1831To John Adams from Samuel B. Malcom, 30 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the honor a few days past to inform you of what I was possessed respecting the Manhattan Company: the enclosed being a Correct and true history of the whole proceedings. I have taken the liberty to transmit it for your perusal—with my most respectful Compliments to your Lady. I / remain your obt: Hble Sert MHi : Adams Papers.
1832To John Adams from Bernard Hubley, Jr., 18 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is one of the Newspapers, printed in this Town, wherein you will perceive an Address, from the Second Battn. Fourth Regt. Northumberland County Militia, directed to me;—this I hope & expect will have a good effect as I conceive it will break a knot among such in this County, that ever appeared to be inimicable to Government, at least since the time of the Four Western Counties of this...
1833To John Adams from James McHenry, 31 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to transmit copy of a letter, I have left in the Office—addressed to my successor in the Department of War—detailing & explaining certain measures which have been taken in my administration—and recommending certain objects to his peculiar attention. I have the honor to be with perfect consideration, Sir, / Your Obedient Servant MHi : Adams Papers.
1834To John Adams from Jonathan DeWitt, 1 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
The Address of the Grand Jury of the County Dutchess , in the State of New-York .— On any common occasion we should not think it proper to intrude upon you our opinions relative to affairs which are entrusted to the executive and to our more immediate representatives; But when ambitious enemies affect to treat the government of our choice as a usurpation;—when under the mask of friendly...
1835To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 1 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
The day before yesterday I received from Mr. Charles Hall of Northumberland County in this State, a letter concerning a publication by Thomas Cooper, an Englishman, & a connection of Dr. Priestly, addressed to the Readers of the Sunbury and Northumberland Gazette, on the 29th of June. This address has been republished in the Aurora of July 12th which I now inclose. By Mr. Hall’s information,...
1836To John Adams from Samuel Dexter, 2 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Having this moment received a Commission by which I am appointed Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, I have the honor to inform you that I accept the Office, & shall immediately proceed to execute its duties. I have the honor to be / with profound respect, Sir, / Your obedt. & faithful servt. MHi : Adams Papers.
1837To John Adams from Benjamin Thompson, 1 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
The Managers of the Royal Institution of Great Britain have directed me to transmit to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences the enclosed Prospectus; I have therefore the honour to forward the same to your Excellency, and to request that you would lay it, or cause it to be laid, before that learned and respectable Body. I have likewise the honour, in conformity to the Instructions I have...
1838To John Adams from Thomas Foreman, November 1798 (Adams Papers)
We have seen with the anxiety, which is inseperable from the love of our Country; the situation in which the United States are placed by the aggression of committed by the French Nation, on our commerce, our Rights, and our National Sovereignty.—While the prospect of peace was in practicable view, we looked anxiously toward that event; but expected peace upon equitable & honorable terms, we...
1839To John Adams from John Randolph, Jr., 11 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
Known to you only as holding, in common with yourself, the honorable station of servant to the same sovereign people, & disclaiming all pretensions to make to you any application which, in in the general estimation of men, requires the preface of apology, I shall, without the circumlocution of compliment, proceed to state the cause which induces this address. For words of a general nature,...
1840To John Adams from John Marshall, 8 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I was informd yesterday afternoon that you had done me the honor to name me as the successor of Mr. McHenry. While I avow the impression made on me by this additional mark of your confidence—and impression which no time will efface—I must pray you sir to withdraw the nomination. No man is more intimately persuaded than myself, of the wisdom of that political system, which has been adopted by...
1841Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I last Evening received your Letters, one of the 24th from Prince Town, and of the 25th from Philadelphia. I rejoiced to find you safe landed there, tho so far very far distant from me. as you wrote immediatly upon your arrival I could not expect any Family documents. I hope Brisler will inform me. I am going to send you an excellent servant as represented to me by my sister Peabody. sober...
1842To John Adams from United States Senate, 18 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
The Senate of the United States request that you would to accept their acknowledgments for the comprehensive and interesting detail, you have given, in your Speech to both houses of Congress, on the existing State of the Union. While we regret the necessity of the present meeting of the Legislature, we wish to express our entire approbation of your conduct in convening it on this momentous...
1843To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 25 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
Not having the Honor to hear from you on the Subject of my Letter of the 30th Ultimo, I have presumed that you did not disapprove of the Arrangement therein proposed of our Vessels, and having good Information that about 80 American Vessels with Cargoes to the amount of two Millions of Dollars were blocked up at the Havana by a few French Privateers, and had little chance of escaping without...
