51From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 9 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr Rodde informs me that before he left St: Petersburg the twenty-five English Mails had arrived, from which I conclude that the Gulph of Bothnia has already been for some time passable—I now regret very much that I did not go by the way of Abo; for I should in all probability have been at this time in Stockholm; and here am I wind-bound, and ice-bound; and for ought I see likely to be so a...
Since you recommended writing to me, you have dropp’d the thread of the numbers of your Letters—That of 23. October, which I received as I was closing mine of last Tuesday, I have numbered 37. having left one number for that which I suppose to be waiting for me at the Post-Office of Dresden. It is the eighth day since we sent our last Note to the British Plenipotentiaries—Their reply to our...
Your two Letters of 15 and 16. December were delivered to me yesterday Morning, and are numbers 51. and 52—The day before, I had received two from Mr Harris of December 14 and 21.—Harris always forwards his Letters by the way of Amsterdam; by which means they sometimes come quicker, though on the other hand they are sometimes delayed longer than yours which are forwarded directly, and which...
I received yesterday Morning your’s of 27. December number 54—and readily excuse the omission of a Letter on the Birth-day in the satisfaction of reflecting that you were at that time partaking in the celebration of a day memorable in the annals of Russia, as it will henceforth be memorable in those of our Country, and particularly memorable in the days of my life—It is yet for my Country to...
We have at length got through the argument on the Cause for which I came here. It was finished yesterday after having taken up nearly four days—The opinion of the Court will probably be given in the course of the week, and my intention is to leave this place, to-morrow week, which will be the 13th:—I depend therefore upon the pleasure of seeing you again at latest in three weeks from this day....
First for the news from America. I had not closed my last Friday’s Letter to you, when the Times , of the 10th. and 11th. were brought to me. They had been sent to us by the British Plenipotentiaries, who receive the Newspapers by their special messengers, twice a week, sooner than they can come by the Post, and who very obligingly communicate them to us. The papers of which I now speak were...
Although I have been since I wrote you last Friday constantly engaged in preparing for my departure, I have not been able to get away this day as I had intended, and it is possible that I may not go before the last of the week; beyond that time I do not see the prospect of being detained, and indeed my present intention is to start the day after to-morrow—If I pass Friday I shall write you...
At length I may indulge the hope of having reached the remotest bound of the distance which separates me from you, and that when I move again, it will be to return to you. Mr Russell left his Son at Amsterdam having placed him at a School where Mr Bourne had his two sons. Being thus left alone, he took a seat with me, in the Dormeuse. We left Amsterdam at 6 in the Morning, the day before...
Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother is recovering still, that the children are well, and that I may hope to find you so, upon my return.—May God Almighty grant that this hope may be realized. This is the last Letter which I purpose to write you from this place—Yesterday the Supreme Court delivered...
Your Letter of 30. September, not numbered, was brought to me yesterday, after I had given up the hope of hearing from you for several weeks. That which you had previously addressed to Dresden, conformably to my request, I presume is there, waiting for me, and may possibly still wait for Months.—On Saturday last we received from the British Commissioners a Note more distinctly marked than any...
After I had closed my Letter for you which is to go by this night’s Post, I received a Letter from Mr Sterky, the Swedish commercial Agent at St: Petersburg, dated the 10th: instt. last Tuesday; and enclosing one from Count Engeström of 26. April, only two days before I left you—So that if I had gone by the way of Abo, I should not have been detained by the Ice, an hour—And here—I have seen...
Your Letter of 26. November was received by me last Sunday; but in writing to you on Tuesday, the account of the Peace and the arrangements consequent upon it, which I proposed to you for our meeting again, so absorbed my attention that I forgot to acknowledge the receipt of it—Yesterday Morning yours of the 2d: instant reached me, and is on my file, number 48—The inconvenience of the house in...
Paris. Hotel du Nord, Rue de Richelieu—Saturday 4. Feby: 1815. I arrived here at one O’Clock this afternoon, having left Bruxelles on Thursday Morning between five and six. It has been a solitary journey, and the roads, which are paved the whole way, as bad as they could be—If it were not for the pavement they would be nearly impassable—There was here and there a remnant of snow, at the sides...
