6301To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 14 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society The Day before Yesterday, Mr. Boudinot called upon me, with Dispatches from the President of Congress, his Brother. There were two Letters addressed to the “Ministers” and these I opened but found little or Nothing but Duplicates of Dispatches, receiv’d by you before I left Auteuil. There are two letters, and one large Packet addressed to you, which I...
6302From John Adams to Andrew Nichols, 23 February 1820 (Adams Papers)
I owe you many thanks for your favour of the 15th. and espicially for your address which abounds with excellent observations on a Subject in which the health and happiness of the people of America the Principles and system of our free Constitution of Government and the future fortunes of Posterity were are greatly and deeply interested— accept my by best thanks and bestwishes for your success...
63031774 Saturday. Novr. 5. (Adams Papers)
Break fasted at Austins of Suffield. Went to see a Company of Men exercising upon the Hill, under the Command of a green coated Man, lately a Regular. A Company of very likely stout men. Dined at Parsons’s of Springfield. Captn. Pynchon and another Pynchon, and Mr. Bliss, came in to see Us, and at last Coll. Worthington. Worthington behaved decently and politely. Said he was in Hopes we should...
630427 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
The Stream of Life sometimes glides smoothly on, through flowry meadows and enamell’d planes. At other times it draggs a winding reluctant Course through offensive Boggs and dismal gloomy Swamps. The same road now leads us thro’ a spacious Country fraught with evry delightful object, Then plunges us at once, into miry Sloughs, or stops our passage with craggy and inaccessible mountains. The...
6305From John Adams to Sylvanus Bourne, 30 August 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18 th of this month and have communicated that to the President, which was inclosed in it. The particular office you sollicit by that letter, will be sought by numbers: and among them probably will be men advanced in life, incumbered with large families, in necessitous circumstances, perhaps occasioned by public services, by depreciated public promises & &—...
6306November 13. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
This is the Anniversary of my quitting home. Three Years are compleated. Oh when shall I return?—Ridley dined with me. Captain Barney called in the Evening and took my dispatches. One set he is to deliver to Capt. Hill, another to Capt. and the 3d he takes himself. “According to Your request I have to inform You, that the letters intrusted to my care to go by the Ships Cicero and Buccaneir I...
6307From John Adams to James McHenry, 14 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States, requests the Secretary at War to take into his consideration the following Questions and make report of his opinion in Writing. 1. Whether the Refusal to receive Mr. Pinckney and the rude orders to quit Paris, and the Territory of the Republick, with such Circumstances of Indignity, Insult and Hostility as We have been inform’d of, are bar’s to all further...
6308From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 25 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favour of the 22nd and will begin at the end of it you must not utter a word or insinuate a hint against the character of Junius Brutus He had eyes as piercing as lightning, views as vast as the globe and benevolence as expansive as the human race. He had an exalted soul and a heart of celestial fire. He was as ready to sacrifice his own life as that of his sons And...
6309From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 5 June 1782 (Adams Papers)
Just a Line, by our venerable Friend, President Laurens, with whom your Communions will be sweet. Pray let me know if Mr Jay is coming to Paris, or come. The last Victory of Rodney, to whom Heaven grants them to shew that it dispizes them, has restored the national Delirium, in all its Effervescence. We shall have no Peace I suppose, in Consequence. War then! War? Yet I sigh for Peace as much,...
6310From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 30, 25 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
It is very difficult to discover, with Certainty the secret springs which actuate the Courts of Europe, but whatever I can find with any degree of Probability, I Shall transmit to Congress, at one Time or another. The Prince of Orange is himself of the Royal Family of England: his Mother was a Daughter of King George the Second, and this Relation is no doubt one, among the Several Motives,...
6311[Wednesday May 29. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Wednesday May 29. 1776. The Committee appointed to confer with the Generals brought in a Report which was read and considered, Resolved that the farther Consideration of the Report be postponed till tomorrow.
6312From John Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 4 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of Nov r: 19 th did not find me, till yesterday, which I regret, because I should have had an earlier opportunity to thank you for your kind Congratulations. It is indeed to me the highest Satisfaction to see my Country at Peace after so Long and so distressing a War, and much more to see her in a Situation which places her Liberties and Prosperity out of Danger— nothing which can...
