351To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 7 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I have received from the Secretary of State a letter, dated 15. October last, enclosing a letter of leave for the Emperor of Russia, with an optional power to me to present it immediately, and suggesting your obliging permission to me to return to the United States, to avoid the ruinous expences to which it had been intimated to you by a person particularly attentive to my interest, a longer...
352From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 17 December 1810 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last, I have not had the pleasure of receiving a line from you, but as you are the most constant and most frequent correspondent that I have beyond the seas, besides the rule which I have followed of answering every letter by one in return, I shall add that of writing to you by every opportunity that occurs during the Winter—I now write by a namesake of ours a Mr: Adams, from...
353From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 28 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago, and since I wrote you last a letter from Captain William Welsh, dated at Lisbau, a Russian Port in the Baltic, to which I suppose he came, on finding that all American vessels were excluded from the Port to which he was originally destined—He enclosed to me at the same time your kind letter of 25th: July—In the obstructed state of navigation in the Baltic, I have...
354From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 15 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
There were last Winter fifteen or sixteen American vessels, that pass’d the Winter at Cronstadt—This year there will be none—I wrote you by the last vessels that sailed, and since then I have had an opportunity to send letters by land to Gothenburg, to be forwarded from thence to America—By that opportunity I wrote to my father, and with this I enclose a duplicate of that letter to him.—There...
355To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 9 November 1810 (Adams Papers)
One hundred and twenty American vessels have sailed from the Port of Cronstadt for the United States during the present Season—The two last of them were Captain Bainbridge, for Philadelphia, and Captain Leach for Boston, in the American Hero a vessel belonging to Lieutt: Governor Gray.—They sailed on the first of this month and both of them carried letters from us.—They were the last vessels...
356From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 27 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
On the principle of returning a separate answer or reply to every letter that I receive from you, I remain yet one in arrears to you, since in my last I acknowledged the receipt of two—dated 27. March and 7. May. With the last dated but first received of these came the number of the Anthology containing the most learned Critique upon my Lectures—It reminded me of a famous Speech of which I...
357From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
Although I wrote you about ten days ago, I cannot suffer Captain Leach to depart without taking a letter for you; especially as since the date of my last, I have received another letter from you—it is that of 28. May, which you sent on to come by Captain Bainbridge—It miss’d indeed that opportunity, but was sent with some despatches of the Department of State to France from whence it was...
358From John Quincy Adams to Walter Hellen, 24 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
I received the day before yesterday your favour of 11. June. with a duplicate of that of 22 March—Mr. Kettell sent me the original of this from Gothenburg,—I wrote to him at that place early in the month of August, but have not heard from him since—I also answered your letter about the same time, and enclosed to you, an account of the Russian trade, drawnup by a merchant of long experience,...
359From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 23 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
It was a fortunate circumstance for us, that Mr. Jones had so prosperous and so expeditious a voyage and Journey—In sixty days after he went out to Quincy, to take my Mothers and your wifes letters for us, he delivered them into our hands—As they brought us the gratifying intelligence that all our friends were then well, it gave us not only the pleasure which such tidings must always bring...
360From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 14 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
Captain Smith, who was the bearer of your kind letter of 7. May, has met with the same misfortune which has befallen so many others of our Countrymen—On his passage to Gottenburg he was taken by a Danish Privateer and carried into Norway—From Christiansand he enclosed his letters for me to our Consul at Copenhagen, and he forwarded them to me by Captain Bainbridge, who came with a furlough in...
361From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 17 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Jones arrived here from Gothenburg & Stockholm a few days since, and brought me your kind favour of 11. July—in two months time from its date—Indeed we Since our arrival here, you have been the most frequent and most constant of my Correspondents–I have no Letter from my brother later than Febuary; though I know that he has written at least one that I have not received.—Captain Bainbridge,...
362From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Just one month ago, arrived here Captain Haskell, in the Ship Lucia, belonging to Mr. Gray, who sailed from Boston about the 15th: of June.—He brought me letters of the 13th. of that month, from him and your favour of the 20th: of Febuary—I was indeed almost as much rejoiced as if your letter had been dated four months later; but I could hardly keep the thoughts out of my mind how agreable it...
363From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Your Mama and I have received your letter dated the 28th: of February last; which gave us much pleasure—I suppose by the hand-writing that your Cousin Susan was kind enough to write it for you; for which we thank her.—By the time when you will receive this I hope you will be able to write me an answer to it yourself: and I shall expect you write to me, or to your Mama, as often as you know of...
