91John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
Have only Time to send by this Opportunity a Token of Remembrance. The Fast was observed here with a Decorum and solemnity, never before seen ever on a Sabbath. The Clergy of all Denominations, here preach Politicks and War in a manner that I never heard in N. England. They are a Flame of Fire. It is astonishing to me, that the People are so cool here. Such sermons in our Country would have a...
92John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
IT is now almost three Months since I left you, in every Part of which my Anxiety about you and the Children, as well as our Country, has been extreme. The Business I have had upon my Mind has been as great and important as can be intrusted to One Man, and the Difficulty and Intricacy of it is prodigious. When 50 or 60 Men have a Constitution to form for a great Empire, at the same Time that...
93John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
Your two last Letters had very different Effects. The long one gave me vast Satisfaction. It was full of usefull Information, and of excellent Sentiments. The other relating to the ill Usage you have received from Hayden gave me great Pain and the utmost Indignation. Your generous Solicitude for our unfortunate Friends from Boston, is very amiable and commendable, and you may depend upon my...
94John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is intended to go by my Friend Mr. William Barrell, whom I believe you have seen in Boston. If he calls at our House you will please to receive him complaisantly and thank him for your Present of Pins. I have been treated by him with great Civility, both at this and the former Congress. This Day, I have heard my Parish Priest, Mr. Duffill from 2. Chron. 15. 1. 2. This Gentleman...
95Hannah Storer Green to Abigail Adams, 18 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
A serious truth this, which daily observation teaches, and experience convinces us of; for at the very moment that our hopes are at their height, trouble comes upon us like an armed Man, our hearts sink within us and we tremble with fear. Again our hopes rise, we anticipate the happiness of that day, when we shall gain the Victory over our worse than Savage enemies, when we shall meet and...
96Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 26 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
I know my dear friend Mrs. Adams will be Glad to hear Her friend is in Better Health than when she Left Her. Hope I shall be able to Look Homewards some time Next Week. I Long for my own Retirement, and for the opportunity of seeing and Entertaining my Friend, at my own Habitation. But I know who talks sometimes of Fate. I suppose he means that providence has Its fixed Decrees to which Mortals...
97John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
This is the first Time, that I have attempted to write, since I left you. I arrived here in good Health, after an agreable Journey, last Wednesday; There had not been Members enough to make a House, several Colonies being absent, so that I was just in Time. The next day, an adequate No. appeared, and Congress has sat ever since. Georgia is now fully represented, and united to the other Twelve....
98Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
As soon as the Letter of my Beloved friend reached my Hand, I immediately set down to Congratulate her on the Recovery of her Lovely Boy. May Returning Health Enliven the Countenance of Each one of your family, and Every Blessing Alight on your Habitation. I have been very solicitous about you since I left you. Hearing several times transiently that you and the Little flock about you were very...
99Joseph Hawley to Abigail Adams, 23 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Publick have great Need of two Vols. of Mr. Adams English Statutes at large. The edition which Mr. Adams owns is (if I don’t mistake) Ruffhead’s. The one Vol. which is wanted is that which contains the Statutes of 27th. of Edward the third and the other which is Needed contains the Statutes of the 23d. of Henry the 8th. I would not ask such a favour Madam, if the publick was not much...
100John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have not written the usual Compliment of Letters since I left Braintree; nor have I received one Scratch of a Pen from any Body, till the last Evening, when the Post brought me a Line from Mrs. Warren, in which she informs me that you had been ill, but was better. I shall be unhappy till I hear farther from you, tho I hope for the best. I have enjoyed better Health, this session than the...
101James Warren to Abigail Adams, 27 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Received yours last Evening. Att the same time that I feel a Joy on the happy recovery of yourself and Family, I feel a Tender Simpathy, and Concern with you on the Continuation of your Anxiety and Affliction by the Illness of your Mother. I hope you will soon be relieved by her recovery. I Intended before this to have had the pleasure of going to Plymo. and makeing at least a short Visit to...
102John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
This Morning, I received your two Letters of September 8th. and September 16th. —What shall I say?—The Intelligence they contain, came upon me by Surprize, as I never had the least Intimation before, that any of my Family was ill, excepting in a Card from Mrs. Warren received a few days ago, in which she informed me that Mrs. Adams had been unwell but was better. You may easily conceive the...
103John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Every Thing here is in as good a Way as I could wish, considering the Temper and Designs of Administration. I assure you, the Letters have had no such bad Effects, as the Tories intended, and as some of our shortsighted Whiggs apprehended: so far otherwise that I see and hear every day, fresh Proofs that every Body is coming fast into every political Sentiment contained in them. I assure you I...
104John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, by the Post, I received yours of Septr. 25th., and it renewed a Grief and Anxiety, that was before almost removed from my Mind. Two days before I had the Pleasure of a very valuable Letter from Coll. Quincy, in which he kindly informed me that you and Our Family were so much better that you and my dear Nabby, had made a Visit at his House: and Mr. Williams, who brought the Letter...
105John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am much concerned least you should feel an Addition to your Anxieties, from your having so seldom heard from me. But I pray you to dismiss all Concern about me. I am happier far than I was before the Adjournment. My Health is better, and Business and Conversation are much more to my Taste. The surprizing Intelligence We have in private Letters concerning the Director of the Hospital, has...
