1From John Adams to James Lloyd, 28 January 1815 (Adams Papers)
Although I have no recollection, that I ever met you more than once in Society; and that I presume was the instance that you have recorded; Yet I feel as if I was intimately acquainted with you. The Want of familiarity between Us, I regret, not only because I have known esteemed and I may Say, loved your Family from an early Age: but especially, because whatever I have heard or read of your...
2From John Adams to James Lloyd, 6 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
In my first Letter, I requested the favour of you, to recollect and consider the positive and relative state of this Nation at the time when my “Missions to France” were instituted. I now request you to look over the List, of Senators and Representatives in Congress, at that time, and then tell me whether you think that the War Party had influence enough in this Nation to carry on a long War...
3From John Adams to James Lloyd, 11 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
We are ignorant, as you intimate, of one another. We are ignorant of our own Nation; We are ignorant of the Geography, the Laws, Customs and maners and habits of our own Country. Massachusetts, as knowing as any State in the Union, is deplorably ignorant of her Sister States, and what is more to be lamented Still, She is ignorant of herself. She is composed of two Nations, if not three. One...
4From John Adams to James Lloyd, 14 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
The Quakers, as I said in my last, were in Principle against all Wars, and moreover greatly prejudiced against New England and personally against me. The Irish, who are very numerous and powerful in Pensylvania, had been and Still were Enthusiasts for the French Revolution, extreamly exasperated against old England, bitterly prejudiced against New England, Strongly inclined in favour of the...
5From John Adams to James Lloyd, 17 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have never known in any Country the Prejudice in favour of Birth Parentage and Descent more conspicuous than in the Instance of Colonel Burr, That Gentleman was connected by blood with many respectable Families in New England: he was the Son of one President and the grandson of another President of Nassau Hall or Princeton University, the Idol of all the Presbyterians in New York, New...
6From John Adams to James Lloyd, 21 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
In my Letter of the sixth of this Month, No. 2, I asked you “If three, or five Millions could not be borrowed under an Interest of Eight per Cent you may easily conjecture, how soon We should have Seen, as glorious a Bankruptcy, as We now feel.” In your Letter to me of the Same date, February the sixth, you admit that all would have proved “fallacious,” if publick “Credit had become as...
7From John Adams to James Lloyd, 28 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I was engaged this Morning in writing a Letter to you No. 7, when I recd your favr of the 23d. inclosing the returned Letter of my son of Decr. 26, I have not numbered this because it belongs not to that Series. I now inclose the original of a Short Letter I have written to my Son in Answer to his which I pray you to return to me, as I must send it by the first Opportunity. I demand all the...
8From John Adams to James Lloyd, 6 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
As method is of no importance, in my Letters I will deviate from the course I was in, to Speak of the Project of the Independence of South America in 1798, Since my glances at this Subject, have excited your curiosity, it Shall be gratified. As the Prudence and Necessity of my “Missions to France,” are cogently demonstrated, by this History, I pray you to read it with patience in Detail....
9From John Adams to James Lloyd, 9 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
With Mr Pickerings Letter and the Extract from Mr Kings, I received a huge Packett, of other Letters and Documents, of which, I will endeavour to give you some Account. 1. A Letter from General Miranda, in French, dated London 24th. March 179 8 addressed to me “Mr President. “It is in the name of the Spanish American Colonies, that I have the honour to send to your Excellency, the Propositions...
10From John Adams to James Lloyd, 12 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am infinitely obliged to you for your Letter of March 8th. From 1758 to 1775 I practiced at the Bar, and Suffering under ill health I rode the Circuits of the Provinc more than any other Lawyer in the State; and this more for exercise and the Recovery of my health, than for any Profit I made by these Excursions; for I could have made more in my Office at home. I practiced considerably in the...
11From John Adams to James Lloyd, 26 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
1 I now inclose to you, the original Spanish Letter to me, dated Falmouth 10 May 1798 from D. Pedro Joseph Caro apologizing for his not coming to me in Person. 2 I next inclose a translation of Pedro’s Letter to Pickering dated Falmouth 10th. May 1798. Sir The annexed Letter of the honourable Mr King to you will serve as a Credential in my favour, in presenting myself to you with the important...
12From John Adams to James Lloyd, 27 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Let me put a case, like a Lawyer, suppose, Samuel Adams John Dickinson, Patrick Henry and Christopher Gadsden, had been enterprising and romantic enough, in 1773 to go to France and propose to the Duke de Choiseul a triple Alliance between the Crowns of France and Spain, and the United, or to be united States of North America. What would the Duke have Said? “Gentlemen! Shew me, your Full...
13From John Adams to James Lloyd, 29 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
In my last I promised you the result of all my deliberations on this great Subject. It was this: What shall I do with these papers? The Answer was, Lock them up in my desk and there let them be. I did accordingly lock them up, and there they lay, till I had forgotten them; and there they would have remained to this hour if the Edinbough Reviewers first and Breistead after them had not...
14From John Adams to James Lloyd, 30 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I need not Say any thing about our Constitutions, or the Difficulties that have been experienced to reconcile the People to them, or the dangerous diversities of Opinion, in the Construction of them, or the dissatisfaction with them, the Uneasiness under them, or the perpetual Projects to alter and amend them. Since We began, the career of Constitutions the wisest, most learned and Scientific...
15From John Adams to James Lloyd, 31 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
Before I proceed to St. Domingo, I have a few Words more to say. And after all I expect to forget and omit, more than half that I ought to Say. In my last I hinted at the happy conclusion of the Peace with France in 1801 and its fortunate Effects and Consequences. Here Sir, I must ask indulgence. I cannot repent of my “Strong Character.” Whether I have one or not, I know not, I am not...
16From John Adams to James Lloyd, 5 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
The Halcyon Days of New England Prosperity, were the first six years of Mr Jeffersons Administration. Was this Felicity owing to the Wisdom, the Virtue or the Energy of Mr Jefferson? Or was it the natural necessary and unavoidable Effect of the universal peace and tranquility abroad and at home, and with Universal Nature, civilized and savage intailed upon him by his Predecessor, in Spight of...
17From John Adams to James Lloyd, 22 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether you have a Taste for Romances.? If you have, as I acknowledge I have, it is in my power to amuse You: perhaps as usefully, if not as agreably, as Amadis of Gaul, the History of the Seven Champions or Huon of Bourdeaux. At present, Sir, I will give you, an Extract of a Letter dated New York. April 11, 1815. Subscribed W. S. Smith. “On the subject of the correspondence between...
18From John Adams to James Lloyd, 24 April 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have not yet, treated your Letters to me, which I esteem above all price, with the respect they deserve; nor indeed with common Civility. I cannot but hope, that in the great order of things, which We for the moment are so apt to think confusion; some good may accrue to Our Country from this correspondence. In your favour, of Feb. 6. 1815, You have given a Proverb a Maxim of more value to...
19From John Adams to James Lloyd, 8 August 1815 (Adams Papers)
The most pleasing Present I ever received in the whole Course of my Life was your favour of the fifth, and the half barrell of Kennebec Flour. I ordered it to be instantly made into Bread for my Breckfast the next morning and found it So Sweet and So pure that it reminded me of the most perfect bread I ever tasted, made of Wheat grown, ground and bolted into Flour on the Farm of Judge, Colonel...