61From John Adams to William Cunningham, 25 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have your favour’s of the 12th and 16th: of the month. The letter of President Washington concerning J Q A. is at your discretion to make what use of it you please. All the communications concerning the other Gentleman made or to be made I confide to your sacred confidence. The great regard I had for your Grandfather and for your Grandmother, who was a beloved Sister of my Mother, and for...
62From John Adams to William Cunningham, 13 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
I laughed when I read your Expectation, that what you had written on J. Q. A. would be printed. I found that you was not acquainted with the World, as it exists in Boston. The four federal Papers are under the Imprimatur of an Oligarchy of Purse, proud Speculators as despotic as the thirty Tyrants of Athens. Tryals enough have been made, as I have been informed to insert many Things on the...
63From John Adams to William Cunningham, 16 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I ought to acknowledge my fault in having two of your kind letters to answer at once. I return you with thanks, Mr: Thomas’s Spy in which my poor "Thoughts on government," are wickedly and libellously imputed to "the greatest man in America." This was received in your letter of Dec 2d: I thank you for the trouble you have taken to ascertain that Mr: Zabdiel Adams’s Sermon on the validity of...
64From John Adams to William Cunningham, 3 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have your favours of December 17, and 21st. I hope you will not insinuate a comparison between John Q. Adams and Coriolanus. Whatever injustice or ingratitude may be done him, he has none of the Roman’s revenge, much less his treachery. Of Mrs. Warren’s History I have nothing to say. The Count De Vergennes was an accomplished gentleman and scholar, and a statesman of great experience in...
65From John Adams to William Cunningham, 15 March 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. is received. I beg you would not say a word about me in relation to the subject, which you say now engages the public attention. I am no match for these times, nor for the Actors, who now tread the Stage. You say this awful spirit of Democracy is in great progress. I believe it and I know something of the nature of it. It is a young rake, who thinks himself handsome and...
66From John Adams to William Cunningham, 11 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
I have your favour of 14 ult. The Mirror was never read—and if it ever should be it will be willfully misunderstood—Seventeen Wheels within one wheel. Seventeen Empires within one empire Seventeen sovereignties within one sovereignty. Seventeen Imperia in one Emperio will tell in time we have had a Chaise’s disturbance: a Gallatin’s disturbance a Fries’s disturbance; and why may we not have a...
67From John Adams to William Cunningham, 7 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
The letter of General Washington would have remained in obscurity forever, as far as I know, as it has been for twelve years past, had not a mean vengeance been hurled on the subject of it, for no other offence than his sterling integrity. You are the first person except one who ever asked me a question concerning the reasons for releasing, a certain Gentleman from the burthen of public...
68From John Adams to Rev. Manasseh Cutler, 10 May 1802 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your favor of the 17 of April. The letter from Dr Mitchell & the project of the society at N York of a national academy shall be laid before the american academy of Arts & sciences at their next meeting. Your other favor, of April 22 has since come to hand. I thank you Sir for your obliging persuit of the census. If the government for the second twelve years by undoing all that...
69From John Adams to John Davis, 11 April 1804 (Adams Papers)
I received Yesterday your favour of the ninth. Of Mr Baron I know neither the Person nor the Character: but it Seems to me that a demonstration will not be the less mathematical for the Nation or the Morals of the Author. The Accademy can not know the Manners of all their correspondents, and if the Cause of Truth and Science is really promoted by a bad Man even whom they know to be Such, I...
70From John Adams to John Davis, 26 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Mr Spauldings Bill of Mortality for Portsmouth for 1805 and a Letter from Mr Benjamin Henfrey to me a total stranger to his Name as well as Person. Please to communicate both these Papers to the Academy at their next meeting. I hope Something will be done to be communicated to the Public, if nothing Should be decided among the Candidates for Count R Præmium, as Soon as may be...
71From John Adams to John Davis, 14 August 1804 (Adams Papers)
The disposition of every member of the Accademy to Show every respect and do every honor to the Memory of their Reverend and Learned Associate Dr Howard is unquestionable, and nothing but the heat of the Season in my present State of Health should prevent me from having the Honor of attending his Funeral with the other Members. It is my request to you, Sir to give public Notice of the...
72From John Adams to Samuel Dexter, 23 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I left Washington on the 4th & arrived at Stony field on the 18, having trotted the bogs five hundred miles. I found about an hundred loads of sea weed in my barn yard, & recollecting Horaces “Et genus et virtus nisi cum re vilior alga est” I thought I had made a good exchange, if Ulysses is an orthodox authority in this case, which I dont believe, of honors & virtues, for manure. I have more...
73From John Adams to Rev. John Disney, 9 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
I was agreably surprised, the last week on receiving a very kind and obliging letter from you, dated at the Hide near Inglestone the 24th. of Augst. a seat where I had formerly passed many agreable hours with a Gentleman whom I esteemed as a man of sense and letters and as a Friend of Liberty and Humanity.—It is true that several Letters have passed between me and Mr. Brand Hollis: I have but...
74From John Adams to Gabriel Duvall, 13 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the honor to write me on the Seventeenth of September; and in Answer to it I beg leave to inform you, that the account of the fourteen thousand dollars granted on the Second of March 1797 for the further Accommodation of the Household of the President of the United States was Settled before I left Washington, as appears by the enclosed Copy of a Letter to...
