281From John Adams to James Searle, 20 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I condole with you most affectionately and cordially in your fresh disappointment. It is to be hoped the Tide will turn. I have recd, Letters for You from Govr Reed, with a desire to open them in case of your being gone. You were gone, and I opened them and read them, with infinite Pleasure. They contain the best Account of American affairs that I have seen. The substance of them, is Advising...
282From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 25 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Hague, Sept. 6, 1782—Wrote to Mr. Secretary Livingston, “In your letter of the 5th of March, you ask, whether this power has entered into any treaty with France since the war, and whether any such thing is in contemplation? They have made no treaty, but a convention concerning recaptures, which you must have seen in the papers. The East India Company have concerted operations with France...
283From John Adams to James Breckenridge, 17 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
A Copy of your unanimous Resolution of the 31. of May, together with an Address signed by your Chairman by your Order has been presented to me, by your Representative in Congress Mr Evans. The Confidence of the People of Virginia or any such respectable portion of them, is peculiarly agreable to me: and the more So because, I am conscious that more than twenty Years ago, in Circumstances, very...
284[July 7. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
July 7. 1778. Dined at St. Lu, with the Farmer General De Chaillut. The aged Marshall Duke Richelieu, and many others Marquisses, Counts and Abbys were there.
285From John Adams to James McHenry, 16 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Letters from Colo. Rice, Lt. Soper, and from General Knox and Mr. HG Otis—which I pray you to file with all other applications of Similar natures. Mr. Henry Sargent appears a very respectable Man— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
286[1765–1767] (Adams Papers)
On the 14 day of July of this Year 1765, Mrs. Adams presented me with a Daughter and in her confinement in her Chamber, I was much alone in the Parlour below my Office of Evenings and Mornings. The Uneasy State of the public Mind, and my own gloomy Apprehensions, turned my Thoughts to writing. Without any particular Subject to write on, my Mind turned I know not how into a Speculation or...
287From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 20 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Letter which I beg you to return to me, as Soon as you think fit. It is an Answer to one in which I requested him J. Q. to Send me a Manilius if he could find one to be Sold in St. Petersburg. Is not the Ratio of Manilius the Same with the Logos of Plato? and the Progress of the human Mind in Condorcet? Pray have you read Condorcets “Outlines of an historical View of the Progress...
2881778. 14. Feb. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A very fine Morning, the Wind at Northwest. At Daybreak orders were given for the Ship to unmoor. My Lodging was a Cott, with a double Mattress, a good Bolster, my own Sheets, and Blanketts enough. My little Son, with me—We lay very comfortably, and slept well. A violent Gale of Wind in the Night.
289John Adams to [Franklin and Arthur Lee], 5 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Harvard University Library Mr. Adams has recd. from the Count De Vergennes a Letter containing Information that his Majesty will see Mr. A. on Fryday, and an Invitation from the Count to Messrs. Franklin Lee and Adams to dine with him on that Day. The Letter is addressed to Messrs Franklin Lee and Adams. Notation: 5 May 78 Elicited by Vergennes’ note to the commissioners the day before....
Woods. Inst. 675, middle. “The Confession of the Defendant to private Persons, or to a Magistrate, out of Court, is allowed to be given in Evidence against the Party confessing; but this Confession cannot be made use of against any other. But where a Man’s Confession is made use of against him, it ought to be taken alltogether, and with that part which makes for him as well as with that which...
291From John Adams to Thomas Barr, 3 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have received “the Constitution of the Kentucky Society for promoting Agriculture” with your certificate of my Election as an honorary member.—As I have never heard of any measure for the promotion of that great object in this, or in any other country without pleasure; this Institution is so delicious a climate, & in a soil so exuberantly fertile, could not fail to be a peculiar...
292John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
Your two last Letters had very different Effects. The long one gave me vast Satisfaction. It was full of usefull Information, and of excellent Sentiments. The other relating to the ill Usage you have received from Hayden gave me great Pain and the utmost Indignation. Your generous Solicitude for our unfortunate Friends from Boston, is very amiable and commendable, and you may depend upon my...
293From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 11 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged by your favour of the 9th. just received. Though I called the Subject of my former letter, a Bagatelle, it is perhaps of Some Importance; for as a Navy is now an Object, I think a circumstantial History of Naval Operations in this Country ought to be written, even as far back as the Province Ship under Capt. Hollowell &c and perhaps earlier Still. Looking into the Journal of...
294From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 23 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed is a Letter from Jesser Lewis which I recommend to your Consideration. General Marshall can probably give you more Information than the Letter contains or is known to your affectionate sert DNA : RG 45--Naval Records Collection.
295From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 15 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am afraid you will be offended at my freedom; but you are, in your hand writing, at Such an immense distance behind your two Brothers that I cannot abstain from urging you to force your Attention to that elegant usefull and indispensible Accomplishment. In order to diminish that ardor and abate that hurry which will inevitably force you into a Slovenly habit; accustom yourself to a critical...
