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Your benevolence I know will excuse the particularity of this address, when you confide in the assurance of its proceeding from a sincere heart nourishing the most exalted sentiments of the virtue and sensibility of yours. Accept of my thanks for the reply to my note, I feel myself complimented by your confidence and beleive I am not capable of abusing it. I hope for an advocate in you, should...
The three Letters which Mrs. Adams honoured me with were received at Paris, and should have been answered, had an oppertunity offered. Permit me to pass an encomium on that prudence which dictates silence on painful Subjects, and to assure her while honour guides my actions and is my ruling star thro’ Life—I shall alway’s endeavour to appear as if I had taken the deepest draught from the...
An anxiety to preserve a consistancy of Character in the opinion of Mrs. Adams (in whose favourable sentiments I feel myself more and more interested) induces me to say, that I have some reason to believe, that the late Connection, which appeared an insurmountable Obstacle to the accomplishment of the Wish nearest my heart—exists no longer. And from the opinion I have of the Lady, I am...
We were pleased by the receipt of yours of the 5th. inst. from Harwich, to find that your jaunt to that period and place had proved so agreable, you have our earnest wishes for its continuance. But we have been apprehensive since, that the fine Sun and fair Brieze which invited you on board in the morning, forsook you before, you had crossed the Channel. At this place, the after part of the...
I dare say, my friend, when you receive this, you will think I have moved with great rapidity. There have but two things occurred on the road which are worth mentioning; the one is my having met Mr. Rucker; we stopped, jumped out of our carriages, I into the dust, and he out of it; he had a great coat on, and his beard he brought from Paris with him; I wonder how it passed the custom-house...
I have recived your agreable Letter of the 5 th. of may and am much obliged for it, at the same time I had the happiness of getting one from my dear Abby I ask your pardon Nabby you like best and when I am acquainted with what will give my friends pleasure— I shall alway’s attend even to the minutest particle—therefore to you Nabby is the word—Amelia to herself—my daughter for Sir—& for myself...
I was much pleased this morning by the receipt of yours of May 19th. Look at the dates—May 5th, Paris, and Blois, May 11th—the places are very distant, and it is impossible to write in a chariot going post. I have answered your mamma’s letter from this place; I have not gone through the necessary visits to the royal family, but they are nearly finished. I find everything here much more...
I wrote you, my love, the first thing I did after my landing here on the 20th; I then proposed setting off from this, yesterday or this morning; but I am in check . I was yesterday at 4 o’clock, visited by an ague and fever, which shook and warmed me alternately pretty tolerably; this day I am free from it, and with the advice of a very good doctor who attends me, I hope soon to be allowed to...
I have been honoured by the receipt of your friendly Letter of July the 16 th . I supposed, that on your arrival, various matters would necessarily engage your attention; we sensibly feel for the indisposition of our good Mama, and wish she was near us, that we might each take care of a finger,— previous to our being informed of these reasons of silence, we concluded, that there was some...
It is with particular pleasure I communicate to you the joyfull news of M rs: Smiths safe delivery of a Son, which took place between seven & eight the last Evening, she was not the least indisposed untill six o’Clock & by ½ past seven all was well & tranquil, both continue composed and easy, but Nabby desires me to tell you that she is much disappointed, she had made the things, to adorn a...
M r: Bourne has this moment waited upon me and informs, that he has been honoured by the senate with the appointment of being the Bearer of their Dispatches to you, relative to your election as Vice President of the Western Empire, upon which please to accept of my affectionate congratulations and of my sincere prayers that Heaven may guide and protect you in this great Career— The Virtuous...
I have the happiness of informing you that M rs: Smith and the Boys are in high health and that your presence here as soon as you can possibly make it convenient will be very agreable and is in a great degree necessary— M r. A has taken a House about one mile from the City as he has informed you, and in his Letters has said something about the removal of furniture— on this subject permit me to...
I should have long before this answered your affectionate Letter of Congratulation on my return to my family and friends but since my arrival, I have really been so perfectly and fully engaged, that I could scarcly call an hour my own— I had hurried myself for this week past in expectation of attending M rs: Smith to Braintree, but the situation of my public and private business tho’ agreable...
The information I gave you relative to M r. Hammonds official Character at the moment of your departure for Philadelphia, you will probably have confirmed previous to the receipt of this— The various important stations I have filled and the particular agency I had in producing this conciliatory advance of the British Court to the Government of The United States, Justifies to my mind the offer...
M r. Bond delivered your Letter of the 20 th. of april I should have answered it sooner, but I really have been so much occupied in my private affairs, that I have scarcely had time to attend to any of my Correspondents out of the line of real business—but I now have a pretty clear prospect of getting well thro’ the great points I embraced— I shall however, I find, make more reputation than...
