1John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you for M r: Oldschool a letter commencing the review of a new publication of M r: Gentz— You will perhaps enquire, why I begin upon this before I have finished the examination of the Etat de la France — The reason is that this last book was lent to me; that the owner called upon me to return it and that I have been unable to procure me a copy of it either in this town or at the...
2John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last week that I expected to sail on board the Catherine, Captain Ingersoll, from Hamburg for New-York— But he goes so much sooner than I expected, that I am unable to take the advantage of this opportunity, and shall be obliged to wait for another— Perhaps even, I may embark for Philadelphia, though from various reasons I am averse to going there; balanced only by the single...
3John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
We have this day a sort of Holiday, to rejoyce for the acquisition of our new Territories— The Members of Congress of both Houses are to dine together— [The] federalists who opposed the cession however do not join in the party— Those of us who approved the measure, are to be of the feast—where we at least shall find not much congeniality. You will find in the inclosed papers numerous and very...
4John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
While I was sealing up on the last post day; the cover to M r: Pitcairn, of my number 29. I received two packets from you, containing three copies of the translation, and the three first numbers of the Port-Folio, with a couple of newspapers besides— Your few lines of January 23 d: were in one of the packets; and the next day came to hand your N: 23. of January 15 th: The packets are marked as...
Your letter of the 2d: has been duly received, and has contributed with those of your father received at the same time to cheer my mind, which every thing of a political nature around me struggles very hard to depress—Hitherto since my arrival here, I have thank Heaven enjoyed much domestic comfort from the health of my wife and children—this has been more favourable than I ever knew before,...
6From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
We have so little business on hand that it was not thought necessary to commence the year with a Session for transacting it; and this morning we have adjourned for the purpose of letting the Tunisian Minister come and pay us a visit; I cannot employ the leisure of the moment better than in answering your letter of the 15th: and 16th: of last Month. Your opinion of the Message will probably not...
7John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 13 June 1802 (Adams Papers)
If your two letters of 16 May, and 3. inst t: have hitherto remained unanswered you must impute it to a multiplicity of occupations, which for the last month have so entirely engross’d my time, as scarcely to leave me a moment for the pleasure of conversing with my friends either by word of mouth or by epistolary conveyance— The address to the fire Society, you doubtless received as soon as...
I have two letters from you of the 18th: and 28th: of last Month to answer—And since the receipt of the last have also received from Shaw, a copy of Selfridge’s trial—It corresponds very accurately with your abridgement, excepting only the Article of Mr. Dexter’s argument with which I confess I have been much disappointed—It is professedly much compress’d in the printed trial, from what it was...
9John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 August 1803 (Adams Papers)
I have received two or three letters from you, which I have not answered for want of a conveyance— My objection to the Post Office, you know— I have two or three pieces by me, in a state of preparation for you; which I purpose sending by the first convenient private opportunity.— M r: Hichborn brought me last week a letter from you; but I have not been able to see him since, having been all...
10From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your kind attention to my affairs, as detailed in your last Letter which I have received within these two days— I confide entirely in your judgment and discretion, and shall approve of any arrangements you shall make for the present disposal of my farm— R. Dexter holds or held a note from me of a little more than three hundred dollars—I left a request with Shaw to pay it as...
11From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
Your’s of the 3d: instt: came to hand the night before last; I am perfectly satisfied with your sales of my wood—I had a little kindness for the grove in the rear of the brook, and if circumstances should carry me back to the house of our nativity, shall miss the prospect which it furnished; but your reasons for disposing of it are substantial, and I suppose a young growth will come up,...
12John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
You have here a triplicate of my letter respecting your account—a duplicate of the conversation between Frederic. 2. & Gellert. And the first number of a series, in which I purpose to review an important late french work, which I shall send to your father. It seems to me as if the frequency of writing shortened the distance between us. But you will not complain if it likewise sometimes...
13John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 15 October 1803 (Adams Papers)
I presume you had not left Bristol two hours before we arrived there— Your advice to us to stop at the Fox-Chace, we could not follow— For we should not have known how to get forward— Neither can we go into the City, because, if we did they would exclude us from Baltimore.— We are now at Dover’s—The Rising Sun—Close by the Bridge— We shall stop here to-morrow, and proceed on Monday— We hope...
14John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
On Sunday morning, after a cold and somewhat tedious ride all the preceding night I reached Newark— Pass’d the day and next night there, and on Monday, your sister took me into town with her. I have bespoke my passage for Providence, and am waiting only for a wind. Old M rs: Smith and her daughter Nancy were very obliging, and the Col l: is friendly and hospitable as usual.— He has introduced...
15From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 26 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 14th: came to hand Saturday Evening—24th: I suppose you were not inconsolable at the loss of your election, and that your expectations had not been raised very high of a different issue—As to the electoral Ticket, I am certainly not one of those who can say I told you so—Nor am I one of those who can say I am not sorry for it—But I do not think crimination against any body can be...