296From John Adams to United States Senate, 11 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Obadiah Trimmier of South Carolina to be a Commissioner of Valuations in the third Division of that state in the place of Robert Anderson resigned. Julius Nicholls Junior of South Carolina to be Inspector of survey Number three in that state, in the place of Eugene Brenen, whose Commission will expire at the End of the present session of the Senate DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S....
297From John Adams to United States Senate, 20 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I nominate the following List of Officers in the Army Cavalry. Lieutenant James V. Ball Captain—vice Van Rensselaer.. appointed Major First Regiment of Artillerists & Engineers Major.. Henry Burbeck,,, Lieut. Col. Commdt. vice Rochefontaine dismissed 7. May 1798 Captain Mahton Ford Major vice Burbeck promoted... 7. Ma..1798 Lieutenant Piercy S. Pope Captain vice McRee resigned... 24 April..—...
298John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment rec d your favour of 25. April.— If you want more Money before June borrow it of the General whom I will repay when I return. The freight of the furniture was in Mass. L. M.— The Farm goes on admirably well— I am well Satisfied with all you do. The Weather is terribly hot and dry for the season. Yet the Country looks charmingly. I hope to be at home by the first of June....
299From John Adams to William Macpherson, 18 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
This Dedication of yourselves, in the Presence of God and the World, to defend, against the Attacks of Arrogance, Injustice and lawless ambition, that happy System of Government which you have inherited from your Fathers cemented by the best blood of America and sanctioned by your own approbation, is very Solemn and affecting. It has, I presume been well weighted deliberately considered and...
300John Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 14 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind letter of the tenth of this month. Mr. G. may well be shocked at the Message. It is a thunderbolt. I cannot but feel something like an apology for him, as he was led into some of his enterprises by the imprudence of our fellow-citizens. The extravagant court paid to him by a party, was enough to turn a weak head. The enthusiasm and delirium of that party has involved...
301From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 2 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging Favour of 17 June is now before me. It contains an elegant and masterly Narration of the late Expedition against the British Men of War, in Nantaskett Road, and its happy and glorious Event. I am a little mortified however that my good Friends and Neighbours the Militia of Braintree, Weymouth and Hingham, did not execute their Part with So much Activity, as they ought. But the...
302From John Adams to United States Senate, 10 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Joseph Beale of Massachusetts to be a Lieutenant in the Navy George Washington Few of Rhode Island to be a Lieutenant in the Navy. Charles Webb of Virginia to be a Surgeon’s mate in the navy. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
303From John Adams to Henry Grand, 16 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of March 11th, which I recieved last night, is totally incomprehensible to me. My Account was to be made up for two Years Salary ending the 13th. day of last November, amounting to five thousand pounds sterling. Every farthing of Money I have recieved, including my last Receipt for 400 £ amounts to but about that Sum. I transmitted You the account between Us stated with all...
304From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 39, 8 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 8 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 433–435). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:602. In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, John Adams provided a list of forty-six British naval vessels lost for a variety of reasons...
305From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I last night received your favor of the 10th: Mr Liston’s note of the 8th was not inclosed as you intended. Mr. Barclay I know & his Exequator will be ready. Mr. Moodie I know not, nor do I know or suspect any objection to him. I thank you for the account of the tryal of Fries, which if it was attended to by as numerous a concourse of people in Philadelphia, as it would have been in some other...
306John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am desirous of conveying to you, in a manner that will not probably fail of success, and therefore have written the same Thing by many Vessells. I have ordered some Things to be shipped to you by two Opportunities. But least these should not arrive, or whether they do or not, I beg of you to draw upon me, for one hundred Pounds sterling which shall be paid at sight. Any Person who has...
307John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Senate are now in Possession of the Budget.— It is a Bone to gnaw for The Aristocrats as well as the Democrats: And while I am employed in attending the Digestion of it, I send you enclosed an Amusement which resembles it only in name. I can form no Judgment when the Proscess will be over. We must wait with Patience. I dined yesterday in the Family Way with The President— He told me that...
308From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 2 February 1807 (Adams Papers)
You make me very happy when you Say, that you agree with me upon the Subject of the Perfectibility of Man. Let every Man endeavor to amend and improve one and We Shall find ourselves in the right Road to all the Perfection We are capable of: but this rule Should by no means exclude our utmost exertions to amend and improve others, and in every Way and by all means in our Power to ameliorate...
309From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 11 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Dr Morse having undertaken to continue Trumbul’s History: wrote urgently to me to assist him. I wrote him a few Anecdotes in a few Letters which he regularly acknowledged but my Facts were so new to him and so ill calculated to promote the Sale of his projected Book, that he soon neglected to answer me. There our Correspondence ended. You attempted to “bring the Old Gentleman out.” You have...
310From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 2 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the favor of your letter of 24 June, & the copies inclosed of dispatches from Stevens & Maitland, which I suppose it is unnecessary for me to return. The necessary alterations in the proclamation will of course be made by you, with the advice of the heads of department. Harmony with the English in all this business of St. Domingo, is the thing I have most at heart. The result...