351From John Adams to Charles Jared Ingersoll, 17 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 10th: of this month with your oration on our anniversary Festival: which, though I received and read it first in a Newspaper, gave me a higher pleasure, by a second perusal, on receiving it in a Pamphlet from its Author. it is if I may be permitted to express an opinion of it, in a strain of Philosophical Reflection, no less they than in a style of Elegance...
352From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 8th, my dear Friend is pleasing and it is painfull to me, in a high degree. You are not less allarmed, than I am grieved, at the opposition to the general Government in our State. But I am more allarmed and grieved at the Apologies furnished for it by that general Government in their Stupid Embargo and their wicked refusal to build a few Frigates. You will daily read more...
353From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your delightful Letter of the 13th received Yesterday now in turn must receive my grateful Acknowledgements. Is it a dream? Or is it Biography? When I write my Life in obedience to your Commands, I ought to insert in it the Anecdote, that once upon a time I had the Pleasure and the honour, in your and your Brothers Company, and at the invitation of both, to make a visit, to your amiable...
354From John Adams to Richard Rush, 31 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind Letter of the 18th of this month with your Oration on the 4th. Your Oration was first read to me, by the oldest Colonel in the continental Army now living; who has commanded Wilkinson and Brooks, whose blood flowed in the revolutionary War, and whose crippled Limb tho not lost may be compared to Uncle Toby’s. The Veteran exclaimed “This young Gentleman, makes my old...
355From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 1 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
We have been in such hurry of late that if I have mentioned your Letter of 18th of June, I have not taken any particular Notice of it. You and I have both been to blame. You, for destroying your Notes of the Revolution; I, for keeping none, and making very few. You have much Merit in preserving the Pamphlets you have given to the oratorical Controuler, who is a Phenomenon, for who ever heard...
356From John Adams to Samuel B. Malcom, 6 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of July 18 was duely received. Your Resolution to Subjugate yourself to the controul of no Party, is noble; but have you considered all the Consequences of it? in the whole History of human Life. This Maxim, has rarely failed to annihilate the Influence of the Man who adopts it and very often exposed him to the Tragical Vengence of all Parties, There are two Tyrants in huhan Life,...
357From John Adams to Samuel Dexter, 8 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
I rejoice, with joy unspeakable, in the news I hear of the open Part you have taken with no less Wisdom and Fortitude than Justice and Generosity, in the present great Crisis of your Country’s Fortune. To endeavour, with or without Success, to assuage the passions and allay the fever of your fellow Citizens; when upon the point of precipitating themselves down a precipice: was worthy of...
358From John Adams to Elkanah Watson, 10 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of July 19th is yet unacknowledged. The first page of it, or rather the first part of the first page compells me to Say that the real cause of the rancorous virulence with which I have been treated by all Parties French and English, Democratical and Aristocratical, and I might Add Presbyterian and Antipresbyterian, has been that I never was and never would be a passive Tool of any...
359From John Adams to Elkanah Watson, 11 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Our country is in a high fever. So in all Europe—so are the four quarters of the globe. Who first contracted, or first generated the disease? Montreal was no sooner surrendered in 1759 than the conqueror of Canada was discarded from the English Cabinet—a simple maniac ascended the throne, and a machivilian maniac who had been his preceptor became his prime minister. The design was conceived of...
360From John Adams to William Bentley, 13 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Knox, a Son of General Knox, the Bearer of this Letter, was appointed a Midshipman on Board the Constitution fourteen years fifteen years ago, and afterwards a Lieutenant on Board the Chesapeake. He Served in the Navy about three years, and afterwards made a Voyage to the East Indies. He has lately Studied Medicine and Surgery under Dr Smith at Hanover. The War has revived his inclination...