceedings you find no great business perfected, or even began. On Monday the Senate are going upon weights & Measures, The House of Representative have taken up the judiciary as they are fond of puting the first finger in every pie. Your friend are in hope and expectation that you are on the Road & in hope of seeing you soon I remain with compliments to...
14To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 15 May 1792 (Adams Papers)
At the closure of a long and very fatiguing Session, it may be some amusement to see the minutes of the business and I have accordingly sent them since your departure. The House would have sat longer but the Senate got out of all patience, and as usual hurried over the business, reading off bills by their titles, and three readings in swift succession, Hurrying & scolding at poor Secretary...
15To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, May 1793 (Adams Papers)
Fully impressed with a sense of your Goodness and Candor, I am induced to observe that having taken the liberty to express my thoughts to the President of the United States on the appointment of a Consul to the Island of St. Domingo, and to solicit the appointment (having resided in this country seven years and having been two years establish’d in business here) and I have to request your...
16Samuel A. Otis to John Adams, 16 October 1794 (Adams Papers)
Agreeable to intimation I have been enquiring for accommodations for you but to no purpose unless you should like rooms in Francis’s house. It is not easy to know exactly what will be agreeable to our friends tho we may sometimes please ourselves— I have gone so far however as to engage with Francis on condition you like & wish for your immediate answer— Francis’s house is in 4 th Street near...
17Samuel A. Otis to John Adams, 28 October 1794 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you soon after my arrival that I had engaged you lodgings at Franciss Hotel, Two rooms first floor, for 20 dollars, but not having your answer shall relinquish them—And for two reasons— 1 st The place is two public—you must dine with a large Company and not the most respectable part of Congress; in short you must lodge at a tavern and at a dear rate— 2 d I have got you two rooms on the...
18To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 23 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
Probably this will find you very happy with your Lady & family, to whom the residents at 198 desire kind remembrances— We had a curious election of pro tem—Mr Izard had in no trial more than one or two votes—The first tryal the Candidates were Livermore, Langdon & Tazewel. The 2d trial Livermore carried it. Who declined—A 3d trial was made and Tazewell & Langdon became candidates. The 4th time...
19To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 6 May 1796 (Adams Papers)
Agreeable to promise I do myself the honor to inform you that the Senate have elected Mr Levermor Pres pro tem. 13 out of 19. In regard to accommodating you the next winter I have not yet made my own arrangements. I have some expectation of removing from the house I now possess; Yet I know not to what house I shall remove. Add to this the difficulty of engaging & retaining good servants, makes...
20To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 16 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
After our agreeable journey we arrived here in the midst of Election, and by lies, abuse & bribery the disorganizers will carry their tickets thro the State. This I supposed with the efforts of Massachusetts Jacobins would have given Jefferson the vote—But old Samuels defeat which I think but a prelude to his overthrow, has revived my hopes. The No of Votes 138, 70 makes a Majority— I count on...
21To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 28 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose you a letter from Mr Lee, with his acct. for your approbation; it being agreeable to law— The Report of the Secretary of the Treasury enclosed, in my opinion, should be brot. at large, on the journals of Senate; but I should be more satisfied with your approbation. Mrs Otis and myself shall be happy to have you and the family to dine with us, on Saturday, but...