151John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
You will receive the letter I wrote you during my captivity at Helvoetsluys, where I was detained by opposite winds and violent weather almost three weeks. On the 11 th: inst t: I arrived here. How long I shall stay is yet unknown to myself, but I hope not long; there is something so dissipated and yet so solitary in the residence of a City like this, that I have never found in it either the...
152John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your favour of the 22 d: inst t : thanks you know are “the exchequer of the poor.” upon that exchequer of mine you are entitled to bills to a large amount. I assure you I feel the obligation of your attention to my trunk, which has not yet arrived, but which will be very acceptable when it comes. But your Letter has excited my curiosity, and I find myself very much...
153John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 20 November 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have indeed, my dear Sister, been guilty of a neglect, in omitting so long to write to you, which I cannot upon any principle justify to my own heart; I am sure it has been totally inconsistent with the ardent and sincere brotherly affection which that heart invariably acknowledges for you, and which no length of time, no absence, no course of circumstances, shall ever impair: I have very...
154John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 15 April 1795 (Adams Papers)
By the arrival of M r: Van Rensselaar, I am favoured with your letter of Nov r: 29. I have not yet seen that Gentleman, who is still at Amsterdam, but proposes visiting this place in a few days; you well know what a pleasure we always derive in foreign Countries merely from the sight of one of our own Countrymen, and in this instance I shall be still more gratified in meeting a person, who...
155To George Washington from John Quincy Adams, 11 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honour of writing you, I have been informed that about a year ago a workman in the sword manufactories at Sohlingen a hilt founder by the name of Alte, was induced in consequence of the unsettled and distressed situation of that part of Germany to go to America, and before he went had the sword made according to his own fancy, with the intention as I understand of presenting it...
156John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of April 22. marked N. 4. reached me a few days since; I have already acknowledged the receipt of your three preceding letters and have answered them. The sight of a letter from America has lost none of its charms in Europe, and that of one from you can never lose them in any part of the world. I have just written an encyclopaedia of politics (I mean in point of quantity) to my...
157John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
You were doubtless informed by our friends who favoured me with a visit at Helvoet of my sailing from thence at last. I landed the next day at Margate, and the morning after reached the place from whence I now write you. I found nothing to do; or rather all done. But I still find my self detained here to wait for further orders which I expect daily to arrive M r: Pinckney is expected back in...
158John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 12 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received by the last Post, two Letters from your Pappa, my amiable friend, and looked in vain for a line from you. Not a syllable even to tell me you were well. I found indeed from your Pappa’s Letters that you had not at their date received my last, and therefore upon the rigour of etiquette, you were not obliged to write. I shall not complain, and attribute your silence rather to your...
159John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
I hear of an opportunity from Rotterdam to Boston, but so lately that I have scarce time to write any Letters except my necessary dispatches. General Eustace goes as a passenger in this vessel, and I have given him letters of introduction to you and several other of my friends in Boston. Had I known of this vessel earlier I could have taken measures to send your things by her; which for the...
160John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 21 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
The day after I had sent away my last Letter, I received yours of the 1 st: inst t: which relieved me from an anxious apprehension that you were unwell, or indisposed. The picture resumes whatever it can express of that mild and gentle disposition which is one of the greatest ornaments of the original, and which in my eyes is of more worth than graces or beauty, riches or honours. You will...
161John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
No, my dear Madam, I have not tasted of the waters of Lethe, nor have the Laws of Nature, been obliterated from my heart, by too close an attention to those of Nations. The reasons which have hitherto prevented me from writing since I left you, are various; but would not be very interesting in the detail, for which reason I shall, omit the unnecessary tediousness of a justification, and offer...
162John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago, your favour of August 10 th. it mentions a previous letter of July 11 th. which has not yet reached me. The latest date from you before this last is of June 10. From my father I think I have none since May.— The appointment to the mission of Portugal, I find from your Letter was as I had before concluded, unknown to my father. I have already written you upon the...
163John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson, 6 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have just received my lovely friend, your letters of the 24 th: and 25 th: of last month. I perceive by the former that my long letter of the 9 th: had not reached you. I have hitherto written by vessels going directly from this Country to England, supposing that would be the shortest conveyance; but I believe after all the packet from Hamburg is the safest. I will in future write you by...
164John Quincy Adams to Joshua Johnson, 9 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received some time since your favour of Nov r: 29. and this morning that of Dec r: 16. You mentioned in the former your intention to take measures if possible which might secure my wishes, but that you could not fix upon them without first receiving Letters from your partners in America.— Not having it in my power to conjecture what you contemplated, I had hitherto postponed an answer until...
165John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
The day after the date of my last Letter, we dined at M r: Hallowell’s, and were entertained with much hospitality. We saw his Daughter, whom we found very amiable and accomplished After seeing her, I felt myself at least highly flattered by the proposal M rs: Gill made to you, and the young Lady, certainly took the shortest way to my heart, by the manner in which she spoke of you. I was much...
166John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 6 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received some time since from M r: Rogers in London your bill upon me for £225 sterling, with a request to have the money remitted there. I have been obliged in consequence of the measures that have been taken in England, to prevent all payments from this Country, to procure a bill upon London from Hamburg, which I hope M r Rogers will receive within a week or ten days, from this. The...
167John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 August 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received on Commencement day, your obliging favour of the 11 th: of last month, and should have replied to it before this time, had I not been constantly employ’d in making and executing my arrangements for my removal to this place. For kind wishes which you are pleased to express for my welfare and happiness, I can only return the sincerest assurances of gratitude; Thanks, are called the...
168John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 May 1795 (Adams Papers)
We seem to be once more restored to some connection with our own Country; for six months after we left it, we might have been almost ignorant of its existence, but for the perpetual admonition of our own Hearts. A few days since I received from Hamburg, your favour of Feb y: 10 th. The third letter of yours that has reached me, and all within the course of three Weeks. Had you known of the...
169John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favour of May 25 th: not numbered but the fifth that has reached me from you; the four former ones I have acknowledged before. The Peace and tranquility of this Country has not hitherto been interrupted since the Revolution, and it is to be hoped that it will continue to be inviolate. The greatest dangers to which it is exposed proceed from the popular Societies,...