351From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 19 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
The false alarm, that I gave you in my last Letter, of the arrival of the British Commissioners, came to us from no less a personage than the Mayor of the City—It was occasioned by the real arrival of two British General Officers, who the next Morning proceeded on their way to Ostend—Letters have since been received from England, by which it appears that we may expect the Commissioners in the...
352From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 5 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
Last week I received your kind and affectionate Letter of 25. 27. February—which had been destined for France, but the vessel on board of which it was, being taken and sent into Plymouth, the Gentleman who was the bearer of your letter, (his name has not come to my knowledge) was released as a Non Combattant , and they were forwarded to me by the Mail. Your letter of previous date—25. January...
On Saturday last, I wrote you a few lines by Mr. Shaw, a Gentleman of New-York, whom you may perhaps recollect, although I did not, until he reminded me that he had once dined with us, at our house in the Adelphi–Buildings, in company with Mr. Boylston—I remembered perfectly well that dinner, and a circumstance of the ludicrous kind, which occurred between him and Boylston—But he mentions...
354From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
I received only two or three days ago your letter dated the 24th: of September of the last year; and although it had been written so many months before it came to me, it gave me and your Mama very great pleasure, and I take the first opportunity to write you this in reply to it. I was glad to see that the greatest part of your letter was written with your own hand; and I hope very soon to...
355From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have promised you in my former letters to state the particulars in which I deemed the Christian dispensation to be an improvement or perfection of the Law delivered from Sinai considered as including a system of morality—But before I come to this point, it is proper to remark upon the moral character of the Books of the Old Testament, subsequent to those of Moses. Some of these are...
356From John Quincy Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 12 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
It is but a few days since I received your favour of 1. March, though I had two months earlier learnt from Mr Hellen the heavy misfortune that had befallen him. I have deferred answering your letter untill this day, with the hope, which is that this moment realized, of announcing to you my Lousia’s deliverance— She has this day at seven in the Evening, after a severe labour of about twelve...
357To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 20 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
Part of the enclosed press-copy of my last Letter to you, is so faint, that unless you should have received the original, before it comes to hand, I am afraid you will be obliged to call for the assistance of younger eyes to make it out. Since it was written I have had the pleasure of receiving letters from my brother, and my wife has had one from my mother, but none from you—I remain however...
358From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 26 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
It is vain to attempt accounting for the irregularities of the Post-Office—Yesterday I received your N. 18 (which should have been numbered 19) of 28. July; and a Letter from Mr Harris, dated the day before—These Letters have been four entire weeks on the way—But Messrs: Gallatin, Bayard and Hughes, all received at the same time, Letters from Harris, dated 2. August—six days later than his...
359From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 17 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jones arrived here from Gothenburg & Stockholm a few days since, and brought me your kind favour of 11. July—in two months time from its date—Indeed we Since our arrival here, you have been the most frequent and most constant of my Correspondents–I have no Letter from my brother later than Febuary; though I know that he has written at least one that I have not received.—Captain Bainbridge,...
360From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 30 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 2d. instt. addressed directly to me at the Hotel des Pays-Bas, came safely to hand on Saturday the 27th: It had therefore been 25 days on the road, and further confirmed the opinion that the Post is somewhere transmitted only once a week; and that the Post that starts on Saturdays is the one that goes through without being stopp’d—I should therefore from the commencement of...
361From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 7 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
Since my departure from Gothenburg Stockholm, I have been in such a constant tumult of motion, and emotion, that I have not been able to put pen to paper, except to write my name in the day-book at the Post-houses on the road—I have much to say to you, of no sort of importance, but which I want to say, because every thing is important to those whom we love—I mean, as the Clown in Shakespear...
362From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr Sargent who arrived in London, about ten days ago, delivered to me your Letter of 6. December; and I am now in daily expectation of receiving your annual account, and your final arrangement for making the second payment upon the Bank Shares. Your anticipation that the price of the Script would fall, as the day to make the payment drew near, was so well founded, that I hope you did not wait...
363From John Quincy Adams, 14 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
It appears that Samuel Adams had a grant of lands made to him, by the town of Chelmsford, A.D. 1656, in consideration of his erecting the first mills in said town, and that he married his wife from Cambridge by the name of Sparhawk A.D. 1662; who deceased A.D. 1688 leaving a son by the name of Joseph, born A.D. 1672, who deceased A.D. 1717. Joseph had three sons, viz. Joseph, Jonas and...