On Sunday Evening, immediately after I had closed my last Letter to you, I came on board this Vessel, with the expectation of proceeding the next Morning upon my Voyage. I requested Mr Rodde, in case we should sail, to write you a line informing you of that circumstance. We did actually sail on Monday Morning with a fair, but very light wind which by the time we were out of the harbour died...
We have been very much occupied since I wrote you last in dispatching Mr Connell, who goes off this morning to Ostend, there to embark in the Chauncey for New York—During the same time we have been undergoing another sort of fatigue, which is more tedious and wearisome to me, that of banqueting—On Wednesday we dined with the British Plenipotentiaries—No other company than ourselves, but a Mr...
Mr: Connell went on Friday to Ostend to embark, but the Chauncey has not yet sailed. Last Evening we sent Mr Todd there, with a copy of a Note, which we received yesterday from the British Plenipotentiaries. It is of the same shuffling, captions and equivocating character, as all their other communications have been since the first, and shew that they are not yet prepared either to conclude...
Who of all the world should bolt into my bed-chamber yesterday-morning before 8 O’Clock, but George Boyd!—He comes as bearer of Dispatches to us, and to Mr Crawford, from the Department of State—Left Washington the 12th: and New-York the 16th: of August. in one of the swift-sailing Baltimore Schooners, arrived at Bordeaux, the 17th: of this Month, at Paris the 23d: and here about 6 O’Clock...
By the last Post I sent you the Journal of my Voyage from Reval to this place, and at the close of it, had just time to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favour, and my dear Charles’s Letter of the 8th:—Mr Peyron arrived here only one day after me, and brought a Post-Office of Dispatches and letters for me, among which one and the most precious of all, was your’s of the 15th:—which with the...
The Evening before last, Mr Russell received, enclosed in a letter from Mr Beasley a scrap of an English Newspaper, containing the President’s Speech, or Message, at the commencement of the Session of Congress, and immediately under it a paragraph asserting that the Letters from Liverpool affirmed in the most positive terms, that the American fleet on Lake Ontario was totally destroyed, and...
70From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
We have this moment arrived thus far on our Journey, safe, and untill the last Station without accident. When we had proceeded four Verste from the last Post-house we found the Crane neck of our Carriage was broke in two, and we reached this place with much difficulty—A consequence of this first mishap has been that my Servants’ portmanteau has been lost from behind the Carriage—He is going...
It is no small satisfaction to me to know that the Post-Office has become regular in the delivery of my Letters to you, and I should feel equally grateful for the favour, if they would with the same punctuality deliver yours to me—But I receive them only once a week, and most commonly on Tuesday’s, after my letter to you of the same day is closed, and then two at a time—Thus it was last...
Do not impute it to me, if from one Post-day to another I tell you different stories about the time of my expected departure to return to you. When I last wrote you, we had been promised a reply from our adverse parties without delay —They had then been in possession of our Note, five days, as much time as we had taken to prepare and send it in to them—We had been amply warned that we should...
There was a rose-bud, of your own drawing, enclosed in one of your last Letters—whether you sent it to me purposely, or whether it slipped by inadvertence into the folds of the Paper, as you was closing the Letter I do not know— If an accident, it was a lucky one; for I have it now before me, and take pleasure in looking at it— If you sent it on purpose I suppose it was to hint to me that you...
In the course of four days I received your last Letter from St: Petersburg of 12 Feby. That from Riga and of 17 and 20. Feby. and that from Berlin of the 5th: of this Month—I had addressed a Letter to you at Konigsberg on the 19th: of February, and one at Berlin on the first of March, both of which must have arrived after you had passed through those places—I had requested you to inform me by...
Mr Boyd returned last Evening from Amsterdam, and is to proceed in the course of two or three days to Paris—As you are acquainted with his character and disposition you will not be surprized to learn that he found nothing congenial to them in Holland—He says he would not live at Amsterdam for all the money in the Country, and he complains of having been cheated and imposed upon from the hour...
