301John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of 18 th. and 19 th instant are so full of your Plans and Labours in Agriculture, that I begin to be jealous you will acquire a Reputation as a Farmer that will quite eclypse my own. I rejoice at length that all Tenants are dispossessed and that Land stock and Utensils are now at our own Disposal.— I am glad you have bought a Yoke of oxen and hope you will buy a farm horse. Our...
302John Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 1 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Whether we shall preserve peace, or be involved in war, is a problem, not easily solved; but I think we shall preserve our neutrality another year, and after that I presume that Great Britain will be weary enough with her war against France. In the improbable case of a war, however, it would not be easy to take New-York, and it would be still more difficult to keep it. So large a fleet and so...
303John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your favour of April 22 and am pleased with your Observations on the Doctrine of Reprisals on Choses in Action. As it is a Subject, which is likely to be discussed among Mankind for many Years to come, England France and Spain having lately attempted something of the kind, every Book which can throw any Light on it, ought to be looked up. Spain is Said to have confiscated or...
304Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind Letters of April 19 th & 22 d I was much gratified by the appointment of mr Jay as Envoy extrodanary. I know not how the President could have made a more judicious choice, but there are Some evil spirits who would fault the measure of heaven & quarrel with the Angle Gabrial were he sent even to declare Peace on Earth, and good will to Men. the Jacobine clubs who watch...
305John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I Yesterday dined in Company with M. Talleyrand de Perigord and M r Beaumez, the former late Bishop of Autun and both Members of the late Constituent assembly in France. Talleyrand made the Motion for confiscating the Property of the Clergy: which, has made him so obnoxious to the Court of Vienna, that they have persuaded the British Court to order him out of England although he had been...
306Thomas 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...
307John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment rec d your favour of 25. April.— If you want more Money before June borrow it of the General whom I will repay when I return. The freight of the furniture was in Mass. L. M.— The Farm goes on admirably well— I am well Satisfied with all you do. The Weather is terribly hot and dry for the season. Yet the Country looks charmingly. I hope to be at home by the first of June....
308Thomas 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...
309John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
In reading the Advertisement prefixed to De Lolme p. 6. I met a Passage which recalled to my Mind a Letter of yours concerning the Papers signed Columbus and the cold reception they met with among their Friends. “I shall add, says he, a few Observations, of a serious kind for the Sake of those Persons who, judging themselves to be possessed of Abilities find they are neglected by those having...
310Charles Adams to John Adams, 9 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Suppose that for a few moments we should indulge in the regions of fancy and imagine a nation about to form into civil society Suppose their fundamental law to be that no member of the community should possess more land than he could actually cultivate Suppose them determined to be an agrest people without commerce without communication with foreigners. Could not thier exist in such a...
311Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your’s of April 27 th & 30th together with the Pamphlets last Evening. two of them from the spirit they breathe denote their origin to be of southern extract. they are a counter part with the attacks upon the Secretary made last year in the House. I have ever thought with respect to that Man, “beware of that spair Cassius—” this might be done consistant with prudence, and without...
312John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
We go on as Usual—Congress resolving one Thing and the Democratical societies resolving the Contrary.— The President doing what is right and Clubbs and Mobs resolving it to be all wrong. We had in senate a few Days ago the greatest Curiosity of all. The Senators from Virginia moved, in Consequence of an Instruction from their Constituents, that the Execution of the 4 th. Article of the Treaty...
313Abigail Adams to John Adams, 11 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
This day has been our May meeting and without clubs or even Drunkeness, tho we have little purity to boast of in that respect, our Election has been calmly carried, & your Brother chosen. it seems the Name is in high estimation, as the Prophet Sam ll. find himself not only first but second, being Elected by the people both Govenour & Liut Govenour which I believe is the first instance of the...
314John Adams to Charles Adams, 11 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of April 19. I believe has not yet been acknowledged. The Extracts from the King of Prussia were very acceptable. Yesterday I received your favour of May 9 th.— You ask whether there might not exist Such an Equality in Society as the Democrats of this Day Seem to advocate? Yes my Son, there are many Such Societies, in the Forrests of America, called Indian Tribes. Yet among these...
315John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Weather is here very hot and dry, which renders our daily Service in Congress more irksome and occasions Some Anxiety for the health of the People and more for the growth of the fruits. I hope you have more rain and less warmth. The House of R. have a Committee out, to prepare a Bill for the Ways and means: how Soon they will report I know not: how long it will take the Members after the...
316John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of April 27 was put into the Post office at New York and I have neither seen nor heard of M r Dorr nor M r Jones. It is probable they found a Conveyance for their Letters in the ship which carries our Envoy Extraordinary and their Journey to this Town became unnecessary. I should have been glad to have seen them and I suppose they might have obtained their Request without...
317Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 10 has come to hand; I arrived at Lancaster a few hours before it; of course you favor of a prior date is yet to be received. I have requested the Post Master of York Town to forward it here when it reaches that places— As to the Letter’s you speak of I am at a loss what request to make concerning them— The business of Newcombe cannot be advanced till I return; if you will...
318John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Alteration of Post Days or some other Cause has disappointed me of a Letter from you this Week, which is the first time I have failled of a Letter on Monday for several months. The Weather has been very hot and dry here. Yesterday however We had a Light shower: but to day it is very hot again. The House is slow upon the Ways and means the essential Measure which remains— But I think We...
319John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The long continuance of the session, and the uncommon heat and drought of the Weather have made this, to me an unpleasant Spring. And to increase my Mortification, I have this Week received no Letter from you. I have not for Several months before, failed to receive a delicious Letter worth a dozen of mine, once a Week. Well! Boston comes on! M r Morton is now to be its Leader! How changed in...
320John Adams to Charles Adams, 17 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I am delighted with your delicious little Letter of 14 th. —but was puzzled to guess where you got your Description of Lubberland or what do the French call it? Pays de Cocany or some such Word. Does he get this, says I, from Old Chauar, or Spencer, or from shakespear? Young M r Otis, turned me to the Passage in elegant Extracts— It is it seems from the Tempest, which was to me, once very...
321John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
It is a fortnight to day Since I had a Letter from you but it Seems to me a month— I cannot blame you for one of yours is worth four of mine. Three Bills, for laying Taxes are yet unfinished and there is little Reason to hope that they can be finished this Week, perhaps not before the End of the next. I cannot see much room to hope to get away before the first of June. a tedious Seven Months...
322John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning rec d your kind Letters of 10 & 11 th. of May.— You mention Land bought by D r Phipps which you had mentioned to me: but I have not rec d any Letter from you which hinted at any Land— By this I fear I lost a Letter last monday by some fault in the Post.— however I want no more land at present. A Pew I should like to have, and a double one too if possible.— I shall leave you...
323Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I was a little disappointed in not finding a letter for me in the Post Office of this place upon my arrival here yesterday— The arrangement, of the Posts is rather inconvenient in all the towns I have yet visited where there is any— In West Chester there is none, in York & Lancaster there is but one Mail Pr Week, as also in this place— the Mail arrived here yesterday from Philadelphia &...
324Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I last evening received yours of the 12 th and 15. the weather for several Days past has been extreem Hot, and as to the drougth it is much sharper than last year we have not had half an inch of rain for two Months & Scarcly a sprinkle for more than a month. neither corn or potatoes can get up, & the few things in the garden wilt like july. I am most discouraged at Farming. I have however...
325Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 17 th came this day to me I do not know to what to ascribe the failure of my letters unless our son forgot to put them into the post office. I wrote you twice upon the very week of which you complain; & tho I have not faild writing to you once a week ever since you left me, I have not very often written twice, but some Buisness that week occurd which I wanted your opinion of. That...
326John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I shall inclose with this, some Letters between Randolph and Hammond which will shew you how quarelsome they are. Poor Fellows! They both desire Peace, but think themselves obliged to wrangle for their Countries. It is fashionable to charge Wars upon Kings: but I think Le Peuple souvereign is as inflamable, and as proud and at the Same time less systematick, uniform & united: so that it is not...
327John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Secretary of State called upon me this morning to inform me by order of the President, that it was determined to nominate you to go to Holland as Resident Minister. The President desired to know if I thought you would accept. I answered that I had no Authority from you— But it was my Opinion that you would And that it would be my Advice to you, that you should. The Salary is 4500 Dollars a...
328John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Since, I wrote you this morning, at the request of M r Randolph a thousand things occur to me to say to you, but as I have not time at present I shall write you from day to day. You will have a Collection to make of the Journals of Congress and the Laws of the Union; and all the Reports of our Ministers of State to take with you. You must remember all the Relations of the U. S. with all...
329John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
M r: Dorr obtained a passage in the vessel with M r: Jay, and M r: Jones, had an opportunity to go from Newport, so that they had no occasion to make the application to Congress, in behalf of which I requested your favour. I drew another petition some time since, for the manufacturers of snuff and tobacco in this Town, making representations against the tax proposed upon those articles. I know...
330Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Thanks to the Father of the Rain, and the Bountifull dispencer of the dews of Heaven, who has plentifully waterd the dry and thirsty Earth. the Fields recover their verdure, and the little Hills rejoice. the drooping vine rears its head and the witherd flower Blooms anew. Indeed my dearest Friend it would rejoice your Heart to behold the change made in the appearene of all Nature, after one of...