191To John Adams from John Trumbull, 16 September 1805 (Adams Papers)
Returning to Hartford in the course of our Circuit, I found your letter, of July 27th. & August 5th: which had lain a month in the Post Office. From some appearances, I am led to believe that a correspondence so free as ours has been, cannot with perfect safety be carried on at present—I will however answer some of your enquiries. The letter You remark on, relative to the capture of...
192Oration on JA’s Birthday, 19 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your neighbours and friends assembled to celebrate the anniversary of your natal day, beg leave to approach you with sincere congratulations upon the pleasing occasion. Be assured Sir, that no lapse of time can abate our respect and gratitude for your long, laborious and faithful public services, or diminish our affectionate attachment to your person and character. An attachment founded in the...
193To John Adams from William Cranch, 13 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
I received by Mr. J. Q. Adams the volumes of the “defence of the Constitutions,” for which I presume I am indebted to you.—Although I have not since had much leisure, I have still had enough to read, with some attention, the 3d. volume; particularly your examination of Nedham’s wrong constitution of a Commonwealth.—I am more than ever satisfied that the animadversions it your work has received...
194John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 25 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
I received last Evening yours of the 11 th: inst t: — You cannot employ your leisure more charitably , than in writing me these long letters— They give me some of the sweetest of my enjoyments, and comfort me amidst the thorns and briars of the path I am travelling. I shall endeavour to complete your set of the journals; but I am not sure that I can get spare sheets of all the numbers you...
195To John Adams from David Brown, 7 September 1802 (Adams Papers)
From the encouragement which literature has received from you, I am encouraged to solicit the honor of your name to the inclosed Proposals... not doubting, if obtained, but what a people, daily increasing in learning, will follow the example,—as being made by the late Guardian of their country. I have the honor to be, / Sir, / your Excellency’s most obdient, / And most humble servant, MHi :...
196To John Adams from Joseph Bradley Varnum, 15 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Having seen a Letter over your Signature, Addressed to Mr. Green, I feel myself constrain’d to return You my most Grateful Acknowledgement, for the high & Respectful Compliment, which you have been pleased to pay, bestow, on our Reply to the Resolutions of the Resolutions of the Massachusetts Legislature. We conceived it a duty, we Owed to Ourselves, to Our Constituents, and to Our Country, to...
197To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 3 September 1803 (Adams Papers)
How Shall it be in my power, to paÿ you mÿ Sincere thanks for the favours with which you continue to honour me—even above mÿ warmest expectation. I was not vain enough to attend at So much condescendence from your part, to offer mÿ Inset —with your own hand—to your illustrious Academÿ—by which I received the most unequivocal pledge of your high approbation—a more than equivalent reward for my...
198To John Adams from William Vaughan, 17 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
I feel a pleasure in forwarding to you the second part of the Transactions of the Philosophical Society for 1806 and the first part for 1807, which that Society have been pleased to transmit to you through me which I hope you will receive safe by Captain LeBosquet of the Morneo . In the same Packet, I have sent duplicates for Bowdoin College may I beg the favor of you to cause the same to be...
199To John Adams from William Cunningham, 10 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
I have ascertained that Mr. Adams’s Sermon at the Dudleian Lecture was not published; a copy was deposited in the archives of the University agreeably to the wish of Judge Dudley. I am informed, in a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Cushing of Ashburnham, that it was a laboured Discourse on the Validity of Presbyterian Ordination, and for which the Author was much complimented. I have, for sometime,...
200To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 27 August 1807 (Adams Papers)
At a time of life when retirement is sought for, and the release from all political attentions desired, ten long letters of accusation and reproach, of interrogation and retrospection, within the term of a few weeks, may be designed, not only to distress, but to create passions in my bosom which were never felt nor indulged. When I finished mine of August 15th, I thought I might calculate on a...
201John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 28 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
It is my intention during the short time that I expect to remain here, to send you from time to time such new publications in the french language, as may fall in my way, and appear to promise entertainment or matter of interesting meditation for you. With this design I purpose to combine another, which I am at least desirous to render of some utility to my Country— The translation from Juvenal...
202To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 3 April 1807 (Adams Papers)
The difficult and complicated labors of my professorship consisting of teaching, examining, reviewing theses &c &c being now nearly over, I sit down with great pleasure to pay my epistolary debts. You are my largest, and most lenient Creditor. The first dividend of my time of Course is due to you. I concur with you in your reflections upon the Western insurrection, but not altogether in your...
203To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 4 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a letter, which I received last Monday, and by which you will learn the distressing misfortune which has befallen me—I have not communicated it to you before, from the wish that it might not come to the knowledge of my brother’s wife, at a moment when it might too much affect her—I have another letter from Washington, one day later than the one enclosed; my wife was then as well...
204To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 September 1805 (Adams Papers)
The hurry always connected with the prevalence of a yellow fever in our City; has prevented my answering your letter of Augst: 25th: at an earlier day. The opinion relative to too close an Alliance with France in the year 1776 was communicated to me by you I think for the first time in Baltimore. I was led from this circumstance to believe you had delivered it on the floor of Congress in that...
205To John Adams from Robert Purviance, 19 December 1801 (Adams Papers)
By the Maryland Sloop of war Cap. John Rodgers a Box or case was directed for You, and was delivered in the public Store in September last. Since that I have been in daily expectation that it would have been called for by your order, and as that does not appear to be the Case, I suppose You have received no advice of its being shipped; in consequence thereof, I have taken the liberty to...
