161From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 29 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your journal of the 24th. and 25th. has been received—The complaint of cold, and the want of winter Clothes, almost makes me stare; though even here we have had two or three more moderate days— I give you an extract of a Letter which I have this morning from my father— “If you cannot come on yourself, I wish Mrs Adams would, and bring with her, her Brother Johnson.—The air of Quincy Sea, and...
162From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 13 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you from Cambridge last Tuesday, and then promised that my next should be from this place—Yesterday morning I walked from Cambridge into Boston, intending to come here in the Stage—My Passage was engaged, and I waited from four O’Clock in the afternoon, at Whitcomb’s untill Six expecting the Stage to call for me; but he came away and left me—having previously engaged as many passengers...
163From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sunday, the day after my arrival at Quincy and gave you an account of the progress and termination of my journey from New-York. On Tuesday I went with my father to Cambridge to attend the inauguration of the new President of the College, Mr: Webber.—The ceremonies of the day were sufficiently dull—The performances mostly in Latin, with a comfortable proportion of English in...
164From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 23 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
All your journals have been duly received, and I should not have failed writing to you for the exception which absorbs all my leisure—When I first began the remarks upon Jonathan’s duplicata , I told you it was to me an affair of more than life and death, and so it is still—The plot has been seven years hatching, and its whole history has not yet been told. Your advice to treat all...
165From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 26 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
Instead of four 5 dollar bills, I enclose you a draft, payable to your order , on a Bank in Philadelphia—I am a little shy of entrusting to the Mail Bank Bills payable to the bearer —for they are more apt than all others to make themselves wings and fly away—A draft which will not be paid without your endorsement is safer. We have had a little, but very little rain, and it comes too late to...
The latest letter I have from you is dated the 14th: when you were very unwell with a sore throat and George with a very bad cough—I wait every Evening with the hope of a line from you of a more cheering nature —not unmingled with an apprehension of having in its stead, addition of anxiety—My hopes and my fears must be postponed from day to day and the state of Suspense still hangs over me....
167From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 12 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother is recovering still, that the children are well, and that I may hope to find you so, upon my return.—May God Almighty grant that this hope may be realized. This is the last Letter which I purpose to write you from this place—Yesterday the Supreme Court delivered...
I have as little faith in presentiments as yourself—but the anxiety which I have felt for this whole week on your account has been such, that on receiving this morning your two letters of the 19th: and 21st:—I opened them with a trembling hand and heart—I lay this morning an hour before day-light, torturing myself with the fancy that some calamity of fire had befallen you or the children; and...
Your Letter of 30. September, not numbered, was brought to me yesterday, after I had given up the hope of hearing from you for several weeks. That which you had previously addressed to Dresden, conformably to my request, I presume is there, waiting for me, and may possibly still wait for Months.—On Saturday last we received from the British Commissioners a Note more distinctly marked than any...
The enclosed lines were written as a tribute of my affectionate remembrance, of your birth-day—But though begun upon that day they were not finished untill the next, and the necessity of copying them fair, has delayed their transmission, untill this time. I have not heard from you of a later date than the 1st: of this month; nor have I later letters from any of my friends at Quincy—We have had...
171From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 16 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
Thomas Hellen was here last Evening and goes to–morrow Morning for Washington—I furnished him with sixty dollars to defray the expenses for which I took an order upon Mr T. Cook—George has paid for him 125 dollars quarterly; but his expenses have exceeded that sum and he has contracted some debts which must be paid,—not considerable I hope. We shall begin tomorrow to make the arrangements for...
172From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 11 August 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 3d. instt. only reached me yesterday—You reason exceedingly well both upon my real character, and upon that of which I have unfortunately got the reputation—I always receive with deference your counsel which I know to be generally judicious, and invariably intended in kindness to me—On the present occasion however, I have many special reasons for the request in my former...
173From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have received since I wrote you last two letters from you but cannot learn directly from either of them whether you had received my number 1. Yesterday the National birth day was kept here in small style. It rained great part of the day and yet the heat was melting—At the Capitol Dr Watkins read the Declaration, and Mr Hawley made a prayer. The dinner at Strothers was thinly attended but the...
