Mr Peabody, & your Aunt, were much gratified last Fall, by a visit from your venerable Parents, who presented me with a Letter from you, requesting our parental care & attention to your eldest Son. With heartfelt pleasure, I received the precious Charge, considering it as a pledge of your regard, & former affection; & of the Opinion you still entertain of my Integrity, in discharging the...
52Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 April 1804 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your letter my best friend the day before yesterday which afforded me much pleasure as it assured me of your safe arval at home I know not but it appear’d to me that you r letter were not in good spirits when you last wrote you do not say you are well and I fear the fatigue of your journey has proved injurious rather than serviceable beneficial I had 20 Cents to pay Postage for your...
Having arrived thus far safely my best friend I write you a few lines merely to inform you that I have borne the journey much better than I could possibly have expected though I find myself unable to proceed as rappidly as I wished we arrived here this morning at two o clock Came by Water from Baltimore with 60 passengers in the Newcastle Packett all Irish just arrived in this Country We left...
54From Josiah, III Quincy to John Quincy Adams, 23 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am duly sensible of your polite attention in your letter of the 13. Inst. and its inclosure. It is doing me a very acceptable and important service, to provide me, as you propose, with the documents of the expiring Congress and will lay me under many obligations. Should any of them be too voluminous for your franking power to cover you need not hesitate to inclose them, on that account, by...
55John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 March 1802 (Adams Papers)
We feel, my dear Sir the Want of your Society on sundays and hope the Weather and Roads will soon bless us with it. Never at the Age of 18 when I was a great Reader and Admirer of Tragedies did I take more pleasure in them, than I have lately in Reading La Harps […]ent of Corneille Racine Voltaire Moliere La Fontaine &c did not mean to express a Wish that you should make a serious study of...
I am much disappointed at your Sisters not having accompanied you to Boston, having flatter’d myself with a hope that her society would have proven a great compensation for the loss of your wife and Children but I admire her resolution it was almost impossible for her to leave the Col. at so critical a period of his affairs—Mr. Hellen who is again in Baltimore return’d last Sunday and staid...
57Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 September 1804 (Adams Papers)
I last night had the satisfaction of recieving your kind favour of the 10 th. my beloved friend and am inclined to believe it has been as efficasious as any remedy Weems could have offer’d for my recovery. as my indisposition the last two days has been chiefly on the spirits. you know your power and must exert it I suffer a degree of weakness and languor I scarsely ever experienced before and...
58From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your trusty driver took such care of your Letter that he kept it close in his pocket for a whole week after he returnd, untill ragged and dirty it reachd us last Evening 10 days after it was written. it was however very welcome, being the first intelligence which had reachd us of you, from the time you left us.— I requested your Brother to write to you to Philadelphia, as I was unable too,...
59From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the fourteenth, with its ample Enclosures of Documents, has arrived in good order....I deliver all the Journals of Senate and House, all the printed Bills and other printed Papers you send me, to your Brother, who I presume preserves them all in order for your Use and his own. The Season here has been unexampled. We have had an Abundance of Snow but it has been melted almost as...
The extreme anxiety you appear to suffer, my best friend, causes me great uneasiness; you have alarmed yourself unnecessarily for George, his cough appears to have affected his Lungs considerably, but he has no fever, his appetite is good, and his spirits equally so, he does not lose flesh. Dr. Welsh reccomended his not being exposed to the air, because the weather was excessively severe, and...
61From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 January 1808 (Adams Papers)
The distance between Us, the total retirement in which I live and the Want of Facts, render a Correspondence between Us, upon public affairs of very little use to you, though it is a great pleasure to me. The Storm that has agitated the Elements for twenty Years in Europe must be drawing towards a Conclusion, and the last blasts may be the fiercest of all. We have been favoured by Providence...
62Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 May 1804 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your kind favour of the 24 th Yesterday morning never did a letter prove more welcome as I had suffer’d a great degree of anxiety at not hearing from you it is three weeks since the date of your last and I was very apprehensive you had been prevented from writing by indisposition I am wretched if you do not write me once a week at least to inform of your health— It is perhaps fancy...
63Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1804 (Adams Papers)
I sieze the earliest opportunity of answering your very kind letter of the 9 th which I did not recieve untill friday evening owing to a violent of Storm of Thunder and Lightning and the heaviest Rain ever known in this part of the Country by which the roads have been so much injured that the mail was delayed one day I never witness any thing like it M rs. Hellen who continues in a very weak...
64Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 December 1803 (Adams Papers)
I reached Boston on Saturday Evening the 10 th: inst: and came out to Quincy on Sunday afternoon, with Cousin Shaw— Our parents are well; my Mother is wonderfully recovered, and seems to me to be as active & busy as ever about her family— this is a great comfort to me, and will help to render solitude in some measure supportable. to me. I feel, that there will be ample time to reflect on my...
Assured that a few lines from me will be acceptable to my best beloved friend on his arrival I seize the earliest opportunity of enquiring after his health and giving the pleasing information of the return to health of our darling Children Poor Kitty is suffers severely for her imprudence she has a large Blister on her side and though not absolutely confined to her Bed it almost amounts to it...
66From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
I am glad to know by your favour of the 23d of November, that you have received two Letters from me, since which I have written a third and this is No. 4. As I keep no Copies, you must either burn them or keep them very carefully to yourself. I will Number them, that We may know whether all are received. Whatever Reflections or Opinions you may receive from me, you will consider them as...
67From William Stephens Smith to John Quincy Adams, 28 November 1805 (Adams Papers)
The Bearer, my very intimate friend General Miranda, proposing to pass a few days at Washington, I must solicit for him, your friendly attentions and civilities. Mrs. S mith . and family are all well, and desire to be particularly remembered to you, Mrs. A, and her dear plump Sister— Should any thing of a public nature command attention; I should be happy to be made acquainted with it, as...
68Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
I received, yesterday, your favor of the 27 th: ult. and thank you, for the wholesome admonitions, it contains. Your advice will always receive due attention, both from myself and our friend. When you shall have received and perused, the concluding numbers of the Port Folio, & taken with you the consideration of the extreme rapidity with which they were published, I think you will discover...
69From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
My Exordium must inform you that George is and has been a long time in perfect health. John has been as plump and gay and hardy and hearty as you could wish him, till yesterday when he looked a little paler or rather a little less ruddy than usual but he worked and played as usual all day: but this morning he discovered symptoms of qualms in his stomack and puked a little, but a Tea Spoonfull...
70From William Stephens Smith to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1807 (Adams Papers)
The post from Philadelphia this morning, brings Letters, stating that, after Colo. Burr, was dismissed by the Court, he was arrested by a Troop of Horse, and was actually under guard at fort Stoddard on the 22d. ulto. on his way to the seat of Government, with a military Escort— Yours, My Son William was well on the 27th. of February at Trinadad MHi : Adams Papers.
71From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of the 19th, which I have received with its Inclosures, you mention a Letter of the Sixth received from me but take no notice of an other, whose date as I take no Copies I cant remember. I have written you, two before this. Your Mother is much better, and now lives with us but is so zealous about the affairs of the Family that I am almost as anxious for her, as when she was...
As I know no subject is half so agreeable to you as the Children, I hasten to write you, that they are well, that George attends pretty steadily to his french, though with some reluctance, and John goes to school and is very anxious to overtake George in French, that Papa may bring him a horse. the School Mistress is much delighted with John, she is Cousin to Miss Hanah Adams Mr. T Greenleaf...
73From Thomas Jefferson to John Quincy Adams, 28 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson requests the favour of Mr. Adams to dine with him on Wednesday the 31st . at half after three, The favour of an answer is asked. MHi : Adams Papers.
74Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 October 1801 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your very kind letter late last night and hasten to answer it although I have already written by this post. You need be under no apprehension about your dear Boy as it is impossible for a child to be in better health and the terrible eruption proved to be nothing more than bug bites he has taken his weaning like a little hero and continues to grow very stout and hearty I talk to him...
Your letter of the 6th and the enclosures, arrived safe last evening. I was a little surprized at your appearing so angry at the observations made in my letter. I merely meant to insinuate that by now & then addressing her particularly in conversation, and leading her to partake of it, she would feel herself highly flatter’d. this my testy friend was all I required, and you must really think...
76Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
Since I am embarked in a very doubtful speculation, and I am ready to own, that I am by no means sanguine as to its success, yet as I am assured of your good will and best wishes towards the promotion of our interest, you must also indulge me in one request I have to make, which is to leave off croaking , which you know I never could endure, not because I could not appretiate the use and the...
I have not recieved a line from friend since you enclosed your very beautiful whom I permitted to read them pleaded so fervently for permission to publish them in his Anthology I could not withstand his entreaty and suffer’d him to have them, you will I am sure if this is a fault on my part excuse it for the goodness of the motive The Children are well, John has been to school to day. I ran...
78From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I fear your Father may have given you unnecessary anxiety; I told him at the time it was not best to mention an indisposition so slight as John’s was, but he said if he wrote; he must tell all. I had observed for several days about noon a high coulour in his cheeks, and at that time, he was unusually irritable, Some other Symptoms indicated a redundancy of Bile, which proved to be the case....
79From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
Since you will not allow me the whole of Parson Nelsons Epithets for his Son I will insist upon retaining the better half of them. Nothing was farther from my intention than to underrate the Character of Admiral Nelson. I can Subscribe to all that you Say in his praise: yet I would not exchange Sons with the Parson, though the Admiral were still living with all his Wealth, Virtues, Titles and...
80William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 7 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
On my return last evening from Atkinson where I have passed the last eight days in company with your brother Thomas I had the pleasure to receive your letters of the 23 & 24 ul t: with Mr. Tracy’s speech for which I am much obliged to you At present I have only time to say that Mr Stedman was the writer of the letter alluded to in mine of the 13 th — Russel when he shew me the letter did not...
81From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of the 26 of November, to your Brother, you express a “Wish that I could See the course of Things with more indifference.” But this is impossible. The Habits of a whole Life of Man, are not to be changed without difficulty. While Life and Breath and being last, I shall love my Country: and neither the Interests of Posterity nor the Happiness of the present Generation, can ever...
To hear from you and to write you are the greatest pleasures I am at present capable of enjoying and even this is in a great measure restricted by the almost total loss of the use of my thumb which I fear will yet teaze me three long weeks my sincere desire to prevent your feeling any uneasiness on my account urges me to use every possible exertion and I must rely on your indulgence for every...
83From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is the Certificate of forty Shares in the Fire and Marine Insurance Company. The third part of the Capital which is to be paid off, you will please to receive in shares of the Boston Bank, if you approve of it, and hold them as you propose. I am your affectionate / Father MHi : Winthrop Family Papers.
How shall I express my gratitude, my thanks, my admiration , of your very beautiful lines, my best beloved friend you have more than answerd my every wish and evidently proved how little trouble it costs you to gain the hearts of all those you wish to please you may smile mon ami but a fond and tender Mother of every human being who possesses real sensibility must feel affection for a man...
85From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
We have had in the Week past the coldest Weather that has been through the winter, yet we have not had Snow enough through the Season to cover the ground. I expet Febry and March will pour upon us the whole quantity which the cold must have engenderd through the Winter. The Season has been very healthy. few cold’s or coughs. George after spending a fortnight with me and getting quite rid of...
I still continue as well and better than we could reasonably expect my best beloved friend and shall write two or three lines merely to announce this I know to you pleasing intelligence. My milk as yet gives me no trouble and I hope I shall escape without the usual difficulties and I have had no fever whatever My time was a very bad one and lasted 20 hours Twelve hours more would have...
87From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
I was much pleased at receiving your Letter of March 14th. It was a much longer interval than had occured before, without receiving a line from you. but Mrs Quincys kindness in always mentioning you to my sister had relieved me from the fears that you might be sick. it is with Sincere Satisfaction that I learn from your own hand that your Health is much mended. When a Man enjoys good Health,...
88Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of March the 10 th is before me; Your Brother informs me that he has one of April. It is true my dear Son, that I have read with much interest, and sincere pleasure, Your Letters to your Brother Thomas, and with many others, have been highly entertaind with Your journey into Selicia Whilst those Letters convey usefull information, to the Merchant, the Mechanic, and the Farmer, they...
89Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1804 (Adams Papers)
I send you enclosed a couple of Profiles one of which I wish you to present to M rs: Adams if you think they it will prove acceptable I am told mine is a very fine likeness and Caroline who likewise takes this opportunity of offering one to your mother has I think been equally fortunate the other you can keep or give to M rs. Whitcomb if you do not want it they were taken by a M r. Todd. a...
90Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have just received from the Department of State your favor of February 24 th: enclosing N o 26. of the series. My last number, goes by duplicate to England, under cover to M r: King; with that, you will receive a particular acknowledgment of all the letters received from you, for three months past, and I cannot but hope that you may find one of the copies, either at Hamburg or in London,...
91From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
You have been so good in writing to your Father and Brother that I ought not to complain that you have not particularly addrest a Letter to me, tho I wanted to know how George was grown, and whether he rememberd you and what he had to say to you. John I think you told me was quite different in his temper and disposition, more sturdy and harder to manage. these are subjects much more...
I hasten to answer the few lines I recieved from you this Morning to assure you that we are all rappidly recovering from the different indispositions which I mention’d in my last and I am regaining my strength I mention’d that my illness was owing to a kick but I find it is the opinion of the Dr. & Nurse that the injury which was very evident in the Child must have been done by a fall which I...
93From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
In my Letter of the 14th Ult. I believe I misunderstood the Presidents Position. His Expression that the Judges ought to hang American Citizens who should commit homicide &c meant no more than to express his opinion that the Fact amounted to a Capital Offence. His opinion that it is a Capital offence to resist French Revenue Laws, in the West Indies is totally unfounded. The President was also...
94From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 August 1803 (Adams Papers)
Know all Men, by these Presents, that I John Adams of Quincy, in the County of Norfolk, in the State of Massachusetts, Esquire, in Consideration of Twelve thousand Eight hundred and Twelve dollars paid me by John Quincy Adams of Boston in the County of Suffolk, and State aforesaid, the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give grant Sell and convey unto the Said John Quincy Adams...
95From Walter Hellen to John Quincy Adams, 9 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
As the British have blockaded the Chesapeak it has deprived us in this Quarter of any conveyance to Europe; will you therefore my dear sir be good enough to forward the enclosed letter by the first vessel going from your place to any part of Holland—as its early conveyance under present circumstances may be of considerable consequence to me— You will observe from the Papers how indignant the...
96From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
I ought, before now, to have acknowledged the Receipt of your favours and even now I can do no more than acknowledge them, for what Subject have I for a Letter? Shall I Send you diagrams of my Grounds, which the fine Weather of November and December has enabled me me to plough, for Corn, Potatoes, Barley Clover and Timothy? But what a Miniature picture of a Lilliputian Plantation, would Six...
97From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
I received, Yesterday your favor of the 6th instant, for which I thank you. The letter, which upon mature consideration, I burnt, as I informed you in the cover of a letter from my Mother, sent a few days ago, was on the subject of the proposed alteration of the Constitution, as to the tenure of judicial Offices; but my ideas upon paper Suited me less than when they were revolving in my mind,...
98Louisa Catherine Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 June 1804 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your kind favor of the 31 st on Friday Evening with the Bill enclosed for which I return you many thanks I am rejoiced to hear that your Garden affords you so much amusement and hope to find it in high order against next summer I think if you intend to make any alterations in the House as there is nobody at present residing there it would be better to have them done this Summer We...
Your favour of the 9th my best friend which is the first letter I have recieved from you since you left me found the Family nearly recover’d restored to usual health excepting Charles whose Cough still afflicts him and whose eyes are again very much affected which renders me a little apprehensive of another attack this symptom having generally been a of a threatning nature however I hope for...
100From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The Saturday after you left Boston, I went to Town, and brought up George. he went the next week to his uncle Cranch’s, and goes daily to school to mr Whitney. he appears well pleased, and learns to the Satisfaction of mr Whitney as I hear, who has put him into Lattin, which George Says is not so hard as French, in his French Bible his Aunt hears him daily. he is a Good Boy, save now and then,...