401To John Adams from Samuel Smith, 1 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor yesterday to receive your letter of the 25h. Ulto. in which you Say—“That Coll. Pickering in his letters to the people of the U.S has represented to the World, that a corrupt bargain was made between yourself and Brother on the One part and me on the other, that I Should dismiss the then Secy. of State from his office, as consideration of your Votes & influence for me at the...
402From John Adams to John Lathrop, 2 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
A present of a thanksgiving sermon from a Gentleman whome I have highly esteemed and honoured for three and forty years gave me great pleasure, after reading it over and over I can discover nothing in it which ought to give disquietude or disgust to any faithful American. If your text is applied to the French and English, nothing could be more appropriate, for no people ever delighted more in...
403To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 2 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
At lenght I succeed in Sending you the outlines of the contemplated work, which I could have, wished to have been executed by you had you twenty years less. It will however not loose of its value—if the Son charges himself—with the payment of his Father debt. It is true, it requires Some Skill to prove it, altho I would not hesitate to run the risk of making it pretty evident, that you could...
404From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 3 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
A Visit from you my good Friend, would be a cordial, and if honoured by His Honour would raise my Spirit as high as they are capable of rising: but the demands of his time and attention, from private and public affairs are constantly so urgent, that I wonder not at your disappointments. I am able to give you little or no Satisfaction, in answer to your Inquiries. I know of no Authority given...
405From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 4 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Shall I congratulate or condole with you on the appointment of your Son to be Comptroller of The Treasury? You will know the delightful Comfort of his daily Society and that of his Lady and their prattling Little ones, which I know by Experience to be in old age, among the Sweetest Enjoyment of Life, provided Always that it be not indulged to excess. I Should have thought too that his Office...
406To John Adams from D. Fraser, Sr., 4 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to present, for the honor of Your acceptance, a copy of a “Compendium” which I lately published: As, a Small testimony of respect, & regard for Your eminent talents, & Patriotic Character— I have the Honor to be very respectfully, Sir, Your humble / Servant MHi : Adams Papers.
407From John Adams to Robert Smith, 6 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received from the Post Office in this Town, your favour of the thirtieth of November in answer to mine my Letter to you of the twenty fifth of that month I thank you Sir, for the Promptitude, Punctuallity and Accuracy of your Reply, which is fully Satisfactory. It is Such indeed as I know, it must be, from the immutability of Truth. With much respect, I have the Honor to / be Sir,...
408To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 9 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
You have touched me in a sore place in your letter of the 4th instant. My Son Richard has accepted of the Office of Comptroller General, and is about to remove with his family to Washington in the Course of this month. Both his parents, all his brothers and Sisters—his Uncles Rush & Richd Stockton, and all his professional and personal friends remonstrated against it. I painted to him in as...
409From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
What is common Law in England has been Subject to disputes enough. In Blackstones Commentaries and Fortescue Alands Preface to his Reports you may find the most intelligible Account. In general, Usage from time immemorial practiced and approved, is the Criterion It is denied by many and doubted by more whether The United States have any common Law There may be some Principles and Rules of Law...
410From John Adams to Samuel Smith, 13 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the first of this month, in answer to mine of the twenty fifth of November—It is not less frank and candid, than prompt and punctual. I have only to remark that you were certainly mistaken when you thought that I “was personlly hostile to you.” Your brother Robert I never saw in my life, nor had any communication with him of any kind while I had any share in...
411To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 16 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Mr Jefferson and I exchange letters Once in six, nine or twelve Months. This day I received a few lines from him in which he introduces your Name in the following Words. After mentioning the Visit paid to you by his two neighbours—the Messrs Coles last summer he adds, “Among Other things he [Mr Adams] adverted to the unprincipled licenciousness of the press against myself—adding— I always...
412From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 16 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Journal proceeds—1783, May 22, Thursday. This morning I drew the following letters too be laid before the ministers this evening. Paris, May 22, 1783. Sir—We have received the letter you did us the honor to write us on the day of this month, containing a brief state of the of the United States in your hands. We see the difficulties you are in, and are sorry to say that it is not in our...
413From John Adams to James Monroe, 19 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for The Copy of The Presidents Message, and for the Volume of Documents. They do great honour to The President, to his Ministers and Ambassadors: and I rejoice in the Appearance of unanimity they have produced in Congress and in The Nation: which not withstanding all the apprehensions representations and Threats of Divisions, is greater than I have ever known in America for fifty...