75From John Adams to Eliphalet Fitch, 12 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
In writing to you, on the present Occasion, I have to express my Concern that I am disappointed in the Intention of paying my Respects to you and Mrs. Adams at Quincy, during the ensuing Summer.—The Gentleman, Whom I had appointed my Attorney in Jamaica, writes me that he has been very ill, and will be under the Necessity to take a Voyage to Europe for the Recovery of his Health; and thinks my...
76From John Adams to Thomas Foxcroft, 13 February 1807 (Adams Papers)
Benjamin Beale Esq. our representative, brought me last night from the General Court, a packet containing two books and a letter. But the letter was dated from no place, and I could not decypher the signature. He thought the name of the Member who gave it to him was Foxcroft, which suggested to me the suspicion that it was came from you. There is not in my memory the faintest trace of the old...
77From John Adams to Christopher Gadsden, 16 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 11th. of March and, with a pleasure far exceeding all my powers of Expression perceive that your friendly Sentiments for me are as kind and indulgent as they were six and twenty years ago. I read with the Same Satisfaction your publication last fall, and with a tenderness which was almost too much for my Sensibility. While Wythe and Pendleton and McKean and...
78From John Adams to Isaiah L. Green, 9 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
I received, yesterday, from the Post Office, under your franc, the nervous Reply of Nine of our Representatives to the certain resolutions. Having read it with pleasure I thank you for your politeness in Sending it to me. while it treats our Legislature with all the respect it deserves, it is written with as much candor and moderation as perspicuity and Energy. The Facts are fairly stated, and...
79From John Adams to Henry Guest, 26 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the fifteenth of this Month and read it with pleasure; and my Son, who happened to be with me, on a visit, from Boston where he resides read the part of it addressed to him, with apparent Satisfaction. on his return from Washington he presented me, in your name with that fine American Staff which I call “My Guest,” for which I give you a thousand Thanks. It not...
80From John Adams to Henry Guest, 29 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
I am favoured with your kind Letter of the 20th. At your age and mine, as the Body fails to Supply Such plentifull provisions of animal Spirit, as it commonly does in youth and middle Age. We are usually Subject to more frequent dejections and gloomy Apprehensions. In the present dreary times you are not alone but accompanied by the whole Nation as far as I know it, in your depression. But not...
81From John Adams to Henry Guest, 30 September 1808 (Adams Papers)
I agree with you in your obliging letter of the eighth of this month that the new England states ought to have their equitable share in the government of the nation and I think that hitherto they have not, I think too that hitherto they have not I think too, that they ought not to bear more than their just proportion of the public burden; but I know that they have. They are so much outnumbered...
82From John Adams to Benjamin Hall, 28 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of March 14th. and have not sent you an answer. It is not from any feelings of resentment or disaffection to the interest of the Canal corporation; but from necessity, that I consent to the advertisement of of and sale of my shares. I may candidly assign the true reason of this consent as well as not. I have not money to pay the assessments, and I know not that I...
83From John Adams to William Heath, 11 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I read in the Chronicle some time ago, two Speculations with the signature of a military Countryman, and I read them with great pleasure for two very Substantial reasons, one of which is that I cordially approved and coincided with every Sentiment and every expression in them: the other was that I knew at once that General Heath was the Writer of them. How did you know that? you will ask. I...
84From John Adams to William Heath, 14 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
As I did not wish to oppress you with my Letters I have not acknowledged the receipt of your favour of the 18th of May, though I received it in due Season and esteemed it very highly. I have seen lately in the Chronicle, that like the good Steward you bring out of your Treasury Things new and old, and in very good Season. The Military Countryman written five or six and thirty years ago I have...
85From John Adams to Benjamin Henfrey, 22 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
I received, yesterday, your favour of the third of this month. It is not in my power at present to inform you, whether your Communication to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences of your discovery of a mode of producing light and heat from inflammable air, and of your invention of an Apparatus for applying the discovery to various usefull purposes, has been received or not. All such...
86From John Adams to Abiel Holmes, 6 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I am under a great obligation to you for the two volumes of the your American Annals, and am ashamed that I have not acknowledged long ago the Receipt of the first of them They are a work of great Labour, care and Industry, and the Execution of the plan appears to me to be as ingenious as it is judicious The Style is Elegant as well as clear and concise. With great satisfaction I observe that...
87From John Adams to Abiel Holmes, 14 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
I am Sorry it is not in my power to give you much information relative to General Oglethorpe in complyance with your desire in your favour of the Eleventh of this Month. Recovering from a great Sickness in Paris in the Fall of the year after the Signature of the Definitive Treaty of Peace in 1783 I was advised by my Phesicians to take a Passage to Bath in England, for the purpose of Using the...
88From John Adams to Bernard Hubley, Jr., 10 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your favor of April 9 & am much gratified with that affectionate attachment, which you express for me. The mode you have adopted to mark your regard is very flattering. All that I can say to you upon this occasion is, God bless the brave boy to whom you have given the name of MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
89From John Adams to Bernard Hubley, Jr., 30 November 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have received our favor of 30 October & return the subscription paper for Hubly’s journal with my name to it. The journals of officers who served with reputation in the revolutionary war must be valuable and authentic original documents for history. I rejoice in the prosperity of your family and pray for blessings on your promising and deserving children—As to the dedication you may do as...
90From John Adams to David Humphreys, 1 December 1802 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of Aug. 28 from Boston has remained through a multiplicity of agricultural occupations unacknowledged to this hour and notwithstanding the lively sensibility it excited both in Mrs. Adams & myself, we sincerely regretted that we were not to have the pleasure of receiving you and Mrs Humphreys at Quincy as we had hoped & expected. If in the course of your affairs you should again...