206To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 15 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
As I esteem a peculiar favour that you continue to honour me with your correspondence, for which I chieflÿ am indebted to your friend Ship and condescending kindness; Is deemed a duty to renew from time to time mÿ assurances of high respect, tho’ fullÿ Satisifed, that my gratefulness for received favours never was doubted. Your generosity—if I might Seem to interrupt you too often—will make...
207To John Adams from William Cunningham, 10 August 1802 (Adams Papers)
It is intended with the leave of Providence to settle a Gospel Minister in this Town, the solemnity to be performd on Wednesday the 6th. of October next, at which time it will be highly gratifying to Willm. and Abigail Cunningham to be honoured with a visit from your Excellency and Lady. the pleasant season for travelling, the high and well ventilated situation here, whch is favourable to...
208To John Adams from Bernard Hubley, Jr., 9 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
The Affectionate Attachment, I ever had for you, has induced me, to take a liberty, which I pray, may meet your abrobation;—My Dear Wife, was safely delivered of a Son, on Sunday, the Twenty fifth January last; on Sunday last, Fifth April, (being Easter day) he was Babtized, and Named John Adams, he is a fine Babe; should Providence permit him to live, to become a Man; the Wish and Prayers of...
209To John Adams from William Cunningham, 15 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your esteemed favor of the 16th Ult. I assure you, without reserve, that I shall not misuse nor abuse the confidence you may be pleased to repose in me. By the first opportunity I had after the receipt of your Letter, I sent to Mr Russell of Boston for a paper contained the outline that you have so flatteringly expressed a wish to see. Expecting, post after post, to receive the...
210To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 30 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days since your very kind letter which I am ashamed of answering by a few lines; but by some accident I have fallen from a state of almost total idleness into an overwhelming flood of business, which leaves me scarcely a quarter of an hour of the day or of the Night—I sent you last week a copy of a volume in the form of a bill which I reported upon the Aggression business and...
211To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 22 April 1807 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you the letter I mentioned in my last, from the person whom I supposed to be your son in law. The letter from his son has been mislaid. I have neither friend, nor Correspondent in new york of the name of Wm Smith except your son in law, and having never before seen his hand writing, and supposing he had dropt Ste his middle name of Stephens, I had no doubt of the letter coming from...
212To John Adams from Skelton Jones, August 1808 (Adams Papers)
HAVING secured the copy right of a book, of which the enclosed is a prospectus, I take the liberty, though personally unacquainted with you, of requesting such information of the events of the period mentioned in the prospectus, as you may, from your public station, have been particularly acquainted with. As it relates to the biographical sketch that will be given of your own character, the...
213To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
At lenght I take again mÿ pen, to assure you of the high respect, with which I am So fortunate to feel mÿ bosom glow for the un-appreciated blessings, which you have bestowed on a dear an ungrateful Countrÿ, for the kindness, which with you continue to honour your old frend—and what less can I return to the man, of whom a Washington declared, that none could more cordially than himself approve...
214To John Adams from Daniel Eldridge Updike, 1 August 1806 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Schooner Ocean Capt: Richard Barney Arrived at this Port from Barbadoes via Turks Island, in which Vessel came passenger Doctr. John Kean of Philadelphia, late Surgeon of the Ship Leander, formerly commanded by Capt. Lewis of New York, Doctor Kean informs me that on the 20th of last June he left the Son of Collo. Smith of New York on board the Leander with General Miranda at...
215John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 20 March 1804 (Adams Papers)
A letter is now reading from Captain Bainbridge, with an account of the loss of the frigate Philadelphia, wreck’d on rocks on the coast of Tripoli—the last week in October— They were in pursuit of a Tripolitan Cruizer, and struck on rocks, not laid down in any Chart they had on board — Captain Bainbridge and 307 men, are prisoners in Tripoli.— I have already seen an account of this misfortune...
216To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 5 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
I have now two letters from you, and one from my mother, which ought to be answered more particularly, than my time will admit—The business of the Session has been delayed, untill such an accumulation has taken place, as will very much hurry the close of our Time—And although I might perhaps without injury to the public, suffer the business to be done without taking much trouble about it...
217To John Adams from William Cunningham, 31 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed is a News-paper containing, under the Worcester head, a copy of some remarks made at a Meeting of this Town. The author is so plainly indicated by the style of his address, and by his initial, that it is unnecessary, and might appear ostentatious, to be more particular. With affection and gratitude, / I am, Dear Sir, / Your Friend & Servt. MHi : Adams Papers.
218To John Adams from Josiah, III Quincy, 14 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 25th: found me, in the midst of parliamentary contest, which occupied me too intensely to admit of that early acknowledgment, which a deep sense of the honour, you have conferred on me, dictated. The battle has raged, with some warmth; and it has been my fate, to be in the hottest of it. Whether my exertions were as wise, as, I am sure, they were, well intended, I confess, I...
219To John Adams from William Cunningham, 11 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
The last letter, which I had the honour to receive from you, dated January 3d, I have before acknowledged. Permit me to remind you, that I have in expectation something farther from you, concerning the misnamed Aristides. I am perfectly ashamed to speak to you again of my Chathams, but it is unavoidable. The three concluding numbers, the printers refuse to publish. In two of them I had...
220To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
Much time has elapsed indeed, Since you have favoured me with your last Letters—and more, Since I dropt to you my last line—I do not plead another excuse than my particular Situation—Tho at times I was not in want of leisure, to acquit meself of an incumbent duty, but then mÿ mind was not often enough composed, and a numerous correspondence within and without this continent imposed imperiously...