11From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 23 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have received your two letters of last Week, with a dozen copies of my letter to Mr: Otis—And Mr: Gardiner’s fast Sermon—But the copies which you mention as forwarding with your’s of the 15th: instt: have not come to hand. I thank you most cordially for the promptitude with which you executed the charge of publication—I find the federal newspapers in Boston, which began with a system of...
12From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
My wife received a few days since a letter from you, and I had the happiness of receiving one also from you, yesterday or the day before—In the former there seems to be an intimation that on our part, we had not been so punctual in our correspondence with you, as our duty and affection justly requires—My wife had written you not long before—As for myself I have not indeed written you so often...
13From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 31 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I will thank you to give the enclosed manuscript to Oliver and Munro, to be published immediately —If they do not chuse to print it you may get any other printer to do it whom you please—It is not meant for electioneering, but for self-defence; and to give the public my views of public affairs—The printers will give perhaps a few copies, for the manuscript—I want only half a dozen—One of which...
14From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind attention to my affairs, as detailed in your last Letter which I have received within these two days— I confide entirely in your judgment and discretion, and shall approve of any arrangements you shall make for the present disposal of my farm— R. Dexter holds or held a note from me of a little more than three hundred dollars—I left a request with Shaw to pay it as...
15From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 25 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 5th: instt: never came to my hands untill yesterday—I have long noticed the characters of the factions which were excited among all the antient nations, in their relations with the Romans—It has been particularly remarked by Montesquieu, and its application to our own Affairs is no new thing in my mind—Modern History is full of the same phenomenon—The English and French...
16From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I begin by congratulating you upon the birth of your daughter Elizabeth, of which I had never heard, untill I received your letter of 19th: ulto: although we had been three or four weeks in daily expectation of receiving the news, and as this is intelligence of peculiar interest to the Ladies, there was scarcely a day pass’d, but upon my return home, my wife’s enquiries were, of advices from...
17From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 7 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I will thank you to pay to my father, for me, on or before the 22d: of this month eleven hundred and seventy two dollars and forty-nine cents—being $1081.27. for part principal of a debt due from me to him and $91.22. for a quarter’s interest on the same debt—As you have probably not funds sufficient in your hands to make this payment I enclose you an order to receive the money due to me at...
18From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your affectionate letter of the 15th:— and do not a moment delay to answer your question— I did attend the meeting of members at the Capitol on the 23d: of last Month— but not without invitation— I received the same invitation, which was given to the other members— And besides that I was also personally urged to attend, by another member of the Senate— I did not attend...
19From John Quincy Adams to William Smith Shaw, 18 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you some time since and enclosed an order on the Branch Bank at Boston, to be placed to my credit; since which I have not heard from you. I have now only time to request you to pay to my father two hundred and ninety dollars, on my account—being $250. Divd: on ten Shares in N. E. Mc Insurance Company & $40. for do: on ten Shares in Boston Bank.—I expect in a few days to give you an...
20From 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...