51From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Oh that I too, could make a visit to my Father,” was your exclamation in your last Letter. more than a visit You may make, my dear Son, If the Newspapers may be credited, for they announce from South to North, that you are to be recall’d and to fill the department of State. this is repeated over and again, & appears to give universal satisfaction. this I learn from all quarters—I rejoice in...
52From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I Shall continue to write to you altho you may determine to leave St Petersburgh before my Letters can reach you. There may be family circumstances unknown to me at present, which may oblige you to a longer residence there than we at present Contemplate. Ladies are not always in a Situation to undertake a voyage of three, and four Months. do not make a calculation for less time, you may be...
53From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you on the 26 of August, and sent my Letter to N york to go in a dispatch vessel. I did not at the time know of the Humiliating and disgracefull Catastrophy which had befallen the city of Washington!! nor have I language to describe my feelings at the Torpor which blinded the Government to a sense of their danger, and their defenceless situation The Capitol is destroyed, but America...
54From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
This is the first Snow which we have had of any concequence; and this promisses to be keep. It began last night and has continued increasing all day. It is now mid day, and the storm is cold and severe, the wind North. I cannot tell you how the Glass stands, for when I went in the absence of your Brother & Sister; to take an observation as I promissed, the window was frozen down So tight, that...
55From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
By mr. Tarbel, who left here the last of Nov’br I wrote to you, and to mrs Adams, introducing him to you, as the Grandson of our Ancient, and beloved Friend, dr. Tufts, who then enjoyed his faculties and was active in buisness—but upon the 8th of this month, closed a Life of virtuous usefullness. having finishd the works assignd him, he fell asleepe asleep—for his death was not preeceeded by...
56From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
This day compleats Eight weeks since you embarked for Russia. I would fain flatter myself that you have arrived at your destined port—the British Ship Squirel arrived at Halifax whilst mr Boylstone was there; who sailed for that place the Same day that you sailed for st petersburgh. the commander of that Ship informd him; that he had boarded the Horace upon the 21 of August, and that Mr Adams...
57From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
God bless it— mr Jones was so obligeing as to come this morning to Quincy, to inform us that he was to Sail this week for st Petersburgh and that he should be happy to take Letters to you, that he proposes to pass the next winter there, This gentleman is the Son of mr J Th Jones Since he left Colledge he has been in France. he appears an intelligent well informed young Gentleman; he is not...
58From 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...
59From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
I sympathize with you in the loss you have sustained, and rejoice that the event did not prove fatal to the mother, as well as Child. Let me hear from you when you get a Letter from Washington. your affectionate MHi : Adams Papers.
60From 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...
61From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will derive some merit from its being the latest date, and I hope will reach you soon. it comes to inform you that mr Tarbel has Letters for you—your Father has given you his opinion respecting the publication of the extract of his Letter to dr price by mr Morgan. I send you the copy from the original and am ready to ask mr Morgan, in the words of the play. “who was the dupe? with...
62From 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,...
63From 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...
64From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Brother returnd this Evening from Boston and gave me notice that a vessel would Sail for Sweeden tomorrow the notice is So Short, that I can only write you a Short Letter. I Shall in future follow your advice, have a Letter ready for the occasion and not wait for the opportunity. it was not however, untill last Saturday that I received a Letter from William Smith, that I was informed of...
65From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, was one, of the most joyful days of my life Harriet Welsh, like a winged mercury, came flying with your Letters received by Mail in the morning, from N york. under cover from Napolean Caroline de Wint, who knowing my anxiety, respecting you, and Mrs Adams. she seizd them in the moment they were deliverd, and forwarded them by Mail, with the pleasing intelligence that her mother, and...
66From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to acknowledg Your Letter of the 30th of June, brought by the Pilifix , Captain Welsh, after a passage of 95 days—being No 21—this compleats my list of Regular numbers, and yesterday I received your Letter of the 10 Sep’br by Captain Barker of the Leopard. No 24 there are two Missing originals, a press coppy of 23 came inclosed in No 24, but the Characters of the first page...
67From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
I make it a rule to begin my Letters by an acknowledgment of those which I have received from you, when any such there are. I have now the pleasure to notice yours of june the 6th No 89—I do this for two reasons—1st because every correspondent likes to know, that their Letters, are received, and 2ly that they are worthy notice, and there is not any Subject, apparently trivial in itself, but...
68From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
This Letter my dear son, is to introduce to you, and mrs Adams, the Lady of Major Manners, whose mother has written to me to request it. as the daughter of our much Loved, and highly respected Friend, the late Dr Rush, You will receive her with kindness. Ever since the death, of that friend of your Fathers, and of the family, I have had an occasional correspondence with mrs Rush—and your...