364From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 October 1811 (Adams Papers)
By every vessel that has arrived for several months from America, and which we should have expected to bring letters for us, we receive, instead of letters, apologies for not writing, because we were thought to be on our passage home—You only have foreseen the contingency which has actually happened, that we might be detained over the present Winter, and you only continue to give us some...
365From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 23 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
As the week comes round, the Sunday Newspaper reminds me of the despatch to be made up for Quincy; but the pressure of business and of dissipation equally indispensable has not for many weeks left me an hour, for writing to you. I have now scarcely a moment to acknowledge the receipt of your favours of 5. and of 20. May. which I have had more than a Month; and to which I hope to be at some...
366From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 January 1815 (Adams Papers)
There is a news boy’s new year’s address, in vulgar doggerel Flemish verse, circulating with many others, but which it seems some of the printers declined publishing. It alludes to the Bon-mot of the Prince de Ligne about the Congress at Vienna—“Le Congrés danse , mais il ne marche pas”—and then recommends to the Sovereigns and great Ministers assembled at the Austrian Capital to turn their...
367From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 28 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last, which was on the 23d: of June, we have received your letter to your mother, dated 2. March, in which you express the wish that we should come home: that you might have the pleasure of knowing, and loving, and paying every attention of an affectionate brother to your little Sister—These were good and laudable wishes, but it has pleased God, to determine that they should...
368From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 14 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
The fourth and last point of view, in which I proposed to offer you some general observations upon the sacred Scriptures, was with reference to Literature . And the first remark which presents itself here is that the five Books of Moses, are the most antient monument of written language, now extant in the World—The Book of Job is nearly of the same date, and by many of the Christian and Jewish...
369From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 14 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Under the circumstances stated in Coll Aspinwalls certificate (which I return) and in your Letter, I cannot reccommend John McIntosh to relief as a destitute American Seaman. I enclose the Power of Attorney with the certificate concerning the Mayor of Leeds to which the Legation Seal must be affixed. truly yours MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
370From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
There was one of the small English Poets, I think it was Dodsley, who on the reformation of the Calendar in England published a Poem upon the Tears of Old May-Day—As this is the only Country of Europe where Old May-Day is yet held in honour, it would not be expected that here too is precisely the spot where she sheds the most tears—If she sheds none upon the present visit which she is making...
371From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
My last letter to you, dated 27. February, acknowledged the receipt of your favour of 29. July the latest letter I have from America, and which you mention in it was to be forwarded by Mr. B. Beale junr. I have now an opportunity to write by Mr. Plummer, a young man who has been here several years, as an Agent of Coll. Thorndike—He himself belongs to Salem, and as he intends returning as...
372From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
As news like those of the Catastrophe at Washington, seldom linger on the way, instead of a fortnight, which I anticipated in my last Letter as the term—in the course of which the account of that event would reach us, it came within twenty-four hours after I had given you my expectation of it—It was on Saturday Evening the first of this Month that we received the first accounts, and they came...
373From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 4 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
The imperfections of the Mosaic Institutions which it was the object of Christ’s Mission upon Earth to remove appear to me to have been these. 1. The Want of a sufficient sanction. The Rewards and the Penalties of the Levitical Law had all reference to the present life—There are many passages in the Old Testament which imply a state of existence after death, and some which directly assert a...
374From John Quincy Adams to William Steuben Smith, 1 September 1814 (Adams Papers)
A Letter from Mrs: Adams, informs me that you sailed from Cronstadt, in an English vessel for Hull, on the 28th: of July—I hope therefore that this Letter will find you in England, if you should not be already on your way from thence to Holland—The John Adams in which I had obtained a passage for you and your family, sailed from the Texel Roads last Sunday, so that the chance of your going in...
375From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 7 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
During my present Residence in Europe, I have had the pleasure of receiving one Letter from you, dated the 4th. of April 1815. which was delivered to me, on my first arrival in this Country last Summer, by Mr N. A. Haven, of whom it was introductory. I have attributed to the multitude of your occupations my not having heard oftener from you directly, and it has been a satisfaction to me, under...
376From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Scarcely a day now passes, without the arrival of vessels from the United States; but they are principally from New York or more Southern Ports—The failure of the Harvests in this Country has much contributed to their frequency. Two years ago the British Parliament made a Law, to raise the price of Bread; having discovered that if that first necessary of life should be cheap, the Country would...
