841From John Adams to Alden Bradford, 5 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
The zeal of my young friend Samuel Adams Welles for the glory of his Grandfather is natural, amiable & laudable. I wish he would publish his researches—The appeal to the world of the town of Boston I wish to see published not for the honor of Mr Otis or Mr Adams—but for the sake of justice to the town of Boston & the Massachusetts Bay it contains the essence of all that was afterwards done in...
842From John Adams to William Rotch, 13 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you write me on the 10 April instant and I thank you for it because it gives me an opportunity of making an apology & that is none other than the one you have pointed out viz “old age bordering on second child hood” When I read those letters in the old Colony memorial I regretted those offensive passages & was sincerely glad that the editor had done you justice....
843From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 25 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
Human Life has been to me a State of trial from my Cradle to this seventh month of my Eaighty fourth year.— I believe enough of the Apocalypse to be perfectly convinced—“that “be thou faithful unto the death, and thou shalt receive a Crown of Life.”— Susan may depend upon it that her Mother, her Sister, her Brother in Law, her Female Associates in Quincy, and its neighbourhood, have been more...
844From John Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 19 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
Knowing as I do the whirlwind of business, ceremony, Levee’s Drawing rooms Dinners, Parties, with which you are hurried away, I acknowledge it a great favour for you to write a letter to me—and when I receive one, it is so much the more pleasure— As to the Message a Father says, that a more meritorious state paper has never appeared on the American Annals; And I think it gives as universal...
845John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 2 April 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter of March 21 st I will communicate to Mr Bowditch , and Pickering — You may put my Letters upon the Subject of Tracy ’s Book into any hands you please, with or without any verbal alterations, as you may think fit —“what you would have them, make them.” or as James Otis used to say to Samuel Adams —here take it. and “ Quicu Wuicu ” it — I am obliged to borrow the hand of a friend to...
846From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 21 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
I presume you have read the elegant life of Patrick Henry by Mr. Wirt the Attorney General of the United States. If you have not you have ju a dilicious pleasure to come. Mr Wirt has accurately stated the Virginian Resolves and Mr Henrys Motion in suport of them and theory of treason that excited against him and a glorious anicdote it is. But we ought not to forget our own Massachusetts...
847From John Adams to Littleton Dennis Teackle, 15 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received with gratitude the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 4th. instant— The report of the Committee for a system of Education for the State of Maryland has been read to me, and I have heard it with admiration. It appeared to me the most perfect system of Instruction that I have ever known, or read for any community; It will do immortal honor to the noble natures of the...
848From John Adams to Samuel L. Knapp, 26 January 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have too long neglected to acknowledge my thanks for yor volum of Biography—I am well pleased with the general spirit of this work, and the style is agreeable—I am glad to see so many circumstances preserved of the history and Characters of several Men illustrious in their time—but you have omitted many Names once important at our bar and in our Courts of Justice—for example John Avering...
849From John Adams to Peter Stephen Duponceau, 23 June 1819 (Adams Papers)
Moriturus te Salutat! this pathetick Saluation I am sure will engage your humanity to pardon a question which I acknowledge to be impertinent and might be Offensive from any-other than a dying Man— Have you examined Bryants Annalysis of Ancient Mythology Court De Gebelin’s Monde Primitif—in nine ponderous Volum’s—and Dupuis’s Culte Universal—the two former of these appear to be Christian...
850From John Adams to Jesse Torrey, Jr., 13 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Moral Instructor I have read the table of Contents, and turned over the leaves—and have found nothing, but such excellent maxims of Wisdom and Virtue which cannot be too plentifully scattered among the people, nor presented in too great a variety of forms—the Compilation, and Composition of this Work must have cost you much labour of research, and of thought, which merits...
851From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 16 March 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the first of the Month—We have had for some time, no subject of Conversation here—except a phenomenon in Nature unpresidented in any former moment of our History—a Violent rain falling at a time of extreeme cold here below, covered the Earth with polished Silver; and the Trees with Millions & Millions of Diamonds—the scene was almost too splendid for the Eyes to...
852From John Adams to William Smith Shaw, 20 June 1821 (Adams Papers)
Dr Jarvis with great truth and propriety asserts that the Religion of the Indians, has not been scrutinized as it should be. Nor has the Religion of any other nation from Irah the Chaldean to the kingdom of Whidah & Ashantee been sufficiently investigated. Who knows any thing of the Religeon of the wild Negroes in Africa, but the infernal cruelty of their sacrifices? It is probable that the...
853From John Adams to Charles Greely Loring, 18 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind and friendly letter of the 7th. for which I thank you—and much more for the oration which accompanied it—which I have read with great pleasure the composition is very eloquent though very neat and simple without the least affectation—The sentiments are such as good give offence to no honest American—and the glow of Patriotism with which the f elicity of our Country is...
854From John Adams to Joseph T. Buckingham, 13 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
Accept my best thanks for your vol of collections from the public Journals. Unable to read myself, I have not found a reader for more than three or four pieces in it The first has penetrated into an aking void in my heart where are inexstinguishable sorrows & griefs, which even resignation itself can not assuage this second The third is a memorable example of the morality of le the legitimate...
855From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 2 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your letter dear Waterhouse, is a precious lecture in Piety Religion and morality according to our blessed Constitution; and I hope to be profited and edified by it, accordingly—But you have not given me the true cause of your buziness—It is that you have a second Wife, who fills the places of the first, enters into all your Literary pursuits and makes you too happy to write letters—If I were...
