1To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 31 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
Although I have not the pleasure of a personal acquaintance, yet as an Author, I claim the privilege of one, & address to thee a copy of my Gazetterr of the State of New York. Be pleased to accept, with it, assurances of my high veneration & esteem. Few, very few of the Fathers of our Republic remain to this day, a trying & eventful one to our Country.—That thou, with all these, may survive...
2To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 8 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
I am very grateful for thy obliging favor of the 7th ult., & must begin this with an apology for so soon troubling thee again. I wish to send a copy of the Gazetteer of New York, to the Emperor of Russia, & write to solicit the favor of thy aid in forwarding it, through thine & the Kindness of thy Son, our Minister in Russia. Will it be practicable,? & if so, wilt thou have the goodness to...
3To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 1 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have been duly favored with thy kind Letter of the 16th ultimo, & avail myself of a privilege to convey through thy hands to thy Son, for the Emperor of Russia, a copy of my Gazetteer of the State of New-York. All conveyances are uncertain;—this must take its chance. Should it nark thy Son, I pray thou let him know the high sentiments of esteem which I entertain, & the obligations he would...
4To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 1 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
Since I was favored with thy esteemed favor of a late date, I have received a Letter from thy friend Josiah Quincy, who also informs that I may send a Gazetteer to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, directed to thee. I now avail myself of that privilege; & I take the liberty also to send one for thy Son in Russia. I am very grateful for the friendly sentiments expressed in thy Letter. It...
5To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 30 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I am very sensible of thy kind condescention, & often hesitate to trouble thee so often with my Letters, which thy goodness has hitherto excused. Preparing to go to the Southward, I am desirous of improving the opportunity to extend my acquaintance with men of worth & eminence. I intend to go to Philadelphia, Baltimore, & Washington; & should that venerable Jefferson be still living, to visit...
6To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 20 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
Will thy good-nature excuse the freedom of a friendly enquiry after thy health? assured that a real solicitude exists for its long continuance, with every other blessing? And of our Minister, thy Son—hast thou heard of late from him? I am anxious to learn how my humble offering was received, as well by him, as by the Autocrat of all Russia. And I am also very anxious to learn that the labors...
7To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 26 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
I am lately favored with a Letter from thy Son, one of our Ministers at Ghent, acknowledging the receipt of two copies of my Gazetteer, which thou wast good enough to forward for me. That Gentleman, in my estimation, stands on very high ground, & I am gratified to thee for having, so far, procured me his favorable notice. While lately at Washington, I learnt, both from the President & Col....
8To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 5 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am duly favored with thy Letter. I did not see that venerable old Man for whom thou enquirest, although I intended to do so. The lateness of the season, bad roads, & too little time for my purposes prevented. I have received a Letter from him, however, a few days since, & am happy to hear of the continuance of his health. I send thee a little trifle, as one among the list of my children ( of...
9To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 8 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I enclose this a Right to use this improvement described in this little pamphlet I lately sent thee. Should it not be thy wish to use it, please hand the Certificate to some friend who will do so, & advise Mr Mr of the result. I am anxious to have the principles fully tested, & the best possible method is by actual demonstration. So far, this has succeeded to complete satisfaction. I was in...
10To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 24 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
As I have not, for a long time past, been favored to hear from thee, I presume to address thee again. I hope thy health continues to afford thee happiness & enjoyment, & most devoutly hope for thy good in every thing. I am just commencing another Work, of which I send a Prospectus. By a Letter that reached me yesterday, I learn that Pres. Jefferson enjoys good Health. Is thy Son probably now...
11To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 16 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
It is with great pleasure that I have observed, of late, the continued evidences of thy health so prolonged, and habitual activity and attention. Long may it be continued. I have lately been favored with a Letter from thy Son, at London, whom so many are anxious to see return to the United States. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, has conferred on me the honor of a Fellowship, with...
12To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 21 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I send, by this Mail, Nos. 7, 8, & 9, of my Magazine, & invite thy particular attention to the Essay of Franklin , on a National School, &c. Please favor me with thy opinion of it, & of the plans that he suggests. The little Work I mentioned sometime ago, is printed, at Boston, & I have directed my publisher to send thee a Copy. It is anonymous, because I must conceal the of Authorship. I hope...
13To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 28 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
Thou wast good enough to inform me that ‘no Book of mine would disturb thy peace,’ & I accordingly ordered my publisher to send thee a small volume, some time last winter. It is a little thing—but still as it is my youngest child, in this way, I feel some degree of anxiety about its fate. I speak of ‘The Mother-in-Law,’ published at Boston. I congratulate thee, & the country, on the return of...
14To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 8 April 1824 (Adams Papers)
Can I send thee a 3 dollar octavo volume of 620 pages, by mail, post-free? I have just published so good a thing that I very much want thee to see it. A Gazetteer & Geography of the State of New-York, the writing of which employed me, closely, for more than 2 years. As I have send all the freedom of remark that a Republican ought to do, aiming at truth, there are many things incidentally said...
15To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 18 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Thy letter duly came to my family, & I have now the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of it. I am always much gratified to hear of thy health. The Gazetteer goes with this letter, & I very ardently hope thy health & strength will so hold out as to enable thee to hear it rad. May I hope to hear from thee, afterwards? I would, if I could afford it, send a copy to the American Academy of Arts &...
