31John Adams to Charles Adams, 31 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your kind and pleasing Letter of the 26, and am happy to hear of your and your Ladies health. I dont approve of your calling her Sally unless to herself in a Family Way. To other People especially in Writing you must call her Mr s Adams. Your Nephews and Neice I hope will have the Meazles favourably. it is a good age and a good Season: so that I think the family may be...
32John Adams to Charles Adams, 11 September 1794 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your kind Letter of Sept r. 3 d and am sorry to find that your Books were not then arrived. Before this day I hope they are in your Office, and I should be glad if you would inform me whether they are or not. The early Part of my Life was Spent among them, and they have never been many Days together out of my thoughts; so that I have contracted an habitual Affection for...
33John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I am delighted with your delicious little Letter of 14 th. —but was puzzled to guess where you got your Description of Lubberland or what do the French call it? Pays de Cocany or some such Word. Does he get this, says I, from Old Chauar, or Spencer, or from shakespear? Young M r Otis, turned me to the Passage in elegant Extracts— It is it seems from the Tempest, which was to me, once very...
34John Adams to Charles Adams, 14 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
As you Seem to wish to know my sentiments of M r Kents Lecture I will give you a few Hints to assist your own Reflections and Inquiries but as they may be liable to misconstruction and Misrepresentation, they must be in Confidence between you and me. I am much pleased with the Lecture, and esteem the Talents and Character of the Professor: indeed I wish you to consider whatever I may write...
35John Adams to Charles Adams, 30 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have received with great Pleasure your kind Letter of 28 th. I think M r Sands’s Plan for the Education of his Nephew is judicious. But I Should not advise him to Send him to Europe, So very early. If he remains in America two or three Years, undergoes his Examination and is admitted to the Bar it will be early enough to go to Europe. By your Representation M r Joshua Sands has been your...
36John Adams to Charles Adams, 13 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 9 th , gave me great Pleasure as it discovers a curiosity that is laudable and contains a very handsome Relation of political Events and Movements in New York of great Importance to that State and very interesting to the United States. The Writings which have excited your inquisitive disposition, were of Some importance in their day as they had Some Influence on the public...
37II. John Adams to Charles Adams, 9 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received this Morning your valuable Letter of the 6 th and am much pleased with your Observations as well as with your Researches. but I wish you would examine the Passage in Polybius in Greek. It is the highest Satisfaction to me to perceive that you have so just a sense of the Importance of the Beleif of a Deity and his Providence and moral Government to the Happiness of Nations as well as...
38IV. John Adams to Charles Adams, 13 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
By the first Article of the Treaty of Commerce between the United States and France it is Stipulated that There Shall be a firm, inviolable, and universal Peace, and a true and Sincere Friendship between the most Christian King, his Heirs and Successors, and the United States of America; and the Subjects of the most Christian King and of the Said States; and between the Countries, Islands,...
39John Adams to Charles Adams, 16 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
This morning I received your favour of the 13 th. and wonder not that your honest heart is disgusted at the Iniquities always practiced at the New York Elections, where I Suppose Lord Nugents Maxim is adopted, that “ all Things are lawful at Elections. ” This moral Aphorism he once alledged as an Apology for having once at an Election at Bristol, when his Lordship and Alderman Beckford were...
40VI. John Adams to Charles Adams, 24 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
As the genuine Equality of human Nature is the true Principle of all our Rights and Duties to one another: and the false Notions of Equality the source of much folly and Wickedness: and the undefined and indeterminate Ideas of it, the Cause of much Nonsense and confusion, it is of great Importance to assertain, what it does mean, and what it does not mean. It really means little more than that...
41John Adams to Charles Adams, 7 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
I was So happy in the News of the agreable Circumstances of your Sister and her Infant, and of the Safe Arrival of your Brothers at the Hague and Amsterdam, that the melancholly Account in your Letter of the 5 th came upon me by Surprize and afflicted me very much. The detestable Cause of your sisters Misfortune the Infidelity or Negligence of the Apothecary, is alarming to every Body. The...
42John Adams to Charles Adams, 13 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
So great a Part of my Life has been and Still continues to be Spent in travelling that I seldom trouble my Friends in Conversation or by Letter with the Inconveniences or Adventures I meet upon the Road: otherwise I might give you a Romantic History of my Journey from N. York. The Roads were bad enough and the Company but Speak well of the Bridge that bears you well over— They behaved civilly...
43John Adams to Charles Adams, 2 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
This morning I rec d your agreable Letter of the 30. Ult.—I wish you would explain to me what you mean, by “most of them finding their Purses lightened by their Connections[”] with (blank). Have they lent him Money? The Letter you mention was written in a careless haste intended for no Eye but yours and I fear not fit for any but a partial one— but if you think it will do any good, you may...
44John Adams to Charles Adams, 5 June 1793 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your, agreable Letter of the 29. Ult. Your Brother is destined to be celebrated and consequently envyed and abused. He has great Talents, and equal Industry. Publicola has passed through Several Editions in Ireland and Scotland as well as England, and I am well informed that the Speaker of the House of Commons, M r Pitt and Several other Characters high in office besides the...
45John Adams to Charles Adams, 14 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
Our amiable Professor, in the 5 th Page, informs us that “The free Commonwealth of the United States, which in all its ties, relations and dependencies, is animated with the pure Spirit of popular Representation, offers the highest Rewards to a Successfull cultivation of the Law, and the Utmost Encouragement to Genius.”— I Scarcely have the Courage, my dear son, to write even to you, my...
46John Adams to Charles Adams, 4 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Although I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the Second, and the News and Observations in it; I am dissappointed in not receiving you as I expected, instead of a Letter. I thought it was Sufficiently explained and understood between Us, that you were to be at Philadelphia on the first monday in December. But as it now appears otherwise I desire you to loose no time in coming on;...
47John Adams to Charles Adams, 24 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have yours of the 22 d. M r Van Persyn I shall be glad to see whenever it Suits his convenience to come to Philadelphia. I can Say little of favourable Symptoms. The Waggon is fast in the Mire, up to the Axletree and unable to move forwards or backwards. Whether the People will draw us out or not, and Whether We shall advance or retreat I know not. The Passengers are unable to help...
48John Adams to Charles Adams, 20 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Tryals of Muir, Margorot and Gerald, will afford you Entertainment and Information. as Nothing lays open the Spirit and Temper of the Times, better than the Criminal Proceedings in the Courts of Justice: I thought I could not send you a more acceptable Present. The great Question whether a Part of the People may So far assume the Powers of Government, already delegated by the...
49John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have not answered your favour of 31. of Jan. nor that which announced the Arrival of your Brother and Sister. was repeated by Cornelius De Wit on The Rack and in torture; as you may See in Cerisiers Tableau. I know not whether the Rack is to be borne or not; but I know, the most disgusting, Sickening, disheartening grieving, provoking, irritating Feeling of the soul, is excited, by the...
50John Adams to Charles Adams, 31 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
If C. as you Say in yours of the 29 th. must provide for his Family, I Suppose it will be easy for him to do it: because being not only a Republican but a Democrat by Profession, no doubt he is possessed of the most essential Ingredient in that Character, which is a Love of Poverty and equality. Two Acres of Land is more than an Equality, and as much as Cincinnatus owned, who was an...