61John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
How do you do?—I hope you are in fine Health and Spirits. What Subject do your Thoughts run upon these Times. You are a thoughtfull Child you know, always meditating upon some deep Thing or other. Your Sensibility is exquisite too. Pray how are your nice Feelings affected by the Times? Dont you wish for Peace—or do you wish to take a Part in the War? Have you heard of the ill Nature and...
62John Adams to Charles Adams, 13 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this day been obliged to take a serious and painful measure in the removal of the Collector of Newyork, and I wish you to give me your opinion concerning a successor— The office is important and lucrative, Walker has been named to me. What think you of him? I must and will have a good Federalist, one who will not prostitute his office, to a Foreign faction, or a domestic one,— I am &c a...
63Abigail Adams to Charles Adams, 5 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received Your kind congratulatory Letter upon the new year. accept My thank for the filial regard and affection with which they are expresst. it is the will of Providene to place me in a very conspicious station. it shall be my endeavour so to conduct in it, as to excite neither envy ill will or Jealousy. as shakspear expresses it, I would bear my Honours meekly fully sensible that I can say...
64John Adams to Charles Adams, 4 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Although I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the Second, and the News and Observations in it; I am dissappointed in not receiving you as I expected, instead of a Letter. I thought it was Sufficiently explained and understood between Us, that you were to be at Philadelphia on the first monday in December. But as it now appears otherwise I desire you to loose no time in coming on;...
65John Adams to Charles Adams, 24 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have yours of the 22 d. M r Van Persyn I shall be glad to see whenever it Suits his convenience to come to Philadelphia. I can Say little of favourable Symptoms. The Waggon is fast in the Mire, up to the Axletree and unable to move forwards or backwards. Whether the People will draw us out or not, and Whether We shall advance or retreat I know not. The Passengers are unable to help...
66John Adams to Charles Adams, 30 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, I took a Walk upon the Wharves, to see the Navigation. The new Frigate called The Delaware, is hawled off, into the stream and is ready to sail. Captain Alexander is to command her. She makes a fine Appearance.—I then went to the House of one Humphreys an ingenious shipwright and found him making a Model of a seventy four Gun Ship. He has nearly compleated it. You see every Part of...
67John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 6 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received some time since from M r: Rogers in London your bill upon me for £225 sterling, with a request to have the money remitted there. I have been obliged in consequence of the measures that have been taken in England, to prevent all payments from this Country, to procure a bill upon London from Hamburg, which I hope M r Rogers will receive within a week or ten days, from this. The...
68III. John Adams to Charles Adams, 22 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
As I wish to turn your Attention to those Political Questions which involve Points of the Law of Nature and Nations, and which have lately employed the Deliberations of the Executive Authority of our Government, I have turned to such Books as I have at hand, and made Extracts and References for your Use. And I wish you not only to read over carefully the Passages referred to, but to search the...
69Abigail Adams to John Quincy and Charles Adams, 26 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to hear of your safe arrival tho not at the port, I wished to hear you were. You will however have a more extensive opportunity of seeing that part of the world, if you travel by land to France. I wrote you largely by Mr. Austin which I hope you have received. A very soar hand prevents my writing many things which I have in my mind, and which will be committed to paper as soon as I...
70John Adams to Charles Adams, 20 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Tryals of Muir, Margorot and Gerald, will afford you Entertainment and Information. as Nothing lays open the Spirit and Temper of the Times, better than the Criminal Proceedings in the Courts of Justice: I thought I could not send you a more acceptable Present. The great Question whether a Part of the People may So far assume the Powers of Government, already delegated by the...
71Abigail Adams to Charles Adams, 16 February 1786 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of october 23 and your last by capt Lyde gave me great pleasure, and the account your uncle Aunt and other Friends give me of your conduct and behaviour makes me very happy. A perceverence in the same steady course will continue to you the regard and Esteem of every worthy character and what is of infinate more importance your own peace of mind and the Approbation of your Maker. I...
72John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have not answered your favour of 31. of Jan. nor that which announced the Arrival of your Brother and Sister. was repeated by Cornelius De Wit on The Rack and in torture; as you may See in Cerisiers Tableau. I know not whether the Rack is to be borne or not; but I know, the most disgusting, Sickening, disheartening grieving, provoking, irritating Feeling of the soul, is excited, by the...
73John Adams to Charles Adams, 31 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
If C. as you Say in yours of the 29 th. must provide for his Family, I Suppose it will be easy for him to do it: because being not only a Republican but a Democrat by Profession, no doubt he is possessed of the most essential Ingredient in that Character, which is a Love of Poverty and equality. Two Acres of Land is more than an Equality, and as much as Cincinnatus owned, who was an...
74Abigail Adams to Charles and John Quincy Adams, 22 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I must write you a few lines by this opportunity, altho tis a long time since I had the pleasure of hearing from you by your own Hands. You used to be fond of writing and have been very good since your absence. Letters are always valuable from those we Love, if they con tain nothing but an account of their Health. I cannot but reflect with thankfullness to the Great Preserver of my dear...
75John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 20 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
Upon my leaving America, your Father gave me an order upon Mess rs W. & J Willink for five obligations on a Loan of the United States, for a thousand Guilders each, bearing an interest of five per cent. and upon which one years interest will be due, on the first of June next, which he directed me to hold in trust for your use, and subject to your orders. This instruction has been complied with...
I fear you will think Mamma is unmindfull of you if she does not write you a few lines by so good an opportunity. I wrote to both of you by Mr. Beals of this Town about a week ago, and my notice by this vessel is very short. I can only find time to tell you that tis a very long time since I heard from your Pappa, and much longer since I had a Letter from either of you. I think Dr. Lee brought...
in my last letter to you of Septr. the 30th I promised you to sketch a plan for learning French and in a letter to Tommy I promised him a list of books such a list will fullfill my Promise to both I will therefore send a Copy of this letter to each of you. The grammers in common use in america are Boyer Chambaud & Tandam every one of which is imperfect and inaccurate in addition to these I...
78John Adams to Charles Adams, 23 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
Although you have not informed me, of the Result of your Examination at Albany, I shall venture to address this Letter to a Councillor at Law. You will see by your public Papers tomorrow The Address of the Senate to the President in Answer to his Speech, and his Reply. I wish to know the Sensations and Reflections, both of one Party and the other in New York upon both. I have Suffered Some...