414From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
When I was a Boy, not ten years old, I heard Smith Richard Thayer, a great Authority, say “When Duty and Interest go together, they make Staving Work” By your own Shewing it was Richards Duty to be over ruld or ruled over by his Wife: and by my Shewing I shall make it appear to be his Interest. He will Soon be Secretary of the Treasury. Or he may be a Judge of the Supream Court, or an...
415From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 19 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Lord! Lord! What a Coat you have cutt out? It would require an hundred Taylors for twenty years to make it up. I would not undertake to make a Button hole in it, during the whole Remainder of my Life. I thank you however, for the sketch of your contemplated Work. I shipped, on board the Carriage of my Son in Law Colonel William Stevens Smith the two first Volumes of The Memoirs of your...
416From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 21 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
The journal of the 22d of May 1783, proceeds— Mr. Hartley’s observations and propositions left with the American ministers, the 21st of May 1783: A proposition having been offered of the American ministers for the consideration of his Britannic majesty’s ministers, and of the British nation, for an entire and reciprocal freedom of intercourse and commerce between Great-Britain and the American...
417From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I never was so much at a loss how to answer a Letter, as yours of the 16th. Shall I assume a Sober Face and write a grave Essay on Religion Philosophy, Laws or government? Shall I laugh like Bacchus among his grapes, Wine fats Vatts and Bottles? or Shall I assume the Man of the World, the Fine Gentleman, the Courtier, and Bow and Scrape with a smooth smiling Face, soft words, many compliments...
418To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 26 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
During the time Cobbett was abusing me in his newspaper to the great joy of a number of our tory Citizens, I met Hamilton Roan in a family in which I was called to see a patient. We had met before at Major Butlers table. He took me by the hand in the most cordial manner. “Our situation said I Mr Roan is a good deal alike in Philada—We are both in an enemy’s country.” “no Sir ” (said he)—“I am...
419To John Adams from Daniel Johnson, 28 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have taken the liberty to enclose to you a Prospectus of a work, which I am about printing, should sufficient encouragement be found, to justify the undertaking. I have been casting my eyes over the list of our venerable political fathers, to select some man to commence my lists, and from whom I might at the same time be enabled to gain some chara c ter of the author. I have been induc e d...
420From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 28 December 1811 (Adams Papers)
Paris. June 14, 1783. Gentlemen—Permit me to address the enclosed Memorial to your excellencies, and to explain to you my reasons for so doing. It is because many consequences now at a great distance, or unforeseen by us, may arise between our two countries, perhaps from very minute and incidental transactions, which in their beginnings may be imperceptible and unsuspected as to their future...
421From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 1 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
As you are a Friend to American Manufactures under proper restrictions, especially Manufactures of the domestic kind, I take the Liberty of Sending you by the Post a Packett containing two Pieces of Homespun lately produced in this quarter by One who was honoured in his youth with Some of your Attention and much of your kindness. All of my Family whom you formerly knew are well. My Daughter...
422From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 2 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hartley’s memorial—June 1, 1783. The proposition which has been made for an universal and unlimited reciprocity of intercourse and commerce between Great Britain and the American United States requires a very serious consideration on the part of Great Britain, for the reasons already stated in a memorial dated May 19, 1783, and for many other reasons, which in the future discussions of the...
423From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 6 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
By this time we were pretty well convinced that the coalition cabinet would do nothing by treaty, but leave all to the king’s absolute power by his orders in council; and I became more inattentive and frivolous than ever, if that is possible, in my diary. Such hower as it is, I shall lay all of it before the public, which was laid before congress, though not a quarter part of it was ever read...
424From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your favour of the 26th. of Decr. You mention Cobbet. have you read Mr Randolphs Speech? Was there any Thing in Cobbets Writings more envious than that Speech? Now I assure you upon my honour and the Faith of the Friendship between Us; that I never Saw the Face of that Cobbet; that I should not know him if I met him in my Porridge Dish; that I never wrote one Word in his Paper and...
425From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 9 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 23. Ult, with its in closed Sketch, Skeleton, Frame, Plan, Scheme, System, Plott, Platt, or by whatever other name you please to call your Etching, has been received. What Title do you in tend to give it? An History of The Decline and Fall of Christianity? or An History of The Improvement of the Human Mind? or An History of the Progress of Society? or An History of the...
