1From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 1809 (Adams Papers)
There are two Sentences in Talleyrand’s Letter of the 28th of August, 1798 which ought not to pass unnoticed, the first “In France it was Supposed that the Government of the United States, wished only the appearances of a Negotiation, whence resulted a certain demand for Pledges of good Faith” The Second is “Can it be believed that a Man who should profess a hatred or Contempt of the French...
2Asking for Prayers on the Death of a Grandchild, 1809 (Adams Papers)
John Adams with his Consort and their Family desire prayers that the death of a grandchild may be Sanctified to them. They also request your Prayers for their Children and grand Children, in remote Countries abroad and distant parts at home, that thir Lives and health may be preserved from dangers by Sea and land and in due time returned in Safety to their Country and their Friends. ICN .
3From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 1809 (Adams Papers)
You very well know, that the Publication of my Letters in Pamplets and Numbers, was a project of your own, without any previous Knowledge or Consent of mine. You had an undoubted write right to do this or to make any this Use of them or any other you pleased; because I had given them to you and to the World. But in your “Introductory Remarks by the Publishers” to the first number you have...
4From John Adams to William Cunningham, 4 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have yours of Feb. 20 and 23. The inclosed five sheets are the rough draught, which I have requested and you have promised to return. I shall burn it because I have made another Copy more correct in which I have left out the Name and much of the trumpery. In strictness, we have nothing to do with the question whether impressments of seamen are legal or illegal in England. Whatever Iniquity...
5From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
If I could dream as much Wit as you, I think I should wish to go to Sleep for the rest of my Life, retaining however one of Swifts Flappers to awake me once in 24 hours to dinner, for you know without a dinner one can neither dream nor Sleep. Your Dreams descend from Jove, according to Homer. Though I enjoy your Sleeping Wit and acknowledge your unequalled Ingenuity in your dreams, I cannot...
6From John Adams to Jedidiah Morse, 9 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Though it is “a terrible thing” for “eyes with reading almost blind” to go over between three and four hundred pages of ms. History, I have read “the General history of the United States” with more delight than it would be prudent for me to express. It is written in the pure spirit of an upright and faithful and impartial American. I see in it none of those panegyrical Romances which compose...
7From John Adams to Skelton Jones, 11 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I rec’d yesterday your favour of the Month of August 1808 and if the following answers to your Questions will be any gratification to your curiosity or any Aid to your Work, they are at your Service. 1. My Father was John Adams, the Son of Joseph Adams the Son of another Joseph Adams, the Son of Henry Adams who all lived independent New England Farmers and died and lie buried in this Town of...
8From John Adams to Daniel Wright, 13 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received your very civil Letter of the third of this Month with Emotions very similar to those which I felt, many years ago upon the following Occasion.— Returning from Holland to Paris in 177 8 4 I was invited to dine with my Wife and Daughter by the Baron De Stael, Ambassador from Sweeden, As I was the first of the Corps Diplomatic who arrived, the Ambassador was shewing me a fine...
9From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your Anecdotes are always extreamly Aprospros and none of them more So than those in your Letter of Mar 2d The King of Spain who attempted to purify the Streets of Madrid was the Father and the Grand father of the two Animals now in Napoleons Menagerie. And the only bon mot that ever I heard of him was upon that occasion. He Said “his good People of Madrid were like Babies who having dirtied...
10From John Adams to William Cunningham, 20 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favours of March 11 and 14th. In answer to the first I wish to know whether you remember General Washington’s answer to Adet the successor of Genet. It was written by the gentleman in question and by the spirit of it represented the President almost as ardent a Jacobin as himself. He had not yet been converted from his Gallicism and Jacobinism. You remember the thing “Born...