51John Adams to Charles Adams, 16 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
The Revolution in France is commonly Said to be without Example in the History of Mankind: But although there may be circumstances attending it, peculiar to itself, I cannot think it altogether unlike any Thing that has happened. The Revolution in England in the time of Charles the first has so many features in common with it, that I think the History of England from the Year 1625 to the Year...
52John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
If I could take a Walk or a Ride to N. Y. in the Evening and come here again in the Morning how clever it would be!— I am Somewhat disappointed in not having rec d a Line from you Since I left you—You are not sick I hope— M r Jay Spent last Evening with me and let me into the History of the Treaty and Negotiation, explaining his Views of its intent and operation— I can Say nothing upon it at...
53August 28. 1796. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Hot. Went not out. Mr. Strong preached. Reading Bryants Analysis of ancient Mythology.
54John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
This Morning I returned M r Genets’ Visit. The Conversation was confined to Some Inquiries I made concerning his Mother, and Sisters with whom I was acquainted at Versailles in 1778. 1779. and 1780, and some little discussion about the form of the new Constitution: but not one Word or hint or Allusion concerning himself his Conduct, or the Conduct of our Government or People towards him. I...
55John Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I believe I have not acknowledged your favour of the 20th January, which I received in its season. I hope your apprehensions that “the party who have embarrassed the President, and exerted themselves to divide the election, will endeavour to render my situation as uncomfortable as possible,” will be found to be without sufficient foundation; I have seen, on the contrary, a disposition to...
56John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of the 5 th. — If you think it best, leave Thomas at Colledge: but I pray you to come on with Charles, as soon as possible.— as to the Place let my Brother plough and plant if he will, as much as he will. He may Send me, my half of the Butter Cheese &c here.— As to Money to bear your Expences you must if you can borrow of some Friend enough to bring you here. if you cannot...
57John Adams to Charles Adams, 25 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 22 d , alledging Business as an Apology for not writing gave me more Pleasure than a long Letter would have done. Business is always an Apology, for declining Pleasure or Amusement of any kind. I Sent you, by a late Post other Tryals, Geralds, Muirs and Margarots. Geralds is worth all the rest. M r Laing, the Council for Gerald is I Suppose the Same with Malcolm Laing Esq r...
58John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
inclosed is a Letter from Capt n. Brown who commands the best Packet between Providence and this Place.— He called very politely and respectfully to offer his service in bringing you to New York.— if you can let him know the time when you can come, he will be ready. I have taken an House: but have nothing to put in it, [no]r to live on.— nothing is yet determined, I never felt so [ir]resolute...
59From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 8 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
By the last post from Boston I recd your Letter of Nov. 18th.—I have before recd one at Quincy and another at Boston. I thank you sir for these friendly Communications, although I have not had oppertunity to answer them particularly. I was very Sensible of the importance of Congress Sitting in Philadelphia if it could be done with Safety and accordingl,y as soon as I was convinced of this...
60John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your fav r of 24 th marked by the Post office 22 d of Dec r. I rec d. Yesterday. M r Osgoods sermon was plenty here— I rec d one from Boston before.— The Clergy I think ought to pray for the national Government.— If our Dissenting Ministers will not at Quincy I will go to Church, where a form is prescribed by Authority which even M r Cleverly complies with. Within a Day or two after your last...
61From John Adams to Stephen Higginson, 14 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 4 th of this month, but not till the impost bill was enacted and published. In the progress of that law, through the several branches of the legislature, the arguments in favor of a drawback on rum were insisted on by several members of each house. But I think it was not shewn with sufficient evidence, nor explained with so much precision as I expected, how it...
62From John Adams to Alexander Hamilton, 9 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the honor to write me this morning and as the Secretary of State accidentally fell in before I had opportunity to answer it, we agreed to propose a meeting at his House at two o’Clock on Monday next. If that time and place are agreable to you, and the Secretary at War, they will be particularly so to me, who have the honor to be with great regard, Sir your...
63John Adams to Charles Adams, 9 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I rec d this morning your favour of the 7 th and am glad that your State have not too much Complaisance for the restless Projects of old Aunt Nell. The peevish fretful old Creature has got, to day, a worse Compliment from the senate of this State, than she rec d even from the Massachusetts. They have not only rejected her vapoury humours but have proposed to her some other Amendments of the...
