141John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am favoured this morning with yours of the 22 d.— This is Accession day you know. I shall always consider it as a red Letter day: a fortunate day. I am happy to know that you are comfortably Situated. I pray you to live in all Things at your own Expence and be no Burthen to M rs Smith or the Lt. Col. I am pretty well recovered of my Cold, but it has reduced my flesh. James has found a...
142John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
I had scarcely closed my last Letter to you my dear mother, acknowledging the receipt of your favours of Dec r: 2. and Nov r: 23. before I received that of Nov r: 3. written at East-Chester.— We are duly grateful for your kind congratulations upon our marriage.— You will find by some of my late Letters that we have already been brought to the trial of some unpropitious circumstances Yet much...
143Thomas 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...
144William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 8 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
It has not been from want of the most affectionate Respect that I have suffer’d your kind letter by M r. White to remain so long unanswer’d. The sickness and death of a late worthy friend of mine, M r. James Cook of Georgetown, and the business which has fallen into my hands in Consequence of that Event, have occupied my whole attention and must be my apology. M r. Cook was about my Age, and...
145William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 21 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am not only highly gratified, but extremely grateful for your kind communication of 15 th. inst t , with it’s important inclosures.— The fraternal and affectionate friendship, which has so long existed between your sons and myself, has indeed been among the greatest Consolations of my life—and the consciousness that it still continues, brightens many of my passing days.— Having been so long...
146Hannah Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
My knowledge of your condescension and goodness emboldens me to address you at present. I have at length prepared my History of New-England for the press, in which I have mentioned your illustrious partner as one of the first and most active promoters of the declaration of Independence. I have given a sketch of his speech on that important occasion from Ramsay. the whole is not inserted in any...
147Lucy Cranch Greenleaf to Abigail Adams, 12 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I recieved my dear and ever honoured Aunt your kind Letter of Dec r 18 th. and the Cap accompanying it, for both which I feel myself greatly obliged, and beg you to accept my thanks— I am glad to hear from Mama that your health is better than it was the last winter. I hope the mildness of the season will assist in confirming it— I never remember finer weather in Dec r. and Jan y. than we have...
148William Stephens Smith to Abigail Adams, 21 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
It would be singular indeed, were I to permit your friendly note of March 9 th. to pass unanswered, and not to thank you for forwarding the letter from the west-ward, which accompanied it, I should not have taken the liberty of desiring my correspondents to have addressed letters to me, to the care of the Presidents secretary, had I not experienced the basest treatment thro’ the line of the...
149Sarah Vaughan to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
It was highly gratifying to M r. Vaughan and myself to find by General Dearborn that we still retained a place in the memory of yourself & the President; tho’ we live retired we wish not to be forgotten by those we love & esteem. I do not wonder that you & the President should be surprized at our being able to fill up our time without Politics or dissipation, but when you recollect that we...
150Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 10 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have at last heard from atkinson I had just Sent a long Letter to sister when I receiv’d one from her & another from Cousin Betsy— Sister is full of anxiety about her Daughter & well she may be—for by both the letters I think her in a fix’d consumtion— her cough is better but her Fever runs high & She has night Sweats & is So weak she can ride but a few miles in a day. Cousin Betsy Says She...
151Louisa Catherine Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
After having so long delayed to answer your very affectionate letter I feel perfectly ashamed of making any excuse as I am consious it is not in my power to make a proper one I must therefore rely upon your known indulgence and in future be more careful— Our jouney from Hamburg was extremely unpleasant the roads were very bad and I was in constant dread of our being overset but fortunately we...
152William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 5 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
M rs. Cranch informs me that a kind letter arrived from you at Washington since my arrival here, requesting me to reside at your house while I remained in Philad a. — I need not repeat how much I am obliged by all your goodness & attention. The second day after my arrival here I met M r. Briesler, who mentioned to me your kind request & the orders he had received; & inforced the invitation...
153Thomas 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...
154Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of seeing and perusing two or three letters from you to my Father and M r Shaw since my arrival here, and have learnt with joy that your health is better than it has been for some time past. Do not be impatient for my coming on, for I shall certainly make no unnecessary delay, and unless I should take a run to George town for a moment, I shall set off for Boston on...
155John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
In my solitude in Markett street, I find nothing so sociable as your Letters— those of 18 & 20 th. are this moment recd d.— Your health & Spirits are a great Improvement of mine. I have avoided the Epithets perfidious and unprincipled as much as I could, but neither they nor any that could be borrowed from the Hebrew & the Greek would be too strong, for the House of Mass to Use.— My Religion...
156John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
We Stopped at the Governors to take Leave and he told Us the News of last night, which has regaled Us on the Road. We watered at Watertown and reached this Inn at half after one. We hope to reach Williams’s at Marlborough, and Sleep there this night. I strive to divert the melancholly thoughts of our Seperation, and pray you to do the Same. M rs Smith I hope will keep Up her Spirits and the...
157Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 9 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
what a feast you have sent us my good sister. for alhough it may be call’d a feast of bitter herbs yet I would not be ignorant from whence the Poison is extracted which is design’d to destroy our constitution this is evidently the design of those declamers. how can the People bare to see their members spending So much of the publick money to the very worst purpose. is it possible that they can...
158Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 10 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I can never sufficiently thank you for your Letters & the communications you so frequently Supply me with I am considered as the fountain head from whence truth is to be looked for. I have read parts of your Letters till I have them by heart & can preach very well without notes now— wherever I go I am Scarcly welcome without I bring my pocket full of Letters— I was last week Several days in...
159Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 19 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have receiv’d two Letters from you since I wrote last. one contain’d the Border & Lace for my cap, & a cap for Mrs Norton—for which We thank you. mrs Greenleaf also for hers— how you do love to dress up your Friends! there is certainly More pleasure in it than in adorning our own Persons— we cant wear our Blue ribbons yet we are all in mourning— not a person in our Meeting house but has Some...
160John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of the 21. 22. 23. and 26 of April are all before me— They have inspired me with all the Melancholly in which they were written. Our Mother and our Niece are gone to rest. The first a fruit fully ripe the last but a blossom or a bud.— I have Suffered for you as much as you have Suffered— But I could give you no Aid or Amusement or Comfort.— I pray God that these dispensations may...
161Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 1 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letter of the 20th of march which I receiv’d yesterday & for the papers you sent mr otis & Harpers Speeches are much admir’d by one party & their Wit & Satire felt by the other. they “have bar’d the Breasts of those villains who are doing their utmost to ruin & degrade their country & have Strip’d the gilding from the Principle which they wish’d to establish.[ ” ] it had...
162William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
By Major Toussard, we had the pleasure to hear of your being at Scotch plains in health, and of your being escorted a few miles from thence by some of the officers. By a letter from Malcom, […] heard of your arrival at N York, & of your intention to leave that city on Saturday Morn. I presume by the time, this can reach Brookfield, you will be there— I shall direct it, under cover to Mr....
163John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
Three more letters from you of 3. 4. and 13. April, brought to England by M r Thornton, have just this moment come to hand, together with a pamphlet or two.— The message to Congress of 3. April together with all the documents accompanying it, have been published in London, from whence I have received them as mentioned in a former letter. They were received from Philadelphia by the Directory on...
164Thomas 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...
165Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 29 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
After many expecting, anxious hours for my dear Nephew, I am made happy by seeing his safe arrival announced in the Newspaper— The fibres of my heart cannot remain untouched, while my Sisters must be filled with joy, & gratitude— I claim a share, & feel that I am a maternal Participant— I know that you long to clasp your Son in your fond arms— When he reaches Peace-field you will think the...
166Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 7 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I last week receiv’d your first Letter from the city of washington. I began to grow impatient not to receive one Line neither from you nor My Son, but last thursdays mail brought yours & one from him to his Father. I had heard of your arrival by mr Brislers Letter to his wife. but I wanted to hear your own account of your journey. I receiv’d your two Letters Written upon the road & thank you...
167Thomas 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...
168Thomas 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...
169Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 30 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
A Letter which I had a long time wished for, I at length received from my Affectionate Sister. Every day I had been thinking I would write. But the round of duties that called for my unremitted exertions, left me too weary, or too inert to take up my Pen, for the company which our Boarders attract, demand polite & respectful attentions, from me, by their own obliging behaviour— And I thought...
170Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 17 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
How often do we find that having much to say, the full heart cannot impart the half— This evil I find extends to epistolary writing, for having many things incidents crouding upon each other, I thought I had not time to notice them as I ought, & so have communicated nothing. But as the occurrences of my own Family, are what can only be very interesting to you, I will tell you that our numerous...
171William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have no doubt that you retain such an Interest in my happiness as to rejoice with me in the birth of another son. The boy appears strong and healthy and the mother seems very well.— The feelings of a Parent will easily account for such an Event being uppermost in my mind at this time.— When I wrote last to my friends at Quincy, it was my determination to have enter’d again into the...
172William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I should have answer’d your valued Letter of 27 th. ult° . , by M r. Shaw, if his stay would have admited of it—but the whole day he was with us was spent in viewing the City and the public buildings &c— I hope he was pleased with them, although he saw them to the greatest disadvantage, on account of the wintry appearance of things, and the badness of the roads. It gave me extreme pain to...
173John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your Letters of 10. 15. and 16. Your solicitude for my Health may subside. I am pretty well— I had a cold, not a bad one— and something of the Inflammation in my face of last spring—but it is gone. Rush gave me such a Dose of Salts that I thought it not fit to go out to Congress next day. But the day after I was well enough.— I am Old—Old very Old and never Shall be very...