426To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 15 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
“Arma, Cestusque”, parmamque “repono,” upon the offensive subject of one of my late letters to you.— I sincerely rejoice in the successful issue of the operation upon Mrs Smith’s breast. I would reciprocate your expressions of pleasure upon the appearances of a recussitation of the Spirit of 177 4 at Washington did I believe they would terminate in any thing but in upon Speeches, Embassies...
427From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 20 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
My last letter contained the journal of the 19th of June, 1783, and completes the copy of that journal, which was intended for no eye but my own: but which by a sudden thought was intended to be sent to Jonathan Jackson, Esq. peradventure, to furnish him with some hints to defend the American ministers, or at least to apologize for them in the case, that was very probable, of a motion of...
428To John Adams from William Cunningham, 21 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed in a communication for the Palladium. I shall delay forwarding it to the Printers for a few days, that if it contains anything unwarranted by your Letters to and Conversations with me, you may point out wherein. I have been cruelly and unjustly treated by you. I have, nevertheless, in all that I have done, been Sparing—Review your Letter to me of the 16th. of Jan. 1810, in connection...
429To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 21 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
I thank you before hand (for they are not yet arrived) for the specimens of homespun you have been so kind as to forward me by post. I doubt not their excellence, knowing how far you are advanced in these things in your quarter. here we do little in the fine way, but in coarse & midling goods a great deal. every family in the country is a manufactory within itself, and is very generally able...
430To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
The messenger who carried my letter of yesterday to the Post-office brought me thence, on his return, the two pieces of homespun which had been separated by the way from your letter of Jan. 1. a little more sagacity of conjecture in me, as to their appellation, would have saved you the trouble of reading a long dissertation on the state of real homespun in our quarter. the fact stated however...
431From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 24 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Hartley’s Propositions for the Definitive Treaty—June, 1783. 1. That lands belonging to persons of any descriptions, which have not actually been sold shall be restored to the old possessor, without price. 2. That an equal and free participation of the different carrying places, and the navigation of all the lakes and rivers of that country through which the water line of division passes...
432From John Adams to William Eustis, 27 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to introduce to you Mr. Richard Cranch Norton, a young Gentleman of liberal Education at our old Alma Mater. His name will inform you of his genuine puritanical blood. He is a nephew of your neighbor Chief Justice Cranch. He has a brother whose name is Edward Norton and both of them Sons of a Learned Divine of Weymouth, whose Orthodoxy can be surely no impeachment of his Patriotism....
433From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
I agree with you that The Ocean ought to be and must be the Theatre of the War. Our Government will come by Degrees to the right System. I have toasted The Wooden Walls, the Floating Castles the floating Batteries and the floating Citidels of The United States for Six and thirty years: and I now rejoice to find that many Persons now begin to drink my Toast with Huzzas. I am quite of The...
434From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 31 January 1812 (Adams Papers)
For the sake of harmony and ananimity Mr. Jay and Mr. Adams very readily agreed with Dr. Franklin to strike out the commencement of the letter to Mr. Livingston as first drawn up by Mr. Jay, and concluded to leave it out. The part left out is as follows: Sir—We have had the honor of receiving by captain Barney your two letters of the 25th and 21st of April last, with the papers referred to in...
435From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Sitting at My Fireside, with my Daughter Smith, on the first of February My Servant brought me a Bundle of Letters and Newspapers from the Post office in this Town: one of the first Letters that Struck my Eye, had the Post Mark of Milton 23. Jany. 1812. Milton is the next Town to Quincy and the Post office in it is but three Miles from my House. How could the Letter be so long in coming three...
436From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 9 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
To his Excellency Elias Boudinot, Esq. President of Congress. Passy, 10th Sept. 1783. Sir—On the third instant, definitive treaties of peace were concluded between all the late belligerent powers except the Dutch, who, the day before settled and signed preliminary articles of peace with Great Britain. We most sincerely and cordially congratulate congress and our country in general, on this...
437From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 9 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
After the signature of the definitive treaty on Wednesday, the third day of September, 1783, we all went according to invitation, and Mr. Hartley with us, to Versailles, and joined all ambassadors who had signed the other treaties, and dined amidst mutual congratulations, with the Comte de Vergennes. There appeared to us, however, a littleness, too much resembling low cunning, to become a...
