631From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 17 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 17th and return you three Warrants signed, which you may fill up for General Collot, Mr. Sweitzer and the Person mentioned in Mr. Kings Letter, if he is to be found. I could trust the Heads of Departments with this Power, rather than my own Judgment; But I think We ought to give the Act a strict Construction, and therefore doubt the Propriety of delegating the...
632From John Adams to United States Congress, 18 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
The communication relative to our affairs with France alluded to in my address to both houses at the opening of congress the session is contained in the sheets which accompany this. A report of the Secretary of State, containing some observations on them, will be sent to congress on Monday DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
633From John Adams to Silas Talbot, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the pleasure to inclose a letter from the Secretary of the Navy to you with your commission, to which I know you will do honor. I wish you all the success & glory in the enjoyment of it, which you can possibly wish yourself With great regard your most humble MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
634From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your Letter of the fourth and return You the blank Commissions signed and all the Papers inclosed in yours. As to Major Brooks, I know not how a Man can talk of fighting “French Bloodhounds” who has been capable of saying Since his appointment, “that Things were going very well before the Arrival of the Dispatches of the Envoys: but the publication of those Dispatches had ruined...
635From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 12 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have signed the commission for Dr. Edward Field of Enfield & sent it on in your letter to him. Dr. Cogswells letter to Mr. Wolcott I return to you. Knowing, esteeming & loving Dr. Cogswell I could not hesitate a moment to credit his recommendation. I hope every exertion will be made to get the congress to see. I have as good & as high an opinion of Capt Sever as you have expressed in a late...
636From John Adams to Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, Baron [von] Steuben, 9 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your respectfull Address, has been presented to be by your Senators in Congress Mr Laurence and Mr North who are also Members of your Society. The interesting and critical Situation of our Country, threatoned as it is by a very powerfull foreign Nation, could not fail to command the Attention of Gentlemen of your Characters and Habits of Life. I am very happy to find that your Opinions...
637From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 20 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of the 16th.—Thank you for your care in writing to Mr Sands, who has furnished me with two thousand dollars for which I gave him duplicate Receipts to Serve for one, according to your desire. Though I rejoice to learn from your Letter that the Sickness in the City is diminishing, I cannot admit your Walk through the Principal Streets of it, to be full proof; because it...
638From John Adams to Thomas Sprigg, 2 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return with pleasure your Congratulations, upon the Unanimity of Spirit among our Fellow Citizens, which in so firm Language expresses their Resolution to preserve inviolate their Independence; and thank you for your generous applause. I thank you your unanimous Resolution to defend the Rights of Freemen or perish in the Conflict, is heroic and glorious. I cannot promise you an...
639From John Adams to United States Senate, 4 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I nominate the Gentlemen in the following List to fill the Offices to which they are designated in it— Cavalry. Alexander Macomb, junr: New York— Second Lieutenant First Regiment of Artillerists & Engineers. Cadet Jared Brooks Lieutenant Robert Gray Pennsylvania Ditto Cadet Lewis Landais Ditto Cadet William Murray Ditto Cadet Joseph Cross Ditto Peter Lampkin Virginia Ditto
640From John Adams to Charles Lee, 21 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Yesterday the opinion of yourself the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of the Navy on the Case of the Prisoners under Sentence of death for Treason, formed, as I doubt not under the full Exercise of Integrity and humanity. Nevertheless as I differ in opinion, I must take on myself alone the responsibility of one more appeal to the humane and generous natures of the...
641From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 15 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your important letter of the 7th. The form of a proclamation—is sufficient I believe for the purpose; and I have signed it, that it may be compleated and published at a proper season without loss of time. I am glad the heads of departments did not form a definitive opinion on the very important question, whether it will be expedient to renew the commerce without a...
642Epitomy, and Remarks on Actions of Ministers at Paris, 22 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Epitomy No. 1. Oct. 22. 1797. On the 5th. verbally informed Talleyrand, of their arrival. On the 6th. Major Rutledge carried a Letter of that date to Talleyrand On the 8th. They made their first Visit to Talleyrand, at one, not at home at 3 called again. Engaged with Portuguese, who soon retired. They were admitted and presented a Copy of their Credentials. T. employed about a report. In a few...
643From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the commissions for Maxwell Armstrong & Alexander Nelson signed according to the recommendation, inclosed in yours of the first of this month which I here enclose I am Sir your humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
644From John Adams to United States Senate, 29 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Robert G. Guerard of South Carolina to be Collector for the District of Beaufort and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port in the Place of Robert Hazard Wigg who has declined his appointment. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
645From John Adams to Alexander Hamilton, 22 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a Copy of a Letter, recd this morning from Col. Smith. I am at present at a loss to judge of it.—Will you be so kind without favour or affection, to give me, your candid opinion of it.—Whether his request can be granted in the whole or in part without injustice to other officers. And whether it is consistent with the military Ideas. I pray your Answer as soon as possible. I am, Sir...
