1Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I Congratulate you my dear son, upon your safe arrival in your Native Country; and myself that I have the prospect of seeing you again, a prospect which for many Months I had no hopes of realizing, as your Father can inform you, and to the very low state of my Health, it is oweing that I cannot so soon as I wish enjoy the pleasure of Welcomeing you Home; and meeting you at Philadelphia, where...
2Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received with Sincere pleasure the confirmation of your Safe arrival in your Native Land, from under your own Hand yesterday by post. oweing to Bad Roads, the post from N york did not arrive untill twesday, tho due on saturday. I had written to you, as you will find by the first Mail after I heard of your arrival, and tho I should most affectionately rejoice to see you soon, I shall not urge...
3Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to You since I received Yours of the 19th, and that of the 20th by Your Friends. I was from Home when they came up and deliverd your Letters, but your Father saw them, and invited them to dine with us on twesday last, which they did. I found them agreable young Men, and your Friends think they trace a likeness of Your person in mr Neal they profess to be much pleased with...
4Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
When I have written to your Brother I feel as if I had exhausted all the subjects which it is proper for me to write upon, but as your Hand writing allways gives me pleasure tho I see it only upon the superscription of a Letter, or in a few Promissory lines in the cover, I judge you will allways be gratified with a few words from me tho they contain no more than a Bullitin of our Health and...
5John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your’s of the 26 th: enclosing one for M r: Welsh— I now forward those Letters for America, with which I threatened you in my last.— Of all the news which you believed or expected to believe, the only parts likely to be confirmed, are the capture of the Leander, with Captain Berry, on board, and of the two french frigates by the Colossus.— The burning of the transports in the...
6John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 18 th. I thank you for your account of the proceedings of the Supreme court.— I really believe you are right & that I was erroneous, in what we have said about the influence of politicks at the bar in Pensylvania. Indeed any where affected politicks do a man no good. I did not mean to prejudice you against your Quakers friends, who I doubt not are...
7Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I know not how it is, but I always feel more spirits when I take my pen to write to you, than to any one else; I received a friendly Letter from dr Rush. the Good Gentleman endeavours to do away all the suspis he so innocently raised, and in doing it, your Father observed that it was ten to one. if he did not go to prateing to the Bishop or his daughters, and excite some Idea that he had been...
8John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 20 th. is before me.— The Senate I hear is perfectly Satisfied at length, by a Message and some papers I sent them this Week at their request, that there is no Collision between The Convention with France and our Treaty with England: but other points labour. I choose not to say at present what I think. There has been, about two or three hundred Persons in the Union, who from the...
9John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 31 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am very much concerned, least you as well as your Brother, should think hard of me, for neglecting so long to write to you, but the multiplied Cares and engagements of Life added to indifferent health must plead my Excuse M r: Murray is to take the place of your Brother, and M r. Dandridge is to be his private Secretary, your brother will go to Lisbon, and you I hope will return to...
10William Smith Shaw to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Yourss of the 20 th & 21 st are received. I also received this morning a compleat sett of the Port folio without any letter or direction respecting them. Presuming they were sent to be at my disposal, I shall send them by tomorrow’s mail, to Anapolis where I expect to get many subscribers. I some time since sent a sett to Boston and another to young Chace at Baltimore, and if I had a number...
11John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
On a lu, Tabius, avec beaucoup de plaisir. Il est tres Sage tres Scavant et tres elegant.— The Article he vindicates is now well understood here and is I believe universally allowed to be no Violation of our Engagements with any other power.— Even higher and Stronger ground is taken by Some of the ablest Lawyers and it is even contended that We had a right to go back to the Statu quo, and...
12John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I had been almost three months without receiving a line from you, or from any other of my correspondents in America; and although upon coolly considering circumstances I was sensible that this was the natural fruit of my own neglect of writing during the last Winter, yet as one’s feelings never make the allowances which sober reason requires, I began to think it strange to be so long without...
13Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 21 July upon my return from a Ride. your Father said he had a Letter for me worth a thousand pounds I found it had been read; I complaind, but was told it was put in unseald, on purpose that it might be read. I had not any objection to its being seen, yet you know one chuses in such cases to be judge for themselves; I delight very much in your Letters. you have a...
14Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
The Roads and Weather prevent my leaving this place this day as I had designd; mrs cushing and otis advise me to take lodgings at mr Staell’s in 3 d street, Your former lodgings— I shall want a chamber with two Beds and one Bed for a Man servant; I always chuse to have my Maid and susan sleep in the Room with me. She has got the hooping cough. I hope the worst part of it is over. when I get to...
15John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday morning early we took our departure from Freystadt, & came to this place; a distance of eight german miles; five of which are in single stage from Sprotau here— The face of the country has visibly & greatly improved as we came along; & although we still had to wade through miles of sands more, or less deep, we were frequently relieved by patches of good roads, & by beautiful fields...
16Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
To know that one Cannot freely say that Black, is Black; even tho it be “darkness visible,” or that white is white, tho the new fallen snow is not purer, is fettering ones faculties, as well as restraining ones pen. Yet in such perilious Times as the present, freely to discuss motives which lead to measures, or to Characterize the Actors “who fret and Strut their hour upon the stage” would not...
17John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 6 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I am greatly pleased with your Letter of the 30 of August. Every Part of it shows a Sound Understanding and a manly honest heart. Your Conduct at the meetings was wise, as well generous. Never mind Majorities. Weigh well and judge right and never fear being in a minority. You are right to mix with your fellow Citizens at their invitation to their Consultations. Although Horatius has Sacrificed...
18Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received Yours of Sep’ br 18 th . I have Melancholy intelligence to communicate to you respecting poor B Adams. last week of an Evening he had put a Horse into a Waggon for the purpose of conveying three quarters of Beaf to a Neighbours. the Horse was restiff, and he gave him a whip upon which he started, threw him down, and the wheel went over one Side of his face so as to break the jaw...
19John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 7 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
The reason, which induces travellers, who purpose a visit to the Riesenkoppe, to pass the night before at the Hempel’s baude is, that they may ascend the mountain in the morning early enough to see the sun rise, from its summit— Such was our own intention; but when we rose at two o’clock in the morning, Louisa, found herself suffering so severe a headache, that she was obliged to give up the...
20John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have just got your agreeable favours of 8–9— & 11— May, and as this is the last day upon which I can write to reach you at Paris, and I have but little time for the post, I shall be short. M r: Arnoux’s letter has given me great pleasure, and I wish you if you have time, to give him my grateful thanks for it; for his kind remembrance of the family, as well as his attentions to you. Madame de...
21Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not taken my pen to write you a line before since my return, tho I have daily intended it. You know I Must necessarily have many avocations upon first comeing home, beside the constant interruptions from company; I was happy to learn as I did a few days since by Your Letter of June the 1 st that You had returnd in safety to the city improved in health. God grant that it May be continued...
22John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
Somewhat more than a month ago I received the very welcome intelligence that the vessel on board of which you were a passenger had arrived at New-York. Some days later, a letter from M r: Murray mentioned that he had seen your arrival announced in a Philadelphia newspaper of the 15 th: of January.— Soon after, I received from our ever dear and honoured mother a letter of 1. Feb y: fully...
23John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d this Evening yours of the 14 th. — My little bark has been oversett in a Stor Squal of Thunder and Lightening and hail attended with a Strong Smell of Sulphur. Nothing remains for me, but to indulge that Vanity which I have found out lately is considered as the predominant feature in my Character, by Singing the Song of Horace The Soothing considerations Suggested by you, my dear...
24Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 17 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received with much pleasure your Letters of August 1 st and 12th, for which accept my thanks. I read the papers as usual, and find the Ethiope washed white by the Necromancing powers of dallas & co—but I was not a little surprizd by the information which mr H G otis assured me, he received from a correspondent in Philadelphia, viz that our Friend Dr Rush and Mr Hartley of York Town were...
25John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I last week informed you that I had withdrawn from Amsterdam all the stocks I held there, and had remitted to M r: King, in London fourteen hundred pounds sterling, for which I authorised you to draw, and requested you to place the proceeds in the most advantageous manner; but not in any institution or fund depending upon our national Union; for the generality of our Countrymen are so far from...
26John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
From the cloister at Grussau (the day before yesterday) we returned to dine with M r Ruck at Landeshut— It was a formal dinner of thirty persons according to the fashion of the country; we sat down soon after one, & rose from table just before six. The whole of this time is employed in eating; for the ladies & gentlemen rose together, & there was little wine drunk. But as only one dish is...
27John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 20 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I suppose you flatter yourself, that having more than three months ago got safely out of Silesia, you are to hear nothing further about it; but indeed I shall not let you off so cheap. There still remains a very short geographical, statistical, & historical account of this interesting province, which I feel it my duty to write— Whether you will conceive it your’s to read it, I need not...
28Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 10 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
First I would inform You that B Adams is we hope out of Danger; his reason is returnd pretty clearly. he is not Yet permitted to leave his Chamber— I congratulate the Philadelphians that they have this Year escaped the Pestilence. it is now so late in the Season that I hope they may wholy escape Since I was first an inhabitant of this place I never knew it So sickly as it has been this summer....
29Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Evening requesting You to meet me at the susquahanah; but I did not reflect that it was two days Journey. this Evening Leiut Parker has arrived and has tenderd me his services; Mr Evans furnishes me with a carriage to Philadelphia provided we can cross the River if I cannot get over, I must depend upon the chapter of chances— if I can get over I expect to be in on twesday....
30Abigail Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
We have public worship every Sunday in the Representitive’s Chamber in the Capitol; I have just returnd from hearing Bishop Clagget deliver a discourse from those words in the Gosple of st Luke, [“]Glory to God in the highest Peace on Earth, and Good Will to Men.” this is a doctrine full of Mercy and benevolence, of which the present generation appear little disposed to cultivate and cherish.—...