6313[Marginal Note in Winthrop’s Lecture on Earthquakes.] (Adams Papers)
March 12th. 1761. Another Earthquake happened which may perhaps enable us to determine, whereabouts these Earthquakes orig inate, and what Course they take, for as all Canada is now in English hands, we may have Accounts from Montreal, Quebeck, Oswego, and the several Places upon the River St. Lawrence, at what time this Earthquake happened, its Direction and Degree of Violence. At foot of p....
6314To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 19 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Messieurs Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholas and Jacob Vanstaphorst and De la Lande and Fynje of Amsterdam, have lodged in the Hands of Messrs. Van den Yvers Bankers in Paris one Thousand Pounds Sterling for the Purpose of paying for certain Medals and Swords which Coll. Humphreys has orders to cause to be made for the United States. This is therefore to authorize and to request you to draw upon...
6315John Adams to Charles Adams, 2 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
This morning I rec d your agreable Letter of the 30. Ult.—I wish you would explain to me what you mean, by “most of them finding their Purses lightened by their Connections[”] with (blank). Have they lent him Money? The Letter you mention was written in a careless haste intended for no Eye but yours and I fear not fit for any but a partial one— but if you think it will do any good, you may...
6316John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday received your Letters by Captain Cazneau and Mr. De Neufville received his, and will accordingly send the Things you wrote for. You had better pursue this Method and write to Mr. Guardoqui at Bilboa and Mr. De Neufville here for what you want and desire them to draw upon me for the Pay. I will answer the Letters of my Friends as soon as I can, but I have so many Things upon me at...
63171777 Wednesday Sept. 24. (Adams Papers)
Fine Morning. We all went to Meeting last Evening, where Mr. Edwine gave the People a short discourse in German, and the Congregation sung and the organ playd. There were about 200 Women and as many Men. The Women sat together in one Body and the Men in another. The Women dressed all alike. The Womens Heads resembled a Garden of white Cabbage Heads.
6318Adams’ Minutes of the Argument: Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, August 1772 (Adams Papers)
In this Case the Plaintiff has alledged that her Father died seized on the Thirtyeth of the Month. But the Jury have found that he died seised on the Twenty first of the Month. 1. Inst. 293. a. “Also where a Man will sue a Writ of Right, it behoveth that he counteth of the Seisin of himself or of his ancestors, and also that the Seisin was in the same Kings Time, as he pleadeth in his Plea....
6319From John Adams to William Stephens Smith, 4 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
Washington used to say Sometimes “They work me hard” Sam. Allen Otis said a day or two before his Death “They work me two hard” And I who have not the Honor to be “ Father of my Country” nor Secretary of the Senate, might now say in my Octoginary year, that John Taylor and a dozen others, some of them greater and some of them less Men, now work me confoundedly hard: but I will not say it. I...
632016 [i.e. 17] Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A Stormy Day.
6321From John Adams to James Bowdoin, 2 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
D r. Gordon, Yesterday called upon me, with the Letter which your Excellency did me, the Honour to write me, on the 10 th. of April— I have long since transmitted to Congress, the Answer of the Board of Admiralty to the Representations relative to the Conduct of Cap t. Stanhope, in which the Letters of that officers are disapproved, The Representations of the Encroachments on the territory of...
6322From John Adams to Unknown, 20 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I expect to return to Europe, very soon, and should be very happy to carry with me such Intelligence as may be of Use, to the common Cause, particularly, respecting the Numbers and real Force of our Enemies in this Country. I know not where to apply with so much Probability of success, as to you sir, who must have made this a constant Object of Attention and Enquiry and who have undoubtedly...
6323John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
The President who is just arrived from Baltimore, came in a few Minutes ago and delivered me, yours of Feb. 8, which he found at Susquehannah River, on its way to Baltimore. It gives me great Pleasure to find that you have received so many Letters from me, altho I knew they contained nothing of importance. I feel a Restraint in Writing like that which you complain of, and am determined to go...