69From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of Nov’br 23d No 66. came by way of England and reachd me on the 12th of this Month. at the Same time we received the News that a Treaty of peace between America and Great Britain was signed upon the 24th of December. A Blessing I hope. altho ardently desired, was not so soon expected, from the Hostile attitude which Britain had taken, and the nature of her demands, as exhibited in...
70From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
I begin my Letter by announcing the Health of your Children, that your mind and that of their Mothers may be at ease & “they cannot speak for themselves it is true,” but there are Mothers who are not less anxious for those who can speak for themselves; and it is with much pain that I learn from your Friends that your Health does not appear to have been mended by your journey, or change of...
71From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I write you a few lines in addition to what I have already written, and inclose you the Copy of a Letter from mr Otis to your Father, by which you will learn that your Nomination as Secretary of State, was confirmd, with one only dissenting vote, just sufficient to save you from the war. whose it was I neither know or care for no president since Washington, has been chosen by the people, with...
72From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I write but seldom to you, least you should feel as tho’ you were obliged to replie, when you must be much occupied with public Business and as I am now engaged to address you in that line, You will feel obliged to listen. My present design is to name to you a Gentleman for office conditionally. It is reported that Major Warren of plymouth is about to resign, or be removed from the office of...
73From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of december No 6—/17 came Safe to hand yesterday, the last No was 8. So that two others must be upon their way. I thank you for your punctuality in writing, and have only to regret, that from july, untill october: I did not write, as there were not any vessels up for the North of Europe, and the impediments were so multiplied as to discourage me, but from that time to the present,...
74From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am desirious of writing you a few lines just to assure you that I am able to hold a pen, and that I hope my Health is not in a more declining state than when you left me, altho I have not been able to leave my chamber since; except to ride a little way a few times; I think I have gained a little strength the last week tho I have not got the better of the most debilitating of my complaints—a...
75From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is a Letter which you will see contains a request to me; and through me to you. the ploughing with the Hiffer is not yet out of date. were the object an office, I should refuse to medle with it, but as it is only a simple renewal of a midshipman from one ship & station to an other, I would hope no great interest necessary; particularly as his Health has sufferd severely in this...
76From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
When Mr. Hall was here your Father told him that he would leave to you the adjustment of the shares in the cannal. the Sale of them was undoubtedly a great Sacrifice of property at their present valueSo was the payment of the assesments. but I hope it will prove for the best. Your Father says that he would have you take as of his Shares in the New England Insurence as will repay you what you...
77From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I will write to you again, and untill I learn from you, that you have taken your passage home.—I have now to acknowledge a succession of Letters from you, arriveing nearly all together No 106. No 107 No 108 No 109 No 10010 and No 111 March the 16th which is the late date— I hope you did not think, when I wrote to you pressing your return to America, that my object was the office to which you...
78From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
The east wind of this day, will prevent the Sailing of the Galen, and it gives me the opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your Letter of May 13th No 87; and the papers containing the Royal Marriage which came to hand last Evening: by the arrival of a vessel at N york; this interesting , and important intelligence, had been partially communicated to the publick a week before—Some...
79From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1808 (Adams Papers)
Those of the family who could not attend yesterday at Cambridge yesterday as well as those who did, are very desirious of reading the lecture. if you will be so good as to let William take it, to day, I will return it on Monday. I wish a few of the Reviews if you can spair them. I carried to Town yesterday your Shirt overalls & waistcoat & handkerchiefs which you left here. as mrs Adams was...
80From 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...
81From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday received some Letters from the Children dated 26 June. as I had some weeks before received my June Letter from you, I had not any right to expect an other of the Same Month, and altho’ as Shakespeare says, “my appetite grows on what it feeds on” I must own I am avaricious in this respect. In this still calm, and political pause I must entertain you with domestic occurrences, one of...
82From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your trusty driver took such care of your Letter that he kept it close in his pocket for a whole week after he returnd, untill ragged and dirty it reachd us last Evening 10 days after it was written. it was however very welcome, being the first intelligence which had reachd us of you, from the time you left us.— I requested your Brother to write to you to Philadelphia, as I was unable too,...
83From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Schooner Washington owned by mr Gray is ready to Sail for St Petersburgh. I have already sent some Letters on Board of her, but the great bulk mr Erving is charged with, and when he will Sail, I know not. he has been ready, and waiting this Month for his Dispatches. concequently our Letters are already a Month old. There is a Charm in a Letter of recent date, Consisting in its very...
