1251From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 22 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your favor of the 20th of Jan. & am sensibly touched with the remembrance of our learned & ingenious friend whom I saw at the red Lyon in Leyden I thank you for his poems. Whether you will find purchasers for the edition of his juvenile poems you meditate I cannot say. My Countrymen I fear do not sufficiently attend to Greek & Latin after they leave College, perhaps not...
1252From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 28 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I had last night your letter of the 12th. the friendly Sentiments of which have tenderly affected me. The Affliction in my family from the melancholly death of a once beloved Son, has been very great, and has required the Consolations of Religion as well as Phylosophy to enable Us to Support it. The Perspects of that unfortunate youth were once pleasing and promising: but have been cutt off...
1253From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 24 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 13th and thank you for your Zeal for the honor of my “Defence”. That Work which was begun on the 4 of October 1786 and finished on the 26 of December 1787 was written in haste. It was not the fruit of twenty Years Labour like Montesquieus & Gibbons and as it was written in haste may be supposed to have marks enough of Inaccuracy. I am not yet sensible of any...
1254From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 13th and thank you for your zeal for the honor of my “defence”. That work, which was begun on the 4th of October 1786 & finished on the 26th of December 1787, was written in haste. It was not the fruit of twenty years labor, like Montesquieu’s & Gibbon’s, and as it was written in haste, may be supposed to have marks enough of inaccuracy. I am not yet sensible...
1255From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I last night recd your favour of the 19 Dec, it Should be I presume 19 Jan. The Compliments you make me on this new year, are very flattering to the Vanity of an old Man: but there is one very wicked one among them, I mean when you insinuate that intriguing Individuals, when I am no more, will join in my Eulogies to defame my Successor . When it happens if I know it I shall laugh in my grave,...
1256From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 12 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favor of 24th Ult. I return the letter with the oration, because they are inseperably connected. I think the latter worth printing, at least as much so, as many others on the same occasion. I return it to you to save you the trouble of again transcribing it. Since you insist upon it, I am willing to think myself young, as long as the admonitions to the contrary are not too...
1257From John Adams to Richard Varick, 7 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 28th of last month, with two copies of Mr. Morris’s oration on the death of General Washington, and I pray you to present my thanks to the common council of your city, for this obliging mark of their attention. I had before read with much pleasure this oration, and found it distinguished among the multitude of productions on this melancholly occasion, which I...
1258From John Adams to Hezekiah Veatch, 15 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your Resolutions Addressed to the President and Congress of the United States have been presented to me by your Representative Mr Craik. It becomes you, and all your Fellow Citizens to be deeply impressed, at this eventful and interesting Period with the critical and alarming Situation of our Country. It never yet saw a prospect, of greater danger. Its Integrity, fortitude and Wisdom were...
1259From John Adams to Vermont Legislature, 30 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your Address of the twenty fourth of October, has been forwarded to me as you requested by His Excellency Isaac Tichenor your worthy Governor. Among all the Addresses which have been presented to me from Communities, Corporations, Towns Cities and Legislatures, there has been none more acceptable to me, or which has common man affected my sensibility or commanded my Gratitude more than this...
1260From John Adams to Virginia Militia, 15 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my arrival in this Place, I have received your address of the fourth of July 1798.—Your offers of service, I receive with Pleasure and have referred to the Secretary of War to be answerd and accepted according to those Rules prescribed by Law and generally adopted by Government.— The Motives of such base Americans as yet seem to be in disgust with their Country, and patronise the...
1261From John Adams to Virginia Militia, 1 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Address of the twenty second of october. Your sentiments of the late Conduct of the French, seem to be conformable to the general sense of the World at large as well as almost the Unanimous Opinion of all America at present. A Republic that is not bound by the Laws of the Majority, is an Aristocracy or an Oligarchy, and commonly more oppressive than Monarchy. Mixed...
1262From John Adams to Volunteer Troop of Light Dragoons, 12 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
The earnest desire you profess, to serve your Country deserves its approbation and my Applause. I accept your Offer of service as a volunteer Troop of Light Dragoons, and will give Directions that Commissions to be presented to your Officers MiU-C : Cass Papers.
1263From John Adams to Peleg Wadsworth, 28 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 19th and have accepted the service of the Portland federal volunteers & written to the Secretary at War to send them their commissions without loss of time. With great esteem and regard I have the / honor to be Sir your most obedient & / humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
1264From John Adams to Rev. William Walter, 24 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 15th with two Volumes of Essays from the beneficent Genius of Count Rumford. If you have labored through the three Volumes of my defence of the Constitutions, you have done them an honor that very few other men of letters have taken the trouble to bestow on them (They were written with a view of not only composing the ferment in America which produced...
