31Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 14 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have felt every day as if I was conscience smit for neglecting to write to you. I have been some encumberd with cares and ceremonies which tho not very pleasent, the custom of the World, and the state of society have made them necessary in publick Life. the sitting of congress has added to my cares, at a season of the Year when I should very gladly have dispenced with so much company as we...
32Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 8 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
As you are now in a Sphere of Life that requires the Enjoyment of Health, the Exercise of Wisdom, Patience and every other Virtue, I wish you the Possession of these equal to its Exigences and that as is the Day so may be your Strength. I feel anxious for my Friends, but peculiarly so for the State of my Country, at the same Time can chearfully leave it to the Care of Providence and those on...
33Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 December 1791 (Adams Papers)
Tis more than two months since I left you yet I have neither written a word to you or heard from you. Since I left Home, I have been much occupied removeing, and living in the city subjects us to company at all times, so much so that I must either be denying myself through the whole day, or appoint one evening in the week as a publick Evening. this I have found to be the most agreeable to...
34Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 11 March 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of the 23 Feb ry and was happy to learn that our Friends were all well. my son Set of on his return to Boston last week, in company with mr Gerry & Ames. he was desirious of going then that he might have the pleasure of good company. this tho a very agreeable circumstance on a long journey, will I believe scarcly compensate for the badness of the Roads at this...
35Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 23 February 1791 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 6 th. Ins t. came safe to hand and just timely enough to counter order the Shipping of your Hams & Beef— Some time past you requested me to purchase you a Ticket, I defered it till the Time of drawing was not far distant, & giving the Preference to our semiannual Lottery have purchased for you N o. 15533— Will there be an advantage in becoming a Sharer in the national Bank, if so...
36Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 February 179[1] (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of Jan ry 7th by my son. in replie to the Buisness part, I think upon reflection and to save trouble, I would wish you to Loan my Notes as Trustee to me. I as well as many other should have liked the system of Finnance much better if the Faith pledged had been literally fullfilld; by the payment of Six pr ct interest, then let the new Loan have been fill’d at 4 or...
37Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I am happy to find by M r. Adam’s’s Letter of Dec. 14. that You have in a great Measure recovered Your Health. I sympathize with you under the Sickness of Your Son and others in Your Family. I sincerely wish for his and their Restoration to Health, & hope by this Time that they have regain’d it and that you are sit down in some Degree of Ease & Tranquillity— Your Scituation in Life must...
38Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 28 September – 6 October 1790 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 5 th. I rec d. the 15 t. Ins t. 1 By M r. Thomas who has reached You before this Time I wrote & enclosed M r. Adams Acc ts. and an Answer to a former Letter of Yours. Had I known that it had been necessary for Your Son to have come forward at an earlier Period and his Stay here had rested on his not being furnished with the needful. I should certainly have procured it by some...
39Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams received your Letter dated August 31. he sat of that morning after for Philadlphia and desired me to let you know that he would transmit to you an order from the treasury for the Sum you received of Generall Lincoln upon his return. where is Thomas we have been daily expecting him for near a Month, and mr Adams delay d going his journey a week expecting him here. he wrote me that he...
40Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 2 August 1790 (Adams Papers)
Commencment being finish’d some of your cares for my Family will be lesned. I esteem it amongst my blessings that my young Family have all past through Colledge with so much Reputation, and that in scenes strewd thick with dangers, they have escaped so well. I hope their future progress through Life may be equally pure. I feel myself indebted to many of my Friends for the kind care they have...
41Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 30 May 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of May last week I was very sorry to hear that you and your Family had not escaped the prevailing sickness. the disorder has universally prevaild here. not a single one of our Family, except mr Adams has escaped, and Polly, it was very near proving fatal too. We Have been in very great anxiety for the Pressident. during the state of Suspence, it was thought prudent...
42Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 5 th Instant came safe to Hand. I know our interest at Braintree can be of very little Service to us, seperated as we are from it, and lying so much in Buildings. I do not know what benefit was last year derived from the great Garden but unless Bass could carry manure upon it, it would soon become good for very little. if any method could be devised by which the Rent...
43Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 7 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter inclosing mr joys proposals and I have omitted answering it because I wished mr Adams to determine himself. he says that he had already offerd mr joy what he gave, which he considerd quite as much as the place was worth, that it will not yeald him half the interest of the Money unless he was to live at home & be able to improve it, that mr Joys present proposal of the...
44Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 10 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
Our Gen l Court is now in the Fourth Week of its Session; very little Business of Importance as yet finished The Leisure Season of the Year invites many of our good Folks to spin out the Session to a Length more favourable to their Purses than to the Interest of their Constituents. Much has been said of the Necessity of making Provision for restoring the public Credit, However no Tax or any...
45Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, after 8 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge two kind Letters from you which I should sooner have replied to, but the post office would make me pay more than I thought my Letters would be worth. the Members of both Houses have been more punctual in meeting this year than they were the last, & the third day they made a House. you will see, & I doubt not be pleased with the Presidents Speach. great National objects...
46Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 17 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I think our dear state makes full use of the liberty of the press, but they who write for the benefit of mankind whether learned or unlearned will always find more utility in reasoning than writing; I am led to these observations by several pieces, some in Edes paper, that fountain of Sedition, and a piece in Adams paper signed “a New England man.” This same writer and many others will find...
47Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 20 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 22 d. I rec d. on Sunday last, by Gen Lincoln— the several Articles You requested me to procure I shall collect as soon as possible— I have made Enquiry for Butter but have not met with any that is good a considerable Quantity has been sent to New York by a Vessel that saild a day or two past— It is somewhat doubtful whether I shall be able to buy the Hams already prepared, if not...
48Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 22 November 1789 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you and the Lady to whom you are united upon your Nuptials, and most sincerely wish you a renewall of all your former happiness, with corresponding dispositions, and inclinations. the domestick circle is alone capable of yealding satisfactions, which an intercourse with the word and all its amusements never can afford. in Buisness or in pleasure the participation of a dear...
49Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 5 October 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 15 sep br I have not yet replied to. with regard to the House, I wish it was as moveable an article as a Carriage I would then get you to send it by Barnard to Newyork where I should meet with no difficulty in getting four hundred Dollors rent. now I should be glad to get as much for the 5 Houses we own in Braintree together with the Farms belonging to them. the expence of...
50Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 15 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 1 st. Ins t. I rec d the 11 st. and shall give orders to Pratt relative to the Butter &c Not having received an Answer to Mine respecting the Cart &c and finding no Opportunity to dispose of the Cart to Advantage I got L t. Bates to apprize it which he sat at £7.10.0 and had concluded to take it to my own Use if you approved of it, but as you think it will not be best to...
51Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 1 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
with regard to politicks the debates of the House will give you an Idea of them, as yet there has been but little Heat upon any Subject, but there is a questions comeing on with regard to the permanant Residence of congress which I fear will create parties, & much vexation. I should think that in the present state of their treasury, an expence so unnecessary ought to be avoided as even...
52Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 20 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased to hear that you have a commodious Seat, its Scituation delightful & Prospect pleasant— We have had a fine Commencement & the Performances of the Day were spoken of with much Applause— Most excellent Things were said of the President & Vice President of the United States— their Characters were displayed in the brightest & strongest Colours It is a satisfaction to the great &...
53Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 17 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
Not being able to dispose of my oxen as I expected, & to have taken half the money for them, I do not find myself able to pay French without taking less than 50 Dollors with me, 46 of which it will take for my conveyence to Providence & passage on Board the packet. I must therefore request the favour of you sir to pay him for seven months wages at 50 dollers pr year. you will see by the papers...
54Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 20 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
I have written twice to you by way of New York, but do not find by yours that either of them had reachd you, nor have I learnt that Captain Folger was arrived who had all my Letters, except one to mrs Cranch by Captain Cushing. in those Letters you will find what I wisht to have done to the House, as well as other matters respecting our Farm I believe this will be the last Letter I shall write...
55Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 1 January 1788 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the November packet which Letter I hope you have received before now, in that I mentiond what I wished to have done to the House, particularly the painting & papering. Since that date we have received your favour by Captain Barnard desiring to know how mr Adams would have the land improved, but neither he or I are well enough acquainted with the Land to give any other...
56Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 18 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
The System of Government reported by the late Continental Convention has afforded much Matter for Pens and Tongues— The Friends & opposers of it are distinguished by the Party names of Federalists & Antifederalists— These Names I suspect will continue as long as Whig & Tory— which of the Parties will carry their Point, is difficult to say— Many of the Advocates for the Constitution are...
57Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 November 1787 (Adams Papers)
Last week Captains Folger & Callihan arrived by whom we received all your Letters & Bills. the Bills were imediatly accepted, & will be paid when due. I feel under great obligations to you my dear sir, for all your kind care, & attention to our affairs. I am glad to find the buisness closed with mr Borland, and at a price which I think must be reasonable judging by what was formerly given for...
58Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 31 October 1787 (Adams Papers)
In my last Letter to M r. Adams I inform’d Him of the Death of our beloved Uncle Smith— had we enjoyed his Life much longer, it would have been greatly desireable—but Heaven was kind in continuing that rich Blessing for so long a Time we have the utmost Assurance that He is happy tho’ We have lost one Source of our temporal Felicity— His Virtues may we imitate and with him share in a better...
59Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 5 October 1787 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favour by captain Folger came safe to Hand, and brought me the agreeable intelligence of my Eldest sons having received His degree, and performed his part to the satisfaction of his Friends, and his own credit. you know Sir from experience, that there is no musick sweeter in the Ears of parents, than the well earned praises of their children. I hope he will continue through Life...
60Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 20–24 September 1787 (Adams Papers)
Yours & M r. Adams of the 1 t. & Yours of the 4 th. of July I rec d. the 6 th. Inst. the former by a British Vessell the latter by the Way of New York— being then in Boston, I immediately applied to our Friend D r. Wilch to prepare the Way for the Purchase of Borlands Farm thinking it best to conceal your Name, till we were sure of accomplishing the Business— The D r. applied and found that M...