51From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
As Congress are going to lay an Embargo, of sixty days, the Bill having already past the House, all is hurry and Dispatch to get every vessel to Sea before it passes into a Law, in three days one hundred were cleard at the Single port of N york thirty from Boston. how many from Salem and the numerous ports in this state we have not yet learnt, how many of them will be permitted to return Safe;...
52From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Shaw sent me word yesterday, that a Gentleman of his acquaintance was going to Archangel, and would take a Letter to you, a voyage in the present precarious State of navigation is almost as visionary as that of Gonzales to the moon. I will not however omit writing to you, altho at a time, when a three months Embargo, and Mad Emperors and Kings, prevent all regular communications, this...
53From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Benjamin Beal jun’r Who has long resided in France, returnd last Winter upon a visit to his Family here as he connected himself in France, his stay here has been Short, and he is now going back in a to Liverpool, and from thence to France I request him to take this Letter for you, which I shall place under-cover to Mr Barlow our Minister in France that he may forward it to you by the first...
54From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
your Letters of April 30th of May 28th of June 27th a duplicate, So faint a press coppy that but little of it could be read, and your originals of July 8th and August 10th have all safely arrived, the two last upon the 19th of this Month with Letters to your Father, of nearly the Same date, but which I find he has not acknowledged in his Letter to you of this Day. your last Letters gave us...
55From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
Despairing almost of conveying a Letter to you amidst the war of Empires and Kingdoms, I have had but little encouragement to write, yet knowing how anxious you must be Relative to your Family, your Children your Friends and Country I Shall make the attempt, and trust this Letter on Board a Cartel now going from Nyork to England, hopeing that it will be treated with the Same lenity, with which...
56From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
This day two years since; I was cloathed in Sable for the Death of mrs Norten’s Since which time, I have had repeated occasion to continue it, and this day, your Letter of Sepbr 20th has filld our Eyes with tears; and our hearts with anguish. most tenderly and affectionatly do I feel the sorrows of the Parents, who perhaps had too fondly “garnered up their Hearts” in their lovely Babe, without...
57From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
upon looking over my list, I find that I have written to you a Letter every month, since october. my last Letter was in Janry 21st, written immediatly after receiving yours of Sepbr 21, informing me of the loss of your Dear Babe. I wrote to Mrs Adams at the Same time. the Letters went in a cartel to Liverpool, through the kindness of a Friend. Since that period I have not received a line from...
58From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
Before I closed my Letter to you, I received this morning your Letter sent by mr Harris, of october 25th. I rejoiced to See your hand writing altho I read with trembling. I have participated in your greif, and shared your Sorrows. let not gloom and melancholy take root in your mind the wounded heart must have time to recover from the Stroke which has pierced it. there are Duties which you are...
59From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have already written to you, in replie to your Melancholy Letter of Sepbr 20th. and have offer’d to the wounded Bosoms of my dear Children all the consolation which a participation in their Sorrows could impart. “Some feelings are to mortals given with less of earth in them, than heaven And if there be a human tear From passions drop refind and clear A tear So limpid and So meek It would not...
60From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
For three weeks past there have been many & various reports in circulation respecting the Mediation to Russia & there has been much Said and written respecting the persons to be appointed. It was not untill yesterday that your Father & I was officially notified that mr Gallatin and Bayard were associated with you in a commission to Negotiate a Peace between Great Britain and the united States,...
61From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
The vessel which carries you this Letter will convey to you the account of the Death of a dear and valued Friend, the Friend of his Country, the Friend of Mankind, and the confidential Friend & constant correspondent of your Father, the Sincerely lamented Rush upon the 10 of April your Father received a Letter from him, as he had done for more than a year almost every week. upon the 18th to...
62From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
As there is Some prospect of mr Russels being appointed to Sweeden I hope to convey Letters to you through him I have been more than usually unfortunate in the loss of those which I have endeavourd to convey to you, not having omitted writing to you every Month. yet I have not any acknowledgement from even your latest Letter dated in Feby 1813 that you had received a line from me of a more...
63From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, July 1813 (Adams Papers)
altho I wrote to you on the 14 of this month I know that my Letter will have a dubious conveyance as it had to first make its way to France & then to find a passage to you—mr Gordon who is ever attentive to us, has just informd us of a sweedish vessel & a passenger going by whom I might forward Letters to you—if you do not hear from us often it is oweing to the obstructions occasiond by the...
64From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you upon the 14 of June, I knew that my Letter is gone upon a doubtfull journey; it had first to make its way through British Ships of the line & cruizers, to France, and then through a Country at war with Russia. it is almost a forlorn hope that it should ever reach you, unless if capturd; it Should meet with a Sir John & Sherbrook, who politely Sent s by a cartel from Halifax, a...
65From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I know how good a recent date is from a far country. accordingly my heart leaped with joy at receiving a packet the other morning dated in June, without recollecting that it was now only july, and that I could not get a Letter in so short a space of time, and 1812 Soon convinced me of my mistake. it came as usual with a patch upon the Seal, altho not endorsed, and if you turn to the date, you...
