1To John Adams from Jabez Bowen, 28 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
In Examining the Debates in the Lower House of Congress I find Melasses mentioned as Charged with a Duty on Importation of six Cents. which sum in my opinion is much to high. Before the Revolution I was largely concern’d in Navigation, at which time Melasses paid a Duty of 3 d pr Gallon, but it was found impossible with all the British severity with Americans that knew the whole Business of...
2To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have never known more Pleasure discovered amongst all Ranks of Citizens, than what appeared here, on the news of our Two Presidents safe Arrival, the same Week, at New York. And this Satisfaction was not lessened by reading your Address to the most honorable Senate. This Speech has greatly tended to confirm what the zealous Federalists prognosticated, & the considerate & patriotic Part of...
3Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Major Gibbs Captain Beals & mr Woodard all are going to New-york, and all have desired Letters, but as they all go at the same Time one Letter must answer. I wrote you this week by mr Allen, since which nothing has transpired in our little village worth communicating. the Newspapers I inclose to you all that I get in the course of a week, but the printers or the persons to whom they are...
4To John Adams from John Rodgers, 25 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
D r. Rodgers presents his most respectful Compliments to His Excellency the Vice President of the United States, & informs Him, there are two Pews set apart for the Members of Congress in his Church in Wall Street—nearly opposite the Governor’s Pew & lined with Green. And another Set apart for the same Purpose in the Brick Church on the Side of the fields, distinguished by the federal Arms and...
5To John Adams from Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant, 25 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
when I had the pleasure of conversing with you at Boston I took the freedom to recommend M r. William Pickman of Salem for some place in the revenue Department at Salem— you was kind enough to suggest the Propriety of putting a recommendation in writing, where the Person is a Stranger— The Observation immediately struck me as perfectly just— He that recommends another ought to do it in that...
6To John Adams from Robert Duncan, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to join the Citizens of America in heart felt Congratulations on your Excellencys appointment to the Vice Presidency of the United States May every blessing await you Sir in that, and all other important stations, you may be engaged in for the salvation of your Country.— It is now about 11 years since I had the honor of seeing you in Philadelphia, and then as an inmate in my family—...
7To John Adams from the Comte de Sarsfield, 23 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Lorsque nous nous Sommes quittés, Jeme Suis dit qu’il ne falloit pas penser a vous Ecrire parce que, quand on parle tout Seul, c’est le diable qui repond. Je ne Sai Sil Soccupera de cette lettre cy, J’en veux bien courir les risques, J’attens de vous moins de reponse que Jamaiz; mais Je ne puis me refuser la Satisfaction de vous parler de votre nouvelle dignite dont la nouvelle m’a fait un...
8Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I received mr Bourn’s Letter to day, dated this day week, and I was very happy to Learn by it that you had made so Rapid a progress. I hope you stoped at my old acquaintance Avery’s, and that you met with as good entertainment as I had led you to expect. all your Friends rejoiced in the fine weather which attended you, and conceive it, a propitious omen. I enjoyed, the Triumph tho I did not...
9To John Adams from Benjamin Lincoln, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
At my last interview I mentioned to your Excellency my apprehensions that there were some influential characters in the United States, who, if a change of the constitution could not be effected in the first instance would endeavour to destroy the influence of the new government and make it subservient to the views of the different States I see no reason since to change my opinion but am rather...
10To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Accept of my sincere Congratulations upon your arrival in new york, and upon your advancement to the second honor in the United States.— Your influence in the Senate over which you have been called to preside, will give you great weight (without a vote) in determining upon the most suitable Characters to fill the first offices in goverment. Pennsylvania looks up with anxious Solicitude for the...
11To John Adams from William Tudor, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had not the Pleasure of bidding You a personal Adieu on the Monday of your leaving this Town, because I could not have done it without being at a House, which I never will enter. And to the same Cause was it, as I have been requested to tell you, that you did not Meet so many of your Friends & the Friends to dignified Government as would otherwise have crowded about you to have paid that...
12To John Adams from Jabez Bowen, 21 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will find you in Health and that Harmony and Unanimity prevails in the Councels of the United States, altho we cannot yet joyn, them. By the Choice of the Representatives that has taken place in this State we have some prospect of the Lower house Voting a State Convention, hope our Friends in Congress will be mindfull of the Mercantile Intrest in this State. and if a Letter could...
13To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 20 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
After my most sincere congratulations upon your arrival at the present Seat of the Federal Goverment, I do myself the honor to enclose you a Copy of the Rules adopted by the Senate, A list of the members, present, a list of the members of the House, present, And a Copy of an order passed the Senate this day, which will be executed whenever your Honor shall appoint, as I presume the Committee...
14To John Adams from William Stephens Smith, 19 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of receiving your letter of the 10 th. ins t. the last evening, and should have done myself the Honour of meeting you at New Rochelle this day were I not kept in check by Mr: Jay’s proposing that if I would wait untill the morning he would accompany me to meet you at Kings-Bridge, where we suppose you will be at 12. o Clock— The arrangements for your accomodation and that of...
15To John Adams from John Bubenheim Bayard, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
It is with great sincerity, I beg leave to congratulate your Honor on your election as Vice President of the United States— the many high offices you have been called by your Country to fill, & the eminent services you have render’d to your fellow Citizens during our important struggle, justly entitle you to this distinguished mark of their gratitude & affection— I take the liberty to inform...