6324[March 1767] (Adams Papers)
Went with Captn. Thayer to visit Robert Peacock and his poor distressed Family. We found them, in one Chamber, which serves them for Kitchen, Cellar, dining Room, Parlour, and Bedchamber. Two Beds, in one of which lay Peacock, where he told us he had lain for 7 Weeks, without going out of it farther than the Fire. He had a little Child in his Arms. Another Bed stood on one side of the Chamber...
6325From John Adams to United States Senate, 6 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I nominate, Christopher Raymond Perry of Rhode Island and Richard Valentine Morris of Newyork to be Captains in the Navy William Turner of Virginia to be second Surgeons Mate of the United States Frigate George Wright of New Jersey to be surgeons Mate of the ship Delaware— DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
6326From John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 12 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
The last Evenings Post favoured me with yours of the 6 th . Many Gentlemen are in favour of a national Excise: and Some would have the nation take upon itself all the State Debts. M r Morris particularly: but I cannot say what will be done. My Burthens are not very heavy: but my health is not very good.— I have been obliged to decide many questions on the Impost Bill, the Senate being equally...
6327John Adams, Deposition regarding Mitchell’s Map, 1796 (Adams Papers)
Deposition of President Adams—In answer to Interrogatories by the Agent on the part of the United States he deposed, “that Mitchell’s Map was the only Map or Plan which was used by the Commissioners at their public Conferences, tho’ other Maps were occasionally consulted by the American Commissioners at their Lodgings; the British Commissioners at first claimed to Piscataqua River, then to...
6328From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 24 May 1826 (Adams Papers)
I rejoice that you have arrived safely at Princeton where may your health be perfectly restored—my kind regards to Mrs Boylston and to the young family—I am labouring & sorrowing according to the oracle and for nothing more than I know of than my distance from you—We go on here in a dull round—no news of any kind that is worth repeating. I am in a kind of solitary imprisonment to which I...
632931 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A cool morning. Drank Tea with the Ladies at the Judges. Spent the Evening at Gardiners with the Coll., Mr. Putnam and Thayer.
6330From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 26 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am delighted with your number 22. It is not too free. It is modest enough. It is wise learned and ingenious. I have sometimes the feelings of Theophrastus who at 115 as I learn from casauban, thought it hard to die when he had just learned to live. Never was I more ardently interested in historical and political studies or Amusements. Hobard Johnson Morton, Winslow Bradford and a hundred...
6331[April 12. Sunday.] (Adams Papers)
April 12. Sunday. In the Course of the last Week, particularly on fryday, I was visited by a Number of American Gentlemen. Sir James Jay of New York, Brother of the then Chief Justice, who has since been President of Congress, Governor of the State, Ambassador abroad and Chief Justice of the United States, but is now in 1806 like so many others of our first and best Men in the Post of honor a...
6332From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 25 January 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 11. with the Copy of that from M. Le Comte de Vergennes of 31. of Decr. I had the Honour to receive by the last post. By, your leaving it to me to judge how far it is proper for me to accept further Draughts on Mr Laurens, with any Expectation of your enabling me to pay them, I am Somewhat embarrassed. If I accept any Bill at all it must be in full Confidence of your paying...
6333From John Adams to Andrew Jackson, 16 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Certain matters touching the public good requiring that the session of the Senate for Executive Business should be continued, and that the members thereof should convene on Tuesday the seventeenth day of July instant; you are desired to attend at the Senate Chamber in Philadelphia on that day, at ten OClock in the forenoon, then and there to receive and deliberate on such communications as...
6334From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 29 September 1802 (Adams Papers)
Looking over, this morning what I wrote yesterday, I thought I would extend a little what was said of France. I wish our good Men who write so much about Barrel and Robertson , would make themselves acquainted with La Harpe. He has written 14 or 15 volumes of a course of Litterature, at the Lycæum, in which is a great deal concerning the French Revolution. I have read the work. If you have...
63357 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Spent the Evening and supped at Mr. Maccartys. A mans observing the Flux of the Tide to Day, renders it credible that the same Phenomenon may be observed tomorrow. In the same manner, our Experience that the Author of Nature has annexed Pain to Vice, and Pleasure to Virtue, in general I mean, renders it credible that the same or a like Disposition of Things may take place hereafter. Our...