174From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 4 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
The first pen I put to paper after reaching my journey’s end must be to inform you, my dearest friend, of that Event—I left New-York, at four O’Clock of the afternoon of the first of this Month; the same day that my last Letter to you was written—My Sister concluded to remain there with the Coll: at least for the present—Her prospects and those of her family, are of a gloomy cast, but I can...
175From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
After I had closed my Letter for you which is to go by this night’s Post, I received a Letter from Mr Sterky, the Swedish commercial Agent at St: Petersburg, dated the 10th: instt. last Tuesday; and enclosing one from Count Engeström of 26. April, only two days before I left you—So that if I had gone by the way of Abo, I should not have been detained by the Ice, an hour—And here—I have seen...
I received yesterday your letter of the 15th: and this morning that of the 17th: enclosing in the former a letter from to your Mamma, and in the latter, one to Mrs: Boyd—We are now at the last days of the Session, and you know how much we are oppress’d with public business at such times—This will give you my excuse for the shortness of this letter—It is not yet certain whether the members of...
177From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 28 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
From your letter of the 20th: which I have just received, I am in doubt whether even this letter will not reach New-York, too late to meet you—I wrote you last Thursday a letter directed to Washington enclosing one hundred Dollars for defraying the expences of your Journey—I hope you have left such directions, that the letter will be transmitted safely to you— The house which I expected to...
178From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 2 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your letter of 24. Decr: and lament that the expression of my anxiety to hear from you should in any respect have been understood by you as implying any idea of complaint as if you had been negligent in writing—I never had such intention, and have always been convinced of your attention in writing regularly. It gives me great pain to find by your letter that your health &...
Your Letter of 26. November was received by me last Sunday; but in writing to you on Tuesday, the account of the Peace and the arrangements consequent upon it, which I proposed to you for our meeting again, so absorbed my attention that I forgot to acknowledge the receipt of it—Yesterday Morning yours of the 2d: instant reached me, and is on my file, number 48—The inconvenience of the house in...
180From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 2 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
I continue to receive your journals—that of the 29th. was the last; and they would continue to be most agreeable, if they all gave cheering accounts of your brother—Count de Manon called on me yesterday and told me he had seen your brother last week; and thought he looked not worse but if any thing he thought rather better than he had a fortnight before. Tuesday Evening we had a party at Dr...
181From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 March 1807 (Adams Papers)
My project of coming from Washington to this place, by the way of Annapolis was disappointed, by the badness of the roads, which prevented the arrival of the Stage from Annapolis in Season for us to take it the 4th:—so I took my passage on the usual way to Baltimore, Thursday and arrived here by the new line of Packets last Evening—To-morrow, I shall pursue my journey to New-York, where I...
182From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 19 August 1821 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of the 9th and 10th. and am able now only to ask you not to be disappointed if I should not reach Dedham next Saturday as I have proposed. The day before yesterday I was obliged to send an Express to the President, who is at Shannondale Springs—His answer might have obliged me to put off my visit to the North entirely—The Express has just returned—I cannot start...
183From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 July 1822 to 11 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
Receiving on Sunday your rebuke for the blank covers I had forwarded to you, I should have felt it more severely had I not concluded that about the same hour you would be receiving from me the proof that I had not been altogether so remiss as you had supposed. We have had since the beginning of the month such a succession of roasters, day and night that I have felt myself almost reduced to the...
184From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 1 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
I expected to have this letter from Quincy, where it was my intention to have gone yesterday in the Stage— But it was to have called for me at Whitcomb’s where I still lodge, and by some mistake went away and left me. It was the cause of no small disappointment, as I had flattered myself with seeing our two darlings, for whom I had got a little book and a toy to give them from their Mama— But...
Paris. Hotel du Nord, Rue de Richelieu—Saturday 4. Feby: 1815. I arrived here at one O’Clock this afternoon, having left Bruxelles on Thursday Morning between five and six. It has been a solitary journey, and the roads, which are paved the whole way, as bad as they could be—If it were not for the pavement they would be nearly impassable—There was here and there a remnant of snow, at the sides...
