31From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
Your letter closing the last and commencing the present year, has been several days in my hands, and has hitherto remained without reply, from a variety of causes; but the want of time has been the principal one. Business is thickening upon us very fast, and notwithstanding your injunction to me at the time when I was getting into the Carriage to come here, I have not been able to keep myself...
32John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 August 1803 (Adams Papers)
You will be so anxious to hear the state of your mother’s health that I cannot forbear writing you a line— Since I wrote you last no material change has taken place— The danger has not apparently increased, neither can we flatter ourselves that it has diminished— Her pain is not so severe as it was, and she has now little fever; but her weakness is the most formidable symptom— She has little...
33John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 March 1804 (Adams Papers)
An attempt was made this morning to postpone the adjournment for two days—from the 26 th: (Monday next) to Wednesday the 28 th: — The motion however was rejected.— Next came a motion to meet tomorrow. yeas 3. nays about 20.— The motion to protract, will probably be renewed on Monday; but I believe without success. A bill has pass’d the Senate, the object of which is to abandon the further...
34John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 October 1802 (Adams Papers)
The apt and excellent quotation from Horace’s epistles, in your letter of 26 th: ult o: made me turn over all the editions and translations of the old poet, that came within my reach, to find the context— When once a man takes up Horace, it is not easy to lay him down again— So in turning over the leaves, I stumbled by the strangest accident imaginable upon the fourth Ode of the second book—...
35John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 October 1802 (Adams Papers)
I received last evening your favour of the 21 st: inst t: and now enclose you a set of three bills at sixty days sight, drawn on Mess rs: Bird, Savage and Bird, London, for one thousand pounds Sterling— With them I send a letter of advice, unsealed; at the bottom of which you may add that you have endorsed over the bills, when you shall have sold them. Then seal it up, and be careful to send...
36From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 19th: of last Month, has been several days in my hands.—I have enclosed you the two sheets which were wanting to complete your files of the Journals of the House, but I cannot find a spare copy of the first sheet of the Senate’s Journals—I send most of the public documents to Shaw, because he wants them more than you, and because you will always have the first perusal of...
37John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 October 1803 (Adams Papers)
We have been detained here since Sunday the 9 th: inst t: by the severe illness of my wife— We think however to go on this day, as far as Elizabeth-town, and to proceed by easy Stages to-morrow as far as Princeton, and the next day, (God willing) to Frankfort, where we hope to find you— If you can procure for us in that place, or on the other side of the City, towards Baltimore, convenient...
38From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 2d. instt: enclosing a copy of the judiciary Bill which was before you for consideration came to hand some days since—As your legislative occupations employ you only three hours a day, I can readily conceive that you can find little time for private correspondence; for as an Antient Orator was wont to say that he had not time to make his speech short, so I have often found...
39From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I have sent you under another cover, a copy of the President’s Message, with the documents, and the Journals of both Houses—We have hitherto done nothing, and this week being destined to horse-racing, will of course be passed in doing more nothing. This morning came a Message, with nominations for appointments; consisting only of those which have been made during the recess—The only one...
40From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
Under another cover, I enclose to you the documents laid on our table this morning— I have not yet had a line from you; but received a letter a few days since from your father, and one since from Shaw—The issue of your elections for the electoral Ticket, appears to be ascertained—and shows that the federalists will be relieved from the embarrassment of fixing upon their Candidate—It is...
41From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
On new year’s day I received your very agreeable Letter of Decr: 21st: which I should have answered immediately; but it was not sitting day; and I find no time for my correspondence but while we are in Session—The reason of which is that having become a Jack of so many trades, I employ all the time I have to spare at home , in preparing for my bussiness at Cambridge next Spring—I have...
42John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 December 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have had your favour of the 30 th: ult o: several days; and have taken time to deliberate upon its contents— And first as to the chemical apparatus—If you have not already procured one, we shall spare you any further trouble about it, as we have succeeded in obtaining a large one here, which will quite supersede the want of D r: Woodhouse’s oeconomical preparations— If however you have...
43From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to my mother from Providence & New-York, giving her an Account of our progress thus far; but the moment one sets one’s foot into Philadelphia, the Squire becomes such a standing topic of enquiry from all quarters, that it never fails to remind me of the duty of remembrance to him. We left New-York in the Diligence Stage on Monday Morning, and arrived here the next day just at...
44From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days since your favour of the 28th. ulto: with the very interesting account of Selfridge’s trial—A subject upon which there has been much curiosity here; though we had heard nothing of the trial except the short paragraphs in the newspapers.—It has confirmed me in an opinion which I have long since entertained, that for our real security, in the protection of person, property,...
45John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
I have now received the Port-Folio, to number 48 inclusive; excepting N: 47 which yet remains in arrear— They have come to me lately, two and three at a time; but other subscribers have not been so well served— At Quincy N: 48 has been received but six or seven numbers immediately preceding it are missing— This procedure must be corrected The ode to Xanthias Phoceus, has produced some...
46From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 6 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you, I believe for two letters; but there is so much in the last, of what parson Gardner in one of his Sermons said was called in the barbarous jargon of modern times quizzing , that I hardly know how to answer it at-all—For the use or abuse of my name in the newspapers, whether from friend or foe, in good or in evil I hope I shall not be held accountable—Neither do I suppose...
47John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you together with the last sheet of the Journals of the House of Representatives, a Report from the Secretary of the Treasury, shewing the receipts and expenditures, upon the Seamen’s fund— You will see from this how much is collected in New-England, and how much expended elsewhere— Look particularly at the port of Norfolk. The Louisiana Government bill goes on prospering and to...
48John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here in three days from New-York, last Monday Evening, the 21 st: inst t: — I found my father in good health and spirits— My mother has been very unwell, but I am happy to tell you is upon the recovery. Whitcomb got here two days ago, and brought me, your facetious letter of the 18 th: —with the Port-Folio, for which I give you my thanks— But it is still incomplete for the prospectus...
49John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
Since my last letter to you, I have not had the pleasure of receiving a line from you— I have it not yet in my power to unpack my books, and consequently not to take out and send you those belonging to you. But I have sent you a set of the Massachusetts Laws, and a copy of the translation from Bulow, by the Sylvia, Captain Seth Daggett, who has already sailed, and will probably reach...
50John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have duly received your letter enclosing the 8 per Cents, and the bank bill, for which I am to give you my best thanks. I arrived here safely after a fatiguing journey of thirty hours from Philadelphia, and had the happiness to find my wife and child in very good health— Louisa looks better than she has for years before, and I flatter my self with the hope that she will find this climate...
51From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 4th: instt: came to hand two days ago—But I have no information of a public nature to communicate, which may render it worth your while to peruse an answer—We are all very full of sound and fury against the foreign Nations from whom we have received such violent outrages; but having two of them upon our hands at once, we shall be very cautious about engaging in the contest...