Your agreable Letter of the 9. Jan. has lain too long unanswered.—M r Mappa, I should be happy to present to the President and to Serve in any other Way in my Power. Your Criticisms upon “the defence” deserve more Consideration than I have time to give them. I can Say for myself, and I believe for most others, who have ever been called “leading Men,” in the late Revolution, that We were...
2From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 27 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of March 17. is rec d. — The French Revolution will, I hope produce Effects in favour of Liberty Equity and Humanity, as extensive as this whole Globe and as lasting as all time.— But I will candidly own that the Form of Government they have adopted, can, in my humble opinion, be nothing more than a transient Experiment. an obstinate Adhærence to it, must involve France in great...
3From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 19 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 9. ult. has been a circuit to Philadelphia and returned to me, only on Saturday last. Your friendly Congratulations, on a late Re election, are very obliging. I am as well as you, and have been these Eighteen years a Friend of Governor Clinton: but, although I feel no Resentment at his consenting to stand a Candidate for the office I held, I cannot but regret that he yields...
Before I left The Massachusetts I had the Pleasure of receiving a Letter from you: But I learned from it, with Some Uneasiness that you meditate a Removal to a greater distance from us. I had Yesterday another Letter from you of the 23 of November. I thank you for introducing to me, Major Peter Van Gaesbeek, whom however I have not yet had the Pleasure to see as he happened to call when I was...
I have just now received your kind Letter of the 3d of this month. I read every Thing which falls in my Way, which relates to the French Revolution: but I Suffer inexpressible Pains, from the bloody feats of War and Still more from those of Party Passions. Disgrace to the Cause of Liberty, and a general Depravation of hearts and manners among the rising Generation, is much to be dreaded from...
I received this morning, your kind favour of the 9th. of this month dated at Kempwick at the Oneida Lake. Your Letters always give me Pleasure, both as they contain interesting Reflections, upon public Affairs and as I take an interest in every Thing that relates to yourself and your family, believing as I do, your inflexible Integrity and wishing you every Prosperity. I am very glad, the...
7From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Reverend Dr Belknap and Dr Morse being upon a Journey into your Neighbourhood I have been desirous that they Should have an Opportunity of Seeing you, and that you Should have an Opportunity of Seeing them. They are clergy men of great Fame and what better of great Merit. I have not add any Thing more , assurances of unva esteem humble sert PHi : John Adams Papers.
I have recd your favour of the 10. of Nov. and thank you for the quotations from the Posthumous Works of the late K. of Prussia. The Quotations from Condorcet are Proofs of Insincerity or Inconsistency but the latter may be easily expected from a Person who writes upon a subject he knows nothing of. I am able unfortunately to give you some Extracts of letters concerning a Man of more Sense,...