1844Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 April 1797 (Adams Papers)
Tho I have not heard from you since I wrote you last, and have nothing new to say, unless it be a resital of my own perplexities, out of which I must get by myself. Yet a few lines will assure you that I am getting forward as fast as possible with my affairs, and prepairing to sit out on my journey. the weather has been as uncommonly cold and stormy for the week past, as it was Hot for two...
1845Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 2 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have enclosed a Letter to M r. Webster in Answer to his which you forwarded to me, I have left it open, when you have read it, please to seal & forward it. If I have faild in any of the striking Features of the Epidemic of 1761, as you was with Your Father who died with that Distemper, your Memory will perhaps enable you to supply the Defects. M r. Cranch has several Cows, which He wishes...
1846To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 21 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of receiving, in course of Mail, your much esteemed favor of the 1st Ult. and pray You to accept my sincere Thanks for this renewed Mark of Friendship— As it did not require an immediate answer—and as nothing of a publick Nature had occurred in this Quarter, worthy particular Notice, I deferred interrupting your much more important avocations by a repetition of my Let ters ....
1847To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 27 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with your two letters of the 18. Instant: and am happy, that your wishes on the subject of a convoy for the Vessels at the Havanna, had been anticipated. The enclosed copy of a letter from the Captain of a British sloop of war, to the British Consul at Charleston, affords no very honorable testimony of the courage of Capt Cochran, Commander of the Revenue Cutter. I am glad he was...
1848To John Adams from Arthur St. Clair, 23 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed Address from the General Assembly of the territory was put into my hands on the 19th. instant, the day on which it was prorogued, by a Committee of both houses, with a request that I would transmit it to You. In that, Sir, they imposed a very agreeable duty upon me: for, the sentiments seemed to be such as were proper for them to express; and having expressed them publicly as a...
1849To John Adams from George Taylor, Jr., 20 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
G. Taylor Jr. with respectful compliments to the President of the United States, has the honor to send hereto annexed a memorandum of the papers signed by the President for this office from the 4th instant to this day Memorandum of papers signed by the President of the United States for the Department of State from the 4th instant, to this day Commissions Joseph Bench, of No. Caro— 1st. Mate...
1850To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 23 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
The Secretary of the Navy, in obedience to the order of the President, respectfully submits the following observations on the matters of reference to the heads of Departments. The proposed letter of the Secretary of State, in answer to Mr. Liston’s notes of the 2d and 4th February, demanding the restitution of American vessels captured by British ships, and rescued by their own crews, appears...
1851To John Adams from William Cunningham, 23 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mrs. Cunningham is very much troubled on account of a certain paper she address’d to you some time ago. She is apprehensive something very tradgical will happen to her, or some of her connections, from the Arm of power in concequence thairof, in the course of the past winter she has had many restless nights on Account of this paper—we had concluded to do our selves the pleasure of waiting on...
1852To John Adams from James McHenry, 13 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received, on the afternoon of the 10th last, from Mr. Elisha Hall secretary to the commissioners for holding a treaty with the Cherokee nation, the following enumerated dispatches viz, 1st a letter dated Tellico 14th July 1798 signed A Moore, George Walton, and John Steele. 2nd a letter dated 16th July 1798 signed George Walton. 3rd the Journal of the proceedings of the commissioners...
1853To John Adams from John Marshall, 24 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I transmit you two letters No. 71 & 72 received from Mr. King. Respecting the jewels for Tunis I think it proper to observe that or looking into the correspondence between this department and Consul Eaton I perceive a letter which states the demand of them as being an encroachment which ought to be resisted as long as possible but which in the last necessity must be submitted to, and in that...
1854To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received this morning a letter from the Secretary of the Northwestern Territory, informing that the reports propagated in the news-papers of Indian depredations in the two western counties of the Territory & in Shelby county in Kentuckey, are utterly destitute of foundation. I inclose a letter which came to hand yesterday under a cover from a Christopher McPherson at Norfolk. A letter...
1855To John Adams from Francis Malbone, 1 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
Mr. John Alfred Hazard having informed me that he has made application for the office of Purser on board the United States Ship General Greene now fitting in this State; I take the liberty of recommending him as possessing the necessary qualifications to perform the functions of that office; he is a young man of a liberal education, is of one of the most respectable families among us, & of an...
