211From John Adams to Jonathan Fay, 25 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for this Address. Your Encomium of the Executive Authority of the national Government, is in a high degree flattering. As I have ever wished to avoid, as far as prudence and necessity would permit every concealment from my fellow Citizens of my real Sentiments from in matters of Importance I will venture to ask you, whether it is consistent with the Peace We have made, the...
212From John Adams to Eliphalet Fitch, 2 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have so often been tardy and negligent, in answering your obliging Letters, that my Date will not surprize you, though I tell you it is intended to Answer your favour of May 24. 1797. I rejoice to see in every Part of your Letter, the Style, the matter and even the hand Writing such evident Marks of perfect health and joyous Spirits. Your Congratulations on my Advancement are very friendly....
213From John Adams to Eliphalet Fitch, 7 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received last night with great pleasure your favor of the third & very cordially & sincerely congratulate you on your arrival in your native Country. I wish you all possible satisfaction in your residence here & shall be happy to contribute anything in my power to make it agreeable. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to receive you & your family at Quincy before I sett out on my...
214From John Adams to William Fitzhugh, Jr., 11 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I receive from the Citizens of Alexandria, this kind salutation on my first Visit to Virginia with much pleasure. In the earlier Part of my Life I felt at sometimes an inexpressible Grief and at others an unutterable Indignation at the Injustice and Indignities which I thought wantonly heaped on my innocent virtuous, peaceable and unoffending Country. And perceiving that the American People...
215From John Adams to John Murray Forbes, 6 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received in season, and with pleasure your Letter of the 12th of January I must avow that upon the first publication of Mr: Munroe’s Work, I was much hurt at that levity with which So many Americans, and among them some of respectable character, had taken an open part against the Executive authority of their own Country Government especially when that authority was exercised, by a Character...
216From John Adams to Thomas Foreman, 3 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received an obliging Address Subscribed with the Names of a long List of your respectable Inhabitants, declaring without hesitation their determination to rally round the Standard of their Country, and Support its constituted Authorities and pledging their Lives their Fortunes and their Sacred honor to support its constituted Authorities. And Address So decided and patriotic, from so...
217From John Adams to Willis Foreman, 24 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your Address of the twenty ninth of November has been presented to me, by your Representative in Congress Mr Baldwin. I rejoice to hear that you have shaken off supineness, and are in a state of readiness to oppose a foreign foe and that if occasion should require it you will sue for Peace, sword in hand Although you are all personally unknown to me, I wish you very sincerely every felicity....
218From John Adams to Uriah Forrest, 13 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received on Saturday, your friendly letter of the 28th of April and I thank you for it. & should be very happy if it were in my power to comply with your advice—not so much on account of any real public utility, as in compliance with what you call, the public sentiment. I have reason to believe however that this sentiment is chiefly in Philadelphia & Georgetown. “The people elected me to...
219From John Adams to Uriah Forrest, 28 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 23d and am very much obliged to you for it; The paper inclosed in it is a Serious thing; it will be a Motive in addition to many others for me to be upon my guard; it is evidence of a mind sowered , yet seeking for popularity, and eaten to an Honey comb with ambition, yet weak, confused, uninformed and ignorant. I have been long convinced that this...
220From John Adams to Dwight Foster, 12 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
The President of the US: requests the pleasure of Mr. Fosters company to dine on Saturday next at 3 oClock MB .
221From John Adams to Dwight Foster, 27 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
The President of the United States requests the pleasure of Mr. Fosters company to dine this day at 2 Oclock MHi : Foster Family Autograph Collection.
222From John Adams to Nc., Citizens of Franklin County, 23 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank You for this Address presented to me by your Representative in Congress Mr Macon. It is was indeed high time for the Friends of Government and good order, to exert themselves and declare their opinions: in a little or in a short time there might have remained neither Government nor Order. Our conciliatory Conduct has produced no other Effect, than a repetition of marked insult, a...
223From John Adams to James Gardner, 14 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your joint Letter of the 10th with great pleasure. Nothing could give me more Satisfaction than to learn from you that Col Smith in his office has conducted well. I know his Capacity for Business and that he is capable of great Exertions of Industry. I pray you Gentlemen to assist him with your Experience and I think I can assure you that you will not find him ungrateful. I am /...
224From John Adams to Sc., Citizens of Georgetown, 31 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I receive with much esteem, affection and gratitude, this obliging address. The approbation, you have the goodness to express, is both a reward and an encouragement. I congratulate you, gentlemen, on the translation of the government to the City so near you. As the country, between the former seat and the present, is beautiful and fertile in a high degree, I hope that all the reluctance which...
225From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 3 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
There are many parts of your Letter I have omitted, indeed it requires more Leisure than I have to do it Justice. Men of Cander and Discernment, you observe, have thought that my Predecessor erred, in some particulars. This may be and who has not? But you must remember that the French were always antifederalists. Always opposed and countenanced and stimulated the Party that opposed the federal...