16John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
The Louisiana revenue bill (of which I sent you some time since a copy) has this day pass’d the third reading in the Senate— But with various amendments so that it must go back to the House of Representatives, where it will probably pass on Monday— The first section has been altered in point of form, and made as I conceive more vague and uncertain than it was at first— In thirty-five days from...
17From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have two or three letters from you which I am afraid will never be answered in the manner all your letters deserve to be answered; but I know you will make all the proper allowances for my situation, and the shortness of my Time.—There is however a question or two which I can no longer delay to answer.—And first; respecting the enlargement of the Meeting-House, I have to say that I cannot...
18From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have received two letters from you, since I wrote you last; but I presume you will know the reason which has prevented me from answering the first of them before the coming of the last.—As the Session advanced the business to which my attention became necessary accumulated so much that I had scarcely time to go home and come to the Capitol from day to day—And besides all the subjects which...
19John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 22 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I do not take the Washington Federalist; and it is now in general so poorly conducted as hardly to be worth sending you if I did— But I sent you some time since one of its numbers, and will send you others if they should contain any thing interesting to the fire-side. I can also inclose to you the Intelligencer which contains a pretty good report of the debates in the House— Those in the...
20John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 November 1801 (Adams Papers)
The remnant of our pilgrimage since we left you at M rs: Roberts’s door, stands thus— Monday Nov r: 16. lodg’d at Trenton—Tuesday, at M rs: Smith’s in Newark; where we found only the old lady and little Abby—M rs: Charles Adams was in New-York— Wednesday morning we reached that place— The roads began to be deep and reminded us that we were quite late enough in the season— Two days at New-York—...
21John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I send this day a packet, to your father containing the Journals and other publications of the day; with an Intelligencer, containing the account of our festival on Friday last.— That is to say, of the dinner— To morrow evening there is to be a Ball for the same purpose. One of the toasts drank at the feasts was “ An Union of Parties ,” which is like drinking the Millennium— I suppose they...
22John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 18 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
The Louisiana Government bill has this day pass’d, yeas 20. Nays 5.— It now goes to the House of Representatives, where we shall see what will be done with it.— On the final question this day taken I alone spoke against it, and was answered only by one member— He saw no Constitutional objection—because the clause authorizing Congress to make needful rules and regulations for the territory, and...
23John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I now enclose together with a press copy of my last letter to you, the original of one addressed to your father, containing observations upon a french pamphlet, which I have sent him. This letter however is not to be sent to him, but to be published in the Port Folio, if the Editor thinks proper. Of course, without indicating either the writer, or the person, to whom it is addressed— My design...
24John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 2 April 1803 (Adams Papers)
The House of Bird, Savage and Bird have stop’d payment, and probably the bill I drew upon them which you negotiated last November, will come back protested— In that case, settle the amount to be paid, with the indorsee duly entitled to it, who may call upon you; let me know the amount and I will send you a post note for it— Be careful to see that the protest and proceedings have all been...
25From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 1 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
It is so long since I gave my father notice of the time when we intended to take our departure from Washington, and of course expected to greet you at Quincy, that I am apprehensive you will begin to feel some anxiety on our Account—I have therefore determined to write you this line, though I hope to treat so close upon the heels of my Epistle, as to be with you by the time, it has performed...
26From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 12 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
I begin by congratulating you upon the birth of your daughter Elizabeth, of which I had never heard, untill I received your letter of 19th: ulto: although we had been three or four weeks in daily expectation of receiving the news, and as this is intelligence of peculiar interest to the Ladies, there was scarcely a day pass’d, but upon my return home, my wife’s enquiries were, of advices from...
27John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 July 1802 (Adams Papers)
In point of form I know not how the balance of epistolary correspondence between you and me stands; and it is altogether immaterial: having at present some leisure and the prospect of more, I cannot employ it to better advantage than in adding to the frequency of communication with you. My wife has recently received a letter from you, and has answered it within these two days, with an...
28John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 9 January 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have received three letters from you without making the proper returns— The occasion of which has been the continual occupation I have found in moving, repairing and furnishing my house, and entering upon my office— These things are now chiefly accomplish’d, and I hope in future to have more leisure for making communications to you.— I can however not promise much in that respect.— My time...
29John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 4 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
You will receive enclosed with this, a duplicate of my letter, relative to your annual account, and a literary letter of this date, containing an account of an interview between Frederic 2. and the poet Gellert, which I hope will amuse you.— If you chuse, it may be published as one of the letters on various topics of foreign literature. At the same time with your accounts, I received a couple...
30John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 August 1802 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your letters of the 21 st: enclosing the pamphlet of Gentz, and likewise the post-note, with your account— This last I have not yet examined, but I presume it to be substantially correct.— I am again to repeat my thanks for your attention to my affairs. I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you soon here, though I hope also that the tremendous menaces of malignant yellow fever...