1From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 17 August 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have certified in the book in the Atheneum that to my certain Knowledge, The Group was written by Mrs: Warren. Your polite invitation to Plymouth, is esteemed as an effusion of friendship, ancient and modern: But three score and nineteen years have reduced me to the Situation, the temper and humour of Mr. Selden, who Clarendon Say’s, would not have Slept out of his own bed, for any office...
2From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 15 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
I thank you Madam for your obliging Letter of the 10th whether my life shall be Spared to se the restoration of peace, is a question which I cheerfully submit to him whose right it is to decide it. The severe threats of “our old inveterate enemy” have been habitually so familiar to you and me, from the year 1760, ie. for 54 years at least: that they excite less terror in us, than in the puny...
3From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
If weak Eyes and weaker fingers had not requird more time to write a Line than was once necessary for a page, I should sooner have aprissed my Sincere Sympathy with you and your whole Family on the loss of your amiable Grand Child. We who have lost all our Ancestors and Collaterals and Several of our Children and Grandchildren well know the pungency of Grief in younger Life under Such tender...
4From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 2 February 1814 (Adams Papers)
I send you a curiosity. Mr M Kean, is mistaken in a day or two, the final vote of Independence, after the last debate, was passed on the 2nd or third of July, and the declaration prepared, and signed on the 4th: What are we to think of history? when in less than 40 years, such diversities appear in the memories of living persons, who were witnesses. After noting what you please, I pray you to...
5From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have been much to blame for neglecting to acknowledge your obliging favour of Sept 12th. I am very much obliged for your civilities to my wife; my Son, Colonel Smith and my Grandaughters. My Girls have long expressed an earnest desire to see Madam Warren, and have been highly gratified by their visit and very grateful for the kind hospitality; the social enjoyments, and instructive...
6From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 1 September 1813 (Adams Papers)
Permit one to enclose to you a Packet from my old Friend Governor M Kean: and a dialogue of the dead. The latter was the effusion of a musing moment of an evening at Richmond Hill when Congress sat at N York in 1789 immediately after the arrival of the news of Dr Franklins death. Searching last Sunday among a heap of forgotten rubbish for another paper, It struck my eye. After you shall have...
7From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 19 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
“Pride of Talents and much Ambition were undoubtedly combined in the Character of the President, who immediately Succeeded General Washington” and these are represented as the most prominent features of his Character. Vol. 3. p. 393. Permit me Madam to ask the favour of you, to point out the Act or Word, which appeared to you to evince this Pride of Talents. I know not that I ever felt any...
8From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 17 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In the 306 page of your first Volume there are certain Traits that I had overlooked. “Richard Henry Lee Esq. was the first who dared explicitly to propose a Declaration of Independence. The Proposal Spread a Sudden dismay. A Silent Astonishment, Seemed to prevade the Assembly” &c. These Expressions, Madam, could only have arisen from Misinformation, or perhaps I shall express myself more...
9From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 15 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
In order to give you all the Authentic Documents necessary to explain the Remarks I have made upon your History, I have omitted to give you Copies of one or two Commissions which I intended to have transcribed in their Places. One of them is in these Words. The United States of America in Congress assembled To all to whom these Presents Shall come Send Greeting. Whereas these United States,...
10From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 8 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
More demonstrations of your Friendship for Mr Adams appear in the 229 page of the third Volume. The Same disposition to wink him out of Sight, to represent him in an odious light, to lessen and degrade him below his Station, which runs through every part of your history in which he appears, is very visible here again. “Mr John Adams had left Holland and joined the Plenipotentiaries of the...