31Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 26 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter by this days mail of 17 th I am mortified at the loss of mr Whitman, tho from what you wrote me I apprehended it would be so. every one has a right to their own opinion, and my conscience suffers as much when I hear mr. & mr & mr deliver sentiments which I cannot assent to & preach doctrines Which I cannot believe, as my Neighbours because a Man does not wear Calvinism...
32Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 9 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on saturday that I would forward to you the Dispatches as soon as they were out. I accordingly inclose them. they exhibit a picture of National Degradation and unparalled corruption, which presents Burks picture of the French Nation, not as the product of a heated imagination, but as real Life. “out of the Tomb of the Murdered Monarchy in France, has arrisen a vast, tremendous,...
33Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I inclose a Letter to cousin Betsy who has been very frank with me upon the subject of her approaching connection. I hope they will live to enjoy mutual happiness— I believe I have been deficient in not mentioning to you that mr Greenleaf was liberated from Prison on saturday week. I have not seen him. mr Malcomb was present at Court and heard the examination. he returnd quite charmed with mr...
34Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mrs smith Louissa Mrs Otis Rush Peters & a number of young Ladies are just gone to Congress to hear the Speech which is deliverd at 12 oclock to day; I should have liked well enough to have been of the Party, but it would not have been proper— You will see it, as soon as you will get the Letter I presume some people will not be pleased, I suppose, because it will not disclose enough about the...
35Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
on fryday the 19th I returnd from mount Vernon, where at the pressing invitation of Mrs Washington I had been to pass a couple of day’s. the Shades of that solitude corresponded more with my present feelings than the company which I am obliged to See in the city of Washington— the sight of an old Friend, and the cordial reception I met With from every branch of the family, Served to sooth my...
36Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 29 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I just write you a line to day, to tell you we are well, and to inclose Letters from my Family. we have not any thing new since I wrote you last, except a fine rain, which is truly a blessing for the Grass and Grain were in a suffering condition, and the dust so intollerable as to render riding very dissagreable. I am to drink tea on Board the Frigate United States this afternoon if the...
37Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 5 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received your kind Letter of December and was surprized to find that my Letter should convey the first intelligence of the Death of mr & Mrs Hall to mr & Mrs Black, as their Brother assured me he had written three weeks before. I told him I would take charge of any Letter from him, and could nearly vouch for its going safely I was much dissatisfied when mrs Brisler sought the Child so...
38Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 23 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The weather has been so oppressively Hot for this week—and the streets of the City so nausious that I expect the concequences which must follow. they already begin—complaints of the Bowels are frequent & an inflamitory soar throat. Frederick has got below after 5 bleedings Blistering &c Becky is now sick with it. hers is less upon her throat, more in her Bowels, not much fever— I hope hers...
39Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 18 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
Death, thou art no Respecter of Persons; Washington is no More! a Great Man has fallen, and his End is peace. I shall dye said he, but Death has no terrors for me; this Melancholy Event, was this day brought to this city by the Mail and by private Letters; the Croup was the rapid disease which put a period to the Days, of him whose, memory will I trust be Embalmed in the Hearts of all true...
40Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
To communicate pleasure, is reflecting happiness. The secretary of state came smiling in my Room yesterday. I said to him, I know you have got dispatches, upon which he took from his pocket, two Letters from my dear son at Berlin. tho they were publick Letters and upon publick buisness, they informd us of his safe arrival at Berlin on the 7 th of Nov’ br , 4 days from Hamburgh— on the 10th he...
41Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 3 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
The weather was so cold yesterday that we had fires in our Rooms. I suppose you have weather of a similar kind. we have had frequent showers and yesterday a fine rain. The House have at length got through the answer to the speech, 3 weeks debating whether, they should use the term indignation, or sensibility. the answer as reported and as finally agreed to, is a very handsome one, as well as a...
42Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 20 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I do not know whether there is any getting over the Rivers. the Eastern Mail due yesterday is not arrived. the Ice has been broken up for two or three days past mr B Beals who has been here more than a week, talkd of leaving the city yesterday. I have given him a little matter addrest to Cousin Betsy. it is a small Box of the size of a little plate. in it you will find a shawl handkerchief...
43Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 4 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received on saturday Yours of May 28 th I wrote you on saturday previous to my receiving yours I am very sorry if the Box I sent should be lost. it was a square Box coverd with canvass, the same you sent my cap in last summer, addrest to mr smith— the dress in it together with the handkerchief Ruffels &c was of 30 dollors value. I intended it for Betsys wedding dress— the vessels Name the...
44Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 27 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since I received your Letter giving me an account of the ordination, the fatigues of which I should have been glad to have shared with you, and I could not but blame myself, that I did not write to request mrs Porter to have opend our House, and Stables, and to have accomodated as Many persons as they could; it is now happily over and I congratulate the Town in having...
45Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 10 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in this city last Evening & came to the old House, now occupied by Francis as an Hotel. tho the furniture and arrangment of the House is changed I feel more at home here than I should any where Else in the city, and when sitting with my son & other friends who call to see me, I can scarcly persuade myself, that tomorrow I Must quit it, for an unknown & an unseen abode— My Journey has...
46Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 26 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I inclose to you a National song composed by this same mr Hopkinson. French Tunes have for a long time usurped an uncontrould sway. since the Change in the publick opinion respecting France, the people began to lose the relish for them, and What had been harmony, now becomes discord. accordingly their had been for several Evenings at the Theatre something like disorder, one party crying out...
47Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 14 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
yesterday dispatches were received from mr King up to the 9 th Jan’ ry in a postscrip he says, I have just learnt that mr Adams has been received by the new King notwithstanding his commission was to his Father. this is civil and will enable him to proceed with business— I received a Letter from dr Tufts yesterday that allarmd me. I thought I inclosed him some Bills. I might as I wrote you the...
48Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 20 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I write you a few Lines this mor’g just to inclose to you the News paper of yesterday which contains an important Message from the President; it is a very painfull thing to him that he cannot communicate to the publick dispatches in which they are so much interested, but we have not any assurance that the Envoys have left Paris and who can say that in this critical state of things their...
49Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 8 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of June the first. I am quite delighted at the account you give of the season, and the appearence of vegetation. I was out yesterday at A Farm of Judge Peters call’d, Belmont. it is in all its Glory; I have been twice there, when I lived at Bush Hill, but he has improved both the House and Gardens Since— after being six Months in a City, you can hardly conceive the delight one...
50Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 28 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have just received yours of the 23 April and I sit down to answer your inquiries respecting the building I wrote to dr Tufts my Ideas upon it. I should think the East Chambers the best for a Library and I do not see any inconvenience from having the stairs to it without doors like going into a store as mr Tufts store is built. I pray neither the dr or mr Black when he comes will say any...
51Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
mr Black got here on thursday night. I was rejoiced to see him. it seemd next to being at home. I yesterday received your Letter of April 29th. I had heard before both of Sukys’ death and my dear little Mary’s. I felt hers the more sensibly, because she was more endeared to me from having been more with me than either of the other Children. my Heart is grieved for mr & Mrs smith who for this...
52Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 30 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter of the 23 d this morning I should be glad You would inform me from time to time the state Mrs Mears is in. I have told mrs Brisler that she was ill, but as she it cannot be of any Service to Mrs Mears, I think best not to let her know of her relapse tho I fear it will finally be fatal to Mrs Mears.— Mrs Brisler would so distress herself as very probably to bring on her...
53Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received from you two kind Letters which I have not yet acknowledged; I am surprized to find that the frost & cold have not yet put a stop to the fever. I hope it will not be permitted to make a renewed visit, at the approach of the summer with a severity never before experienced in our healthy and delightfull Village— I cannot Say that I have enjoy’d So Much health this winter as the last....
54Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 7 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I know not what could have become of a Letter written to You upon the 18 of December, that upon the 30 th You should not have received it.— I have written You more than once since that period, but do not recollect the Dates— I forget whether it was before or since then; that I inclosed to you a croun of a cap & Band. since, that I have sent the Border and a Cap for Mrs Norten, which I think...
55Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I find the best time for writing, is to rise about an hour earlier than the rest of the family; go into the Presidents Room, and apply myself to my pen. now the weather grows warmer I can do it. His Room in which I now write has three larg windows to the south. the sun visits it with his earliest beams at the East window, and Cheers it the whole day in winter. all my keeping Rooms are North,...
56Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 21 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in this city on Sunday the 16 th ult— having lost my way in the woods on saturday in going from Baltimore we took the road to Frederick and got nine miles out of our road. You find nothing but a Forest & woods on the Way, for 16 and 18 miles not a Village, here and there a thatchd cottage without a single pane of glass— inhabited by Black’s— my intention was to have reachd Washington...
57Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 22 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Your Letter yesterday. I know from what I Saw and heard whilst I was at home that there was pains taken to make Mr & Mrs Porter uneasy, and that they were too apt to listen to stories which were in themselves Idle, and [ra]ised from Envy. many would be glad to get into their hands such a charge as is left with mr & Mrs Porter, who would not be so honest in their care and attention...
58Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 31 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter on saturday the 26 th by Brisler who with his family arrived here in safety John was taken with the Mumps the day before. he was not so sick, as to prevent their proceeding to cross the Ferry— I have not heard of him since, but expect to, this day. Louissa has had the Mumps, so as to be swelld up to her Eyes. they have been a week upon her, and are not yet gone— caroline...
59Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 23 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of June 13 th. and thank you for it. the account you give me respecting my House and the Farm are very pleasing. I like your proposal of going to it and taking tea with my good Neighbours very much— I am very sorry to hear that mrs Beal is so unwell. I have feard that she would fall into a decline, for she has appeard to me, to look very unwell for many Months. she was a...
60Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 27 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your kind Letter of March 19 th . I expect a Letter every week if you have nothing else to say, but as Sterns observes, “how the Shadows Lengthen, as the sun declines” and this may be applied to the well as the natural System. as we descend the Hill of Life, our gay and vissonary prospect vanish, and what gilded our meridian days, our Zenith of Life, as the Shadows...