66From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
your Sons are well. your Parents are still living. your Brother is well— O my full Heart, shall I wish for Life for her who is releived from pain and Sufferings, which wring my heart with anguish, and was daily increased by the anticipation of Still greater Sufferings? No, I will bless the Being who had compassion for her: and who was pleased to take to the Arms of mercy as I fully beleive,...
67From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have just closed one Letter to you which is to go to Lisbon from thence to the care of mr Beasley. this is to go to France. upon the 30 of August I wrote you a melancholy Letter nor will this be less So. it is allotted to me to be the maven who is to convey to you all the Calamities which afflict our family and they have rooled in wave after wave, the Death of your Dear and only Sister who...
68From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
I endeavour that you should hear from us by writing in every direction, yet when I take my pen my heart sinks, and my hand trembles. my last Letters which were in August were Sent to Halifax by a cartel to be conveyd to England to mr Beasley, and they contain’d such heart rending intelligence that I know not how to repeat it—Bad news has swifter wings than good, I have lost, O what have I not...
69From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
our Neighbor mr Apthorp is going to Lisbon and I embrace this, as one of the best opportunities for conveying Letters to you through mr Beasley in England.I have written to you every Month, and sent my Letters to you through various channels. Some of my Letters will probably reach you, as they contain Such intelligence as has the most rapid wings. I mean those which convey melancholy truths,...
70From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
At Length after an intermission of Seven Months your Letters of June 21st arrived, in a swedish vessel call’d the Neptunus. mr Tilden was the bearer of them in 36 days from Liverpool I was most sincerely rejoiced to see again your hand writing, altho not a solitary line was addrest to me, it is the first instance of the kind which has occur’d since your absence Your Letter was for your...
71From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
Altho I have already written to you by this opportunity, and my Letters are now quite old, I know I shall give to you renewed pleasure by adding a few lines more, as they may bear to you a token of my returning health, after a very Severe attack of a Lung fever of a very dangerous nature I am Still confined to my chamber weak and debilitated, but my Cough has nearly left me, and I feel that I...
72From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I was never more at a loss what to Say to you than at the present moment. to accuse you of neglect, I cannot I will not, for I do not beleive it possible! Yet so unfortunate have I been, that not a line has reachd me from you, of a later date than the 1st of May. Two packets have since been received, containing Letters for your Father, your Brother, and for your Sons, but not a solitary Line...
73From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I was never more at a loss what to say to you than at the present moment, to accuse you of neglect I cannot, I will not, for I do not believe it possible—yet so unfortunate have I been, that not a line has reachd me from you of a later date than the first of last May, two packets have since been received containing Letters for your Father your Brothers & your children, but not a solatary line...
74From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I was most unfortnate in not hearing, untill two Days before the Cartel from N york sailed, that there was one orderd by Goverment to take Mr Strong the consul to Sweeden, as a Special messenger. he was first to proceed to England with his dispatches for the Brtish Minister; and then immediatly to St Petersburgh. I sent my Letters to go by him, to John Smith at N york; one half hour before the...
75From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I learn that the vessel in which our ministers are to embark, will not go untill thursday. I will write you a few more lines, in hopes they may be in Time, and that for the pleasure I know it will give you, to learn, that your Father and I have So far recoverd from our late sickness, as to ride the last week to weymouth, to visit our old Friend Dr Tufts, who in his 82d year, still enjoys So...
76From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
Altho I sent Letters yesterday to go by our Ministers from N York, yet a new opportunity offering I readily embrace it. mr Tuckerman has kindly sent us word that he is permitted to go in a vessel from Norfolk to Gottenburgh, and will take any Letters we may have, as his Brother the Rev’d mr Tuckerman came in his behalf, and will wait untill I write you a few lines my Letter must be short. I...
77From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I See by the paper that a cartel is to sail from Newyork for Gottenburgh. altho I have written to you frequently of late, by our ministers, mr Clay and Russel, and again by mr Tuckerman, who sails from Norfolk, yet I know it will give you pleasure to hear every day, that your parents, and your children are well. George and John, who are both attentive to their Studies, have lately past a few...
78From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Seeing in the paper of yesterday, that a vessel call’d the Thorne of New York, was to Sail on the 5th of the Month from Elizabeth city, for St Petersburgh, and to stop at Gottenburgh, I have embraced the opportunity to write to you, altho my notice is So short. to inform you that we are all well. including your sons in this number, who are now here, at their Spring vacation. I have directed...
79From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
By mr william Appleton going to England in a Russian Ship I embrace the opportunity of writing to you, and of acknowledging the receipt of your Letters No 52 october 25 of Novbr 19th No 53. and of Febry 1st No 56—for all of which you have my thanks—your Father has also received your Letters of Sepbr 3d No 26. of october 15 No 27 Novbr 13 No 28. which I hope he will acknowledge by this...
80From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Hearing that a vessel was fitting out of Nyork to carry dispatches from government, I venture to write a few lines, altho I know not where you are, not having received a line from you of a later date than Febry last, as you will no doubt receive every information from the Secretary of State, of the situation of our Country, of the dangers which surround it, the determination of all parties to...