91From Katherine Dexter to Abigail Smith Adams, 14 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
I lament that indisposition should have obliged me to defer so long acknowledging your kind letter; it was received with a deep sense of gratitude, with a mixture of feeling only to be produced by so generous a sympathy in a loss so severe as I have been called to meet. You have offered me Dear Madam, all that a wounded heart can ask—the sympathy of friendship; and to the departed the best...
92From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 13 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
A long time my beloved Friend has elapsed since we have seen each other or even conversed by letters. My eyes are so affected by the fire in winter, that I do not attempt to write. It was my intention when at Quincy to have spent the winter at Scituate; but as soon as dear Sister Bowers relinquished the idea of being there also; I was decided at once to pass it here; A spot rendered very dear...
93From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 13 February 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of January; and shall particularly attend to your directions at Philadelphia, respecting the flour—It is at present my intention to leave this place the 4th: of next month; but the winter and the roads are now breaking up; so that I know not whether the roads will at that time be passable The termination of this Congress will leave our public affairs in a...
94From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 21 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
The seventy-ninth day since our departure from Boston, and not yet in Petersburg—But we are on land, within twenty miles of it, and at the end of our voyage in the ship Horace.—We have indeed had a very long passage, and it has not been without its interesting incidents, had I but the time of narrating them—But to you as well as to us, the most interesting of them is, that we are all, thanks...
95From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 28 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
We are again permitted to return home in good health, after having passed as pleasant a winter as the times would permit. Mr Cushing was confined to his room three weeks with a great cold, attended with a slight fever, but his spirits were good even at that time, & he saw company every day. He attended Court 19th. Feby & on the 22nd. sat near seven hours without once leaving the bench, with as...
As another opportunity offers my dear Mother which I am told is a very safe one I cannot refrain from writing a few lines to assure you of the health of the family in general and to entreat you will write by every opportunity. we have only heard three times from you since we left you and you who have been placed in the same situation know how much frequent intelligence of your health and would...
97From John Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 31 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 31st of August by Captain Brownson. I saw in an American Paper that Grandpapa has been on board the Seventy four which is in the command of Commadore Bainbrige and thought it a very fine Ship and and am in hopes of having a great many more by my return. I do not like England near so well as America nor do I think I should like any country so well as my native...
98From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
I mentioned to you in a former Letter, the visit that I had received from Mr Frend, and Mr Aspland, the Minister of the Unitarian Congregation at Hackney—Since then I have dined with Mr Frend, who is a Unitarian, and Astronomer, and Actuary , of an Insurance Company. There I met again Mr Aspland, who afterwards made me a present of several of his own publications, and from Dr Disney a copy of...
99From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 5 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
Accept my Dear Friend of my sympathy for the loss of your lovely grand Daughter. For Mrs Charles Adams I can most sensibly feel for her bereavment, having so recently like her been deprived of a good Mother. May we all apply to the Great Physician of Soul & body, to pour the balm of consolation—into our wounded bosoms. I desire to rejoice greatly that you my Friend have escaped a seated Fever,...
100From Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Smith Adams, 29 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I am myself, my dear Madam, in great trouble—since my date of yesterday, my amiable son the Collector, unaccompanied by any man, was followed on the street by a ruffian neighbour, who after several scurrilous epithets of abuse, lifted his vulgar fist & gave him such a blow in his right eye that it appears doubtful whether he will again have the use of it.—This man, one Joseph Bartlett has been...
101From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 28 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
General Boyd, Mr Stores, Mr Forbes, and Mr and Mrs. Everett, have all arrived in London within the week past; and by them, with many other Letters and despatches I have received your favours of 5. and of 26. November—There must be I think a Letter in arrear between the 30th. of September and the 5th. of Novr—You acknowledge the receipt of my Numbers 92 and 93—and 97 and 98. I hope the...
102From Julia Stockton Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ I have not had the pleasure to receive a letter from you, since I last wrote; yet your goodness to me on all occasions gives me the assurance that you will excuse the liberty I now take to ask a favor for my daughter Manners; she has I suppose sail’d for England before this time, and in her last letter to me express’d a wish to get a letter of introduction to our Minister at the Court...
103From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have not been unmindful of you my Dear Friend, nor of each member of your worthy family since leaving your hospitable Mansion, where christian graces adorn the possessors. My delay in writing in hopes of sending the promised Receipt has been in vain, for it has been to no purpose that I have repeatedly searched for it. However I do not regret it so much as I otherwise should do as the Root...
104From Julia Stockton Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your kind attention in answering my letters heretofore, and my last being yet unanswered excites the apprehension that your health has been worse than common this winter I hope I may hear of any other cause, except an abatement in your friendship, but that I do not for a moment admit—Your condsending goodness to me has perhaps caused me to expect more than I have a right to look for, more...
Your very kind letter has eased my heart of a load of anxiety, on account of our dear George, whose health appear’d to me to be in a very indifferent state. and I could not have quitted him with any satisfaction, had I not placed him under your protection. recieve my dear Madam our united thanks for your extreme kindness in taking him to Atkinson which journey I sincerely hope proved...