226From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 13 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your favor of the fourth & immediately communicated it to the present Sec. of State Gen Marshall who will look into the papers relative to the subject & bring it soon to a conclusion—A business which ought to have been done last fall.—I have taken a view of the federal city & its environs as far as Mount Vernon & am well pleased with the whole. I think Congress...
227From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 20 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment written a Message to the Senate nominating you to be an Envoy Extraordinary to the French Republic. Knowing as I did Mr Dana’s aversion to the Sea, and his continual dread of his Mother’s fate, I was always apprehensive he would decline and should have nominated you at first, if I had not been overruled by the opinions of many Gentlemen that Mr. Dana’s Experience in this...
228From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 17 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment your Letter of the 10th. That Man must have more Skill in Intrigue than any that I have been acquainted with who can Sap the foundation of the Confidence I have in Mr Gerry....No Such Attempt has been made. All have confessed to me your honour and Integrity—Some have expressed doubts of your orthodoxy in the Science of Government—others have expressed fears, of an...
229From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 26 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of this morning; and in Answer inform you that I have not recd an Answer to my Letter to Mr Pickering. The Engagement of his office, besides the confusion of a removal have been extreamly pressing.—I Shall See him Soon and Something will be determined. I Shall not have the Pleasure of Seeing you again probably till next Summer, Imperious Necessity or absolute Duty...
230From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 30 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have just recd your favours of 28. May, No. 6 and No. 7. with a Copy of No. 3. This last I had recd before. I had no share in the Recall of Monroe, and therefore am not responsible for the Reasons of it.—But I have heard such reports of his own Language in France at his own Table, and the Language of those whom he entertained and countenanced, and of his correspondences with Bache Beckley &c...
231From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 7 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I know not when I have received So much pleasure from a Letter as from yours this Moment brought in, to to me of the 3d. The Circumstances of your family are Such as to Excite the tenderest feelings & anxieties and Mrs: Gerrys Resolution does her great honor. She never will repent of it, I fully beleive. Mr: Marshall is here and will Sail next week for Amsterdam, It will be adviseable for you...
232From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 3 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning yours of the 25th and as yours are the best Letters I receive I must hasten to acknowledge it. But the Press upon me is so great that I must be very short. Your Brief of the formidable Position of France is very true as it appears, at present: but Intelligence of the surest kind which is not laid before the public shews it to be all hollow at home and abroad: in Spain,...
233From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 7 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I lament with you the arbitrary aplication of party nicknames & unpopular appellations & although with you I heartily wish, yet I cannot say I hope that the wickedness of the wicked will come to an end. On the contrary it appears to me, that unlike the rising light which shineth more & more to the perfect day, the darkness will thicken till it may be felt. In the multitude of applications for...
234From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 15 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 24 of Novr. I sent your Letter to me of the 20 of October, from Quincy to the Secretary of State and requested him to publish it. He has returned it to me and declines publishing it. I return it to you inclosed, as I think it will be attended with no good Effect if I should publish it. You will judge for yourself whether it is necessary for you to publish it. My...
235From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 30 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 18th. It has been an invariable usage these twelve years, for the President to answer no letters of solicitation or recommendation to office, but with you in full confidence I will say that it is uncertain whether I shall appoint any consuls to France. Mr. Lee is represented to me as a jacobin, who was very busy in a late election, in the town of Roxbury on...
236From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 6 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
your favor of the 27th Ult. gave me great pleasure. The proposal of appointing the V.P. to go as Envoy Extraordinary to Paris, has arrived from so many quarters that I presume the thought is a natural one. I will tell you a secret But I wish you to keep it a Secret in your own Breast—I was so impressed with the idea, myself that on the 3d of March, I had a conversation with mr. Jefferson in...
237From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 20 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment written a Message to the Senate nominating you to be an Envoy Extraordinary to the French Republic; Knowing as I did Mr: Dana’s aversion to the sea, and his continual dread of his Mothers fate, I was always apprehensive he would decline, and Should have nominated you at first, if I had not been over ruled by the opinions of many Gentlemen, that Mr: Dana’s Experience in this...
238From John Adams to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 22 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Abilities, Integrity, Prudence, and Patriotism, I have nominated and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate do appoint you the said Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry, jointly and severally Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the French Republic, authorizing you...
239From John Adams to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 22 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
Know Ye, That for the purpose of terminating all differences between the United States of America and the French Republic, and of restoring and confirming perfect harmony and good understanding and re–establishing a commercial and friendly intercourse between them; and reposing a special Trust and Confidence in the Integrity, Prudence and Abilities of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall...
240From John Adams to Collin Gillespie, 18 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Dayton the senator has presented me from you, a letter from your father, with an elegant present of a monument, in honor of the memory of Gen. Washington. I pray you to convey the inclosed letter, expressing my gratitude, to Glasgow, & to accept of my thanks for your care. I am Sir your obliged & obedient humble ser. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.