1From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Baker Johnson, 28 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
In conformity to the request contained in your favour of 28. June last and to that in one of your Letters about the same time to your Sister, we have had our Portraits painted by Mr Leslie an Artist of very handsome talents, from our own Country, whose performance will I hope give you satisfaction. As there has been no vessel bound from London, directly to New Orleans; and as Mr Leslie was...
2From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 12 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Scarce a day now passes without the arrival of vessels laden with flour from the United States. I am informed from Liverpool that upwards of twenty-five thousand Barrels have already been received there since the opening of the Ports. We have had several days ago accounts from New-York, down to the 18th. of last Month; and on Saturday I received your kind Letter of 8. Jany.—There is an old...
3From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 6 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Nothing further received from you, since I wrote you last week—My boys have returned to School; and to close their holidays I went with them to Drury–Lane Theatre, and saw the Tragedy of Richard the third—The part of this amiable hero, was performed by Mr Kean, who is now the reigning favourite of the Public—They have mutilated this Play so much in their manner of getting it up, that it is...
4From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 5 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr Sargent who arrived in London, about ten days ago, delivered to me your Letter of 6. December; and I am now in daily expectation of receiving your annual account, and your final arrangement for making the second payment upon the Bank Shares. Your anticipation that the price of the Script would fall, as the day to make the payment drew near, was so well founded, that I hope you did not wait...
5From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr J. Sergeant, arrived in London last week, and delivered to me Letters from you, my father and my brother. Your’s is of 5. December—At that time, you observe, the Season with you, had become very cold—Most fortunately for this Country, there has been no cold weather this Winter, and scarcely any Snow. The verdure of the fields in this neighborhood, is like that of May—There are several...
6From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Scarcely a day now passes, without the arrival of vessels from the United States; but they are principally from New York or more Southern Ports—The failure of the Harvests in this Country has much contributed to their frequency. Two years ago the British Parliament made a Law, to raise the price of Bread; having discovered that if that first necessary of life should be cheap, the Country would...
7From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 23 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
If a large packet forwarded by the mail from Mr Maury at Liverpool, but coming from Philadelphia & charged with heavy postage should be brought to the office, pray do not pay the postage, nor open the packet till I come to town on Saturday. yours. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
8From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Last night your Brother brought me your delicious Letter of 29th Octr. How do you know that Bees and Ants, and even Caterpillars and Cankerworms never enquire into the Why and the “Wherefore”? You cannot prove it. St. Justin and Dupuis, Dr Priestley and my Neighbour Colman all agree in the Precept “Be good.” I do not find however, that any of the Popes or their Janisary Loyola, or Luther or...
9To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 14 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
As you live in terror of my long Letters, and as the very last, I had the pleasure of writing you, was of that description, and not without a smack of orthodoxy, I shall content myself this time with a very few lines, to accompany the Sunday’s Observer and Saturday’s cheap Cobbett; for the Porpuicine to shoot his Quills with more effect has made himself cheap, and although you will know what...
10From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 26. November, is yet the latest that I have received from you—But since my last to you, and since mine of the 3d. instant to my father, I have received one from him, more earnestly calling upon me, to ask my recall from this Mission, and return home—I have in my last Letters both to him and you, expressed my sentiments and intentions on this subject, and have alledged such...
11From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I must begin my Letter by wishing you and yours, many returns of the Season, as pleasent, as delightfull as the present for the winter hitherto has been as mild, as the Summer was cold. “Sterne Says, God tempers the wind to the Shorn Lamb” and the winter as yet; has been temperd to the wants, and necessities of the people: altho their Herbage was cut off, and the Herds in their stalls will be...
12To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 3 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 23. Septr: & 3. Octr. was brought to me by my old friend and Classmate I. M. Forbes, and that of 13. Novr. by General Boyd, who both came fellow-passengers in the same vessel. Mr Everett has since arrived, by whom I received a Letter of 26. November, from my dear Mother. I have briefly replied to my Mother upon the advice, which you and she have given me to return to the United...
13From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 26th. of December 1817 inclosing a Postnote upon the Branch Bank of The United States at Boston for nine hundred and One dollars and Ninety five Cents, being the Amount of the dividend of five per Cent upon the debt proved under the Commission of Bankruptcy of Robert Bird and Co. at New York. I am your affectionate Father MHi : Adams Papers.
14From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 1 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I enclose herewith a draft of a Note to Lord Castlereagh on the case of the Hope, which I will thank you to copy on the sheet, with the signature and send immediately to His Lordship, as my New Years present. yours truly. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
15From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 28 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
General Boyd, Mr Stores, Mr Forbes, and Mr and Mrs. Everett, have all arrived in London within the week past; and by them, with many other Letters and despatches I have received your favours of 5. and of 26. November—There must be I think a Letter in arrear between the 30th. of September and the 5th. of Novr—You acknowledge the receipt of my Numbers 92 and 93—and 97 and 98. I hope the...