64John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 August 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your Letters in Succession to N. 9. I think inclusive but they are in So much request in this Country that I can never keep them long enough to make regular Answers to them. The Last appeared to me of Such Consequence that I Sent it to The President to whom I have communicated all of them I believe or all but the first, from London. I have Reason to think that your whole...
65From John Adams to Jeremy Belknap, 18 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind Letter of January 31, and thank you for your obliging Congratulations, as well as for the monthly Publication. Will you do me the favor of having my name Subscribed and the Magazine Sent to Quincy regularly as it comes out? I am no doubt obliged to Capt. Ingraham, and I Suppose also to Mr Barrel, my old Friend for the Compliment. The Time has been when such a feather...
66John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
I, Yesterday rec d your favour of June 27. N o. 10. It is in common with all the Numbers which preceded it, full of accurate Information, profound Sagacity and nice discernment. I sent four of your preceeding Numbers to the President, who wrote me on the 20 th of August that “they contain a great deal of Interesting matter and N o. 9 discloses much important Information and political...
67From 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...
68Dialogues of the Dead, [ca. 22 April 1790] (Adams Papers)
Dialogues of the dead. Charlemain Frederick, Rousseau Otis. Rousseau. have you Seen Franklin, Since he passed the River? or has the Boat been too full of Passengers to bring him over? Otis. I know not.— I have very little Curiosity to know.— I care nothing have no solicitude for Steel Rods nor Iron Points— I am very glad his Points were not over my head: They might have detained me in the...
69To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 11 May 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour of the 25th. of last month, came to my hands Yesterday and I am glad to find you so well pleased with your Retirement. I felt the Same delightful Satisfaction after my Return from Europe, and I feel Still every Summer upon my little farm all the Ardour, and more than all the Ardor of youth: to such a Degree that I cannot bear the thought of writing or reading, unless it be some...
70From John Adams to George Hammond, 16 June 1794 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to introduce to you, rather too formally to be sure, as it is an old Acquaintance, my son John Quincy Adams, whom the President has honoured with an Appointment to Holland. His Disposition to Peace is as hearty as that of his Father, and in every Thing that may depend upon him, his Endeavours will not be wanting I presume to preserve it. Mrs Adams joins me in Compliments to Mrs....
71John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
We go on as Usual—Congress resolving one Thing and the Democratical societies resolving the Contrary.— The President doing what is right and Clubbs and Mobs resolving it to be all wrong. We had in senate a few Days ago the greatest Curiosity of all. The Senators from Virginia moved, in Consequence of an Instruction from their Constituents, that the Execution of the 4 th. Article of the Treaty...
72John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter from your Sick Chamber if not from your Sick bed, has made me so uneasy that I must get away as soon as possible.— Monday Morning at Six, I am to Sett off in the Stage, but how many days it will take to get home will depend on the Roads, and or the Winds. I dont believe Nabby will go with me. Her Adventurer of an Husband is so proud of his Wealth that he would not let her go I...
73July 16. 1796 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
Paid off Puffer, for Eleven Days Works at a Dollar a Day. Trask and Stetson at work in the Garden. Sullivan and Bass gone for another Load of Red Cedar Posts. Billing over at Bass’s in the Morning and going up in Town with Seth as usual. Trask told me he had worked 20 days. This day in the Garden makes 21. Monday he is to cutt the Wood in the Swamp on Pens Hill. We got in two Loads the last of...
74John Adams to Charles Adams, 11 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 7 th relieved my Mind, from a great Anxiety and Depression on Account of my dear Daughter. My Apprehensions foreboded very melancholly Things from the Strange Accident, of which you apprised me— A strict Enquiry ought to be made into the Conduct of that Apothecary. The State of New York never behaved well— it has always been a fluctuating, injudicious selfish and...
75From John Adams to Commissioners of City and County of Philadelphia, 9 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
The Senate have considered the letter that you were pleased to address to the Senate and the House of Representatives, on the 6th instant, and they entertain a proper sense of the respect shown to the general government of the United States, by providing so commodious a building as the commissioners of the city and county of Philadelphia have appropriated for the accommodation of the...
76From John Adams to United States Senate, 16 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund Respectfully Report to Congress as follow. That the purchases of the Debt of the United States as stated in their Report of the eighteenth of December 1795, amount to Two Millions, three hundred, seven thousand, six hundred, sixty one dollars, and Seventy one cents, for which there have been paid in specie, One Million, six hundred, Eighteen thousand, Nine...
