981From John Adams to Samuel Miller, 7 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
You know not the gratification you have given me, by your kind; frank; and Candid letter—I must be a very unnatural Son to entertain any prejudices against Calvinists, or Calvinism, according to your confession of Faith. For my Father and Mother, my Uncles and Aunts and all my Predecessors from our Common Ancestor who landed in this Country two hundred years ago, wanting five months—were of...
982From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 11 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
The “Defence of the New England Charters” by Jer. “Dummer” is, both for Style and matter, one of our most classical American Productions. “The feelings, the manners and Principles which produced the Revolution,” appear in as vast Abundance in this Work, as in any, that I have read. This beautiful Composition, ought to be reprinted and read by every American who has learned to read. In pages 30...
983From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 16 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
We cannot yet dismiss this precious statute of the 6th of George the second. Chapter 13. The second section I must abridge, for I cannot transcribe much more. It enacts that all the Duties imposed by the first section, shall be paid down in ready Money by the Importer, before landing. The third section must be transcribed by me or some other Person because it is the most arbitrary among...
984John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 May 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Lyman was mortified that he could not visit Monticello . He is gone to Europe a Second time. I regret that he did not See you, He would have executed any commision for you in the litterary line, at any pain or any expence. I have many apprehensions for his health, which is very delicate and precarious. But he is Seized with the Mania of all our young etherial Spirits, for foreign travel. I...
985From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 14 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Otis, to Show the Spirit of the Acts of Trade, those I have already quoted as well as those I Shall hereafter quote And as the best Commentaries upon them; produced a Number of Authors upon Trade, and read Passages from them, which I Shall recite, without pretending to remember the Order in which he read them. Sir Josiah Child “A new discourse of Trade” Let me recommend this Old Book to...
986From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 20 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr: Otis quoted another Author “The political & commercial Works of Charles D’Avenant LLD Vol 2 Discourse 3 on the plantation trade” I cannot transcribe 76 pages but wish that americans of all classes would read them; they are in the same strain with Downing Childs Gee Ashley Charles 2 James 2 William and Mary William the 3rd: Ann, George’s 2nd: & 3rd: All conspiring to make The people of...
987From John Adams to Harrison Gray Otis, 19 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I think you cannot have entirely forgotten a Conversation at my Table; I had invited a small company of ten or a dozen Gentlemen who had always professed to be my friends, among whom were yourself, Mr. Bayard of Delaware and I think Mr. Sedgwick, It is not necessary to recollect any others It was at the time when I had nominated ambassadors to France a measure which produced a real anarchy in...
988John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Half an hour ago I received, and this moment have heard read for the third or fourth time, the best letter that ever was written by an Octogenarian dated June the 1 st . It is so excellent that I am almost under an invincible temptation to commit a breach of trust by lending it to a printer. my Son Thomas Boylston , says it would be worth five hundred dollars to any newspaper in Boston , but I...
989From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 17 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr Otis proceeded to page 198 of this great Work of the great Knight Sir Josiah Child Proposition Eleventh “That New England is the most prejudicial Plantation to this Kingdom.” “I am now to write of a people whose frugality, industry, and temperance, and the happiness of whose laws and institutio ns do promise to themselves long life, with a wonderful increase of people, riches and power: and...
990From John Adams to Jonathan Mason, Jr., 4 October 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind letter—And will proceed with my abrupt narrative.— The practice of the British Government by their Instrument the Governour, and his Friends and subordinate Agents in this little Parish of Quincy—Was as Arbitrary and disgusting as their professed Religious and Political principles and Theory’s—You know the general History of Governour Shirley—but perhaps you may not...
991From John Adams to MA Town of Quincy, 10 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
KNOW all Men by these Presents, That I, John Adams, of Quincy, in the County of Norfolk, Esquire, in further consideration of the motives and reasons enumerated in my two former Deeds, do hereby give, grant convey and confirm to the inhabitants of the town of Quincy in their corporate capacity, and their successors, the fragments of my Library, which still remain in my possession, excepting a...
992From John Adams to Samuel Adams Wells, 7 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 3d. has distressed me—It will compel me to disclose truths which will be disagreeable to you—and very unpleasant to me— Your ardour in support of the honour of your Grand Father—has my Cordial appropriation—we know where to find the precept—Honour thy Father, and Mother, and we know it has been approved by all Ages and Nations—Civil, and Savage, till french philosophers...
993John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 19 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
My loving and beloved Friend, Pickering , has been pleased to inform the World that I have “few Friends.” I wanted to whip the rogue, and I had it in my Power, if it had been in my Will to do it, till the blood come. But all my real Friends as I thought them, with Dexter and Grey at their Head insisted “that I Should not Say a Word.” “That nothing that Such a Person could write would do me the...
994From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 7 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
On the 20 of January 1768 the House of Representatives appointed a committee to prepare a petition to the King & letters to his ministers & a letter to the agent knowing that Such a committee was appointed & that they were buisily employed in preparing these representations meeting Mr Otis one morning I asked him how do you proceed with your petitions & letters he answered I have drawn them...
995John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 19 May 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Must We, before We take our departure from this grand and beautiful World, Surrender all our pleasing hopes of the progres of Society? Of improvement of the intellectual and moral condition of the World? of the reformation of mankind? The Piemontese Revolution Scarcely assumed a form; and the Neapolitain bubble is burst. And what Should hinder the Spanish and Portuguese Constitutions from...
996From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 25 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
As Mr Wirt had filled my head with James Otis; and I am well informed that the Honourable Mr Benjamin Austin alias Honestus alias Old South alias Old North alias Politicaster roundly asserts that Mr Otis has no Patriotism; and that he acted only from revenge of his Fathers disappointment of a Seat on the Superior Bench I will tell you a story which may make you laugh if it should not happen to...
997From John Adams to William Wirt, 7 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Be pleased to accept my cordial Thanks for the present of and elegant Copy of your Sketches of Mr Henry. I know not whether I shall ever have time to make you any other return than Thanks. But as I see you wish to investigate the Sources of the American Revolution, if you will give me leave, I will give you Such hereto as my memory affords to assist you. In 1764 was published in Boston a...
998From John Adams to Peter Stephen Duponceau, 24 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
I had I not been poison’d almost to the loss of my sight, by a rare fever or a blossom cold, I should have long since thanked you for, your discourse, and to have acknowledged to have read it with all that delight—which I always receive from the productions of your pen—The History of Pensylvania is an interesting subject not only to her Citizens but to all America and to all the World—The...
999John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 22 June 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
May I inclose you one of the greatest curiositys and one of the deepest Mysterys that ever occoured to me—It is in the Essex Register of June the 5 th 1819.— it is entitled from the Raleigh Register Declaration of Independence— How is it possible that this paper should have been concealed from me to this day— had it been communicated to me in the time of it—I know, if you do not know, that it...
1000From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 5 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
In Mr Wirts elegant and eloquent Panegyrick on Mr Henry.—I beg your attention to page 56 to page 67. the end of the second section. Where you will read a curious specimen of the agonies of Patriotism in the early Stages of the Revolution—“When Mr Henry could carry his Resolutions but by one Vote, and that against the influence of Randolph, Bland, Pendelton Wythe and all the Old members whose...
1001Inscription on the tomb of Henry Adams, March 1822 (Adams Papers)
In memory of Henry Adams who took his flight from the dragon persecution in Devonshire in England and alighted with eight sons near Mount Wollaston. One of the sons returned to England & after taking time to explore the Country four removed to Medfield & the neighboring towns—two to Chelmsford a . One only Joseph, who lies here at his left hand remained here, who was an original proprietor in...