Two Days ago, I was favoured with your polite and elegant Letter of January 22. I have received so many of your Letters, within a few Months, containing such important Matter, in So masterly a style, that I am ashamed to confess I have answered but one of them, and that only with a few Lines. I beg you would not impute this omission to Inattention, Negligence, or Want of Regard, but to its...
2From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 6 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of a Letter from you, a few days before I Sailed from Boston, which I have never been able to answer. I think I find more to do here; more Difficulty to do right and at the Same Time give Satisfaction, than I did, you know where. We Suffer here extreamly for Want of Intelligence from America, as We did there, and as I fear you do still for Want of it from Europe. We have...
3From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 10 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am indebted to you, for more Letters than I can repay at present. But declaring myself a Bankrupt, You must except of a few shillings in the Pound. Indeed I suspect the Debt is greater than I know of. I saw in the Courier de L’Europe, Part of a Letter from you to Dr. Dubourg, which was intercepted, in which you refer him to me for a long Letter you wrote me upon our military affairs &c. But...
4From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of yours of August 19, by the last Post, and thank you for your kind Congratulations on my Return. You judge right, when you Suppose, that I cannot be idle, but my Industry will probably be directed, in a different manner, in future. My Principles are not in Fashion. I may be more usefull here, as you observe, than in the Cabinet of Louis the 16. But let me tell you, that...
5From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 November 1779 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of Octr. 12 and 19 are before me. I should not have left the first Seven days unanswered, if had not been for my new Trade of a Constitution monger. I inclose a Pamphlet as my Apology. It is only a Report of a Committee, and will be greatly altered no doubt. If the Committee had boldly made the Legislature consist of three Branches, I should have been better pleased. But I cannot...
6From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 1 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday, received your Favour of the 28 of April, the first Since my Arrival by Dr. John Foulke. This young Gentleman shall have every assistance in my power to procure him in the Prosecution of his Studies. When, or whether ever I Shall enter on the Business of my Mission, So as to restore Peace, Time only can discover. England is more disposed to a War with one another at home, and a War...
7From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 20 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 13 July I have received. Your Account of the Resurrection of the Spirit of 65 and 6, is very refreshing. The Ladies having undertaken, to support American Independance settles the Point. Surely no Gentleman will ever dispute it against So many of the fair. The ill bred Fellows at St. James’s will continue to quarrell about it, but We knew long ago that they have no manners. If Mrs....
8From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
Mr Peter Paulus, is seized with an enthusiasm to go to Philadelphia, with his Journeymen. I Should be much obliged to you, for any Advice or Civility you may Show him. The Batavian Spirit is at last arroused, and has uttered its Voice, with Majesty, for the Souvereignty of the United States of America. The 19 of April, was the memorable day, when their High Mightinesses took, the Resolution....
9From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Accept of my thanks for your favor of 28 th. Sept r. — The Analogy of Religion & of Manners are undoubtedly not less advantages in the Connection with Holland, than those of Commerce and Republicanism. The Influence of the Stadtholder & his Court, the Intrigues of the English; the Weight of a numerous, wealthy & powerful English Party; the secret and open Negotiations of Neutral Powers, were...
10From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 14 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
Give me Leave to introduce to Your Acquaintance and Friendship, M r Thaxter, who goes home with the definitive Treaty. This Treaty which is but a Repetition of the Provisional Articles was all We could obtain, a poor Compensation for nine Months Negotiation; but I assure you We were very glad to get the Hand put to this. I was in hopes to have Soon Seen you in Philadelphia, but Congress have...
11From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
The Letter that accompanies this, is from a Character so respectable, that I beg leave to recommend it to your particular Attention. The Correspondent will be found worthy of you.— I have taken Leave, and shall embark, as soon as the Equinoxial and its roughest Blusters are past. The Emperors Declaration of War announces louder Storms in Europe: but I hope to escape them all in a peaceful...
12From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 December 1788 (Adams Papers)
A multiplicity of avocations have prevented me, from answering your friendly Letter of the 2 d of July, till I am almost ashamed to answer it, at all. Your Congratulations on my Arrival and kind Reception are very agreable because I know them to be Sincere. your Compliments upon my poor Volumes are consolatory, because they give me grounds to hope that they may have done Some good. it is an...
13From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 22 d Ult I rec d. last night.— I remember so much of the transactions, at the formation of the Pensilvania Constitution, that I wish you could save time enough from almost any other pursuit, to arrange your materials for an History of the Revolution in Pensilvania, to be published hereafter; at present perhaps it might not be prudent. The four respectable characters,...
14From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 17 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 19 of March deserves a particular consideration and answer, which I have not, till now, been able, from a multitude of avocations some frivolous yet indispensable, others of more consequence, to give it. The Influence which you Suppose I may have as President of the Senate, will be found to be very little, if any at all. you Say the Eastern States must not be Suspected: but...
15From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 9 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
No! You and I will not cease to discuss political questions: but We will agree to disagree , whenever We please, or rather whenever either of Us thinks he has reason for it.— I really know not what you mean by apeing the Corruptions of the British Court. I wish Congress had been called to meet at Philadelphia: but as it is now here, I can conceive of no way to get it transported thither,...
