121To John Adams from William Cunningham, 22 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
Anxious as I am for the due appreciation by the publick of the merits of Mr. J.Q.A. the invaluable testimonial of President Washington, contained in your Letter of the 15. inst. could scarcely have been more gratifying to yourself than it is pleasing to me. I perceive, with much satisfaction, that the most essential parts of it may go into circulation without the least hazard to your repose—to...
122From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 8 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to mr Adams and incloses him a letter which came to his hands last night; on reading what is written within the cover, he concluded it to be a private letter, and without opening a single paper within it he folded it up & now has the honor to inclose it to mr Adams, with the homage of his high consideration & respect. RC ( MHi : Adams Papers); addressed:...
123To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 12 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I spent two days as disagreable, as anÿ in mÿ life—tears bedewed my cheeks and reason and religion could not entirely assuage the pains I felt. It is my lot not to feel—not to act by halves. Saturday I heard the report of your death—and yesterday night first the Albanÿ gazette of the 8th. mention i ng not a word of this Sad event relieved me in part of excruciating pangs. Restore peace to my...
124To John Adams from James Lenox, 24 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I can but confess my neglect in not letting you Know that I received your Verry polite answer of the 12th. Sept: 1805. on the 16th. of the Same Month, to mine of the 6th. of the Same you must Know, Sir, that one of the greatest satisfactions to me is the Keeping up a correspondence with some of the old Sages of our Revolution, and I hope it will not be considered as flattery in me if I place...
125To John Adams from Hannah Adams, 3 August 1801 (Adams Papers)
Impressed with a sense of your condescension, in permitting me to prefix your name to a second edition of this work, I am ambitious, that the present should make its public appearance under the same dignified and respectable patronage. I am the rather induced to avail myself a second time of the honour, which your name hath conferred on my Compendium, since your important talents and...
126To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
Though my apprehension of abusing your kindness made me delaÿ my answer on your Letter, with which you was pleased to favour me in July Last, I cannot longer resist the temptation in addressing you once more with a few lines, flattering meself that my Sincere homage to your exalted virtues will atone in part for mÿ intrusion. I am persuaded at present, that the boasted answer to your...
127To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 October 1804 (Adams Papers)
As you assured me in your last favour, with which you honoured me the 3d. of march, that my letters did give you alwaÿs pleasure. You cannot find fault with me, that I, tho persuaded owing this flattering mark of approbation more to your kindness towards me, than to my merits, take hold of a sane opportunity in conveying to You a few lines; which my Son shall bring at the Post office at...
128To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 17 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I flatter me Self with the fond hope, that mÿ old and high-revered friend Shall not, after Such a long Silence, be displeased by mÿ intrusion. I can not bear it longer, to withold me Self the Satisfaction—of assuring you once more of mÿ warm attachment, and unabated respect—tho I must appear before you with empty hands—So empty—as not to defraÿ the loss of you precious time, in the perusal of...
129To John Adams from Isaiah Thomas, 25 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have taken the liberty to enclose you a few numbers of our weekly Spy, being from March 4, which is the commencement of the Volume.—Should they afford you any amusement, I shall be happy to continue sending them to you, and shall be amply rewarded in so doing.—With Sentiments of Esteem, I subscribe myself, your most obedient & / very huml Servt— MHi : Adams Papers.
130To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 28 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Before I had an opportunity to forward my reply to yours of July 11th: I received another letter under date July 20th containing twenty pages, in which so many demands are made and so many threats denounced, that a total silence might be construed dismay. My thread of existence in this evanescent state is too far spent for me again to enter on political discussion; yet, I think it my duty to...
131To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 20 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
Soon after the receipt of your last letter in which you Advise me to shake off my retired habits and prejudices, and to come forward in Support of the petitions of my fellow Citizens for a repeal of the Embargo laws, I went to bed at my usual hour, and dreamed that I had yeilded to your Advice; and in consequence of it, determined to appear at a federal town meeting which was to be held the...
132To John Adams from Rev. Manasseh Cutler, 22 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to enclose the late Census of the United S t ates, presuming it to be a document which it will be agreeable to you to possess. I should have been happy to have forwarded to you any documents you would wish to have received, & should have taken the liberty to have sent such as I conceived would have been acceptable, but the number provided for the house, have generally been...
133To John Adams from Elisha Sylvester, Jr., 20 May 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have taken liberty to call at your house in a friendly way Several times, and as I respected you as President of the united States, and liked the laws and administration, while you was in that office,—and as I was in much trouble and am yet, I occasionally travelled in your parts, to contrive some means of redress.—I have call’d on your Kinsman Revd Norton also, and suspect such visits are a...
134To John Adams from William Cunningham, 12 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
To my letter of the 22d. ult. I have not been favoured with an answer; indeed my expectations of an answer were not confident, for in case of your disinclination to a farther disclosure concerning Mr. Pickering, the most delicate and intelligible intimation of it could be given in silence, and from that, too, I might infer your assent to another proposition in my letter, which you would not...
135To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 July 1803 (Adams Papers)
Since I Send you, at your for me So highlÿ gratifying—demand mÿ Lucubrations on Jefferson’s and Buffon’s theories —I have the honor to Submit to your criticism a Short essay on the use of copper and brass during the trojan War , addressed to our mutual frend John Luzac. I had the pleasure to send you, as you desired, his historÿ of the French Revolut . Could I imagine—that you would construe...