77From John Adams to Samuel Barrett, 11 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you did me the honour to write me on the first of this month with its inclosures: The Letter to The President is conceived with propriety & expressed with decency. As the Investigation of the Characters, Services, Qualifications, and all other pretensions of every Candidate for public employment, is constitutionally, in the President in the first Instance; General...
78John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you this morning inclosing a Post note for 600 and went to Senate with full Expectation of receiving a Letter from you. The Door Keeper had the Letters for others but none for me— What a Disappointment! I went mourning and moaping about for Some time, grumbling at my Stars and almost blaming my best Friend: but it was not long before the Letter of the 15 was brought me from the...
79John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have just rec d from the P. Office your Letter of the 20 th. by Brisler who went to carry one for you— I write by every Post i.e by Mondays and Thursdays which are the only ones on which Mails are made up for any Place beyond N. York, and the only ones on which Letters arrive here from any Place beyond that City. M rs Adams your new Daughter behaves prettily in her new Sphere— I dined with...
80John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning yours of the 9 th. Am glad you have mine from Stratford: you will receive others in Succession. I am not much chagrined at the disappointment of ploughing the Hill. The Spring will do. The more Seaweed is procured the better. I need not exhort you to get Wood. I am Glad M r Bass is provided for. I wish you to expend as little as possible in Labour except for Seaweed and...
81John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 August 1794 (Adams Papers)
In its due time, I received your Letter from Philadelphia of the 27. of July. Although, in the Opinion of The Secretary of State, the Mission to Holland may be “almost exclusively reduced to a pecuniary Negotiation,” yet, in the Opinion of others among whom your father is one, the Post at the Hague is an important Diplomatick Station, which may afford many opportunities of acquiring political...
82To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 31 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received from our old Acquaintance D’Ivernois the inclosed Volume for you in the Course of the last Week. I consider all Reasoning upon French affairs of little moment. The Fates must determine hereafter as they have done heretofore. Reasoning has been all lost—Passion, Prejudice, Interest, Necessity has governed and will govern; and a Century must roll away before any permanent and...
83From John Adams to William Hindman, 22 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of April 24 th —recommending Gustavus Scott Esq r for employment in the Law Department— The President is you know in the first Instance the sole Judge of the Persons proper to be nominated to officer When the Nomination is made the Senate have a Negative but the Vice President has no Voice excepting in the case of an equal division of the Senators— There are...
84John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
M rs Otis arrived with her little Rosignal, in good health and Spirits the night before last, and brought me your favour of Dec r 7.— Why am not I so fortunate as to be able to receive my best Friend, and to Spend my Days with her whose Society is the principal delight of my Life. If I could make Twelve Thousand dollars at a Bargain and Several of Such Bargains in a Year: but Silence.— So it...
85John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
on Wednesday I dined with M r Russell the Friend of D r Priestley and while We were at Table, in came large Packets of Letters and Newspapers from England. The Ladies at Table had Letters from their friends and the Scæne was so lively so much like what I had often felt that it put me into very good humour. The News was what you will see in Fennos Paper. Yesterday I dined at the Presidents with...
86John Adams to Charles Adams, 23 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
The Papers, furnish Us this Evening with more flowers of Jacobinical Rhetorick from New York. Crushing Monarchy Confusion to Aristocracy and Monarchy: a Brutus to Tyrants &c are Still not only panting in the Bosoms of the Guests at the new Civic Feast, but they must publish their Breathings to the World. It is so customary for the Members of the Corps Diplomatick, to make Ex officio...
87John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1792 (Adams Papers)
I rec d by the last post your favour of the 16. The Votes from New Hampshire to Maryland inclusively have been unanimous excepting the factious Voice of New York, and one D r Johnson of Conecocheague formerly a New Yorker a Particular Friend of M r Clinton and by his own confession under particular Obligations to him. Southward of Chesapeak all are for Clinton except S. C. I thank you for your...
88John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
I went on Fryday night with M r Storer to the Drawing Room, where the Warmth of the Weather increased by a great fire and a Croud of good Company, gave me one of my annual great Colds. The Same Evening the large Lutheran Church in our old Neighbourhood took fire and was burnt down. The next morning M rs Otis was brought to bed and the Mother and the Daughter are very well. So much for News...