16To John Adams from Robert Treat Paine, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
When we were going to the first Congress our worthy Freind Hawley, gave us in writing some broken hints— I take Liberty to imitate him in the method tho not in the matter, I intended to have done my self the great pleasure to wait on you at Braintree for the benefit of social Conversation, but innumerable Accidents have prevented, I wish to Communicate a few Ideas respecting my Official...
17To John Adams from James Lovell, 12 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Advised and even pressed, by Friends near me and at a Distance, “ to go on to New York;—to be in the Way of soliciting, counteracting ” and such kind of Measures respecting the Collectorship here, I am sure I need only say to you that my Duty lays in this County; and that the very Circumstance of quitting & neglecting it for the Purposes mentioned would be a very ill Proof of that Degree of...
18To John Adams from Richard Peters, 10 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I should be wanting in those Evidences of my very sincere Respect & Esteem for you which I shall ever be happy in shewing, if I did not take the Oppertunity your Election to the honourable & respectable Station you now fill affords me of joining my Congratulations with those of the great Numbers of our Fellow Citizens who are gratified by your Appointment. I very truly wish you every...
19William Stephens Smith to John Adams, 6 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
M r: Bourne has this moment waited upon me and informs, that he has been honoured by the senate with the appointment of being the Bearer of their Dispatches to you, relative to your election as Vice President of the Western Empire, upon which please to accept of my affectionate congratulations and of my sincere prayers that Heaven may guide and protect you in this great Career— The Virtuous...
20To John Adams from John Langdon, 6 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to you the information of your being elected to the office of Vice-President of the United States of America. Permit me, Sir, to hope, that you will soon safely arrive here to take upon you the discharge of the important duties, to which you are so honorably called by the Voice of your country. I am, sir, with sentiments / of respect, your obedient / humble...
21To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 3 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by the Hon. William Smith Esquire one of the representaives in Congress from the State of South Carolina—whom I beg leave to introduce to you as a friend and a fellow citizen whose talents, integrity, fortune and connexions are respectable in the eyes of his constituents in the district which he represents, and whose family since the earliest settlement of...
22Address from Rhode Island Federalists, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
The Federalists of this State though denied the Priviledge of giving you their Suffrages, are peculiarly happy, to find your Excellency by so decided a Majority, One of the Gentlemen placed at the Head of that August Body, to which, with Anxious expectation, this Country now looks up to rescue it from that Anarchy & Prostration which have So long degraded the American Character, and rendered...
23To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
You are too well acquainted with the history of the world & the distresses of mankind to expect to stand on the eminence of rank, fortune, and influence without solicitations from various quarters— Where you feel a friendship it will always be a sufficient stimulous for the exertion of every kind office without importunity: & when applyed to by strangers in distress your benevolence I trust...
24To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 19 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
From the influence as president of the senate, and a Citizen of massachussets, that you will have in the Councils of our Nation, and more especially upon the Votes of the eastern delegates in both houses I have taken the liberty of addressing a few thoughts to you upon the Subject of the residence of the Congress of the United States.— 1 The active and useful part which the Eastern states have...
25Address from the Inhabitants of Marblehead, 16 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
the Inhabitants of Marblehead in Common with their fellow Countrymen have ever felt Strongly impressed with Sentiments of gratitude and satisfaction for the eminent Services rendered by you to the United States of America. in all their foreign Negotiations, which have been Committed to your Charge, in considering the result of those Negotiations we find Ourselves under Very peculiar...
26To John Adams from Ebenezer Storer, 10 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had yesterday the honour to go to Braintree on purpose to pay my respects to you on the commencement of the new Federal Government, & to assure you of my partaking in the general Joy on the choice of the President & Vice President of the united States.— Had I been so happy as to have seen you, I should have taken the liberty, after congratulating you on this pleasing event, to have made an...
27To John Adams from Richard Price, 5 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having been very happy in your friendship, and much honoured by it while you resided in this country, I cannot avoid taking the opportunity which is now offer’d me of conveying to you a few lines. While at Portsmouth you favoured me with two letters. The first I answered; and the Second I Should have answered had I not imagined that you were on the point of Sailing, and therefore doubted...
28To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I find on enquiry that you are elected Vice-president, having three or four times the number of votes of any other candidate. Maryland threw away their votes on Col o Harrison & South Carolina on Governor Rutledge, being with some other states which were not unanimous for you, apprehensive that this was a necessary step to prevent your election to the chair— in this point they were mistaken,...
29To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 3 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
The accounts received of the votes given for Vice President of the federal Senate render your Election to that high Office undoubted— will you permit me to congratulate you on the occasion, tho’ premature? not only because I wish to express my earliest Joy, which is sincere—but that I may, in season , propose accompanying you to New York—if your arrangements should make it convenient to you— A...
30To John Adams from Tench Coxe, 1 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having just rec d. a letter from my friend Doctor Rush, which contained the enclosed pacquet for you, I do myself the honor of covering it to you lest Col. Smith should have left Massachusetts: and since I have taken this liberty, Sir, I will do myself the pleasure to add such information as I conceive it may be any pleasure to you to receive. The Returns from Virginia are rec d. as far as...