16From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
I mentioned to you in a former Letter, the visit that I had received from Mr Frend, and Mr Aspland, the Minister of the Unitarian Congregation at Hackney—Since then I have dined with Mr Frend, who is a Unitarian, and Astronomer, and Actuary , of an Insurance Company. There I met again Mr Aspland, who afterwards made me a present of several of his own publications, and from Dr Disney a copy of...
17From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I enclosed several numbers of Cobbett’s Register, as they are republished in open Sheets—Here are two additional numbers, with, an Observer where you will find an account of the late Riots in London, and an extract from a recent publication containing some interesting particulars about Napoleon at St Helena. The Ministerial daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly publications, the...
18From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
John Sergeant Esquire, a Director of the Bank of U. S. is appointed by that Board to negotiate for ten Millions of Spanish Dollars, offered by a commercial House in London This Gentleman, a Son of Jonathan Dickenson Serjeant Esq, once an intimate Friend of mine in Congress in times of difficulty and danger, requests an Introduction to you. I give it, with pleasure, both because I hear a good...
19From John Quincy Adams to Robert Selden Garnett, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr. and Mrs. Adams request the Honor of Mr Garnetts Company at Dinner on the 12th of December at ———— o’Clock The Favor of an Answer is requested. DLC : John Adams Papers.
20From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Oh that I too, could make a visit to my Father,” was your exclamation in your last Letter. more than a visit You may make, my dear Son, If the Newspapers may be credited, for they announce from South to North, that you are to be recall’d and to fill the department of State. this is repeated over and again, & appears to give universal satisfaction. this I learn from all quarters—I rejoice in...
21To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 3 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Cobbett whose political opinions, as you know have undergone some changes since he was battling it in favour of the British Government in Philadelphia, has become the great champion of Parliamentary reform; and in order to increase the number of his readers among the labouring classes of the People, he has lately had recourse to the expedient of reprinting particular numbers of his weekly...
22From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Newspapers, throughout the Continent are announcing to Europe and America, Somewhat imprudently, that you are recalled and to be made Secretary of State. I know not whence this comes: but whether true or false, I hope it is true. And if it is true, I hope You will accept the Office of Secretary of State. If there is no Truth in it I hope you will demand your Recall and come home. And if...
23From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I think I will not give to any passenger any Letters, unless a Letter of introduction, for however urgent they are to be charged with them, I find frequently that they lay months before they are deliverd. If my Letters cannot have the Novelty of youth to recommend them, They will lose their most valuable quality, and be very dull in their old Age—like a twice told tale, and very like, better...
24From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I sent you a number of the Monthly Theological Repository, containing some Speculations of Mr Van der Kemp and Mr Jefferson—With this Letter I enclose to my Father the numbers just published of the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews—Presuming that you know the History and Character of those Publications from Cobbett, you will sufficiently understand them to be in the Nature of Lawyer’s...
25From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I sent you with a Letter from my wife the Newspaper containing the Account of the Lord Mayor’s day feast at Guildhall, where you will find again some mention made of the American Minister—The singularity of the feast did not however consist in his being there; but in the Circumstance that no other Minister, either home-bred or foreign was present; and in the phenomenon still more...
26From John Quincy Adams to John Adams Smith, 14 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Under the circumstances stated in Coll Aspinwalls certificate (which I return) and in your Letter, I cannot reccommend John McIntosh to relief as a destitute American Seaman. I enclose the Power of Attorney with the certificate concerning the Mayor of Leeds to which the Legation Seal must be affixed. truly yours MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
27From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I perceive you are growing Old, by the Curiosity you express to your Mother, to know Something of your Origin . My Fathers Mother was Hannah Bass; My Mothers Mother was Ann White a Daughter of Benjamin White, the Proprietor of Whites Hill in Brookline, a proud Son of Massachusetts Liberty, though an intimate Freind of Governor Dudley, as I have been informed by Richard Dana the Father of Chief...
28From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
while your Father is deeply engaged, in reading, Dupuis “orgine de Tous Les Cultes ou Religion universelle” which he Says is the most Learned work he ever read. all is Silent around me, and I embrace this Season of quiet and tranquility to write to you, and to acknowledge your Letter of August 12th No 92.—your hand writing, always gives me a Spring to my Spirits, and is like a cordial, altho...
29From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 4 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Since I last wrote to you, I have received your kind Letters of 27. August, and of 10. June, which I mention in the order, not of their dates, but of their reception. That of June enclosed a printed Copy of Judge Story’s biographical eulogium of our late excellent friend Dexter, whose loss is a calamity to our Country, and especially to our Native State, which with all her errors and follies I...
30From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, October 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 7 April last, I never had the pleasure to receive untill the 30 June. At that time, I was most severely afflicted by a violent attack of the rheumatism which confined me for nearly three months afterwards and of which I have not even now perfectly recovered. Since my convalescence from the last attack of the session of the District Court for Sept term & that of the Circuit...