181From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have Official Information that Mr Bayard and Mr Gallatin are joined with you in a Negotiation of great importance and no little difficulty, nor less hazard to your Reputation. What the Result will be I know not: but I need not Say to you that you cannot decline a Share in the Business. Your return to me is the first Wish of my private heart: but I am not yet So Selfish as to hope for the...
182From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of October. 27. 1814. and that of 26 of November. I congratulate you on the harmony between you and your Colleagues, an inexpressible Felicity of which I have not always been so fortunate as to enjoy the Sweets. I congratulate you also on the Peace and the glorious moment in which the News of it arrived. The Raptures of Joy I leave the Newspapers to describe. It is...
183From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of Dec. 16th. The Chicanery on the Law of Nations, is no surprise to me. A Lawyer of 58 years standing must have been acquainted with this Hobgoblin for 58 years, even though he has been pushing Bayonettes with him the whole time. The Chicaneries which I have Seen, and felt, in the Courts of England, France, and Holland, differed very little from those at the Bar,...
184From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
This Line is intended to go by Mr Bayard or Mr Gallatin, who are associated with you, or you with them in a Negotiation for Peace with G.B. under the Mediation of The Emperor. As I am and desire to be possessed of no Secrets, I cannot judge of the Probability of Success. The Gentlemen your Colleagues are well known to you to be able Men; and all of you must be Sensible of the delicacy of the...
185From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
The Words Machiavelism and Jesuitism, have for 200 years passed, have been customarily employed, by the general Consent of all honest Men; to Signify a perfect Complication of Hypocricy and Knavery; of Falshood, Fraud, Perfidy, Perjury, Tyrany and Cruelty: and all this maturely and deliberately digested and established both in Theory and Practice. Pascal, the only modern Demosthenes, in his...
186From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Mr Pope of The House of Boardman and Pope, No. 37. India Wharf, was so obliging as to call upon Us to let Us know that they had a Ship to depart for St Petersbourg on Fryday next the 12th. The Ship Cordelia Captain Boit: and that they were desirous of taking any Letters from Us. Since then I have heard that Mr. Jordan is going in her, but he has not been so complaisant as to Let us...
187From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
Mr Gibson, within this hour, called upon me for a Moment and gave me your Letter to your Mother of the day of July, and another to Mr J. A. Smith from his Brother as I suppose Dispatches for Government if he had any, The Captain would not allow him to take. He was taken and complains of ill treatment &c Our Govt. has agreed to treat at Gottenburg. I have lived upon hopes of embracing you last...
188From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
It is with great difficulty, that my paralyttic Fingers can hold a Pen. The litterary, the Scientific, the ecclesiastical, the political, the military, the naval Phenomina exhibited by your Country, would afford me abundant Materials, to load every Ship and every Passenger with Letters to you, if I had Eyes and hands to write; and were not restrained by the Consideration, that I could do no...
189From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Public Mind Seems decided that Gerry and Gray are elected, and a Majority of Senators their Friends. Our Friend P. will not then be So Successful as he was when he brought G. in and turned you out. You are destined to be a Judge, and I am glad of it because it affords me a Chance of enjoying a Portion of your Society at least once a Month or two. And because it takes you out of The...
190From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Mr John C. Gray, Son of your Friend the once Lt. Governor will present this Letter to you. By the Letter, C. in his name, I presume, is signified Chipman, for he is a Grandson by his Mother of John Chipman Esquire a Barrister at Law in Marblehead, with whom I lived very pleasantly a Week at a Tavern in Pownalborough in 1764. Mr Gray proposes to travel, all over Europe, but wishes for your...
191From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
“Je vienné de perdre le plus grand Homme de mon Reoyoms” said Louis 14th, on the death of the grand Condé. “Ah! tout est perdu” Said the same great little, Strong weak Monarch on the death of Marshal Turenne I repeat both these Ejaculations, with a heavy heart; on the premature and unexpected death of Mr Dexter. I cannot enlarge on this Subject. But I will Say, Mr Dexter and the late Chief...
192From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your Mother and your Father have dined here with great Pleasure this day, and I have borrowed a Pen to write you one Line by a Vessel to Sail in a day or two, barely to Say we are all well. George and John are very well and very attentive to their Studies. The Corporation for an Hospital have met to day, and all Parties very cordial and unanimous. I can add no more, only that Mr Gerry and Mr...
193From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received by the Post from New York, your obliging Letter of 9. Novr.—Whether Letters are Sent through London Paris Gottenbourg or directly to Boston or directly to St. Petersbough they get along through all the Crannies and Gauntletts. I must Say that every Body has been very friendly in assisting our Intercourse by Letters. I have considered your Mothers Letters as written for me...
194From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of May 6th. like all your other Letters for more than 20 years has been a cordial to me. I approve of your judicious Œconomy in the purchases of Books. I have need of Parcimony. Your great grandmother used often to Say “What a Mercy it is, that the Lords keeps some People poor.” If I was not poor, I should plague you to death, in hunting Books for me all over Europe. Oh! What a...
