11To John Adams from William Cranch, 22 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I received your very kind and flattering letter of 1st. ulto.—On the morning before I received it I settled an account with Mr. Gales who is my tenant, and in doing so ask’d him if anything was due from you to charge it to my account. He look’d at his books and told me that somebody had paid for you in advance and that nothing was due. However, after receiving your letter I wrote him a note...
12To John Adams from William Cranch, 11 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
Having neglected writing to you for so long a time, for which I can form no possible Apology, except a general aversion to writing, I feel a degree of diffidence, in again addressing you—and being destitute of political information, I am ignorant how I shall render a letter acceptable. I have yet to acknowledge the receipt of two favours from you, of the 14 th , & 31 st of last March , the...
13To John Adams from William Cranch, 17 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to congratulate you on the result of the late election. I rejoice because it has not been the work of faction—because it is the triumph of Independence over the despotism of party; because it has broken down that old Virginian aristocracy which for 24 years has been sitting like an incubus upon the Administration of our country; because I see that the country is returning to the good...
14To John Adams from William Cranch, 27 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
I hope you do not think that because I do not often write to you, I do not often think of you; much less that I have forgotten the debt of gratitude I owe. for your No other of my old friends is so often in my thoughts,—indeed you are the only one left of that class of my friends to whom I look’d up with reverence; & I delight in calling to my recollection your venerable form. You seem to me...
15To John Adams from William Cranch, 24 January 1790 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you some time ago, & desired Mr Lovell, who told me he should see Mr Ames before he left Dedham, to forward it by him. Your Son Tom writes me that you have not recieved it. I shall enquire of Lovell what he did with it. It contained several letters, one to Mrs Smith, one for Louisa, one or more for my Aunt, one for Tom & one for Charles. Our Legislature is now sitting. A question has...
16To John Adams from William Cranch, 8 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Norton paid me five dollars for your subscription to the National Intelligencer. As I am entirely out of the secrets of all departments of the Government, and of every political party, I can give you no political news. For myself, I think the nation would disgrace itself if it did not now provide the means for carrying into effect the system it has adopted. I am therefore not sorry to find...
17From John Adams to William Cranch, 30 December 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of receiving your letter and should be happy to furnish you with any hints concerning the study of the Civil Law, which may occur to me after having laid aside all such studies for many years. Under the general phrase Civil law is often understood what is commonly considered the learning necessary to obtain a degree of Doctor of Laws LLD the common abreviation signifies...
18From John Adams to William Cranch, 14 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of Decr 15. Jan. 24. and Feb. 17 are before me, and I thank for your Attention, and hope for a continuance of it, though I am not a punctual Correspondent to You. To the original of the Bar Meetings I was a Witness, as I was also to their excellent Effects in the Progress of them. They introduced a Candor and Liberal[ity] in the Practice at the Bar that were never before known in...
19From John Adams to William Cranch, 18 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Mr Robert Denison an English Gentleman from Nottingham in England proposes to visit the City of Washington. If you can shew him the City, or any other Attentions you will oblige me. He belongs to a wealthy and worthy Family of Dissenters, who have it in contemplation to fly from Persecution He is recommended to be by one of the most benevolent Men in England. I am, my / Dear Sir Sincerely...
20From John Adams to William Cranch, 3 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Our Fisheries have not been abandoned. They cannot be abandoned. They Shall not be abandoned. We hold them by no Grant Gift, Bargain or Sale or last Will and Testament nor by hereditary descent from Great Britain. We hold them, in Truth, not as Kings and Priests claim their Rights and Power by hypocrisy and Craft, but that is from God and our own Swords. 1 The Author of Nature and common...
21From John Adams to William Cranch, 22 March 1825 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind congratulation of the Feby. 17—which you have fortified with so many strong reasons, none of which I can I contradict, or wish to refute; I have great reason to believe that the public opinion has changed with respect to me, since the year 98—great numbers have since been convinced that I saved this Country from a ruinous Foreign and Civil war, and some of them...
22From John Adams to William Cranch, 19 March 1812 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind letter of the 8th. I think with you upon the several political topics you have touched. The Taxes ought never to have been repealed. The restoration of them then is only returning to the right road, from wandering in an erroneus path. The recent discoveries of Henry the S shew the necessity in case of a War, of renewing the alien Law. The inability of the supreme...
23From John Adams to William Cranch, 8 October 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have seen your two Daughters—with great pleasure—and they are every thing I could wish them to be, if they were mine—Mr Norton too I find to be a very pleasant agreeable, well breed, and well informed Gentlemen.— you should O Mr Cranch? I think it is impossible you should perfectly comprehend the felicity which Providence has afforded you in giving you an opportunity of living constantly...
24From John Adams to William Cranch, 7 April 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 15th of March I communicated to your brother and Sister Greenleaf & requested them to search among your Fathers papers they have done so & I presume have sent you Copies of what they have found I have never given the smallest attention to the Title & I had rather at this day undertake to go through Sir Isaac Newtons Principia than investigate the Title to any tract of land....
25From John Adams to William Cranch, 23 January 1788 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the 5. of December, and for a former one, and for the important Intelligence conveyed in both. Braintree could not have made a wiser Choice of Delegates to Convention, and We may now depend upon a wise decision from our Town. We can Scarcely hope to hear of the Result of the Massachusetts Convention, before We embark. March is the Month fixed...
26From John Adams to William Cranch, 10 March 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind letter of the 27th. Feb—with great satisfaction and sincere gratitude, I can reciprocrate your sentiments with great truth, the loss of my sight and a parilitic quiveration of my hands have rendered it impossible for me to write, And the dictation of a letter costs me more pain, than to write four, when I could write, You have rarely been out of my thoughts and I have...
27From John Adams to William Cranch, 1 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
Shall I ask a favor of you? to pay Mr Gales 5 Dollars for my third years subscription for his National Intelligencer and let me pay it for you to Brother Peabody, or your Brother John Greenleaf? We have no paper Bills here that will pass at Washington and silver cannot go by the Post So much for the grave: proceed we now to the gay. Yesterday 30th of April the President and Congress weighed...
28From John Adams to William Cranch, 20 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Will you be kind enough to advance five Dollars for me to Mr Gales for a Second years Subscription for his National Intelligencer, and let me pay it to Mr Peabody or any other on your account. I have desired him to ask the favour of Mr Quincy or you, hoping I might take such a Liberty with either. Your Friends are all well and with Health Wealth and long Life to you and yours. MWiW .
29From John Adams to William Cranch, 8 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of June 22nd. If any one has paid Mr Gales for my third years subscription I know not who he is, that has been so charitable. I believe Mr Gales is mistaken I have never authorized or requested any one but your honour to do it: & certainly I have not advanced any money for the purpose It is your duty to “endeavour to suppress, every sentiment of indignation.” The...