186From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 19 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
On Sunday Evening, immediately after I had closed my last Letter to you, I came on board this Vessel, with the expectation of proceeding the next Morning upon my Voyage. I requested Mr Rodde, in case we should sail, to write you a line informing you of that circumstance. We did actually sail on Monday Morning with a fair, but very light wind which by the time we were out of the harbour died...
Your journals down to the 30th of August inclusive are received; and this day the memoirs of Lord Waldegrave for George—It comes quite apropos; for we are now all enjoying the Memoirs of Horace Walpole embracing the same and a longer period, Lord Holland the Editor of this latter work sent a copy of it most magnificently bound as a present to the President who has been kind enough to lend it...
188From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 6 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your letter of Decr: 28th: with the enclosures to Mr: & Mrs: Hellen, and to your Mamma—I enclosed to you last Evening a letter from her to yourself, and one for Caroline, but not having received them untill my return from the Capitol which was late, I was obliged, to save the last Evening’s Mail to defer answering your letter untill this morning— I take in kind part your...
We have been very much occupied since I wrote you last in dispatching Mr Connell, who goes off this morning to Ostend, there to embark in the Chauncey for New York—During the same time we have been undergoing another sort of fatigue, which is more tedious and wearisome to me, that of banqueting—On Wednesday we dined with the British Plenipotentiaries—No other company than ourselves, but a Mr...
Mr: Connell went on Friday to Ostend to embark, but the Chauncey has not yet sailed. Last Evening we sent Mr Todd there, with a copy of a Note, which we received yesterday from the British Plenipotentiaries. It is of the same shuffling, captions and equivocating character, as all their other communications have been since the first, and shew that they are not yet prepared either to conclude...
We have an interesting question whether by the “middle of the week” which in your Journal of last Saturday you mentioned as the time when you expected to reach home, you intended the middle of this week or of the next—If of the present it is already here; but then your last Journal which is of Tuesday, was written in expectation of hearing from one, which you doubtless did the next Morning. I...
192From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 17 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have just received your Letter from Ballston, with the greater pleasure, as it gives a better account of your health, than that of the 7th. instt. from Cedar Grove. I am also glad to perceive that you had met Dr Hurtt, and no doubt received from him the Letter which I wrote you by him, from Boston—I have since written twice to you, and once to Charles, and addressed the Letters to Lebanon,...
193From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 August 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your Journal of 31st. July and 1st. instt. is received. I enclose you another Check for 100 Dollars, that you may be payable want of funds, if you should finally conclude to go on to Quincy—But besides the doubts which are mentioned in your Letter, arising from the situation of your brother, I have others since I have this day learnt that the yellow fever is in New-York—my fathers invitation...
194From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 24 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have duly received your kind Letters of 11. 12 and 16 instt—I wrote to you at New–York and on the 14th. and 16th. from this place—the last by Thomas Hellen—Since then I have been so much occupied in making the arrangements for the disposal of my father’s Estate, but three fourths of my time has been absorbed by Company—Not a day passes without visitors, and after nine O’Clock in the Morning...
195From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
Receiving on Sunday your rebuke for the blank covers I had forwarded to you, I should have it more severely had I not concluded that about the same hour you would be receiving from me the proof that I had not been altogether so remiss as you had supposed. We have had since the beginning of the month such a succession of roasters, day and night that I have felt myself almost reduced to the...
196From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 24 May 1806 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you this day week, last Sunday that I intended to return to Boston the next morning—But, I did not go untill Tuesday. I have been chiefly there untill yesterday afternoon when I came out in the Stage, and found the family here all well; and particularly both the children—The first thing John said to me was to enquire whether I had sent a kiss for him to Mamma—I cannot stay many days...
197From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 8 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday was the first Saturday since I arrived here, which passed over without bringing me a letter from you; and although I am willing to hope that it may be owing to some delay at the Post-Office, or to some accident which prevented your writing at the usual time, I cannot help feeling some degree of uneasiness least the omission should have been caused by the state of your health—Indeed...
The last Letter I have received from you was that of the 1st: instt: which I answered last week—I then mentioned to you that I had written some lines to Mrs: Hellen, in consequence of your observations in a preceding letter—and that I would send you a copy of them—They are accordingly now enclosed—Of their merit or demerit, a part belongs to yourself, as they were instigated by your remarks;...