1856To John Adams from Nh., Citizens of Portsmouth, 11 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
The Subscribers, inhabitants of the Town of Portsmouth, State of New Hampshire, conceiving the present moment to be one of those critical periods when political necessity calls aloud for the Public Voice to advocate the measures of its own Government, and cheerfully offer the Supreme Executive and the Congress of the Union the most determined and unequivocal support in maintaining measures...
1857To John Adams from James Asheton Bayard, Jr., 11 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
The House of Representatives having Set unusually late the last two days I have been prevented waiting upon You according to my intention. I beg You Sir to believe that I appreciate with a becoming Sense the high honor You have proposed to confer upon me. I took the liberty of stating the subject to the Chief Justice who was So obliging as to undertake to request your opinion upon the...
1858To John Adams from Henry Knox, 5 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
Although I have often entertained the intention of writing to you, yet as I had nothing more to communicate, than assurances of my sincere attatchment, and the warm approbation which appeared to possess the best mind of the great majority of the People, I could not bring myself to intrude on your time, so precious to your Country. But when your recent nomination for France seem for a moment to...
1859To John Adams from James McHenry, 24 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour respectfully to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 7th & 13th, and also by yesterdays mail one of the 14th and three of the 16th Instant. The inclosed copy of a letter to Mr. Joseph Williams of Springfield will shew the steps I had taken, relative to Mr. Coltons account, and the order given for its final settlement. I have assurances from Mr. Ames that such...
1860To John Adams from William Vaughan, October 1797 (Adams Papers)
In case you should not have known Mr Masson the Gentleman who will be the Bearer of these lines permit me to request your attention and civilities to him and to his pursuits. He is Botanist to the King and has been sent out with the express desire of his Majesty for the purpose of Botanical pursuits in the interior parts of America that have been little frequented by professional men. He...
1861To John Adams from John Marshall, 26 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
I receivd by the last mail your letter of the 19th. inst inclosing several papers which are disposd of according to your directions. You will receive herewith a translation of the German letter which was addressd to you. The calculations & the poem referd to, it was deemd unnecessary to translate. The Spanish minister has on the part of his sovereign claimd the restoration of the Sandwich...
1862To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 15 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to send herewith a packet & letter from Mr. Pitcairn, received yesterday morning, and to inclose the letter No. 128. and the document it refers to, from Mr. Adams at Berlin, which in my last I mentioned were in the act of being decyphered. Before this gets to hand you will find that General Pinckney arrived at New-York last Saturday afternoon: So I find it stated in a paper...
1863To John Adams from James Mann, 28 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
This certifies that Ebenezer Coddington Thayer of Braintree sustains an unblemished reputation. After the honorary degrees of Harvard College had been conferred upon him, he has the usual time persued the study of the theory and practice of Physic with the greatest proficiency. And I can with confidence add, that should he be indulged a surgeon’s birth in the Army or Navy of the United States;...
1864To John Adams from George Poindexter, 14 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
At this important moment when imminent danger threatens us from abroad, the undersigned Young Men of Richmond, feel themselves impelled by that common sentiment, which now Animates America, to express, their fervent wishes for peace, but their determined resolution to support those measures of Government, which are calculated to repel foreighn aggression, and to protect our Country from injury...
1865To John Adams from Arthur St. Clair, 2 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
A subscription was opened in this Town, a few days ago, to raise money for the building a Galley, in order to loan her to the Government, for the farther protection of the Missisippi, should it be thought proper to encrease that species of naval force in that quarter. A considerable Sum was immediately subscribed, and, in a few days, a sum adequate to the purpose will be subscribed: for, the...
1866To John Adams from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to transmit a Letter dated Augt. 25th. from James Breckenridge Esq. who was named Commissioner for the Third Division of Virginia—It seems that this Gentleman resides out of the Division and that this circumstance and expectations of being able to render more important services have induced him to decline the appointment.—I have good reason to believe that Mr. Breckenridges...
1867To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 3 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have just received notice of the death of Colo. Innes, and that his remains are to be interred this forenoon. By the mail of to-morrow I will send a commission for your signature for the gentleman you shall be pleased to name for his successor. The inclosed letter from Colo. Spencer with the address of Columbia and the neighbouring towns in the northwestern territory, I received this...
1868To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 21 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed is an extract of a private letter which I have just recd. from Mr. Higginson, & which I hasten to communicate to the President. MHi : Adams Papers.
