1John Adams and Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters Numbers 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. but not in the order, in which they were written— Number one, was the last rec d as it came to hand by the last Post. Never was a Father more Satisfied, or gratified, than I have been with the kind Attention of my sons Since they went abroad. I have no Language to express to you the Pleasure I have rec d from the Satisfaction you have...
2John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 May 1796 (Adams Papers)
M r Richard Cooke of Mary land will tell you all the News— I expect to sign the Bills this day which were all passed Yesterday for carrying into E xn. the Treaties with Great Britain Spain Algiers and the Indians— Yesterday seemed a Day of Universal and perpetual Peace foreign & domestic. Tomorrow I go home— Congress will rise by the 20 th. There is much Talk of the Resignation of the P. a...
3John Adams to John Quincy Adams, before 8 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received with great Pleasure your Letter of the 9 of August, inclosing a Receipt from Mr Parsons for one hundred Pounds lawful Money, which you paid him in the month of August, Second day, in full for your Tuition as a Clerk in his office for the term of three Years. I learned, with Pleasure also, that on the 9 th of August you took Possession of an office in my house, where I wish you more...
4John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have great Satisfaction in your Letter of the 10 th. The Breaking of the Bubble of Banks would be a Blessing if it could teach our People to beware of all other Bubbles. But I fear We shall have a Succession of them. I hope however at least they will teach you caution. “The Rivalries of our most conspicuous Characters” are such as human Nature produces under the Cultivation of such a...
5John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you before to day: but I forgot to say Several Things.— Have you ever attended a Town Meeting? You may there learn the Ways of Men, and penetrate Several Characters which otherwise You would not know. There are Several Objects of Enquiry, which I would point out to your consideration without making any noise or parade about them. 1. The State of Parties in Religion, Government Manners,...
6John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 August 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your Letters in Succession to N. 9. I think inclusive but they are in So much request in this Country that I can never keep them long enough to make regular Answers to them. The Last appeared to me of Such Consequence that I Sent it to The President to whom I have communicated all of them I believe or all but the first, from London. I have Reason to think that your whole...
7John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
I, Yesterday rec d your favour of June 27. N o. 10. It is in common with all the Numbers which preceded it, full of accurate Information, profound Sagacity and nice discernment. I sent four of your preceeding Numbers to the President, who wrote me on the 20 th of August that “they contain a great deal of Interesting matter and N o. 9 discloses much important Information and political...
8John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
In its due time, I received your Letter from Philadelphia of the 27. of July. Although, in the Opinion of The Secretary of State, the Mission to Holland may be “almost exclusively reduced to a pecuniary Negotiation,” yet, in the Opinion of others among whom your father is one, the Post at the Hague is an important Diplomatick Station, which may afford many opportunities of acquiring political...
9John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
I rec d by the last post your favour of the 16. The Votes from New Hampshire to Maryland inclusively have been unanimous excepting the factious Voice of New York, and one D r Johnson of Conecocheague formerly a New Yorker a Particular Friend of M r Clinton and by his own confession under particular Obligations to him. Southward of Chesapeak all are for Clinton except S. C. I thank you for your...
10John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of April 27 was put into the Post office at New York and I have neither seen nor heard of M r Dorr nor M r Jones. It is probable they found a Conveyance for their Letters in the ship which carries our Envoy Extraordinary and their Journey to this Town became unnecessary. I should have been glad to have seen them and I suppose they might have obtained their Request without...
11John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
The Note from Piemont, I would not have Sued by any means. Hopkins’s Pretentions I have no Idea of. I Suppose an account with him may be found in my Ledger, But I can Say nothing upon memory. Piemont ought to make out his Account— He says I had a Bar Wig and a Bob Wig of him. If so he should make out his Account and if they amount to as much as the Note, there is an End of the Business. If...
12John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your favour of the 22 d I believe it is, and am glad to hear that the People of Boston are disposed to Stand firm on neutral Ground. Much will depend upon their Stability. There are so many Interests constantly contriving to draw Us off, from that Position, that if Boston should fail Us We should be in great danger. I feel for the Sufferers under the Unexampled depredations of the...
13John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
The Public Papers will inform you that M r Jefferson has resigned and that M r Randolph is appointed Secretary of State. The Attorney General is not yet nominated. M r Lewis M r Lawrence M r Benson M r Gore, M r Potts &c have been mentioned in Conversation. The Motives to M r Jeffersons Resignation are not assigned, and are left open to the Conjectures of a Speculating World. I also am a...
14John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your favours of Jan. 7 and February the first with the Newspapers for which I thank you— I rec d some days ago a Letter with the Review and some other Papers. I thank you for all these Marks of your kind Attention. a few Lines from you are always acceptable as they are Information of your Health and Situation, but your long Letters are fraught with such Information...
15John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 October 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have this Morning, filed in order your Letters and have now in one bundle before me from N o. 6 to N o. 23 inclusively and will take care they shall not be again Seperated. The Western Posts are all delivered, and the Commissions in a good Way.— M r King and M r Gore in England and I hope M r Pinkney in France, will be your Friends bothe Personally and Politically. You are destined to...