On leaving Boston I had formed the Resolution of travelling only in the day-time, but at the close of the second day, arriving at Hartford, I found I should be four days more in getting to New York, unless I proceeded that same Evening, about forty miles to New-Haven—The roads were excellent for sleighing; I was alone in the Stage, and there was a moon bright almost as the morning—I therefore...
200From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 15 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your affectionate remembrance of my birthday—We passed it as pleasantly as circumstances would admit at Mr Frye’s; but I was not very well that day and was more than usually overpowered by the heat—On returning home too we were caught in a thunder–shower and throughly drenched. The Metropolis is daily thinning off—The Secretary of the Navy and family are gone—The President goes...
Who of all the world should bolt into my bed-chamber yesterday-morning before 8 O’Clock, but George Boyd!—He comes as bearer of Dispatches to us, and to Mr Crawford, from the Department of State—Left Washington the 12th: and New-York the 16th: of August. in one of the swift-sailing Baltimore Schooners, arrived at Bordeaux, the 17th: of this Month, at Paris the 23d: and here about 6 O’Clock...
202From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 10 June 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have just this morning received your kind favour of the 2d: instt: which at once confirmed my apprehensions, and in some degree relieved my anxiety—From the time that the Saturday pass’d over untill now I have had an aching heart, and although I learn from your letter that you had been very ill, yet to know you were on the recovery, and had pass’d what I had long looked forward to as a very...
203From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 31 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
By the last Post I sent you the Journal of my Voyage from Reval to this place, and at the close of it, had just time to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favour, and my dear Charles’s Letter of the 8th:—Mr Peyron arrived here only one day after me, and brought a Post-Office of Dispatches and letters for me, among which one and the most precious of all, was your’s of the 15th:—which with the...
Yesterday afternoon at four, we performed the last sad offices of mortality to the remains of Mr. Josiah Meigs—It was but the Sunday week before, that happening accidentally to attend the Morning worship at the second Presbyterian Church I had seen him there ordained a Ruling Elder —He was suddenly seized yesterday was a week, immediately after returning early in the morning from Alexandria,...
The Evening before last, Mr Russell received, enclosed in a letter from Mr Beasley a scrap of an English Newspaper, containing the President’s Speech, or Message, at the commencement of the Session of Congress, and immediately under it a paragraph asserting that the Letters from Liverpool affirmed in the most positive terms, that the American fleet on Lake Ontario was totally destroyed, and...
206From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 20 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letters of the 13th. and 14th from Lebanon, and rejoice with exceeding joy at the recovery of your health—From other Letters received here I learn that you intended to remain at Lebanon, only a very few days, and I scarcely know whether this will find you there My Letter of the 17th. which I hope you will receive this day will inform you of Mr Boyleston’s affectionate...
207From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 26 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I write you without knowing where or when my Letter will find you, and must therefore I must omit much of what I wish to say to you—I received this Morning your Letter of the 21st. (Monday) from Lebanon, and its enclosure I suppose of the same day—but it was post marked Northampton the 23d—It is evident that when you wrote it, you had not received my Letter of the 17th. proposing to meet you...
The day after I wrote you from Baltimore, that is to say on Thursday, I came to this place; though in the Night at Baltimore I was taken so ill, that I was afraid I should be obliged to postpone for a day or two the completion of my journey—I am however now as well as usual. The expedition with which I travell’d has given me two days more here than I expected when I left you—But they have been...
I have been expecting to hear from you these two or three days, and begin to feel some anxiety to learn how you all have been since I left you. Yesterday was the day at which the Session of Congress commenced, and a Quorum of both houses appeared—The President’s Message has just been read, and is very long—But it gives no information on the subjects of the highest importance to the Nation—the...
I have received but one letter from you since I left Boston, and that was written only two days after my departure—So long an interval during which I have not heard a word from you, and neither your mother, nor any other of the families here have received a line, begins to make me uneasy; and the state of our Charles when I came away, and of Kitty’s health when you wrote tends to increase that...