6336From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 5 September 1783 (Adams Papers)
You remember the Contract with Du Coudrai, and his hundred officers, and with many other officers. Coudrai was to take Rank of allmost all our Generals, to have the Command of all our Artillery and military Manufactures, and be Subject to no orders, but those of Congress or the Commander in Chief, and the Marshall M. was wanted to be that Commander in Chief— Let me beg of you that those Papers...
6337From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 19 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 12th. which with all its inclosures shall be sent to the Attorney of the district that he may investigate the facts & make report to me. Every complaint of the kind from the British minister shall be treated with great respect and examined with the utmost candor, being from inclination as well as a sense of duty, disposed to cultivate the best...
6338[Monday June 3. 1776] (Adams Papers)
Monday June 3. 1776 Committee of the whole. Mr. Harrison reported sundry resolutions. Leave to sit again.
6339From John Adams to Joseph Bradley Varnum, 15 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
I presume upon our former acquaintance, and Correspondence as an apology for this Letter. The wild spirit of Anger, discontent and disaffection, which appears at least in four of our New England States, ought to excite Us all to enquire into the causes that have produced it. The Laws to which the national government has judged it necessary to resort in defence of our Rights and Independence, I...
6340July 3. 1770. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Rose in comfortable Health.
63411776 Monday. Jan. 29. (Adams Papers)
Rode to Springfield, dined at Scotts. Heard that the Cannon at Kingsbridge in N. York were spiked up. That dry Goods, English Goods were sent round to N. York from Boston, and from N. York sold all over N.E. and sent down to Camp. That Tryon has issued Writs for the Choice of a new Assembly, and that the Writs were likely to be obeyed, and the Tories were likely to carry a Majority of Members.
634220 [i.e. 21] Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Charming Weather. The Fields begin to look verdant. The leaves begin to shew themselves on the apple Trees, and Blossoms on the peach Trees. Drank Tea at Mr. Putnams. Spent the Evening at the Majors.
6343From John Adams to Noah Webster, 13 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter from Dr Tufts I received, to day. In my former Letter to you I was mistaken in the month.—Instead of July it was may 1761 that the Cold and Fever prevailed of which my Father died. NN .
6344[1780 January 7. Fryday.] (Adams Papers)
1780 January 7. Fryday. From Mansillas We rode to San Juan Segun.
6345John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
Give me leave to congratulate you on your Admission into the Seat of the Muses, our dear Alma Mater, where I hope you will find a Pleasure and Improvements equal to your Expectations. You are now among Magistrates and Ministers, Legislators and Heroes, Ambassadors and Generals, I mean among Persons who will live to Act in all these Characters. If you pursue your Studies and preserve your...
6346From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 25 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I had last night, yours of the 24th.—The Anxiety of the two Setts of Persons you mention is eer this time relieved. Perhaps it may have been Succeeded by another. The Plan of bringing in Mr Pinckney by tacking him to my shoulder as a Rider, has not only been defeated but two opposite Characters have been brought in, with Splendid Tryumph. If 99 in 100 would have wonderd at the premature...
6347To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 19 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society Your obliging Letter of the 7th instant I had the honor to recieve on Saturday night by Mr Fox, to whom I shall be happy to shew every Civility in my Power, according to the Recommendations of your Excellency and Mr Franklin. I have recieved a Letter from Captain Jackson and another from my Boy at Bilbao, which...
6348From John Adams to United States Senate, 7 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I nominate William Hines Esqr. of South Hampton county Virginia to be a commissioner of valuations &c. vice Mr William Salter declined DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
6349From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 16 June 1816 (Adams Papers)
You cannot easily imagine, how much Grief, the news of your Indisposition has given Us. our most chearing hopes are built upon your Foundation. Give your closest Attention to your health, for on that every Thing depends. You must Study Physick; not to practice but to be your own Physician. Pray your Father to buy Dr Cheynes Works, on my Account. Neglected, despised and forgotten as he is, I...
6350From John Adams to James Cogswell, 7 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
An Address from an association of Gentlemen of your venerable and Sacred Character, is very honourable and agreable to me. The Advent of The Period when nations shall learn War no more, is So uncertain uncertain to Mortals, that Wisdom dictates to the Ministers of the Prince of Peace, as well as to the Ministers Agents of Nations, to be always prepared for a State of Hostility: because it is...