There are two very sufficient reasons to restrain me from laughing at the difference of complexion in the political intelligence communicated by your letter of 5. August, which I received on Saturday, from that which your preceding favour, of 2. Augt: had contained. One was that I had already seen both faces of the news, in Letters received on the same day, from the Chargé d’Affairs, one...
Yesterday was the day of our removal, from the Hotel des Pays-Bas, on the Place d’Armes, to our own House in the Rue des Champs—Among the important consequences of this Revolution, it has produced that of a state of Separation between the primary members of the Mission, and the attachés—Those Gentleman found they could accommodate themselves with lodgings more to their taste, and as the...
This appellation reminds me of an occurrence on Monday last, which I may tell you exactly as it happened, and which will shew you the sort of tone which my colleagues observe with me, and I with them.—We had been three hours in Conference with the British Plenipotentiaries; and it had been perhaps the most unpleasant one that we have held with them—We had returned home, and were in Session...
I persist in writing to you by every Post, because I flatter myself that it will give you pleasure to hear from me as often as possible—I continue to write you long Letters, because one of the greatest enjoyments I have is that of writing to you, and because I trust that whatever they might be to any one else, I trust they will not be dull to you . In this respect, I judge of your feelings by...
Our interval of leisure still continues—The British Messenger who took our last Note to England has not yet returned, but may now be expected from day to day. The policy of protracting, and avoiding a conclusion of any kind cannot be much longer continued—If as we have too much reason to apprehend there has been no sincerity in the late advances from that government towards conciliation we...
Mr Smith and his family have arrived at Amsterdam; I have received a Letter from him dated on the 5th: instt: and have written to him, requesting him to come with them, immediately here. They got into the Texel on the very day that the John Adams sailed, and by the account which he writes me, were entering at one passage, while she was going out at the other—He did not however go on shore at...
Oh! for the Patience of Job, to bear the tricks played upon us by or at the Post-Offices!—The day before yesterday they brought me together your numbers 14 and 15, dated 6 and 12 July—the second of which has I believe come in proper time—22 days. but the other should have been here last week, and why did it not come?—Again—why were you on the 12th: of July still expecting my letter from...
The Saloon, which we visited in company with the Mayor of the City, the day after the Ceremonies at the distribution of the prizes, is an exhibition of Pictures, Sculpture, and Designs of Architecture, much like that which takes place about this time every year at the Academy of Arts at St: Petersburg. But it shews a much higher state of perfection in the Cultivation of the Arts—The Paintings...
I wrote you on Sunday, and the same Evening I received yours of 26. Feby:—Yesterday yours of the 1st: instt: came to hand—I rejoice to learn that the children are at length perfectly well; and Kitty continues to be admired. I shall be very well satisfied to part with Mr: Gurney as a Tenant, and if he can give me any good security for the payment of his rent, I shall very willingly take it. I...
Nothing from you since your Letter of 13. September, from which I conclude that you ceased writing, after receiving mine of 23. August. I cannot expect that you wrote again, until you received mine of 23. September, so that I have the prospect of being a full month without hearing from you—I have a Letter of 21. September from Mr Harris, and it reached me the twenty-second day from its...
Imagine how agreeably we have been disappointed! We had expected to find this City, though large and pleasant, some what too remote from the current of political affairs, and rather dull for young men so full of life and Spirits, and so eager for amusements as we are—Point du tout—The very morning after we arrived here, the Place d’Armes in front of my Chamber-windows, was swarming with...
The last remnants of the Prussian troops, quitted this City last Sunday Morning—If their presence added to the liveliness of the place, their departure has added much more to the contentment of its Inhabitants—They were visitors more dear than welcome—Their absence is the most agreable Company, to the People of Ghent—It is said however that they are very soon to be succeeded by a Corps, either...