195From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
Among a million of Things I want to Say to you, which Shall I choose. Publick affairs? What are these to me? What care I, who is President or Governor, Monroe or King, Cousin Brooke or Friend Dexter. What is it to me who makes Judges and Justices Collectors of Revenue or Tide Waiters? Nevertheless, I Still interest myself in Some Things, I have read, with Eyes as bad as yours, four Volumes of...
196From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 August 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your No. 50. 29th. May is before me. You wisely persevere in your habitual accuracy, and I hope will compell your Sons to follow your Example. I have been So long incapable of Observing my rules that I know not the number of this Letter, or any other that I have written for many Years. I regret this Negligence I repent of it; and wish my Posterity, to follow Your Example and avoid mine. Yours...
197From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Oct. 4 was Sent to me from the Post Office this morning. Although I sincerely condole with you and your Lady in the loss of your Child, and feel a deep Affliction in my own Breast, for the loss of a lovely Rose, which I might probably have never Seen; Yet We ought all, to collect ourselves, and reflect that the constitution and Course of Nature in the physical, moral and Social,...
198From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Andrew Bigelow, whose Character you will learn from the inclosed Letter from the President of Harvard Colledge, will be the Bearer of this Letter; and I pray you to give him a kind Reception, and if convenient let him See your Secretary and your Sons. Haec olim meminisse juvasit, on both Sides. I have been to the fortieth Independance. My Reveries would amuse You. Do you think my...
199From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 November 1813 (Adams Papers)
No language can express my Anxiety for you and your Family and no volume could contain the multitude of my thoughts concerning my Country and my Posterity. One Thing is clear in my mind, and that is that you ought to be at home; if there, you should be obliged to live on Turnips Potatoes and Cabbage, as I am. “ My Sphere is reduced to my Garden: and So must yours be. The wandering Life that...
200From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 November 1815 (Adams Papers)
Can you give me any Account of a Translation of the New Testament with notes made by Beausobre and L’Enfant: and Beausobres History of Manicheism of the Adamites of Bohemia, of the Paulicians, of the Waldenses, and Albigenses, of the Brothers of Bohemia &c. in Holland probably they might be purchased cheap; perhaps in London. The Characters of Beausobre and L’Enfant are so eminent in...
201From 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...
202From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
This Line will go by the Ship Hugh Johnston William Johnston Master bound for St. Petersbourg. She belongs to the House of Loring and Curtis and is consigned to Mr Joseph Austin, all Citizens of Boston: So that I presume if Neutral Ships Neutral owners Neutral Cargoes and Neutral Consignees can in any case Sail Securely , this Letter will reach you with safety. I have Mementos enough. Fryday...
203From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
Last night I recd the 3 Volumes D’Argens’s Ocellus, Timeus and Julian, and the Journal des debats and the Journal de L’Empire, to 22 Mars 1815. What curiosities, all? Tacitus, Quintillian, Jacques le Fataliste, what would you Say? Would you Still doubt? You ought not. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth, in Wisdom and benevolence beyond all our conceptions, let the Earth rejoice. You have heard...
204From 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...
205From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Speaker Bigelow with his Son, Mr Andrew Bigelow made me a Visit Yesterday introduced by Cousin and Neighbour Quincy. Would you Suspect that your Father was the Preceptor of this Mr Speaker Bigelows Mother? This is however a Fact. This Same Speaker is as frank and open as the daylight and as talkative as the good Old King of England. The son is a modest discrete Youth, and I pray you to...
206From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
I pray you to send me a Book whose Title is ΑΙΡΕΣΕΩΝ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΣ : A New Way of deciding Old Controversies By Basanistes. Third Edition enlarged Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat Hor. London Printed for J. Johnson & Co. St. Pauls Church Yard. 1815. If there has been any Subsequent Edition Send me that. But above all let me intreat you to read it. If you can inform me Who wrote it, or is Suspected...
207From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 July 1816 (Adams Papers)
In the last Week I have attended the House of Mourning and the house of Feasting. on Thursday I attended as a Paulholder the Funeral of Madam Lincoln the Relict of my ancient Friend General Lincoln Your Mother, Your Cousin Louisa and your Niece Miss Susan, attended Us. We drank Tea at Mr Colmans the Successor of Gay and Ware, in company with Judge Davis Colonel May &c. The Judge told Us what I...
208From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
Mr Erving, our Minister destined to Copenhagen, has already a Letter for you from me and others from your Mother and politely offers to transmit this as he may have opportunity, and expresses a desire to manifest his high Respect for Us and for you, upon greater Occasions. I am ashamed to Number my past Letters to you, they have been so few, but this is the Second at least Since this year came...
209From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
You will imagine that the place from which I now write you has been thus named by us; but so it was not—We found the names already settled—Ealing is a parish in the immediate neighbourhood of Brentford, that “town of mud”—immortalized in the Poetry of Pope and Swift; and the house in which we reside has been thus named by its proprietor, in honour of a kinsman of his, one Lord Boston, who has...
210To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 24 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have for many Months made it a rule, to enclose to you a Newspaper, every week, and I have intended that it never should be without at least one Letter, from myself or some one of the family, to you or my Mother—I believe this intention has never entirely failed; but it has not always been possible for me to write, myself—The reasons of this are so well known to you, that I hope they will...