377From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 18 April 1816 (Adams Papers)
We are waiting with great anxiety to hear again from Quincy, and pray that they may bring us favourable accounts of your health—We have none later than of 19. February, which came by the New Packet, and which were received nearly a Month since. Mr and Mrs Tarbell are gone with Mr: and Mrs O. Everett, and Captain Stuart to France. We have a constant succession of our Countrymen coming and...
378From John Quincy Adams to Charlotte Sophia, 29 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
The American Minister and Mrs Adams will do themselves the honour of attending upon her Majesty, at the Queen’s House on Monday the 12th of August, at 9 o clock, conformally to the invitation which by her Majesty’s Command they have received from Mr Disbrowe. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
379From John Quincy Adams to Robert Selden Garnett, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr. and Mrs. Adams request the Honor of Mr Garnetts Company at Dinner on the 12th of December at ———— o’Clock The Favor of an Answer is requested. DLC : John Adams Papers.
380From John Quincy Adams to William Steuben Smith, 10 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
From information I have obtained since I wrote you last, I think it will be expedient for you to come here as soon as you can. Without being yet able to speak with certainty as to the object of your wish, I have sufficient ground to think that it will be advisable for you to be here, by the 20th: of this month at the latest—and as much sooner as you conveniently can. your affectionate friend...
381From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few lines, at one O’Clock on Sunday morning from Jegelicht, the last Stage before this place, as the Post for St: Petersburg was going through immediately after I arrived there—As my luck would have it, I had just then met with two disagreeable accidents, the only ones that befell me on the Road—One was breaking the neck—of my Carriage, which I certainly thought was better than...
My calculation of the date of the next Letter I should receive from you, after the renewal of your writing at my request was sufficiently exact. I had fixed the 15th: of October for the date, and the 8th: of this month, or between that day and this, for me to receive it—The Letter is dated 16. October, but in your next, of 18. October, which I also now possess, you say it was by mistake...
383From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 6 November 1811 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last (which the enclosed will shew you was very lately) though I have not have had the pleasure of hearing from you, I have at least enjoyed that of hearing of you—Mr: Ducoster, brought me a letter of 24. July from my Mother, and Mr Ingraham has brought us verbal information three days later—The thread of life, as somebody says in Shakespear is of a mingled yarn; our...
384From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 10 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
In the promise with which my last Letter to you, upon the Bible, was concluded, that I would next consider the Scriptures in their ethical character, as containing a system of morals, I undertook a task from the performance of which I have been hitherto deterred, by its very magnitude and importance. The more I reflected upon the subject, the more sensibly did I feel my own incompetency to do...
385From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 29 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
A War between the United States and Great-Britain, and a War between France and Russia, having commenced on the same Week in the month of June last, have concurred almost entirely to annihilate, the few and precarious opportunities of Communication with you, which I had previously possessed— Our War has banished our flag from the Baltic, and stopped the channel of conveyance though England of...
386From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 22 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
As I am reduced to the necessity of copying all my own Letters, and as one of the duties the most indispensable to my heart is that of punctuality in my Correspondence with you, I have made it a principle to have my Letter ready for you in the Morning of the Post-day upon which it is dispatched, although it does not go to the Post-Office, untill 8 in the Evening. Hence it was that I had only...
387Commission of Albert Gallatin, John Quincy Adams, and James A. Bayard, [17 April] 1813 (Madison Papers)
Whereas his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, as the common friend of the United States and Great Britain, has offered them his mediation, with a view to the restoration of Peace and the establishment of permanent harmony between them; and the invitation having been accepted on the part of the United States in contemplation of a like acceptance on the part of Great Britain: Now...
On Saturday morning, Mr: Goulburn took, the last of the British Legation, his departure for London, and Mr: Bayard and Mr: Clay, took theirs, together for Paris—Mr Gallatin proposes to go this day, and thenceforth I shall be the only member of either mission left here—When we signed the Treaty, I expected to have been prepared to leave the City by this day—Since then I have postponed my...
389From John Quincy Adams to Stapleton,, 6 January 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr & mrs Adams return their Compliments to Col. Stapleton with many thanks for his obliging offer to take their commands for the United States—They avail themselves of his kindness to request him to take charge of the inclosed letter & pray him to accept the assurance of their best wishes that he may have a pleasant & prosperous passage— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.