106From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
There have been a multitude of American Vessels, wind–bound at Liverpool near two months, several of which have Letters for you, and for my father, and which I suppose will nearly all arrive about the same time—In the interval there will be a wide chasm during which you will be without advices from us, as we have now been long without any from you—The present will go by Mr A. H. Everett, who...
107From Carolina Virginia Marylanda Johnson Buchanan Frye to Abigail Smith Adams, 12 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I avail myself of the opportunity that now offers of writing to my dear and absent Sisters whose affection for me will receive a severe pang, from the melancholy events that have lately occured. My mind has become in some degree resigned to the Will of Heaven. Your sympathizing and Maturnal Friendship has soothed and comforted my afflicted heart whose sorrows can only find alleviation in the...
108From Adelaide Hellen to Abigail Smith Adams, 3 January 1816 (Adams Papers)
Accept my thanks my Dear Madam for your kindness in so promptly favoring me with your Advice from my eagerness to obtain your opinion I over looked the liberty I took in requesting it. I hope this will prove a sufficient apology my dear Mr Adams for my having obtruded my private Affairs on your time. Suffer me to offer my Thanks for the valuable counsel you have gained for me believe me I...
109From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
A few days since I recieved your very obliging letter in which you mention having procured the articles I wrote for and for which I return you many thanks. I am much distressed at the idea your letter seems to convey of want of respect or attention to Mrs. Cranch it has ever been my most ardent desire so to conduct myself to every branch of your family as not only to merit their esteem but...
Your letter of the 24th of march, my dear Madam, is but just arrived, and although it was so long before it reached us, it afforded us the satisfaction of hearing from yourself, that my dear Boys were well at that period.—We have not yet heard any thing of Mr Harrod, I fear he has stopped at some other port in the Baltic, and that we shall not see him at Petersburg this Season—I feel much...
Having an opportunity to write you by Mr Lewis of Philadelphia who leaves this place for England early tomorrow morning I hasten to inform you of the general health of the family which although not perfect is as good as we can rationally expect Winter comes on us in so harsh a form that we anticipate an unusual degree of severity in its course this morning the River and Canals were hard frozen...
112From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
A Treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain has this day been signed by the British and American Plenipotentiaries at this place. It is to be dispatched to-morrow, by Mr Hughes the Secretary of the American Mission, who is to sail in the Transit from Bordeaux—I have not time to write a single private Letter excepting this, but I request you to inform my brother that I have...
113From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Smith Adams, 22 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
A kind note at the foot of mr Adams’s letter of July 15. reminds me of the duty of saluting you with friendship and respect; a duty long suspended by the unremitting labors of public engagement, and which ought to have been sooner revived, since I am become proprietor of my own time. and yet so it is, that in no course of life have I been ever more closely pressed by business than in the...
114From Charles Francis Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 13 January 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your idea of Osterley park being near our house is correct it now belongs to the Countess of Jersey the grand daughter of Mrs: Childs whose daughter married the Earl of Westmoreland. Papa is so bysy he cannot take us any where not even to the play these holidays. I am afraid not but I hope so because I have not seen the Theatre Covent Garden or Drury lane but I hope in the Summer that Papa...
115From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 23 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
My mind it seems had been in unison with yours for some time past, & I had determined the last week that another should not elapse without my writing for information respecting your, & the Presidents health, together with the various branches of your much valued family; & to say that the winter was passing away with us in as tranquil a maner as generally falls to the lot of humanity, rejoicing...
116From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 4 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
I lose no time in returning the enclosed letters, which came to hand to day, and for the perusal of which I beg leave to make my very sincere and cordial thanks. Such letters, from such a source, are a treat. It is the next thing to being in Europe, perhaps better in such times as these, and I am very thankful for the kind favor of being allowed to have them a little while in my possession. I...
117From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 10 September 1805 (Adams Papers)
I was much disappointed My Dear Madam in not having it in my power to see you again before we went to Newport & also in not calling on Mrs J Adams & Miss Johnston to have renewed my invitation to them that they would give us the pleasure of a visit this summer. I regret that I did not see them the day we were at Quincey; Delays are dangerous. Court held at Boston till Friy eveg prier to its...
118From Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed was written with design to forward by your Son, who I then presumed would have returned to Quincy the last Saturday the 17th—Judge Adams call’d on me the day he came to Plymouth & delivered your agreeable favor—I have not seen him since—I did not know he was going to Barnstable—is he there still—or has he return’d by the route of N. Bedford or Bridgwater?—Surely, he would not have...
119From Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Smith Adams, 29 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
I cannot longer be silent while my friends are mourning the death of such a daughter as was our much loved Mrs Smith.—But why mourn?—She is happy and soon shall we also meet the termination of time, when, may we unite in the universal harmony of love and gratitude which attune the song of the righteous!— Mr Adams’s philosophic view of the changes of time and his belief in the sovereignty of...
120From Hezekiah Niles to Abigail Smith Adams, 31 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
It is with high respect that I have the honor to assure you, you have mistaken my “Register” as well as its character , in attributing to it an offensive article about “ Drawing Rooms; ” while I have to regret that this is not the first time in which my secret pride has been humbled by a similar misapprehension. And such mistakes are easily committed, because another paper is published (at...