I have for some time past had it in contemplation to take my pen & devote its impressions to your service, but that noted thief, Procrastination must answer for my negligence, & supply an excuse where I have not the hardiness to offer one. It often happens that the best friendships have the fewest documents to prove their existence; as a well-kindled fire, such an one as now warms your...
2Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 26 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I hasten within two hours after the receipt of your Letter, which came to my hands while at my Father’s lodgings, to commerce an Answer—tho’ I must frankly own, without the smallest idea of the arrangement of the matter which crouds itself upon my mind in the perusal of your favor— I wish to communicate my whole soul to a friend, of all others, most deserving of the confidence— But how I shall...
3Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 19 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter to you was of such a nature, that I can easily persuade myself no matter arose out of it sufficient to furnish an answer. the subject was personally interesting to me alone, and as such, it deserved only to be dwelt on by me. I am manifestly also in your debt for your agreeable favor of the 18 th Jan y: . You ask me to “let you know the State of Politic’s at the fountain head.”...
4Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 23 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
The kind of silence which we have observed toward each other since I left Massachusetts, is not at all congenial with my feelings or disposition. You had just embarked in a cause in which I feel myself particularly interested; to know the success of the enterprize thus far would give me much satisfaction; the object of this letter is in some measure to draw from the source of information a...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 30 January 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge your favor of the 13 th: ult o: . The principal subject in which you dwelt; viz: the intention to destroy the main pillar of our political edifice, has since undergone a very serious discussion; and you have doubtless listened with peculiar interest to the spirited debates, which the motion of M r: Brackenridge has produced in the Senate of the United States. The...
6Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 15 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last to you, I have received your favors of the 29 th: ult° : and 4 th: curr t: —the latter enclosing letters for the Judges of the Sup: Court, four of which, I immediately caused to be delivered, to the judges present. My Mother’s suggestion was better than mine, and I am glad you observed it. The same Gentleman who procured, or was at least greatly instrumental in...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 8 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
A favorable occasion presents itself of dropping you a few lines by a vessel for Georgtown. It is the first direct opportunity that has offered since I have been in this Country. Indeed since the Conquest of it, by the french, external intercourse has been till very lately, altogether interrupted. You may easily conjecture that our residence here has not abounded with scenes of pleasure or...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 14 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 26 th: ult o: was delivered to me by my Mother on my arrival, the 12 th: inst t: at this place. I thank you very much for it, and your friendly congratulations upon my safe return. I had before the receipt of your letter, learnt from M r: & M rs: Johnson that yourself & family were well, and I doubted not but a short time would bring me a confirmation of it from your own...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 24 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 19 th: inst t: is before me, with the enclosure for Judge Cushing, which I shall forward with my next letters to Quincy, with request to have it sent on. The terms & expressions of your application, strike me as perfectly apt & proper. Judge Cushing, was taken ill on his journey to Philadelphia, and returned home, but the Court met & dispatched business as usual. I waited on...
10Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 4 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
Either write upon larger paper, or give an outside cover to your letters, for in the act of opening yours which I have just rec d: I took away with the wafer much of the connection of several sentences; and being interested in every word I felt rather out of humor; However I collected sufficient from the whole cloth to make quite a decent garment. The only circumstance to be regretted is, that...
11Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 4 September 1791 (Adams Papers)
Influenced by the same principle as when I last wrote, viz. That of discharging a debt before it has accumulated much on the score of interest, I have determined to come to a settlement to the date hereof. You must not however expect the same degree of pure metal as that which produced the obligation; but make many grains of allowance for barrenness of Mint. Even should you be paid in Script...
12Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 15 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 11 th: inst t: which has this moment come to hand, found me with pen in hand; on the very threshold of writing to you, for the purpose of offering you my very sincere & hearty congratulations upon the success of your Competitor M r: Caldwell, who has obtained the appointment of Clerk to the Supreme Court of the U. S.— This exordium may appear singular to you, the more so,...
13Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 15 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your last favor was handed me by M r C Hall on the road between Philadelphia and New York— It gave me pleasure to receive it, particularly as it was delivered by a Gentleman for whom I have the highest esteem, and who from the satisfaction that was visible in his countenance, discovered the pleasure he must have received in his visit, and the still greater gratification of your acquaintance. I...
14Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 15 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have scarcely heard of you since my return excepting once through M r: Johnson, and as I had nothing interesting to communicate, I have deferred it till now, when an occasion seems to authorise it. On the removal of the Seat of Government to the City, the Office of Clerk of the Sup: Court of U. S. will most probably become vacant, as the present incumbent, M r: Sam: Bayard, has since his...
15Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 28 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
This day week I put a letter into the Post Office for you under cover to my Brother JQA . and this morning I have receiv’d your many dated letter, the last is the 16 th: . I complained in my other letter of our long silence, and am happy our thoughts should so well unite in breaking the charm. I should not have undertaken so suddenly to answer your letter, but for this circumstance. The last...
16Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 20 July 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have only two or three minutes at present to devote to the purpose of answering a long & agreeable letter I received from you before my departure from Philadelphia— I had anticipated with pleasure an expected interview at Cambridge, & feel no small mortification in the disappointment. After passing a very happy week in the company of my friends & former associates I am upon the point of...
17Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 4 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Minister of the French Republic has litterally pursued the Instructions of his Masters, the Executive Council of France; but the Members of that Council who gave the instructions are at present in disgrace; hence a question arises; whether when a source from whence power is derived, becomes, & is declared to be corrupt, any authority flowing from thence, be sufficiently valid to justify...
18Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 25 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received with much pleasure a few days ago, your favor of the 15 th: instant and shall not be inattentive to those parts of its contents which relate to the subject of your application for the clerkship of the Supreme Court of the U.S. and will be careful to give you seasonable notice whether your personal attendance here in February would be likely to conduce to the success of your plan....
19Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 25 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
This day I had the pleasure to receive by our Friend M r White your obliging favor of the 12 th: inst; your other favors by private hands have also reached me; you have the luck of discovering private opportunities of Conveyance, while I am obliged to omit writing or send my letters Pr Post— I insist that when I send you a letter for which you are taxed with postage in return your next letter...
20Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 23 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have somewhere heard an observation of this kind, “that a person should not be too anxious to return a kindness.” Had I strictly adhered to this injunction, an Answer to your last favor would not so soon have followed; but as you expect shortly to be at Braintree in person, I must either remain in your Debt, or take this opportunity to discharge the obligation. I am happy to find that the...