16John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Old Debtors to British subjects, united with the over Zealous Friends of France and the Democratical societies of our principal Cities, are urging a sequestration of Things in Action: and as I know you are not inattentive to any question of public Law, I have inclosed you some minutes of Authorities and I wish you to look into all others relative to this subject. I have not Grotius here,...
17John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 March 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have but lately received your kind Letter from Amsterdam of the 17 th of November and another from the Hague much longer and of an earlier date. The last I have Sent to M r Randolph to be laid before the President, as it contains ample and important Information. These are the only Letters I have as yet rec d from you. Your Mother has received others. Your Letters both public and private, I...
18John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
Although your modesty would not inform Us, of your commencement as a Faneuil Hall Orator, it is impossible to conceal from the Public so important an Event, when there are 500 talkative noisy Witnesses of it, and accordingly it has come to me from an Eye and Ear Witness, as I suppose, your young Friend Breck. I rejoice that you have taken the Unpopular Side of the Questions concerning...
19John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
Since my last I have received your N o. 11. dated 27. July with the Pamphlets which accompanied it. The Entertainment and Enjoyment I derive from these Communications as well as from all your Letters, is beyond all your Conception as well as my Expression. My greatest Satisfaction arises from the Proofs they carry with them that your Judgment and Constancy and Fortitude are not to be warped by...
20John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I know not where to find you—Whether in Holland England or Portugal—Whether to address you as a married Man or a Single one. And I am equally at a Loss what to write to you. one thing I am at no loss to say that your Letters have continued up to N o. 23. inclusively to delight and inform me, and that I beg you not to be discouraged from continuing your favours, by my Remissness in Writing Our...
21John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
at 9 last night I arriv’d and this Morning have taken my Seat from whence I write this. I have just rec d yours of 22. Nov. with its Inclosure. I am told most confidently that all the Votes in N. Y. will be for Clinton and all the Votes in Pensilvania for me. I believe neither. If the People of the Union are capable of being influenced by Such Characters as Dallas and Edwards, I should be...
22John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
There is a sett of Scotch Writers that I think deserve your Attention in a very high Degree. There are Speculations in Morals Politicks and Law that are more luminous, than any other I have read. The Elements of Criticism and other of Lord Kaims’s Writings—Historical Law Tracts—sir James Steuart—Adam Smith &c both his Theory of Moral Sentiments and his Wealth of Nations— There are several...
23John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Since, I wrote you this morning, at the request of M r Randolph a thousand things occur to me to say to you, but as I have not time at present I shall write you from day to day. You will have a Collection to make of the Journals of Congress and the Laws of the Union; and all the Reports of our Ministers of State to take with you. You must remember all the Relations of the U. S. with all...
24John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Senate advised the Appointment of M r short to Madrid, but there has as yet been no nomination to the Vacancy at the Hague. The Person however is determined on, and the Nomination will probably be made as soon as I am gone homewards— I have but one night and an half more to stay here. This Nomination, which is the Result of the Presidents own Observations and Reflections, is as...
25John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
I hope your Anxiety, about your Prospects of future Life, will not be indulged too far. If, after your Term with M r Parsons expires your Judgment, Inclination and Advice of your Friends lead you to Boston, you shall have my full Consent and Approbation. If you could contrive to get a Small Family into my House with whom you could reputably board: and could reserve the best Room and Chamber,...
26John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Senate have this Day unanimously advised and consented to the Appointment of John Quincy Adams to the Hague. If this Event should affect your Sensibility as much as it does mine, it will made a deep Impression upon Your Mind, both of the Importance of the Mission and of your obligation to Gratitude Fidelity and Exertion in the Discharge of the Duties of it. At two O Clock tomorrow Morning...
27John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
This morning I had the Pleasure of your Letter of the 2 d of this month. The Town meeting did itself honour by its judicious Result. But there has not been the Same Wisdom in New York nor Philadelphia: nor is there equal Wisdom and Decision in either house of Congress. All that has been done has been to restrain and moderate the constant disposition to rashness Intemperance and Madness. M r...
28John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be delivered you, by M r Roberdeau a Son of General Roberdeau my ancient Friend, lately married to Miss Blair a Daughter of Doctor Blair, whom your Mamma knows. I pray you to Shew all the Civility to M r Roberdeau in your Power. invite him to Quincy with you to keep sunday with your Mamma and shew him Boston and Cambridge, Colledge Library Apparatus &c and give him all the...
29John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
Congress have rec d from the President all the Negotiations with France and England as well as those with the Indians. On Monday We expect those with Spain and all the Intelligence rec d respecting the Algerines. The whole forming a System of Information which Shews our dear Country to be in a critical Situation. So critical that the most sanguine are constrained to pauze and consider. The...
30John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
In reading the Advertisement prefixed to De Lolme p. 6. I met a Passage which recalled to my Mind a Letter of yours concerning the Papers signed Columbus and the cold reception they met with among their Friends. “I shall add, says he, a few Observations, of a serious kind for the Sake of those Persons who, judging themselves to be possessed of Abilities find they are neglected by those having...