16From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your Single Principle, in your Letter of the 15 th must fail you.— You say “that Republican Systems have never had a fair Tryal.”— What do you mean by a fair Tryal? and what by Republican systems.— Every Government that has more than one Man in its soverignty is a republican system. Tryals innumerable have been made. as many as there have existed Nations. There is not and never was, I believe,...
17From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 5 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
Without waiting for an Answer to my last, I will take a little more notice of a Sentiment in one your Letters. You Say you “abhor all Titles.” I will take the familiar freedom of Friendship to say I dont believe you.— Let me explain my self.— I doubt not your Varacity. but I believe you deceive yourself, and have not yet examined your own heart, and recollected the feelings of every day and...
18From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 15 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have read D r Rush, de moribus Germanorum, with pleasure. As I am a great lover of paradoxes, when defended with ingenuity, I have read also the Phillippic against Latin and Greek, with some amusement: but my reverence for those Languages and the inestimable treasures hoarded up in them is not abated. Jean Jaques Roussseau’s phillippic against the arts and sciences amused informed and...
19From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 24 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have persecuted you, too much with my Letters.— I beg you would give yourself no trouble to answer them, but when you are quite at Leisure, from more important Business or more agreable Amusement. I deny; that there is or ever was in Europe a more free Republic than England, or that any Liberty on Earth ever equalled English Liberty, notwithstanding the defects in their Constitution. The...
20From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
“The Characters, I So much admire among the ancients,” were not “formed wholly by Republican forms of Government”— I admire, Phillip and Alexander, as much as I do Themistocles and Pericles, nay as much as Demosthenes— I admire Pisistratus, almost as much as solon: and think that the Arts, Elegance, Literature and Science of Athens, was his Work and that of his sons, more than of any or all...
21From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
I cannot give up my dear Latin and Greek although Fortune has never permitted me to enjoy so much of them as I wished.— I dont love you the less however for your Indifference or even Opposition to them. Pray do you carry your Theory so far as to wish to exclude French Italian, Spanish and Tudesque?— I begun to fear that your multiplied phisical and other Engagements had made You forget me— But...
22From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, [17] February 1790 (Adams Papers)
I had heard, before I rec d your Letter of the 12 th , of your new Engagements in the Colledge added to your extensive Practice and other virtuous Pursuits: and therefore was at no loss to account for your long Silence. I have no Pretensions to the Merit of your manly and successful opposition to the Constitution of Pensilvania: but I am very willing to be responsible for. any Consequences of...
23From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
The Tories as you observe in your friendly Letter of 24 Feb. are more attached to each other; they are also, We must candidly confess, more of real Politicians.— They make to themselves more merit with the People, for the smallest services, than the Whigs are able to do for the greatest. The Arts, the Trumpetts the Puffs, are their old Instruments and they know how to employ them. The History...
24From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of April 13, soars above the visible diurnal Sphære.— I own to you that avarice Ambition the Love of Fame &c are all mysterious Passions. They are the greatest Absurdities, Delusions and Follies that can be imagined, if in this Life only We had hope. In the Boat on our Return from Point no Point, the principal Topick of Conversation was Independence. — an intercepted Letter early...
25From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 6 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
It seemeth unto me that you and I ought not to die without saying good-bye or bidding each other Adieu. Pray how do you do? How does that excellent Lady Mrs: Rush; How are the young ladies? Where is my Surgeon & Lieut? How fares the lawyer? Two learned & famous Physicians, Sydenham & Rush have taught us, that the plague & the yellow fever, and all other epidemic diseases when they prevail in a...
26From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received your friendly letter of the 19th. and rejoice with you Sincerely in the Wellfare of your Family. I wish you had named the Captain in the British Army who has been So fortunate as to marry your Second daughter; Many of those officers are worthy Men, and you are much in the Wrong to deplore her as lost to you,—for life. Neither Upper Canada nor England are so far off,...
27From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 11 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
I am highly gratified, to possess So authentic an Account of the Several rising branches of your numerous and amiable Family, in whose Welfare I feel So much Interest, that I ask your Permission to add my Benediction to yours. It is to me highly probable that those who have been carried Captive into the British Dominions, will Succeed as Well in Life, as those who may be destined to enjoy all...
28From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 7 July 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter, my dear Friend, of the 29th. of June, Suggets enough of Serious reflections, to compose a longer reply, than I am, at present disposed to write, or than you could read with any Satisfaction. John Ross, and I think, some others, whom you have not mentioned were in the Boat with us from Point no Point. I wish to ascertain, if I could the Month and Day as well as the names of the...
29From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 August 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14th gives an exact Analysis of Pennsylvania and its Parties: and from it, a probability results, that the Old Constitution will be revived. But, for what reason do you call it Dr. Franklins? I always understood it to be the Work of Cannon, Matlack, Young and Paine, and that Franklin, though President of the Convention, had no greater hand in its fabrick than the painted head...
30From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 30 September 1805 (Adams Papers)
Although it is a gratification to my feelings to write to you and a much greater pleasure to receive a Letter from you: Yet I have no desire to give you any trouble, or the least Anxiety on my Account when your Answer is delayed. I know your Avocations and respect them. No Apology is ever necessary, for any pause in our Correspondence. The Journals of Congress afford little light, in...