M rs: Smith has shewn me the Letter you wrote on the 2 d. ins t. with the Copies of those you presented to The Count D e Vergennes The extract from Brissots Journal I noticed, and really think there is a greater combination to deprive you of the tribute due to your services, than I ever noticed pointed against any Individual— I think it a duty you owe yourself and Country, to resist it, & this...
I have received the letter you did me the honor to write under date of the 16 th. ins t. —and am content that the communication I thought it my duty to make, has been received—and am also satisfied that it is not new to The President— The report that on my visit to Detroit, I gave out, that I was sent by The President, for ends of Government of some sort or other— is utterly and totally false...
It would be singular indeed, were I to permit your friendly note of March 9 th. to pass unanswered, and not to thank you for forwarding the letter from the west-ward, which accompanied it, I should not have taken the liberty of desiring my correspondents to have addressed letters to me, to the care of the Presidents secretary, had I not experienced the basest treatment thro’ the line of the...
The request I am going to make, will perhaps at the first blush appear singular—this you’ll excuse—If improper—I shall ever acknowledge myself obliged by being candidly told so—and in this, as well as in every other matter, I will chearfully give way to your superior judgement, and regulate my conduct by your advice, as far as you think proper to honour me with it. If there is a probability of...
I did myself the honour of writing you from Harwich and Amsterdam— we have been very unfortunate as to roads & weather and were not able to reach Bresleau, time enough for the Review there— those of this place and at Potsdam will be finished about the 20 th. when I shall attempt a rapid passage to London by the way of Paris, I shudder at the Idea of tresspassing too far upon your indulgence—...
MS not found. Printed from facsimile in WSS ’s hand in Magazine of American History, with Notes and Queries , [1879], 3:44–45; addressed: “His Excellency John Adams, &c., &c., &c., corner Brooks Street, Grosvenor Square.” The signatures were written in a circle and attached on a separate foldout page. The address was provided only in the Magazine article’s text. Published as “A Diplomatic...
I am under the disagreable necessity of informing you that M r: Barclay is in Prison at this place—at the suit of Mess rs: V & P. French & Nephew, Merchants established here, for the sum of 75.000 t Livers—which arrises from Cash advanced & Goods shiped on his account & by his order—near 4 years past— the Gentlemen seem much attached to the Idea, that M r. Barclay being in a public...
By my Several Letters to M rs: Smith since my departure your Excellency will have been regularly informed of my progress and the cause of my checks at Paris & Bourdeaux and the reason of the length of my stay here, which I doubt not will prove satisfactory— I shall proceed on Tuesday to compleat my Journey to Lisbon, from whence if an oppertunity offers I shall communicate to M r. Jay my...
I had the Pleasure of receiving your letter of the 10 th. ins t. the last evening, and should have done myself the Honour of meeting you at New Rochelle this day were I not kept in check by Mr: Jay’s proposing that if I would wait untill the morning he would accompany me to meet you at Kings-Bridge, where we suppose you will be at 12. o Clock— The arrangements for your accomodation and that of...
Permit me to introduce to your acquaintance M r. Blodget, tho’ I believe you may recollect seeing him in London—he will present himself to the President being charged with the prosecution of a plan relative to the building of the fœdral City, he is a young man of great property and supported in his project by most undoubted security, he will if you give him an opportunity communicate his...
I take the liberty of introducing to your acquaintance the Bearer of this, Mr. Wm: Langworthy, Author of a much approved work entitled "an Attempt to promote the Commercial interest of Great Britain,” a Copy of which, I believe he presented you with he is a Gent. of Science and abilities, who has been invited to this Country, as a proper theatre for the exercise of his talents and who lately...
I thank you for the perusal of the Bill, For establishing rules and articles for the Government of the Armies of the United States— I think the 24th. article not sufficiently explicit—It furnishes the superior officer with an opportunity of punishing an inferior without redress, the arresting officer being the sole judge of what speaches are reproachful, and what gestures are provoking—He may...
Agreable to your wish, expressed some months past, Mrs: Smith, accompanied by Miss Caroline and Our son William, pay you a visit, I lament that it is not in my power to accompany them, but agreable to the old tune, I cannot leave my post, as Besides the paper War is recommencing, and as We are threatned with a broad side, I must recive it, & proceed to action, against the Clintonian...
I have just recieved your favor of the 26th. ulto. I am content that you should act as you wisdom dictates relative to our Children with you. I expect a long letter giving an account of the great Commencement. I have written Caroline & shall write William. Inclosed is a Letter from our son John, all parts of the family are in health. After this I shall not trouble you with the News...
I believe that yesterday I answered your letter of the 27th, but did not particularly reply to the contents of yours of the 24th. Medial matter missing “All men,” says Knox, “are so much inclined to flatter their own pride, by detracting from the reputation of others, that, even if we were able to maintain an immaculate conduct, it would be difficult to preserve an immaculate character, for...