174John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
After a long period of deep concern, and anxiety, on account of your health, I feel myself in some measure relieved by the receipt of your kind letter of 2 nd Dec r: , which I received the day before yesterday; that which you mention as having written me on the 15 th of November, has not yet come to hand. At the same time, I received from M r Pitcairn at Hamburg a line, mentioning, that the...
175Thomas Welsh to Abigail Adams, 13 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I enclose a Duplicate of a Letter which I have lately received from M r Adams. I have not heared of an House which would agree with the discription but if I had the Course of Exchange is so much against Holland, that I should not think of doing any thing at present. M r Smith has informed me of the Proposal for my Son Thomas to go to Berlin to relieve M r Thomas B Adams. as M r Smith has...
176Ruth Hooper Dalton to Abigail Adams, 31 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
Indeed my dear Madam, I was very happy to receive a letter from you, after hearing you had been so very ill, at the time I wrote, I did not know you was so dangerously sick, or I would not have troubled you; That Health may be restore’d, that your day’s, may be free from Complaints, and that your nights, may be blessed with quiet sleep, is the ardent wish of your friend: I hope soon, to hear...
177Thomas 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...
178Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 23 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
Miss Palmer has given me hopes of your coming, & Mrs Smith to our Exhibition, & says, you say, you will be so good as to carry me home with her— We have a Ball the next night after Exhibition & I suppose my Boarders will not leave me till Friday— We have a charming harmonious family, & are as still, as could be supposed where there are so many Young ones— But if at this time You should see...
179Thomas 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...
180Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 3 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
you have not told me that the Lady in the undress who was presented at your Drawing Room had been connected with a Frenchman—but I suspect She had. I know not where else she could have got her impudence. a Shameless woman is a horrid sight. The frightful wigs the Ladies Wear here & cover up their own beautiful ringlets is an evidence of a great want of tast, but we are not yet so lost to every...
181John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my last, I have received your favours of 3 d. 26 th. 27 th. 29 th: May, and 12 th: June— By your very kind and constant attention I find myself as regularly and recently informed of the current Events in our Country, as I could expect or wish— Your pamphlets and papers too, with those which I receive from the department of State are a treasure to me— I have written to the Secretary of...
182Thomas 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...
183Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 9 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your several Letters of the 15, 18 & 22 d: have reliev’d my Mind and led me more fully to comprehend the Business before me. I mentiond to you M r. Porters Terms. I presume you will think it best to comply with them, being confident that you will not meet with more faithful & trusty Persons than He & his Wife— He wants a greater Degree of Self Sufficiency to command at all Times with...
184Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 29 November 1797 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letter of the 15th of Nov br. before this I hope you have receiv’d another Letter from me but I shall be very cautious what I Say if tis liable to be inspected by the President without your leave he thought he must Say Something I suppose make his peace with me for taking Such libertys. I do not remember what I writ but I believe no treason. I am glad mrs Smith has heard...
185Mary Smith Cranch to Abigail Adams, 27 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I never visit or pass your house but I think of that beautiful & simple Song in the Spectator The Rose Bush under your window is as full of bloom & fragrance I suppose as formerly. your Garden florishes & your Clover Field is delightful—but Should I tell you how the view of them affected me before I recieved your last Letter you might call me romantick— I pass’d them yesterday—went into your...
186William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
’Though I have been writing a very long letter, to my wild, random, laughter loving Walter and have made it very late, still I want to thank my aunt for her letter of Dec 20 th received yesterday morning, before I sleep. Logan is chosen Representative for this State by a very large majority. It so happened that the day, L took his seat, a new carpet was placed on the floor of the house. The...
187William Cranch to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have just closed a letter to the Pres t. on the subject of my Bro r. Greenleaf.— I do not know whether I have not said too much, but if I had not been restrained by a sense of Propriety I should have beg’d & pleaded that he might have some appointment or other. I consider him as a man of uncommon abilities and attention to Business, & he has no means of exercising his Talents at present,...
188Mary Smith Gray Otis to Abigail Adams, 11 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
It was with much pleasure I yesterday received yours of 1 st instant, as it was an assurence of your better health, I hope the return of Spring will bring to you renewed health & strength, but it is needful for your friends to caution you, as you partake too much of the spirit of Martha & are apt to be too careful & encumbared about many things. The Presidents being at home, will bring more...
189John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
On Tuesday M r T. B. Adams left Us, at Eleven in the stage for New York & Boston and consequently Quincy.— I should have been glad to have held him till I could carry him with me: but I thought it my Duty to comply with his desire, both for his sake and yours.— He Seems determined to settle in Phyladelphia.— He would have a happier Life, and be a more important Man in Quincy: But I must do &...
190Susanna Lee to Abigail Adams, 16 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
With the most timid respect do I address M rs: Adams on a subject so interesting to me that I tremble while I write from a doubt of the propriety of the step, however solicitude for an affectionate Husband and our young family outweighs my scuples and prompts me to the measure. I must therefore rely upon the noble generosity of a character I have known and revered from my infancy, to pardon...