438From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received with great pleasure your favour of the 23 of January. I suspected that the Sample was left at the Post Office and that you would soon have it. I regret the Shabby Condition in which you found it: but it was the only Copy I had, and I thought it Scarcely worth while to wait till I could get a Sett properly bound. The Dissertation on the State of real homespun was a feast to me,...
439From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 10 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
your Dream is out, and the Passage you read in the History that Richard was reading is come to pass: notwithstanding you said you believed no History but the Bible. Mr Mediator! You have wrought Wonders! You have made Peace between Powers that never were at War! You have reconciled Friends that never were at Enmity! You have brought again Babylon and Carthage long Since into Existen...
440From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 11 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your Letter of the Eighth I can only say that Societies Since as I have never been of any Use to any of our learned Societies Since their Institution, except perhaps in a present of Books to one of them. I should be extremely unhappy to have reason to suspect that I had done them any harm. My Course of Life and perpetual Avocations have been such that I never could turn my...
441To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 12 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I did not require the anecdote you have communicated to me in your letter of last month to know that I had incurred the hatred of General Washington. It was violent & descended with him to the grave. For its not being perpetuated in the history of his life, I am indebted to the worthy and amiable Judge Washington. I will give you a history of its cause in as short a Compass as possible. During...
442To John Adams from William D. Williamson, 12 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Acquainted with your ready disposition to communicate information, tho unacquainted with you personally, I would, with due deference, beg leave to make of you a few enquiries. Previously, however, I would give assurance, that all means, within my power, have been used to get the wished-for information, without encroaching, in this way, upon your moments: I have consulted the different...
443From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 14 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Thaxter was at last dispatched with all our letters and papers; and in due time we received from him the following letter: To the ministers plenipotentiary of America for making peace. L’Orient 20th Sept. 1783. Gentlemen—I have the honor to acquaint you that I arrived here in the morning of the 18th inst. and had the mortification of finding that the packet in which I was to have taken...
444To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 17 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I began a long & confidential letter to you two weeks ago upon the Subject of one of your late letters, but an unusual pressure of business has prevented my finishing it. Judge of my the nature & extent of my engagements, when I add, that after lecturing twice, and visiting my normal number of patients this day, and entertaining some of my pupils at tea, I have since written six Answers to...
445From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 17 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I was not long at the Adelphi, but soon removed to private lodgings, which by the way were ten times more public, and took apartments at Mr. Stokdale’s, in Piccadilly, where Mr. Laurens had lately lodged before me.Here I had a great opportunity of learning, for Dr. Bret was at the next door, the state of the current literature of London. I will not enlarge upon this subject at present, if...
446From John Adams to William Eustis, 18 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Give me leave to enclose to you a Letter from a Gentleman whom I knew in former Life but have not lately seen. I knew his Grand Father, his Father, his Uncle and his Brothers and himself all of genuine old New England Blood You probably know personally more of him than I do. If it should be consistent with the public good in the Presidents opinion and yours I should hear with pleasure of his...
447To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 18 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Having been prevented to answer your favours of Dec. 19 Last and Jan. 9 thro Severe head-ache during a forthnight and a Succeeding cold—which is not yet past, I now begin to renew my former course—altho I am compelled to hold in the reins. In the former you insinuated to have Send me by Col. William Stevens Smith two first vol. of Amer. Acad—with the promise of procuring me this Summer the...
448From John Adams to William D. Williamson, 25 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 12th. was brought to me this Morning from the Post Office. 1 My Answer to the first Question, is, that When Vacancies were made in the Council, by the Negative of the Governor, they were never filled that Year. Governors rarely used their Negative. The first Instance, within my Recollection, was in 1766. The Honourable James Otis Junr was elected Speaker of The House, but...
449From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 26 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I shall expect your long letter; but I ought not to wish it with impatience: for you have such demands upon you for your time that I wonder how you can spare any to write answers to my impertinances, the astonishment of your family at my vivacity—is very just—Rochefaucault says when a mans vivacity increases with years it becomes frenzy at last nothing is indeed more ridiculous than an old man...
450From John Adams to John Langdon, 27 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
Though I have read with regret, the Account of your declining a reelection as Governor of New Hampshire; I am not Surprised at it, nor can you be censured for it. Men who have run So long a Career in public Life as yours ought to be permitted to retire, when their deliberate Judgments require it, Not that it is wise in a Nation to discard or neglect Men on Account of their Age. I have been...