We have not yet received from the British Plenipotentiaries a reply to the Note which we sent them on Thursday the 10th: instt: but we find some notice of it in the English Newspapers—The Courier on Evening and ministerial paper, on Monday the 14th: after referring to a paragraph, in the Gazettes of this Country which had stated that nothing was known of the state of the Negotiation at Ghent,...
I wrote you some weeks ago that after the arrival of the British Commissioners, I should probably find it impracticable to write you either so frequently, or with so much prolixity as I had done and should continue to do untill that Event.—They are now here and the occasion has come on which I must plead for your Indulgence—For although I am well aware that the length of my Letters must often...
What can I say to my beloved friend, but that I am still the prisoner of the ice and the winds?—It is a poor Consolation, but the only one I have that they are both in Coalition to prevent my departure—The Winds which last Summer when we expected Mr Gallatin and Mr Bayard, seemed to have taken a lease for Years at East, now adhere with no less obstinacy to the Westward, and untill they relent,...
If in receiving two of your Letters at a time, I have some times mingled with the pleasure derived from them a thought of regret that one of the two had not reached me three or four days sooner, on Tuesday last it was with a very different Sentiment that I received your numbers 45 and 46 as I have marked them—one dated 22 November, and the other dated only of the Month, November, but which...
The Evening before last Coll: Milligan arrived here from England. He had left London on Saturday Morning the 19th: and came by the way of Margate, Dover and Calais—Before he cross’d the Channel he saw at Margate and Dover, the London Evening Papers of Saturday, announcing the arrival from New-York of the long-expected Fingal—She landed four passengers on Thursday the 17th: at Portsmouth, and...
Me voici, at length out of Ghent; though I believe it had not been for the shame of fixing so many times a day for departure, and still postponing the act I should have stayed there a fortnight longer—The natural philosophers say that inertness is one of the properties of matter—By which they understand the aptitude of remaining in whatever situation it is, whether in motion or at rest—Thus...
From all that I have yet seen of Bruxelles, I find it so agreeable that I almost regret not having determined to stay and wait for your arrival here; without going to Paris at-all; or at least not without having your company—But the impulse of motion being given, the power of inertness operates upon me so forcibly that I find myself uneasy almost without knowing why; and have determined to...
Your Letter N. 8. dated 31. January, which I received on Sunday last has explained the mistake in the date of the preceding number—If you left St Petersburg so soon as 5. February, it is doubtful whether my last, dated the 19th: of last Month and enclosed to Messrs: Schwenk and Koch at Königsberg, will reach that place in time to meet you there; or whether the present will find you at...
Your favours of 3 and 7 June, which I number 8 and 9. have been transmitted to me from Gothenburg, by Mr Hall—They were received there on the 17th: and 20th: of June, in 14 days from their respective dates, and were handed to me here, both together on the 6th: instt—The last had been a Month on the way, which is not much longer than they will be in coming, under cover to the Willink’s at...
When I told you in my last Letter that the whole American Mission Extraordinary was here, I ought to have excepted Mr Carroll, and Mr Todd who are still lingering at Paris—Mr Carroll is attached to the mission as private Secretary to Mr Clay, and Mr Todd is of this Legation as he was of the former, a Gentilhomme d’Ambassade, quite independent in his movements, and very naturally thinking...
Your Letters of 13 and 15 August, which I received both together on Saturday last have fully ascertained that the Post directly between this place and St: Petersburg, passes from somewhere only once a week—By the manner also in which you receive my Letters, two at a time, though I have sent them regularly to the Post-Office here, every Tuesday and Friday, it is proved that those of the latter...
The uneasiness I had felt at the general hints in some of your former Letters of your having done things that I should disapprove was perhaps a natural effect of their generality—The particulars into which you have now entered have removed it in a great measure. There are two principles, indispensible to all domestic economy; the first is to limit the expenditures within the extent of the...
100From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 16 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
American News presses upon us with an interest still increasing, and which will soon be but too powerful. It is impossible that the Summer should pass over without bringing intelligence which will make our hearts ache; though I hope and trust that nothing will or can happen, that will break the Spirit of our Nation—We are but just now receiving the accounts of the arrival of the Reinforcements...