1Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
My time has been so occupied between going to Boston to get my dinner and coming back to Quincy again, that I have written to you but once since my arrival. I should have considered these frequent visits as time lost to improvement, but that they have enabled me to attend the Session of the Supreme Court, which commenced on the 19 th: ult o. . Having now complied with all the necessary forms...
2Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter by my Brother was delivered a few days since; as the proposal it contains is of very considerable importance, I have taken time to consider it before I returned an answer. As you have been good enough to leave it in my option whether to adopt the plan, or not, I shall express my sentiments with the freedom which your indulgence seems to authorize. I am sensible that a young...
3Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 15 th: inst t: and am pleased to find in it an interpretation of the 6 th: Article of the Convention with France, which had escaped my reflection— Viewing it as a provision only to operate after the expiration of our treaty with G Britain, it may be both natural & proper, but as the time when it was to operate was not specified, many others, like myself, have supposed...
4From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 21 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
There is in Boston, a Lemmon-tree of a peculiar kind, called the Sweet Lemmon, Sent to your Grandfather, by a gentleman from Malaga—and I expect it will be in the custody of our friend Mr J H Foster, by Tomorrow. Your Grandfather is desirous of presenting this plant to the Botanical garden, in Cambridge, and wishes you to call on Mr: Peck the Professor, with his compliments, tendering the Tree...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received in course your favor of the 4 th: inst t: a pretty assiduous attendance at Court, during the whole of the last week prevented my making a sooner acknowledgment. Two causes of considerable moment were argued very elaborately, an outline of which may be found in the Gazette of the U.S. of the 16 th: — The question of war or no war, as it respects the relative situations of the United...
6Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 30 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 23 d: inst t: I hesitated for some days, whether I should enclose the paper containing the Number of Horatius, which was so ridiculously headed as that you refer to, but I finally concluded that the intention of the Author was good, and that an honest though deluded zeal, had transported him, like so many others, whom we have seen, to bolster up a cause,...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 15 February 1802 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive, this morning, your favor of the 1 st: curr t: and now hasten to acknowledge it, with more eagerness, on account of the long interval, which has elapsed, since I have written particularly to yourself. I am not sorry, that you consider politicks, as forbidden fruit, for though you cannot fail to form an opinion, upon the very novel & extraordinary occurrences, in...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 June 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have procured the Warrant from the Treasury for the payment of D 1250. and taken two Orders on the Branch Bank at Boston in the name of my Brother. One for Dls800. & the other for Dls1,190, which will be paid him on demand, on your behalf. The surplus I have reserved for the following purposes. Viz For five months Board Dls66. 50Cts; One hundred Dls sent to my Brother Charles; For two...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Since I came to this Country, two of your kind letters have reached me; one dated in June & the other in July; the latter came by Gen l: Marshall, but by some accident was not forwarded at the same time with your letter to my brother of the same date. It has only this day come to hand. Contrary to your expectation, as well as my own, your letters find me still in Europe, and about to embark in...
10Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
The letter from Gen l: Pinckney to Gen l: Marshall apprising him of the probable result of the South Carolina election, seems to be considered here as deciding the great political contest, which has excited so much interest, throughout the Continent, for some months past. The issue is like to be different from that which the federalists have, of late allowed themselves to anticipate, and their...
11Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 19 October 1794 (Adams Papers)
I embrace the earliest opportunity to acquaint you of our safe & happy arrival at this place after a Passage of 28 days. I scarcely conceive it possible at any Season of the year to have a more delightful Voyage; we got soundings on the 21 st: day after our departure, and arrived at Deal on the 28 th: in London the 29 th: exactly four weeks from the day of Embarkment at Boston. With a fast...
12Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 15 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 12 th: instant came to hand this morning, and I am greatly obliged by the kind invitation it contains to join you & my cousin at Trenton, which it would give me great pleasure to do immediately, but for the desire I feel of procuring an office in to which I may enter immediately on my return to the City. The inhabitants are daily flocking to town, but I have not thought it...
13Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
I lately enclosed you a prospectus of the Rev d Doctor Smith’s works accompanied by a print of the Author, which I sent rather as a specimen of good American Engraving, than on any other account; although as a subscriber to the work, which will ere long be published, you might wish to posses so striking a likeness of the Author. I sent the print and prospectus without any knowledge of M r:...
14Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 28 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your affectionate & confidential favors of the 17 th: & 23 d: inst ts: and have conferred with M r: Ingersoll on the subject of their contents, so far as they concerned himself. He observed, that his communication with me, on the subject of his resignation of the office he now holds under government, was intended merely to afford an opportunity for filling the vacancy, which...
15Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 6 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last letter, (June 24 th: ) I am favored with your’s of May 19. which gives the comfortable assurance of your safe return to Quincy. After the fatigues, vexations and anxiety, which a lengthy session of Congress always produces, I easily conceive the luxury of your enjoyment upon returning to your farm. There you meet the reward of your labors, by the appearance of...
16Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 8 May 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 11 th: Feb y reached me on the 29 th: ult o: ; being the first direct communication from you since my residence in Europe, the receipt of it was peculiarly acceptable; it also had another merit, that of giving the latest intelligence from our Country and friends. M r Wilcocks has not yet visited this Country; when he does I shall certainly pay him every attention, which his...
17Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have searched, in conformity to the request expressed in your favor of the 2 d: inst t: all the writers upon the law of Nature and Nations, which I have in my Office, for authorities to support & justify & explain, the Sixth article of the Convention with France. The extracts from Vattel in your letter are somewhat more explicit on the particular point in question, than his masters,...
18Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
The morning after you left this place, the Aurora was filled with five columns & an half, from T. Coxe; wherein he undertakes to detail another private conversation, which passed between him and M r: Dennie, during his last visit to the City, & while he lodged in the same house with Dennie & myself. It is hardly necessary to observe, that this, like all other details from the same source, is...
19Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 17 th: & 19 th: instants and take the first moment of leisure, that has occurred, since their receipt, to acknowledge gratefully these fresh instances of parental solicitude respecting my personal concerns. I shall reply without reserve to your last letter, which relates more immediately to my professional prospects. I have always been persuaded of the...
20Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 June 1794 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in Philad a: on Sunday Morn g & was not a little disappointed at finding you had taken your departure only the Day before; I hastened my return from Reading, that I might reach Philad a: before you left it. My Journey has been as pleasant as I co[uld] wish, & I have returned not a little prejudiced in favor of the State of Pennsylvania. If my conject[ures] are well founded, it will...
21Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 26 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 14 th: has been some days in hand— I thank you for your tender solicitude for my health & success— As to the first I can say, with thankfulness that it is better than usual at this melting season— To the second, I can reply, that my professional success, is sufficient to keep me above despondency, though far short of my necessities. On Tuesday last I argued a cause of...
22Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
The rumor’s of peace have almost totally subsided; those still in circulation deserve as little credit, as they generally receive. The hope is still cherished, and even encouraged by the Government here, merely to silence the importunate demands of many of its adherents. In a former letter I mentioned the report then current, that a cessation of hostilities had been agreed to, by the armies in...
23Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 13 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
The flattering reception which my Letters have met with from you, and the expressions of commendation you have been pleased to use respecting them, would excite sensations of vanity, if I could consider them in any other light, than as the effusions of parental partiality, & paternal indulgence. As a tribute of affectionate approbation, I shall cherish it with fondness, & rember it with...
24Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The return of some Gentlemen of the Philadelphia Bar gives me an opportunity of droping you a few lines; The Court has been engaged in many important trials, & contrary to their expectations are obliged to meet this day— M r: Ingersoll however intends making part of the Journey, to Lancaster this afternoon; To prevent an interference of the Court of Com Pleas & the Supreme Court in Lancaster...
25Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 5 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
In our Journey from West Chester to this place we lodged at Strasburg, a German Village 9 miles the other side of Lancaster; I had little opportunity of viewing the town, as we arrived at dusk & started at 5 oClock the next morning; the lands about it are valuable & well cultivated, the Houses are many of them built with logs, with a Cement of gravel mortar to fill up the chincks— the people...
26Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
When I said, that I did not disagree with Manlius, in attributing the downfall of the federal cause, to the Mission to France, my meaning was, not, that the loss of the late election, was to be viewed, as the consequence of that Mission, for I believe with you Sir, that independent of that measure, the federal Candidate would have been almost universally deserted. But I meant to assert as my...
27Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 16 August 1792 (Adams Papers)
In my last Letter I promised to transmit the Result of the Town meetings which have been lately held in this City; the inclosed abstract will supersede the necessity of any additional remarks from me; It will be sufficient to say that the Party, which on the last meeting in which any business was transacted, had the majority, having gained all their measures prevented any further business on...
28Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 7 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
I am requested by M r: Dobson to enquire of you what disposition you desire to be made of your Book’s of which he has a considerable supply of Coppies. Whether some of them should not be sent to Boston & New York, or whether you would wish them to remain where they are. He thinks you gave him no possitive directions about them before you left the City. Various events have taken place in France...
29Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 27 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you soon after my arrival here that I expected to take passage with Captain Jenkins of the Ship America, bound to Newburypor[t.] I had in fact engaged to go with him, but as he said much to me of the uncomfortableness of his vessel and refused any compensation for taking me as a passenger, I thought best to look out for another opportunity, and upon the recommendation of Capt n:...
30To John Adams from Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have reflected with mingled emotions of filial tenderness and respect upon the proposal you made me, yesterday, to take up my abode with you and to make one family of your’s and mine. As a proposal of such a nature, would not be proper on my part, it is my duty to consider it and to answer it, as made by you. And I prefer the freedom of epistolary communication on this occasion to oral,...