89John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
Vive la Baggatelle! Dulce est desipere. I have no other Resource in my solitude, amidst all my gloomy forebodings of the future Miseries of my beloved Species. Our Allies, Our only Alies as the Demi-Crazies pathetically call them, have compleated their System by turning all their Churches into, Je ne seais quoi and if they should have any Government erected among them either by Themselves or...
90John Adams to Charles Adams, 1 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
on the Commencement of the new Year I wish you health, honour, Profit and Pleasure through the Course of it, and as many repetitions of these anniversaries as shall be for your own happiness and the benefit of your Friends and Connections in the World. Application and that alone will Secure you, under the Smiles of divine Providence the Blessings of Life. Make for me the Compliments of the...
91John Adams to Charles Adams, 2 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of December 30 th. — I approve of your caution and applaud your discretion. You ought nevertheless to reconoitre the Country round about you, like a good officer. Between you and me, I believe you to be Surrounded by a gang of sharpers, and I wish you to keep a good look Out, preserve your own honour; keep a clear Conscience and clean hands: but examine every Man...
92From John Adams to James Sullivan, 14 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the second of this month. The report I mentioned to you in a former letter, was spoken of to me by gentle n: from Rhode Island, who are good citizens. One of these assured me of the fact as of his own knowledge, that there was an intimate intercourse between some of the leading antifederalists in their State and some of the same character in Massachusetts,...
93From John Adams to David Jackson, 8 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have Just Received from your son—your Obliging Letter of this Days Date In Which as Secretary of the Corporation of the first Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia you inform me of their kind offer to me of the Pew No. 92 in their Church for the Accommodation of my Self and my Family and that I may begin to use it next Sunday. I Pray you Sir to Present my best Respects to the Corporation and...
94From John Adams to William Thompson, [15 July 1789] (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the fifth of this month, and am the more earnest to give it an early answer, as from various circumstances, I have been prevented from answering that delivered by Colo; Tudor It is so rare of late, to find a candidate for office, acknowlege the ease and independance of his circumstances, that your frankness in this particular: was...
95John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
You have lost the Opportunity of sharing in the Glory of some of your Friends in this City, who have been out and returned, from the Campain against the Insurrection in the four Western Counties of Pensilvania. Your Friend Climer lost his Life, and is greatly lamented. ’Squire Cranch as his Father calls him was here Yesterday with M r Greenleaf, whose Agent as well as Lawyer he is to be at the...
96From John Adams to John Trumbull, 25 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of March 30. and Ap. 17. came to hand last night. By the “attack in Metre” you mean I suppose, that written by Ned. Church, a Cockfighting Cousin and Companion of Charles Jarvis a devoted Instrument of M r H.— Jarvis’s Mother was a Church.— This Fellow, this Ned Church, I know nothing of— I scarcely ever spoke to him in my Life.— His Traitorous Brother, I knew very well: and the...
97John Adams to Charles Adams, 11 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of April 19. I believe has not yet been acknowledged. The Extracts from the King of Prussia were very acceptable. Yesterday I received your favour of May 9 th.— You ask whether there might not exist Such an Equality in Society as the Democrats of this Day Seem to advocate? Yes my Son, there are many Such Societies, in the Forrests of America, called Indian Tribes. Yet among these...
98From John Adams to Marston Watson, 7 November 1789 (Adams Papers)
The Letter you did me the honour to write me, on the thirtieth of September, has been to New York; and from thence transmitted to this Place; but it never reached my hand, till the night before last. The Sentiments of Esteem for my private Character, expressed by Gentlemen who are probably Strangers to me, are very obliging: and the approbation of my public Conduct abroad, lays me under Still...
99John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 May 1796 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time Since I have rec d any Letter from you, and the Report that you have had a Return of your Rheumatism has allarmed me— We heard that you were better but should be glad to know the Particulars. I am once more happy at home, and my Farm, by the help of a fine rainy season shines very bright.— I Should be glad to be informed, of your Plans and Views— Whether You mean to return or...
100July 18 1796. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Billings is at hoe. The Kitchen Folk say he is steady. A terrible drunken distracted Week he has made of the last. A Beast associating with the worst Beasts in the Neighborhood. Drunk with John Cope land, Seth Bass &c. Hurried as if possessed, like Robert the Coachman, or Turner the Stocking Weaver. Running to all the Shops and private Houses swilling Brandy, Wine and Cyder in quantities...