136To John Adams from Abel Sawyer, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
Honrble Sir I am Possesed of A paper Executed To Samel Adams Malster of Boston & others it was Executed Decembr 1718 if it concerns you it is in my Power To Do you Some Service if the late govern Samel Adams was A Relative & it be in your Power I wish you To Inform me by letter who is heirs Are & who Administered upon his Estate & where they live if it concern you A letter To me will be...
137To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 14 March 1805 (Adams Papers)
In my last Letter I observed to you, that the form of putting the final question on the Articles of Impeachment against Judge Chase, was varied from that which had been adopted in the case of Mr: Pickering, and made conformable to the English Precedents—To shew you how essentially this variation of form was connected with a most essential important question as to the nature of Impeachment...
138To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
The favour of your Letter of 20 Aug—with which I was so unexpected honoured—procured me a delightful pleasure in renewing your kind assurances of esteem, and opening a new field for my instruction—I am only grieved, that it is beyond my power—to make some equivalent return, and discharge a part of the obligations you have laid me under. I should sooner have acquitted meself of the duty of a...
139To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
A bad cold, added to the pressure of business, has delayed my answer much longer than I intended to your last acceptable letter. You have mistaken the Church to which I belong in supposing that prayers will one day be offered up in it to the great man whose birth day has lately been celebrated in our Country. During the life of Dr Ewing whose influence was very extensive in the Presbyterian...
140To John Adams from Thomas Truxtun, 5 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
It was under Your administration of the Government of the United States that pirates ceased to insult us and to Scorn our prowess and Skill on the Ocean, It is under the administration of Mr Jefferson that our energies have ceased—our Character stained—millions lavished in marine affairs without judgment or to any good purpose, and those very picaroons who Stood Appald at the sight of our flag...
141To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 June 1808 (Adams Papers)
Public and private news & anecdotes are now so limited by the present state of our Country, that I have had nothing worth putting upon paper for your Amusement since the reciept of your letter. The principal design of this hasty scrawl is to inform you that you still live in my Affections, and that few persons occur oftener to my thoughts. Indeed I can scarcely review any of the memorable...
142To John Adams from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 28 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I embrace the earliest opportunity which I have been able to improve, since your arrival at Quincy, to express my sincere acknowledgements for the distinguished proof which I have rec’d. of your confidence, in being appointed a Judge of the second Circuit of the United States. My friends have communicated to me the circumstances which attended this appointment, by which I learn with the...
143To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 15 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I avail myself of the first leisure hour I have had since the Conclusion of my lectures to acknowledge your last favor. I shall begin my Answer to it by answering the question with which you concluded it. The Barilla is a native of the seacoast of the United States. It is to be found on the shores of Massachusetts, and of the Delaware states. From the interest you have kindly taken in my...
144To John Adams from William Cunningham, 23 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you under the date of the 20th. inst. and sent it to the post office, but arriving there a few minutes too late to be forwarded by the mail it was returned. I now forward it under cover with this. There is a sentence in your favour of the 11th. demanding my particular attention:—“When you told me,” you observe, “that my Letter had been a topick at Boston, and given rise to free...
145To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 11 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
I received together last Evening your two favours of 30th: ulto: and 2d: instt: for which I most sincerely return you my thanks.—In the dreary path which I am now compell’d to tread, it is cheering to the Spirits, and gives the most pleasing consolation to have occasionally the benefit of your correspondence.—What the issue of the election in Massachusetts, will be on the harmony of the ruling...
146To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
An indisposition of a week–occasioned bÿ a severe cold–with the unavoidable transactions of familÿ concerns, compelled, me to delaÿ an answer to your Lett. with which your kindness has again favoured me. I restored myself to health–in taking a liberal portion of veal—cotelets—and a free draught of generous wine for mÿ supper–two nights after another–and now I enjoÿ, as well as ever–health and...
147To John Adams from Daniel Wright, 3 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
BORN and educated in the same state which has given birth to you, and to which our hearts are tied by the dearest and most sacred ties; we address you in the name of this our common country, at a time, in our opinion most ominous, and threatening the destruction of our rights, liberty and happiness. We look up to you in the name and in behalf of many in the interior of Massachusetts, for...
148To John Adams from Cotton Tufts, 28 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
Know All Men by these Presents that I Cotton Tufts of Weymouth in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executor of the last Will and Testament of Norton Quincy late of the Town of Quincy, Esquire, deceased, being in the County of Norfolk aforesaid. By Virtue of the Power and Authority given to me in and by the said last Will & Testament, as well as by the free Consent of...
149To John Adams from William Cushing, 9 June 1802 (Adams Papers)
Mrs. Cushing joins to present our best respects to you & Mrs Adams and our best wishes for your health & happiness. We returned through Providence, & have been unwell since we got home (the 4. May) with bad colds coughs & influenza, but are beginning to be restored. I hope to have the honor of calling upon you in the fall, when the new circuit begins. This new mode may make the burden rather...
150To John Adams from James Ash, 25 August 1803 (Adams Papers)
Suffer me to inclose you, short proposals, for some matter, collected with both toil and perseverence. It is now ready for publication; and whatever encouragement you are disposed to give, to enable the printer to execute it, you will be pleased to transmit with Convenient expedition. There are a number of characters, with whom you have been connected in political life, who have been vilified...