1265From John Adams to Rev. William Walter, October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 15th with two Volumes of Essays from the benificent genius of Count Rumford— If you have laboured through the three Volumes of my defence of the Constitutions, you have done them an Honour that very few other men of Letters have taken the trouble to bestow on them—They were written with a View of not only composing the ferment in america which produced...
1266From John Adams to Joseph Ward, 6 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 27th of March for which I thank you. The strain of Joy at a late event, and of Panegyrick on the subject of it, serve, among some other Instances to Convince me, that old friendships, when they are well preserved become very strong. The friends of my youth are generally gone The friends of my early political life are chiefly departed—Of the few that...
1267From John Adams to Joseph Ward, 4 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received and read, with much pleasure, your kind and friendly Letter of January 22d. As I have all my life-time expected such events as those which have lately occurred, I was not surprized when they happened. They ought to be lessons and solemn warnings to all thinking men. Clouds black and gloomy hang over this country threatning a fierce tempest, arising merely from party conflicts...
1268From John Adams to Citizens of Washington City, 5 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I receive with pleasure, in this address, your friendly welcome to the city and particularly to this place.—I congratulate you, on the blessings, which providence has been pleased to bestow, in a particular manner, on this situation, and especially on its destination to be the permanent seat of government. May the future councils of this august temple be forever governed by truth and liberty,...
1269From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 16 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter and congratulate you on your Success, in obtaining a Loan from the State of Maryland of one hundred thousand Dollars. I have considered the other Representations in your Letter, and upon the whole agree with you in opinion, that it will be most prudent for your Board to prepare a full and candid Statement of the whole in a Memorial to Congress to be Signed by you,...
1270From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 20 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, you did me the honour to write me, on the 22d of this month. Your congratulations “on the preference given” by my fellow Citizens, in the Choice of the first Magistrate of the Union, and the Expressions of your Confidence are Very obliging. I am not apprized of any reasonable objection to the Measure Suggested, of offering Scites for houses to the Ministers of...
1271From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 10 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your favor of the 7th Inst and although I have not found time to answer your former Letters, I will give you a short answer to this, that you may meet with no delay or embarrassment in your proceedings— Although I may have been inclined to an opinion, that a Variation of the measures, might have more surely prepared the City for the residence of Government at the...
1272From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 17 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured by your Letter of the eleventh. Sensible of the difficulty of obtaining Loans of Money in Europe at this time, and equally with my Predecessor aware of the evil of Stopping the public Buildings, I shall have no hesitation to approve of your Plan of employing Agents to Sell Lotts, for the best Prices they can obtain, provided they be not lower, than the Standard that you Shall...
1273From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 28 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me, the honour to write me on the 22d. of this month. your congratulations, “on the preference given” by my Fellow Citizens, in the Choice of the first Magistrate of the Union, and the Expressions of your Confidence are very obliging. I am not apprized of any reasonable objection to the measure Suggested, of offering Scites for houses to the Ministers of...
1274From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 13 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is the Attorney General’s Opinion, and you will see by the date, that it was not, his fault that it was not transmitted sooner. I am Gentlemen / with much Esteem, your humble Sert: MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
1275From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 31 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd the Letter you wrote me Sometime ago inclosing the Form of a full Power to borrow money: and yesterday I recd a duplicate of it. I have not answered it, as yet because Some questions arose upon it in my mind, which I wished to take Advice in. I have written to day upon the subject and shall be able to give you my Answer I hope, in a few days after the meeting of Congress. mean time...
1276From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 20 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I referred the inclosed papers to the Attorney Gen. and now inclose you his two opinions. I have the honor & MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
1277From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 17 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received and in due time, your favour of the third of this month. I have looked into the Acts of Congress and the Deed of Trust, and although I find no literal Authority given to the President to convey Lotts by Deed of Gift, yet the terms and Conditions of the Sales are subjected to his Discretion. The general Policy of the measure under Consideration, that of offering sites to the...
1278From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 5 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I here enclose you, a Power to borrow 150,000 Dollars for the Use of the federal City, wherever you can find it. If this Resource should fail of having its compleat Effect, I agree fully with you in opinion, that it will be necessary for your board to lay the whole subject before Congress for their consideration and further provision and that it will be necessary for One of you to attend in...
1279From John Adams to George Washington, 7 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Mr Mc Henry the Secretary at War, will have the honor to wait on you, in my behalf to impart to you a step I have ventured to take, & which I should have been happy to have communicated in person, if such a journey had been at this time in my power. As I said in a former letter, if it had been in my power to nominate you to be President of the United States, I should have done it, with less...
1280From John Adams to George Washington, 19 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
Although I received the Honor of your Letter of the first of this month in its Season, I determined to postpone my Answer to it, till I had deliberated, on it, and the Letter from Barlow inclosed in it, as well as a multitude of other Letters and Documents official and unofficial, which relate to the Same Subject, and determined what Part to act. I Yesterday determined to nominate Mr. Murray...