106John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I this day received yours of the 29 of September, and the 1st. of October. Amidst all your Afflictions, I am greatly rejoiced to find that you all along preserve so proper and so happy a Temper—that you are sensible “the Consolations of Religion are the only sure Comforters.” It is the Constitution under which We are born that if We live long ourselves We must bury our Parents and all our...
107John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
It is some Time since I wrote you, and I have nothing, now, to write but Repetitions of Respect and Affection.—I am anxious to hear from you. I hope, the Family is better, and that your Grief for the great Loss We have all sustained is somewhat abated. I hope your Father and Sister Betcy, are well, tho they must be greatly afflicted. Give my Love to Betcy, and let her know that I feel, most...
108John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will go by two Gentlemen, who are travelling to your Country, for the Sake of acquiring military Knowledge. The Name of one of them is Mr. John Folwell and the other Mr. Josiah Hart. Each of them is the Captain of a Company of Militia in their Country, which is no small Honour here. Captn. Hart is the Son of a Mr. Joseph Hart of Warminster in the County of Bucks in this Province,...
109John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday yours of Octr. 9th. came to Hand. Your Letters never failed to give me Pleasure—the greatest Pleasure that I take, is in receiving them. And altho every one, which has yet come to Hand is replete with melancholly Tidings, yet I can truly say I never was so earnest to receive them. I rejoice in the happy Principles and the happy Temper, which apparently dictated them all. I feel...
110John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Fall of Dr. Ch urc h, has given me many disagreable Reflections, as it places human Nature itself in a Point of bad Light, but the Virtue, the sincerity, the Honour, of Boston and Massachusetts Patriots in a worse.—What shall We say of a Country which produces such Characters as Hutchinson and Church?—However to turn my Attention from this detestible Subject to another more agreable....
111John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I cannot exclude from my Mind your melancholly Situation. The Griefs of your Father and Sisters, your Uncles and Aunts, as well as the remoter Connections, often croud in upon me, when my whole Attention ought to be directed to other Subjects. Your Uncle Quincy, my Friend as well as Uncle, must regret the loss of a beloved Sister, Dr. Tufts my other Friend I know bewails the loss of a Friend,...
112John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Human nature with all its infirmities and depravation is still capable of great things. It is capable of attaining to degrees of wisdom and of goodness, which, we have reason to believe, appear respectable in the estimation of superior intelligences. Education makes a greater difference between man and man, than nature has made between man and brute. The virtues and powers to which men may be...
113John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
There is, in the human Breast, a social Affection, which extends to our whole Species. Faintly indeed; but in some degree. The Nation, Kingdom, or Community to which We belong is embraced by it more vigorously. It is stronger still towards the Province to which we belong, and in which We had our Birth. It is stronger and stronger, as We descend to the County, Town, Parish, Neighbourhood, and...
114John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
Have but Yesterday received yours of Octr. 21. Your Letters of the following Dates I have received. Septr. 8. and 10. 16. 29. Oct. 1. 9. 21. 22. These Letters and indeed every Line from you, gives me inexpressible Pleasure, notwithstanding the melancholly Scenes discribed in most of them of late. I am happy to learn that the Family is in Health once more, and hope it will continue. My Duty to...
115John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am often afraid you will think it hard that I dont write oftener to you. But it is really impossible. Could I follow the Inclinations of my Heart I should spend half my Time, in this most agreable and pleasing Employment: But Business presses me so close that I am necessitated to mortify my self. From 7 to ten in the Committees and from six to ten in the Evening in the same, and from 10 to...
116John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
This I suppose will go by Mr. James Bowdoin who has just arrived here from London. He has been very obliging in communicating to me Pamphlets and News Papers in which last I find that some Parts of Novanglus have been retailed out there and have brought on a Battle in the public Papers between Hutchinson and Pounal. Mr. Bowdoin has been to Italy, Holland, France and England and is returned an...
117John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter of the 5th. Inst. came to Hand yesterday by Captain McPherson. I admire your skill in Phisiognomy, and your Talent at drawing Characters, as well as that of your Friend Marcia from whom at the same Time I received several important Characters, which you shall one day see. I agree with you in your sentiments that there is Reason to be diffident of a Man who grossly violates the...
118John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yours of Novr. 12 is before me. I wish I could write you every day, more than once, for although I have a Number of Friends, and many Relations who are very dear to me, yet all the Friendship I have for others is far unequal to that which warms my Heart for you. The most agreable Time that I spend here is in writing to you, and conversing with you when I am alone. But the Calls of Friendship...
119Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 11 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
My Dear Mrs. Adams has Disappointed Me so often that I think I will no more promise myself the pleasure of A Visit. But I think I will put in A Double Claim for Letters, both by way of Compensation for the Failure of her Company, And to Attone for her Husbands Deficiency. However I know his Work is Arduous and that He has Many Correspondents to answer, so I Believe it is best I should Run him...
120John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am determined not to commit a fault which escaped me, the last Time I sat out for the southward. I waited on General Thomas at Roxbury this Morning, and then went to Cambridge where I dined at Coll. Mifflins with the General, and Lady, and a vast Collection of other Company, among whom were six or seven Sachems and Warriours, of the French Cagnawaga Indians, with several of their Wives and...