84From 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...
85From 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...
86From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
while your Father is deeply engaged, in reading, Dupuis “orgine de Tous Les Cultes ou Religion universelle” which he Says is the most Learned work he ever read. all is Silent around me, and I embrace this Season of quiet and tranquility to write to you, and to acknowledge your Letter of August 12th No 92.—your hand writing, always gives me a Spring to my Spirits, and is like a cordial, altho...
87From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
your Letter No 10 has found its way in four Months after its Date. It is as you observe, three and four Months that Letters are upon their passage before they reach the place of their destination. I have thought it very fortunate, with all the chances they run, that So many of them reach us in perfect order, not of time, but condition your No 4 I give up as wholy lost, but of the late Numbers,...
88From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
Captain Tracy is to Sail on Sunday in the galen. our young men are flying abroad. some upon buisness, some from curiosity; those of the most respectable Standing apply for letters of introduction to you. your Father has given letters to mr Prescott who goes first to the Brazills and now to mr John Gray who is a passenger in the Galen an other Gentleman has now applied by the Name of...
89From 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...
90From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have already written to you by the Galen, my Letter was anteriour to the calamity which the inclosed papers will full soon, inform you of.—what can we Say? but Lord thou destroyest the hopes of man. I know not how to describe the Gloom which has overspread the public mind—To departed worth, the tear of Friendship flow’s. Party Spirit is Silent, and drops her veil, and bows acknowledging...
91From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 May 1810 (Adams Papers)
Captain Smith, a Brother of Mrs Charles Millars call’d here to let us know that he should sail for Gottenburgh in a day or two, and would take Letters from us to you. I am desirious of writing to you as frequently as I can, tho no doubt many vessels sail without my knowing it. My last Letter to you was by Captain Harrod, who was charged with the articles which mrs Adams wrote me to procure...
92From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the receipt of your Letter by Captain Bainbridge received three weeks Since and Stated that 4 Numbers were missing. Yesterday we received from new york a Letter for your Brother No 25 dated Nov’br 6th which arrived in the Ship Phenix Capt. Freeman 60 Days from Gottenburgh, in which vessel came mr Loring Austin by whom you write that you Sent a Letter for me, which I...
93From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 31 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
This is the last Day of the year 1809, and almost 4 Months Since you left us. we have been fortunate in hearing from you and of you, through this long voyage. From the banks of Newfoundland we received your Letters by the Dove. the beginning of August, we heard again of you on the 26th. and upon the Evening previous to our thanksgiving. whilst my harp was hung upon the willow, reflecting upon...
94From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
Coll. Bradford came out to day with a card of invitation from the Govenour, and an other from the Govr and Senate requesting your Father to celebrate the fourth of july with them, he has accepted the invitation. if you receive an invitation, both your Father and I advise you to accept it. if you do not, I shall depend upon the pleasure of seeing you at Quincy with Mrs Adams Kitty & the...
95From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I fear your Father may have given you unnecessary anxiety; I told him at the time it was not best to mention an indisposition so slight as John’s was, but he said if he wrote; he must tell all. I had observed for several days about noon a high coulour in his cheeks, and at that time, he was unusually irritable, Some other Symptoms indicated a redundancy of Bile, which proved to be the case....
96From 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...
97From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
We have had in the Week past the coldest Weather that has been through the winter, yet we have not had Snow enough through the Season to cover the ground. I expet Febry and March will pour upon us the whole quantity which the cold must have engenderd through the Winter. The Season has been very healthy. few cold’s or coughs. George after spending a fortnight with me and getting quite rid of...
98From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
Received Quincy July 27th 1809 of John Q Adams Esqr the sum of fifty-three Dollars and twelve Cents, in full for interest on $1700 from the 18th: January to the 7th August 1809. $53.12 MHi : Adams Papers.
99From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge your favours of 23 April No. 86 of the 15 May No 87, and yesterday by mr Bond your Letter of May 20th No 88, and the Review and news paper The Reviews you will charge, as your Father requests, with the other Books which you Send him I inclose to you a Strip of a newspaper which contains some account of our National Jubilee, an event of more consequence to America, than...
100From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 May 1810 (Adams Papers)
I received a Letter yesterday from mrs Johnson, informing me that Capt Bandrige, in the frigate President, was to Sail with dispatches to St Petersburgh. I embrace the opportunity, tho not more than ten days since I wrote you largely, by a vessel bound to Gottenburgh. Mr Smith a Brother of Mrs Charles Millar took charge of the Letters. Yet to learn that We are all alive and Well, by whatever...