646John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, Tuesday when the Levee Room began to be thin Brisler came running in, with the delightful sounds “Sir, Mr Adams is up Stairs.” I was not long in mounting the escalier and had the high Pleasure of embracing my dear son Thomas after an Absence of four years & an half.— We had a very happy Evening and he has had a good nights rest after the fatigues of his Voyage & Journey. He seems in...
647From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 25 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 13th and thank you for your zeal for the honor of my “defence”. That work, which was begun on the 4th of October 1786 & finished on the 26th of December 1787, was written in haste. It was not the fruit of twenty years labor, like Montesquieu’s & Gibbon’s, and as it was written in haste, may be supposed to have marks enough of inaccuracy. I am not yet sensible...
648From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 31 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the papers inclosed in your letter of the 24th. My knowledge of the Spanish language is not sufficient to give me much confidence that I understand the letters. We must wait for further information I am &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
649From John Adams to United States Senate, 16 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Certain matters touching the public good, requiring that the session of the Senate, for Executive business, should be continued, and that the members thereof should convene on Tuesday, the 17th day fo July, inst., you are desired to attend at the Senate Chamber, in Philadelphia, on that day, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, then and there to receive and deliberate on such communications as...
650From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 5 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a letter from McNeil of August 1st & 3d with two inclosures. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
651From John Adams to United States Senate, 30 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Thomas Martin of New Hampshire to be Collector for the District of Portsmouth in New Hampshire in the Place of Joseph Whipple Samuel Adams to be Surveyor and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Portsmouth in the place of Thomas Martin nominated to be Collector John Pierce to be Commissioner of Loans for the State of New Hampshire in the place of William Gardner. Thomas Perkins...
652From John Adams to James McHenry, 21 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I return you the duplicate talk signed & congratulate you on your recovery. I am Sir your most humble servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
653From John Adams to United States Senate, 6 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Joseph Pitcairn of New York, to be Consul of the United States, at Hamburgh in the Place of Samuel Williams removed to London. John Church to be Consul of the United States at Cork in the Kingdom of Ireland DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
654From John Adams to James McHenry, 19 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I agree with you, in your opinion expressed in your favour of the 12th, that both an Army and Navy Establishment is essential to the present and future Interests & Greatness of the United States and that We must run the Risks which other Nations have run. It appeared to me that Offices were created and salaries made necessary in the Plan for supplying the Army, which would require the...
655From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 26 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter to me from Mr. Gerry I received last night, and pray you to have it inserted in a public Print. It will satisfy him and do no harm to any one. It explains some circumstances advantageously. He came to me, upon the Publication of your answer to the Address, and seemed uneasy at some expressions in it. I read him the extract of General Marshalls Letter to you, which was in...
656From John Adams to Comfort Sands, 26 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, you did me the honor to write me on the 21st of this month, enclosing the Resolutions of the Chamber of Commerce of New York unanimously adopted on the 20th, approving the neutral policy of the Government of the United States, the sincere, impartial, and persevering pursuit of it, the Overtures made to the french Republic, and declaring their intention to Support...
657From John Adams to United States Senate, 6 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I lay before You for your Consideration a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between The United States and The King of Prussia, signed by their Ministers on the Eleventh of July last. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
658From John Adams to United States Congress, 15 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
Message to the House of Representatives; Respecting the suspension of a French decree In pursuance of the request in your resolve of yesterday, I lay before you such information as I have received, touching a suspension of the arrêt of the French republic communicated to your house by my message of the 28th of January last. But if the execution of that arrêt be suspended, or even if it were...
659From John Adams to United States Senate, 25 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Louis C Baily of Maryland, now acting as Lieutenant on board of the eagle, to be promoted from the rank of midshipman to be a Lieutenant in the navy. Jacob Jones of Deleware a midshipman to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Navy. Robert Greenleaf of Rhode Island to be a second Lieutenant in the marine corps vice Lieutenant Bell resigned Robert Hamilton Nicholls of Mary...
660From John Adams to James Kemp, 7 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for an ingenious sermon from a well chosen text on the death of my predecessor, which I received with your letter of the 26 March & have read with pleasure. I am happy that my frail endeavors to respect the religion, of my Country have met your approbation. The detestable pains that have been taken to promulgate the age of reason & other publications as pernicious in this Country...