16To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 28 October 1824 (Adams Papers)
This ‘ Baby ’ of mine, the little Book sent herewith, is truly a very small Book; but thou wilt consider it a portal to a vast edifice, & as I ask thy acceptance of it, made small as it is, as a mark of my most sincere regard. Thou wilt see, by this, what a new & vast field the enterprize of New York is opening to public view: these Canals, minutely traced, 420 odd miles in length, are new...
17To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 17 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
I was duly favored, sometime since, with thy kind notice of my late publications, for which I thank thee, and was also much gratified with thy remarks on recent political counts in this State. Fortunately I have delayed this reply until now, when I pray thee to accept my very hearty congratulations on the Election of thy Son to the Presidency of the United States. This must be highly...
18To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 21 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
Thou hast been pleased to command my literary labors, and to manifest toward me so much kindness, that I beg permission to ask of thee a favor. The 15 years that I have devoted to the topography, statistics, geography & history of this State, have procured me plenty of empty-handed praise, a very general public applause, but, as to pecuniary compensation for these labors, my time has been...
19To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 12 July 1810 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty to address one of these Letters to thee, because I can but suppose thou must feel an interest in every undertaking which interests & affects the community. Placed, as thou art, at the civil head of a Nation of Freemen, thy fatherly goodwill embraces, I trust, an anxious regard for the whole—& while I thus regard thee, I could but wish to engage thy attention to what is doing...
20To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 7 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I ought, perhaps, to apologize, for troubling thee with a subject of so little direct concern to thyself, as that I am now about to propose, for thy consideration. The details, which the 3rd Census will afford, aught to be embodied, in a Volume of convenient size, & published for general use; & unless some other person shall have effected this previous to next 6 Mo., (June,) I contemplate...
21To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 15 June 1814 (Madison Papers)
I know not what may be the views of Administration, but I have taken upon myself to deny that those in whom the national trust is deposited to guard the Constitution, should be the first to design its overthrow. To cover real designs, it is not uncommon to impute to opponents in political life, purposes which we intend. It is said by many & by many believed, that our government will soon be...
22To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 13 September 1814 (Madison Papers)
At the moment of taking my pen to address thee, my eyes are flowing with tears of anxiety and deep distress for the situation of my beloved country. And when I grieve for that, I grieve also for myself. Perhaps thy time may hardly allow thee to peruse this, but let me entreat, if that may be possible. Devoted, as I feel, to the interests of America, my passions almost subdue, at times, my...
23To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 16 December 1814 (Madison Papers)
A part of the object of my journey to Washington, was suspended in part, in consequence of the feeble state of thy health. It was my intention, (as I believe I intimated to thee,) to inform thee particularly of an important discovery of mine, & to ask thy aid in my wishes to obtain an exclusive right, by a special law, & for a longer term than is authorised by ordinary Patents. When I spoke...
24To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 18 February 1815 (Madison Papers)
Permit me to present my congratulations on the prospect of peace. Anxious to have the principles of my invention, in the construction of wheel-carriages, fairly & fully tested, I now send, enclosed, a Certificate of a single Right to make use of the improvement. I sent, some days since, the little pamphlet on that subject. Should it not be thy wish to use the Right I send, please hand it to...
25To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 25 December 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have this day forwarded, by Mail, to the late President Jefferson, for his examination, a long Essay on the propriety of establishing a National School of Science & the Mechanic Arts, at the seat of the National Government; & on a Reform of the Patent System, of the United States. It was my intention to offer this first for thy perusal, but reflecting that thy time could probably be more...
26To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 18 April 1816 (Madison Papers)
I wrote thee, some time since, concerning an Essay of mine, which I proposed to have sent to thee for examination, before I should publish it: & I am now to explain why that Paper was not sent to thee as I intended. Presuming thy time would be all occupied at that time, I sent it to thy friend Jefferson to read, requesting him to return it to thee, as soon as might be convenient, & to favor me...
27To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 23 January 1817 (Madison Papers)
Had I not a great personal interest in seeing the Laws of the United States, relating to the granting of Patents, & the protection of the rights of Inventors, So Modified as to embrace a better security of these rights, I should not have devoted So much time & attention to this Subject: nor should I now presume to Solicit thy attention to it. The Essay of “Franklin,” published in Nos. 8 & 9 of...
28To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 9 August 1818 (Madison Papers)
In these woods, constantly occupied in my new business, that of Farming, & forming a new Settlement on an extensive tract of wild land, I hold little intercourse with the literary world & Know little of what is going on. As my attention is most sedulously directed to Agricultural & Rural Economies, I could not long be unapprized of the publication of some extracts from a late Address of thine...
29To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 15 March 1822 (Madison Papers)
I present a copy of my Proposals for a second edition of the Gazetteer of this State, & am in hopes I shall soon have the pleasure of sending the Book to thee. If it give thee no information, it will enable me to recall thy recollections of the poor old dandy of an Author, & to renew assurances of high regard. I do not recollect whether I have informed thee that I am preparing a sort of...
30To James Madison from Horatio Gates Spafford, 11 June 1822 (Madison Papers)
By some delay of the Post Master at Ballston, to which thy favor of April 16 was directed, I did not receive it until yesterday. My Geography & Gazetteer will soon be ready for the press, & greatly improved, by no small labor. Within the last 6 months, I have sent by Mail 1100 Letters, more than 300 of which were autographs, thinking, as indeed I have always found it, that less attention is...