364To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 2 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
Captain Harrod, by whom you sent your very kind favour of 16. March, has only come as far as Königsberg in Prussia—From that place he has forwarded to me, by a vessel of Mr: Gray’s, the letters with which he had been charged, and a box which had been put up by Mrs: T. B. Adams for my wife—They have thus all been received, and with the box one copy of my printed Lectures, of which a set had...
365From John Quincy Adams to Walter Hellen, 8 August 1810 (Adams Papers)
Some time since my wife received a letter from Mrs. Johnson, in which it was not mentioned that you and Mr. Boyd had thoughts of sending a vessel here, but that you wanted some information respecting the Commerce of this place, which might assist you in ascertaining the objects of speculation most advantageous for the market. In consequence of which I immediately applied to the Brothers...
366From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 July 1810 (Adams Papers)
Captain Harrod, by whom your kind favour of 20. March to me, mentions that you had written to my wife, and also sent a Box of Articles which she had requested to procure for her, has not yet arrived—Your letter of 20. March itself was brought to me, a few days past, I know not from whence; but having apparently been opened, and having suffered much from a soaking; but whether in salt or in...
367From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
There have been within the last Month a large number of arrivals at Cronstadt from the United States, and a sufficient proportion of them from Boston and Salem; but we have had the pleasure of receiving letters from Quincy, only by one—The Express-Captain Thomas—Who brought me your letter of 12. January, and a packet of sundries for my wife—We are apt to repine a little when we hear of a...
368From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 6 June 1810 (Adams Papers)
Captain Thomas of the Express, a vessel belonging to Mr: W. R. Gray arrived here a few days ago, and brought me your kind favour of 31. Decr: and 12. January—It was the second letter from you, that I have had the pleasure of receiving, and after several months of expectation gave me new reason for rejoycing at the final release of these regions from the chains of Winter. The ship Horace,...
369From John Quincy Adams to George Washington Adams, May 1810 (Adams Papers)
I write to you both together, to assure you that although far distant from you, I always bear you both in my thoughts with tender affection—I hope that when you receive this letter, you will both be able to read, and understand it, and that you, George, will also be able to write me an answer to it—The greatest pleasure that you can give to you Parents, is to pursue your Studies with...
370To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 30 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
Since my departure from the United States, I have had the pleasure of receiving two letters from by brother and one from my Mother but it has not yet been my good fortune to receive one from you— I have however had the satisfaction of reading your writings in the Patriot, untill the beginning of November; and hope to have the continuation of them, by the first arrivals from Boston, which are...
371From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 21 April 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have already drawn for three hundred pounds Sterling, of the credit, for which Mr: Gray gave me a letter upon his correspondents here. He will call upon you for the money; which does not quite amount to the balance I left in your hands for the purpose—I have written to you that I shall in all probability be compelled to draw upon you for more, but as by the course of exchange I draw at great...
372From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
I sent you by an American Gentleman who went from this place a few days ago to London, a cypher, with an explanatory sheet to enable you to use and understand it.—He will forward it by the first convenient opportunity; but I know not from whence—I hope it will reach you some time or other, but as it was not dated, and was not acompanied by any letter, you will perhaps be disappointed at...
373From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 February 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Sunday before we embarked for this place, my excellent friend and Pastor Emerson, delivered in his pulpit a discourse upon the pleasing and not improbable doctrine of a guardian Angel, which Christians have often supposed to be assigned to every individual, to watch over him and as far as is consistent with the general designs of Providence to guide his conduct, and to preserve him from...
374From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 January 1810 (Adams Papers)
The cypher consists of two parts—a Lock and a Key. The Lock is a sheet of paper, with four columns of letters at the left, and three columns of words at the right side of the page.—The Key is a strip of paper, adapted to the Lock, in the middle of the page, between the columns of letters at the left, and the columns of words at the right.—On the left border of the key, is an alphabet of Small...
375From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 14 December 1809 (Adams Papers)
The messages from the Governor of the island of Bornholm, which I mentioned in my last were sent and received, in the midst of a brisk gale of wind, while we were stretching to and from the shore of the island, under close reefed top-sails—Close under the high lands of the Coast, the boats were able to come out to the ship, but she could not lay to there without drifting beyond the length of...
376From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 16 November 1809 to 28 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
My last Letter brought our good Ship Horace to anchor safe in the Road of Elseneur—on the 28th: of September.—At that place we were detained a full week, by adverse winds—Having been informed upon my landing there, that the king of Denmark, and his principal Minister, Count Bernstorff, were both absent from Copenhagen, I gave up, in the first instance the intention of going thither—But having...