856From John Adams to James Walker, 25 September 1823 (Adams Papers)
you will be surprised at receiving this Letter. But I hope you will pardon the curiosity of dotage, I wish to know whether the records of the Town and Church of Charleston were destroyed in the great Fire of the 17th. of June 1775. if any of them remain, I wish to know what remains concerning the Revrend Thomas Shepard once Minister of that place my Wifes Great Grand Father, Daniel Quincy...
857From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 3 May 1821 (Adams Papers)
I hope We have not forgotten each other! We wait with impatience for the weighty and immeasurable Report. I am afraid I shall not live long enough to read it, if to see it. Our Harvardinians call upon Us, now and then and are always received with open Arms. George continues to maintain his Character as a Speaker; John is coming to consideration. But Charles is the reserved and the thoughtful...
858From John Adams to Vine Utley, 10 September 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 2d. and having a natural disposition like the Old Frederick of Prussia—“trope incline a saisir les ridicules”—I could not help laughing and that some what immoderately.— Why Sir? the history of my Physical habits according to the best estimate I can make, would fill a Volume in folio as large as the Life of Richard Baxter—who was for what I know a relation of...
859From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 10 October 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letter of the 3d. October and the Seeds inclosed, which my Son will use to the best advantage next Spring—he and all his family thank you for them—My poor Grand daughter—Mrs Clark is detained at Albany—on account of the Sickness of her Child, whose safety I am anxious to hear—she has I presume returned to Utica— Miss Welsh we have not seen—though she has returned to...
860From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 25 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
I will not envy you but congratulate you on the pleasure you have had in your excursion to Washington, but I covet the like pleasure So much that if I could do it without stirring up an uproar and a hurly burly through the Continent, old as I am I would get into my Gig and bend my course thitherward tomorrow morning. I regret most grievously that you did not visit Cedar Grove at Fishkill...
861From John Adams to Caroline Amelia Smith De Windt, 16 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received your very kind letter of 7th. october—the friendly conspiricy between your Aunt yourself & Mr De Wint to transport me to fishkill—is admirably well contrived—and is very flattering to my feelings but it is too hazardous, ardous & magnificent to my feeble and timorus age to encounter I should infallibly be seasick on board the Steam Boat—and one fit of sea sickness would put an...
862From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 21 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
The ha rare happiness we have injoyed in the society of J Q A and his family, the consiquent occupations amusements & intercourse of visits and social festivities as well as grave lectures & solemn disquisitions, have prevented my acknowledgement of yours of the 18th. of September.—I must add to all this something of an opposite character eyes distempered almost to blindness, knees & hands...
863From John Adams to Jesse Torrey, Jr., 7 February 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 17th. of January but as your the Copy of the Moral Instructor, has not yet arrived—I can form no Judgement of its merit—as I am a friend to all rational measures for propagating knowledge among all Classes of People—I wish success to your project of three Library’s but as you have not delineated the particulars of your System in detail—I cannot judge of its...
864From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 27 April 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Journal to the 22d March—and have read them with so much delight—that I long to receive those that are to come as far as the present day— Before I proceed to any other topic, I here comply with Mr Adams request—and inclose the Seal of his Mothers Arms—By the Greyhound for the Crest—and the Birds, I conclude her ancesters were Country squires and Sportsmen—whether the birds...
865From John Adams to Stephen Mack, 10 October 1822 (Adams Papers)
I should sooner have answered your letter of the 20th Ulto if I could. My disposition is very good to assist as far as I can with truth & Justice any claims of my fellow citizens on the Justice or favour of their country But the claim of Mr Young is so very ancient & so many things have passed through my mind since, that I cannot depend on my memory for so remote a transaction. If Mr Young has...
866From John Adams to William Elliot, 13 April 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your Elegant presents of a History & a Map of Washington, deserve my best thanks. The History of the rise and Progress of the City is realy delightful it is already a magnificent City—And in a few Years I think it must become one of the most beautiful Citys in the world—The Map I presume is correct—though I cannot see it—I spent but one Winter and one short Session of Congress there—And then...
867From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 22 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 16th. My Health is that of the quivering Flame over the dying Lamp. I am very much interested in your Records. I wish you would inform me, whether the Dutch in New York hanged or banished any Quakers? hanged or pressed to death by the Paine forte et dure, any Wiches as our New England Ancestors did? I wish you would enquire, Whether Virginia did not persecute...
868From John Adams to Samuel Frothingham, 29 April 1824 (Adams Papers)
Know all men by these presents, that I John Adams of Quincy in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Esqr do make Constitute and appoint, Samuel Frothingham of Boston in the County of Suffolk, Gentleman to be my true and lawful Attorney for me and in my name to transfer all my Seven per Cent Stock Standing in my name in the Book of the United States Loans, and to do all...
869John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 19 February 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
As you know I have often been ambitious of introducing to your acquaintance some of our literary characters, I now send you in the same spirit, some mathematical papers by our M r Bowditch who has translated La Place ’s mechanique coeliste & has written commentaries upon it as voluminous as the book—; which are thought by our scientific people to be one of the greatest astronomical productions...
870From John Adams to Old Colony Memorial, 18 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I am so delighted with the idea of an Old Colony Memorial and so perfectly satisfied with the design and execution of the first number, dated Saturday May 4th. 1822, that I pray you to admit my name among your subscribers, and accept the enclosed bill as my subscription for the first year. I have no disposition to vilify the character of the illustrious William Penn, or to depreciate his...