51Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 29 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am favored with your’s of the 23 d: inst t: and the enclosures—one of which is herewith returned. The Lieutenant Governor’s address is quite equal to my expectations, and there is little doubt with me, that he will rise a peg higher, merely, or chiefly because the people would not be united in any man of more capacity and talents. If any considerable interval take place prior to a new...
52Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter of the 25 th: inst t: came by this day’s Mail. I have found a Coachee ready made, at Fielding’s for sale, which, with the alterations that can with ease & despatch be made, will, I think, answer your purpose exactly. The body of the Coachee is somewhat shorter & more in the form of a Coach, than that you have, but it is well put together & the wheels & carriage appear to be...
53Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have searched, in conformity to the request expressed in your favor of the 2 d: inst t: all the writers upon the law of Nature and Nations, which I have in my Office, for authorities to support & justify & explain, the Sixth article of the Convention with France. The extracts from Vattel in your letter are somewhat more explicit on the particular point in question, than his masters,...
54Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
The morning after you left this place, the Aurora was filled with five columns & an half, from T. Coxe; wherein he undertakes to detail another private conversation, which passed between him and M r: Dennie, during his last visit to the City, & while he lodged in the same house with Dennie & myself. It is hardly necessary to observe, that this, like all other details from the same source, is...
55Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 17 th: & 19 th: instants and take the first moment of leisure, that has occurred, since their receipt, to acknowledge gratefully these fresh instances of parental solicitude respecting my personal concerns. I shall reply without reserve to your last letter, which relates more immediately to my professional prospects. I have always been persuaded of the...
56Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 26 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 14 th: has been some days in hand— I thank you for your tender solicitude for my health & success— As to the first I can say, with thankfulness that it is better than usual at this melting season— To the second, I can reply, that my professional success, is sufficient to keep me above despondency, though far short of my necessities. On Tuesday last I argued a cause of...
57Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last letter, I have received none from you, of course I do not feel very culpable in having suffered so long an interval to elapse without writing, though, if a direct opportunity from this place had offered, I should not have neglected it. In my last, I promised to make out my Account at the commencement of the next Century, & this I intend doing, to accompany the present...
58Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 23 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have yet to reply to your favors of the 15 th: & 21 st: inst ts: the latter of which with the letters of M r: Pitcairn, came to hand last evening. I have been anxious for some days on account of reports, which have been circulated with great zeal & industry, of a serious misunderstanding in the Cabinet at Trenton, and though I give credit slowly to the idle rumors of the day, I cannot but...
59Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 8 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received in due course your favor of the 25 th: ult o: together with the volume of Debates, Catalogue & ca: for all which I return you thanks— I have been but a negligent correspondent this Summer, compared with the last, for the plain reason that I have had more pressing claims upon my attention— You shall eventually lose nothing, however, by continuing your regular communications. The...
60Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 8 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your’s of the 2 d: is in hand, with the enclosures, which receive thanks. I am sorry you dislike short letters, because I shall make a excuse therefrom for writing more seldom & only when I have matter enough to fill my paper on all sides. Against this I am sure you will protest & on second reflection, will prefer frequent brevity, to scarce prolixity. Among my brothers books you will find...
61Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 15 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 11 th: inst t: which has this moment come to hand, found me with pen in hand; on the very threshold of writing to you, for the purpose of offering you my very sincere & hearty congratulations upon the success of your Competitor M r: Caldwell, who has obtained the appointment of Clerk to the Supreme Court of the U. S.— This exordium may appear singular to you, the more so,...
62Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 22 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have paid you all I owed in the article of letters, but I receive few communications from home. Please to tell my mother that I like to know, now & then, a little of the Cabinet secrets. The Report that the negociation with France is broken off, creates considerable sensation here & at New York— I think few people actually believe the story, but it serves the turn of newspaper Scriblers to...
63Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 30 th: ult o before me, and thank you for your tender solicitude on account of my health, for which however I think you need not be particularly solicitous, since I am, excepting a few sensations peculiar to the climate of this City at this season, as well as usual; in addition to which I am on the point of leaving town for some weeks to reside at Germantown in the...
64Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 14 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
If it be only to thank you for your favor of the 7 th: I will devote an minute previous to the meeting of Court; I thank you also for the Walpole paper, which entertains and delights me more than any of the literary productions of the Country. If there were an Editor here of the same taste as the Walpole Bard, I should sometimes indulge an itching which besets me for scribling— I know not...
65Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last, I have received your whole series to Number 17 inclusive, with the single exception of N o 15, which yet loiters on the way; but the order in which they have come to hand has been variable as the wind. It may possibly create some surprize, that, without consulting you, I should have taken the liberty to bestow upon our Countrymen, through the channel of a correct and...
66Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
When I said, that I did not disagree with Manlius, in attributing the downfall of the federal cause, to the Mission to France, my meaning was, not, that the loss of the late election, was to be viewed, as the consequence of that Mission, for I believe with you Sir, that independent of that measure, the federal Candidate would have been almost universally deserted. But I meant to assert as my...
67Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have at length made up my mind to accompany my brother and his lady to Berlin. In justification of this resolution I shall only observe, that it was formed after full and mature consideration, in which both sides of the question, to go or not to go, were deliberately examined, but I may also add, that compliance with the earnest desires of my brother, had a greater share in producing this...
68Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last I have received several numbers in continuation of the series, which you have been kind enough to address me, giving so ample & instructive details of your excursion to Silesia. The last number which came to hand was No 1. and I had a few days before received No 14, which is the highest; but three intermediate numbers, viz: No s 7. 11 & 12 are yet wanting to complete...
69Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 27 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you soon after my arrival here that I expected to take passage with Captain Jenkins of the Ship America, bound to Newburypor[t.] I had in fact engaged to go with him, but as he said much to me of the uncomfortableness of his vessel and refused any compensation for taking me as a passenger, I thought best to look out for another opportunity, and upon the recommendation of Capt n:...
70Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 28 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received the newspapers which you enclosed with my Mother’s letter of the inst t: —& which by accident was sent on to Washington instead of Philadelphia— Moreover not having had time to read the papers yesterday, they were laid aside and I did not, until this morning, discover my Mothers letter, which was concealed in one of the papers. You will easily believe that the letter was...
71Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have written you three letters since my arrival here; this is the fourth, which I mention only for the sake of knowing whether you received them in order. It is very well known that I am here and some people might think it worth while to discover what I write to others I have hitherto only one letter from you, and had not expected to have another until the last post, supposing you to have...
72Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
M r: Fitch Hall being about to embark for New York I have entrusted to his care a trifling present, which I beg you to accept from me. I intended to have sent you a profile of myself by M rs: Johnson, but was prevented by the suddenness of her departure, which took place a week sooner than it had been previously fixed. The whole family left this place yesterday morning with the intention of...
73Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of November 7 th: written at East Chester came to hand on the 24 th: ult o: and I have now to acknowledge the receipt, on this day, of your more recent communication, dated the 3 d: ult o: at Philadelphia. I have written to you but once since our arrival here, but my brother has been so frequent & copious in his letters both to you and my father, that I derive a sort of excuse...
74Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favor of the 15 th: inst t: which reached me yesterday at this place, where I have been since the 15 th: and where notwithstanding your kind invitation & advice, I expect to continue until it shall be clearly ascertained whether the pestilential fever is to prevail or not in the City this season. I am out of the way of danger, if any should exist; and before the expiration...
75Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of the 24 th: & 27 th: ult o: are duly received. It seems not to be understood here, whether the proceedings, in Senate, relative to the Convention, are conclusive, as to the fate of that instrument, or whether, under any pretext, the discussion can be revived upon it. I am, myself, unable to solve the question, though I have some idea, that the rejection of the particular,...
76Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged the receipt of your kind favors of Sept r: 25 th: & Nov r: 8 th: which were the last I have from you, and that notorious thief of time, procrastination, has devoured a long interval since I made the promise to write you in a few days. I delight in receiving letters from you, but I have an almost inconquerable aversion to writing in my turn, nor can I account for a...
77Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am in possession of your favor of the 21 st: inst t: with the letter of my brother enclosed; they were both very acceptable and I return the enclosure with thanks for the perusal— I hope shortly to receive the letter, which he mentions having written me on the subject of his affairs; though I think they are in as good & safe a train as any disposition I could make of them— I have written an...
78Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
As I am in the City for a few days, you may wish me to write rather oftener than usual, to convince you that I am not ill. The weather since the month of June has been generally more than commonly favorable for this climate— it still continues so, and we begin to flatter ourselves that the City may escape the afflicting scourge it has heretofore experienced. The mortality which lately...
79Thomas Boylston Adams to William Cranch, 25 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received with much pleasure a few days ago, your favor of the 15 th: instant and shall not be inattentive to those parts of its contents which relate to the subject of your application for the clerkship of the Supreme Court of the U.S. and will be careful to give you seasonable notice whether your personal attendance here in February would be likely to conduce to the success of your plan....
80Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 30 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
Since my last to you, I have none of your favors, although I have within a week past received three letters from my Brother with your mark upon them. The last of these came to hand this day & was written while my brother was upon his journey to Silesia. The details of his travels are very interesting. The most remarkable domestic occurrence, since the date of my last, is the discovery of a...
81Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have already acknowledged your favors of March 18. April 4. since when, at different intervals I have received your kind letters of May 1. & 7.— My brother has one from you of June 12. in which the receipt of my letter of March 4 th: to my father is mentioned, and in a manner calculated to call forth all my gratitude, if not to excite some little emotion of self-applause. I have given way to...
82Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here safely yesterday forenoon, after an agreeable, though rather tardy passage from New-Port, which place we left on Sunday noon. During my stay at Newport, I visited fort Wolcott, being acquainted with Lieut t Ross of Pennsylvania who is stationed there. Major Toussard had the politeness to accompany me, and I was much pleased with the appearance of discipline & military decorum...
83Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I left Philadelphia the 9 th: inst t: and after passing a few days very pleasantly at Baltimore in the society of M r: Johnsons family & that of Mrs: John Smith, came to this place where I had the satisfaction to meet M r: Cranch in tolerable health & spirits. I have been received & treated with uncommon hospitality and politeness in both these places, from the first characters, and as no...
84Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
Our Supreme Court being in session, has occupied my time so much as to prevent answering your favors of the 10 th: & 13 th: inst ts: I have seen M rs: Kirkham since I got your letter, and given her the fresh order; she will prepare the articles & I shall send them as soon as I can. I have applied to two Coachmakers to ascertain what you desired; neither of them have any ready made coachees on...
85Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
I now enclose you my Brother’s letter of July the 10 th: which I promised to transmit by this day’s Mail; but being anxious to see a considerable portion of it in print, & solicited by M r: Dennie to furnish him a copy for the Gazette of the U.S. of Monday next, I could not complete the copy in time for sending, so that I am apprehensive you will not receive it until after the President’s...
86Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 23 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your agreeable birth day tribute the day following the date of my last; since then the deadly pestilence has burst forth again with ten fold violence & every part of the City is more or less infected. The inhabitants are flying in every direction & not a room is left unoccupied at Germantown. I go there but seldom. The Banks & other public Offices are soon expected. New York, we...
87Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 8 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 31 st: ult o: with an enclosure for R. Peters Jun r: which shall be delivered as soon as an opportunity of sending it, presents— I have not yet found means to forward the last enclosure you made me—which is rather the effect of misfortune than neglect, though you doubtless will think I have no excuse for being nine weeks within 3 miles of the Bishops, without having...
88Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 15 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of the 10 th: & 11 th: inst t: are received. We have heard of the proceedings in the Representative chamber as far as the 22 d: ballot, and we have admired that firmness, which puts the issue of the choice upon strength of nerves, rather than numbers. I have but little expectation, that the thing will go through, as it began— Some body will go over to the majority, but it is not...
89Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 13 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I must beg you to congratulate the President & yourself from me, on your safe arrival in our neighborhood. Your journey was, I apprehend, more favorable in point of weather than my mother’s is likely to be, for we have had very heavy rains & dull skies all the last week more or less— Even on Tuesday, the all important 8 th: , of October, big with the fate of Pennsylvania, we had in the morning...
90Thomas Boylston Adams to Louisa Catherine Adams, 17 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
After 44 hours constant journeying we arrived here about 7 o’Clock on Wednesday morning. My companion M r: C— hearing that a party of his acquaintance had set off about an hour before for Fryburg a place 24 english miles distant from this—ordered fresh horses, invited me to join him & upon my pleading fatigue, was off himself alone in order as he observed to cause an agreeable surprise to his...
91Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
This morning I had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 12 th: inst t: and am happy to learn your safe arrival at the hospitable mansion, where I fervently hope, you and my Father, may enjoy days & years of tranquil life. For my own sake & for the sake of all my family, it would, I believe, be a happy circumstance, if there should be no further occasion for either of my parents leaving...
92Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 21 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have given an introductory letter for yourself and one for my father, to a young man by the name of Charles D Coxe; he will probably be at the federal City towards the last of this week. From himself I understand he intends making application for the Consulship at the Isle of France, and his reason for applying during the present administration he avers to be, because he is a federalist & a...
93Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here last night after a pleasant journey from Antwerp, where I lodged on Monday. Upon enquiry here I found no Diligence going to day, so that it has given me an opportunity of seeing a great part of the City, which I find surpasses much in point of situation the idea I had of it. The quarter of the park is delightful, and the prospect from the Ramparts is such as brings to mind some...
94Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, 10 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Upon my return from a short excursion to Pottsdam, where we passed three very pleasant days, I received your obliging letter of the 4 th: curr t and thank you for the detail respecting the Hamburger’s accommodations. My voyage I rather think now, will be deferred until after the autumnal equinox say commencement of October or last of September, because possibly by that time a person may arrive...
95Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 30 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I enclose, as directed, under cover to you, the Summary statement of services rendered at an important & critical period of our Country’s affairs, by an intelligent, brave, & deserving Officer. I think it an hardship that such merit & such services are so soon obliterated from the recollection or so much out of the knowledge of Gentlemen now in Office, that a statement under the hand of the...
96Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at Boston on Monday evening after a prosperous journey, and came out to this place the following afternoon in the Quincy Stage. I had the happiness to find my Mother in tolerable health, and shall be highly rejoyced, if my presence, should in any degree contribute to the continuance of that blessing. The rest of our friends are well, excepting Uncle Adams, who suffers much from a...
97Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of the 5 th: & 7 th: curr t came in course, and I am much indebted to you for the disposition you made of the letters, which arrived, after my father’s departure. I have lately rec d: several European letters & pamphlets & ought to have received another with the letter you enclosed me from M r: Pitcairn, in which he desires particular respects to you. He acknowledges the receipt of...
98Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your letter of the 18 th: with the enclosure from M r: Pitcairn. My letter to M rs: Adams of the 17 th: under cover to you, must have reached you in course— By the last post I sent her some little sketches or drawings of the neighbourhood of this place, but I can now assure her that the originals are incomparably finer than the copies. Since you condescend to ask...
99Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 10 th: & 12 th: inst ts: and am highly gratified by their contents; excepting the bill of health, which is less cheering than I could wish it might have been. I have been so occupied with attendance upon Courts and writing to my correspondents in Europe, during the last ten days, that I have not found time to write you; & the expectation of William’s...
100Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 22 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging & copious communication of the 13 th: and render thanks for the trouble you have taken to explain a subject, which had excited my curiosity & interested my feelings, but which, without your aid, I should have been unable to comprehend to my satisfaction. I think it necessary only to observe in reply, that I fully concur in the opinion of the rectitude, propriety &...