377From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 28 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
At length, after eighty days of tedious and dangerous navigation, we are all safely landed at the place of our destination—I have written to you twice upon our passage—first, from the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, and once in the Cattegat, the night before we expected to arrive at Elseneur—From that time, I shall now continue the narrative of our voyage, which though address’d to you, is for all...
378From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 21 October 1809 (Adams Papers)
The seventy-ninth day since our departure from Boston, and not yet in Petersburg—But we are on land, within twenty miles of it, and at the end of our voyage in the ship Horace.—We have indeed had a very long passage, and it has not been without its interesting incidents, had I but the time of narrating them—But to you as well as to us, the most interesting of them is, that we are all, thanks...
379From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 24 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
The original of which the within is a duplicate, was dispatched to you on the 16th: of August, by the Dove, a fishing vessel belonging to Plymouth, which we spoke on that day—As she had been laying only one week on the Grand Bank, and expected to continue there four or five weeks longer, it is doubtful whether you have yet received our letters forwarded by her; but not having had an...
380From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 21 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
It is related of Augustus Caesar, that being upon his death-bed, he turned just before he expired to the friends who were standing around, and asked them what they thought of the part which he had acted on the scene of human life—They express’d their admiration as their feelings or their prudence inspired—Then said he “Plaudite”. In the article of Death, Augustus was what he had been...
About 9. O’Clock this Morning we spoke a fishing Schooner from the Grand Bank, belonging and bound to Plymouth—We were in the midst of a thick fog, as we have indeed been most of the time since you left us, and still are. The Schooner was within g speaking distance when we first spied her, and our Captain had barely time to ask them on their arrival to give notice of their having seen us. So I...
382From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 9 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
Often as it has been my fortune in the course of my life, to be parted from my Parents, and dearest friends, as well as from my Country, upon no occasion has the separation been so painful, as at the present time—When my wife and Catherine went out to Quincy the Thursday before we sailed, had even the time permitted, I know not whether I could have prevailed upon my feelings, to go and repeat...
383From John Quincy Adams to William Steuben Smith, 10 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
From information I have obtained since I wrote you last, I think it will be expedient for you to come here as soon as you can. Without being yet able to speak with certainty as to the object of your wish, I have sufficient ground to think that it will be advisable for you to be here, by the 20th: of this month at the latest—and as much sooner as you conveniently can. your affectionate friend...
384From John Quincy Adams to William Steuben Smith, 5 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of the 1st: instt: and thank you for your obliging congratulations—I am unable to give you at present a positive answer, in relation to your proposal to go with me, for the offer of which I give you my thanks—I know not whether the Secretary is appointed or indicated by the Government; or whether the choice will be left to my discretion. I have written to make the...
385To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 30 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
The bearer of this letter, Mr. Pickman, is a Gentleman with whom for many years I have had the pleasure of a very intimate acquaintance, and for whose character I have had every reason to entertain the highest esteem. Being elected a member of the House of Representatives of the United States, to the present Congress, he is desirous of a personal introduction to the President, and in taking...
386From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 12 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received your kind favour of the 4th: instt: with the information the most delightful to my feelings, that my mother is recovering still, that the children are well, and that I may hope to find you so, upon my return.—May God Almighty grant that this hope may be realized. This is the last Letter which I purpose to write you from this place—Yesterday the Supreme Court delivered...
387From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 9 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on Sunday, and the same Evening I received yours of 26. Feby:—Yesterday yours of the 1st: instt: came to hand—I rejoice to learn that the children are at length perfectly well; and Kitty continues to be admired. I shall be very well satisfied to part with Mr: Gurney as a Tenant, and if he can give me any good security for the payment of his rent, I shall very willingly take it. I...
388From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I had heard of your illness with extreme concern, from my wife, and also through Mr: Cranch and Mrs. Quincy—The sight of your hand-writing again, has given me the purest joy, though allayed by the evident weakness in which you wrote—I believe there is in the sentence I have just written there is something which might be called a bull —But my feelings both of pleasure and pain at the idea of...
389From John Quincy Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 5 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
We have at length got through the argument on the Cause for which I came here. It was finished yesterday after having taken up nearly four days—The opinion of the Court will probably be given in the course of the week, and my intention is to leave this place, to-morrow week, which will be the 13th:—I depend therefore upon the pleasure of seeing you again at latest in three weeks from this day....