1869To John Adams from Charles B. Cochran, 1 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The momentous concerns which have so fully engaged your attention, since last I had the Honor of a few lines from you and a disinclination to brake in upon moments so precious to the Public, have been the reasons of my omitting to avail myself of the license you then gave me of continuing a correspondence so flattering in itself and so truely interesting to me: But at a time when every good...
1870To John Adams from John Rodgers, 31 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
It was with Singular Pleasure I learned from the public Papers, that the Judiciary Bill had passed the House of Representatives, by so respectable a Majority, and I hope it will meet with no Obstruction in the Senate—I consider it as a wise Measure, & one that promises no Small Utility to the Union; as the important Trusts it contemplates will, no doubt, be commited, under the present...
1871To John Adams from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
By the decease of Robert Chesley, the offices of Surveyor and Inspector of the Port of St. Mary’s in the district of Nanjemoy in the State of Maryland, have become vacant. The names of Robert Chesley, son of the deceased, and William Hebb, are presented in the papers which I have the honour to enclose.—The weight of recommendation by Col. Howard of the Senate, Charles Caroll of Carrollton...
1872To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 12 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received the inclosed letter from Jacob Lewis, Consul of the U. States at the Isle of France, from whence he has recently returned to Boston with his family. I shall write to him by this mail, and desire him to wait upon you, to give more full information concerning that French Colony; particularly in reference to the anxious wishes of a number of merchants here trading to the East...
1873To John Adams from Timothy Pickering, 19 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Young Lafayette called to day, on his way to New York to embark for France. He left Genl. Washington last Friday perfectly well—and saw a letter from him dated on Saturday afternoon. But on his way, as he drew near to Philadelphia, was told the General was dead.—Mr. Simmons at the War Office told Major Lewis, who just now called to see me, that an Express had passed thro’ Derby with the news....
1874To John Adams from Joshua Johnson, 18 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not been inattentive to your request, to make inquiry of the Price of Hay, Straw, Oates & Wood, for the first, I can obtain for you at 7/6 the long Hundred deliverable at your Stables; Starw is scarce, I have not met with anyone who will ingage to serve you with it; The Country People ask 3/9 per Bushel for Oates tho the Crop is large and some has been bought at 3/— at which price I...
1875To John Adams from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 5 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to transmit a Letter from George Divers who was appointed the Commissioner for the eleventh Division declining the appointment and recommending Thomas Divers to be appointed in his stead. From the tenor of Colo. Carrington’s Letter of the 13th. of September and the express recommendation of Thomas Posey contained in his Letter of September 28th. I have no doubt that General...
1876To John Adams from John Penn, 24 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
Conscious of the sincerity with which I espouse the noble cause, from the conspicuous support of which your Excellency has derived so much glory among all true Englishmen; I mean the cause of national liberty; I do not scruple to presume that the publications which attend this letter may be thought worthy of your acceptance. Taste has been so perverted by the new opinions, that it seemed...
1877To John Adams from Ezra Weld, 2 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
As inhabitants of this ancient Town, which gave you birth, tho’ now by its division, Quincy is honored, as the place of your residence we retain that affection and esteem for your personal honor and happiness, which are the natural result of such a connection; yet this is a circumstance of very small consideration, compared with other reasons of attachment and veneration, which upon this...
1878To John Adams from Rev. William Walter, 7 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
Count Rumford having enclosed to me two packages which I presume contain two of his Essays I hasten to forward them that your Excellency may have the great pleasure of perusing his long promised observations on the best & most œconomical Method of preparing our common Food, a Subject of no small Importance to Society but in the Knowlege of which, he says, we are shamefully deficient. with...
1879To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 16 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to enclose a letter from J C Jones, Chairman of the Committee for building a Ship at Boston; recommending Capt George Little, for the Command of that Ship. Presuming that you Sir, will think it proper to indulge the Committee at Boston, as has been the case in all similar instances, with the selection of the officers—I take the liberty to enclose in the letter for Mr Jones, a...
1880To John Adams from William Lewis, 19 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
In compliance with your request, we shall now proceed briefly to communicate the points and Authorities, which we intended to urge in the case of the U.S. vs. Fries, if the Conduct of the Court had not unexpectedly deprived us of every hope of Success from these Means of defence. It may be proper to premise, that on the Morning appointed for the Trial, the Presiding Judge in the Presence of...