1From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 27 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with the temper and spirit of your Letter of February 28th: The subjects of your future Examination, are judiciously chosen and I hope you will acquit yourself to your own satisfaction as well as that of your Instructor’s. I know of no Characteristic of a weak head a dull discernment and superficial reflection more remarkable than the opinion you mention of many young Men who...
2From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 1808 (Adams Papers)
I always feel most disposed to write when I have just received a Letter. Yet that is not the case now, but what is very similar to it. I have just read one from you to your Grandfather in which you mention Judge Bensons having commenced a course of Law Lectures and express a wonder at what could be his object as he does not receive any pecuniary reward. From the knowledge I have of Judge...
3From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 15 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
You ask me whether “an armed Vessel of a belligerent Nation has a right to search a vessel of a neutral.” I answer No, except for contraband of war. This exception is established by the law and practice of nations; and confirmed by Treaties. But there is no right to search for men. The King of England acknowledges that he has no right to search for men a neutral ship of war even for deserters...
4From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 10 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
It gives me great pleasure to observe in your letter of the first of this month your increasing thirst for knowledge and attachment to your profession. Your natural aversion to politics will soon too soon wear away. A lawyer must be a politician. It is impossible to avoid it; he breathes constantly in a political atmosphere. The companies with whom he associates are all politicians. Judges,...
5From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 14 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time since I had a Letter from you. In the last I think you prophesied “Wonders in November.” I understood you to mean, a wonderful revolution in the sentiments of the people, and a restoration of the Federalists to the Government of the Nation. But the month of November is past, and there appears, notwithstanding all the terrors and horrors of the Embargo a wonderfull adherence...
6From Abigail Smith Adams to John Adams Smith, 26 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 19th. I had written you a few hasty lines by mr Beals in which I exprest my anxiety at not hearing from your Mother for a long time—the day after I received a Letter from her and found all was well with them. I was about to write to her, when I was Seazd in my Right Eye with a disorder they call an ophtheil ophthalacy, which is thus described, an inflammation in...
7From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 22 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter of Nov, might have been sooner acknowledged, if I had been younger, my eyes brighter, my fingers steadier, and if I had less writing to do, and fewer letters to answer. I have the honor to coalesse in the “consolidated” opinion of your neighbourhood, that the Presidents Message and the documents attending it do honor to the Government to the President his Ministers and...
8From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 15 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your letter of 22 Ult. as the merchants express it, so frugally, To be sure, every thing in this world, if we consider only one side of it is to be lamented: because everything is imperfect. The laws and governments, the morals and religions, the customs and fashions of this low, dirty Planet, if we look at them in the abstract, view them only with our partial eyes, especially...
9From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 November 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 4th has given me much pleasure. I rejoice that you have been admitted a Counsellor in the supreme Court of your state, in the Mayors Court of the City, and Proctor and advocate in the district Court, as well as master in Chancery. I know not the distinction between a Master and a Solicitor in Chancery. . You have the ; But can you move the world? this will depend on your...
10From John Adams to John Adams Smith, 12 December 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your ideas are accurate. The conduct of the faction now styling themselves Federalists, has in 1812 been consistent with their manœuvers in 1800.1. when they voted 37 times for Burr. I never saw Mr Clinton. By all I have heard or read, I suppose him to be a man of the World like Burr. Both, I presume, have thought themselves, all their lives, in pursuit of honour. Ambition and Avarice, as a...