221To John Adams from William Bentley, 28 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have the great pleasure of sending you a portion of the Pears, collected from the Endicott Tree. It is an additional pleasure, that among the increasing demands, Capt E. assures me, that this is the only portion spared from the family, & that I have the direction of it. In Gratitude only are our exclusive faverers rich to us, & this gift I intend as the testimony of my grateful recollection...
222To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 11 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
From your Letter of the 7th. I find some Misconception has arisen between you & the Editor of the N.A. Review. Your note of the 5th. I handed to that gentleman, & told him how fully I agreed with you in the Sentiment that the Hutchinsonian Controversy & the Impeachment of the Judges, if not the Pivots upon which the Revolution turned they certainly urged on & hastened, those Measures which...
223To John Adams from William Cunningham, 14 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
My solicitude to see your strictures upon Mr. Pickering’s Letter was satisfied by the last mail. I acquit myself, by the enclosure of the sheets, of one of the stipulations upon which you transmitted them to me—the other has not been violated. Nothing on the Impressment of our Seamen, has yet appeared which unfolds the subject so lucidly and satisfactorily either as to law or expediency. I am...
224To John Adams from Henry Colman, 11 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have made repeated appointments and attempts to visit you, since you did us the favour of your company; but my professional and parochial duties, which have been much increased of late, have confined me entirely at home for the last two months.—I avail myself however of this opportunity to forward you the third volume of Search’s Light of Nature, persuaded that his chapter entitled, “The...
225To John Adams from Samuel Miller, 6 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour, of April 12th. & 13th. as well as the Copy of Mr Hancock’s Sermon, sent by a preceding Mail, reached me in safety. An absence of several days from the City, together with an unusual pressure of professional avocations since my return, have prevented my making this acknowledgment at an earlier period. I feel myself much honoured by this testimony of kind and respectful...
226To John Adams from Jedidiah Morse, 2 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am confined to my house with the epidemic cold—& much enfeebled by it. I cannot refrain, however, just thanking you for your two last very valuable letters—to me, with my views, peculiarly valuable—The No. of Histories published & in contemplation, of this country, & of our war, is no discouragement to me—as the one whh I contemplate is to be of a different character from either of them—it...
227To John Adams from Oliver Whipple, 6 November 1809 (Adams Papers)
Being at this Time at Boston, on my Way to Washington, I have a Favour to ask your Excellency, you will not deny; I have it in Contemplation to remove from Hallowell, on the Kennebec next Season, either to Washington, or Baltimore in Maryland; in case I should fix at Washington I would, Sr. intreat the Favour, that you would give me a Letter of Introduction, There, by which I can find the Way...
228To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 8 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
With my hopes that you & your good Lady enjoy a good degree of health & spirits, & my best wishes for their continuance, I enclose a letter for Mrs Adams. I presume you have the papers regularly and of course all the news. We are frequently alarmed with earthquakes, and they have been preceeded & accompanied by numerous events out of the ordinary course of things You probably remember Col....
229To John Adams from Mathew Carey, 5 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 29th. ult. which I recd yesterday, distressed me. I cannot, however, allow myself to believe for a single moment that you anticipated such a consequence. It appears to imply that for the sake of disposing of a few more copies of the Naval History, I had departed from your instructions; & sent states that instead of one per every mail, I had sent two or three. Were I capable...
230From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 6 May 1815 (Adams Papers)
I know not where your Father is, or I should write directly to him. As Soon as you See him, pray to procure for himself and for you “Il Consulato del Mare” with all the Tanslations of it, into Dutch, German, Italian, French, English Spanish, and as many as there be. I have it only with a translation into Low Dutch. About 8 or 9 hundred Years ago, (I have neither time nor patience to look up...
231To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 1 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Alex. Bryant Johnson returned me the ms—Had I more time I Should be tempted to write a geogological history of a part of this western world—Say between the little falls and Lakes—but now I give it up, and, nevertheless, can not cease of collecting materials. I lately finished a treatise—on agriculture—I ought rather to Say—its Skeleton—but it remains yet in the brouillon. And now I am...
232To John Adams from William Cunningham, 9 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
On our way home from Quincy, we were detained by the kindnesses of friends till the last evening. Of the pleasant events of our excursion, none are recollected with more delight than the attentions we received at your house. Nor have I to express my obligations to any but yourself, for any part of the secret history you orally communicated. Your Letter of the 22d. ult. I received, with the...
233To John Adams from Elias Boudinot, 17 July 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mrs: Bradford & myself arrived here on friday Evening last—among the principal Objects we had in View in this long Journey, the honor of waiting on Mrs. Adams & your self was one. As the distance is so considerable, and the disappointment would be great, should you be from home, will you be so kind as to drop one a line by the Post, to let us know if you will be at home, the begining of the...
234To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 13 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
When a young man I read Sidney upon government. In one of his Chapters, he agitates the following question—“Whether A civil War, or slavery be the greatest evil” and decides in favor of the Latter. In ing and revolving that Subject in my mind, I have been led to suppose there are evils more afflicting and injurious to a Country than a foreign War. The principal evil of War is death. Now Vice I...
235To John Adams from James Lloyd, 15 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
J. Lloyd has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the letter of Mr Adams, numbered two, under date of the 6th. curt.— —The justification of the missions to France noticed in that letter Mr Lloyd has not read, but will Shortly advert to them with equal readiness and partiality.— —In a “field of controversy” with Mr Adams, it was not, nor is it now his design to enter—when putting on the...
236To John Adams from Aaron Black, 4 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I trouble you at this time hearing that my Brother Moses Black of Quincy near Bosten is Dead. And being Very Uneasy to know how he Seteled his tempral affairs and what is become of his & my Daughter to Sister Jane. Understanding that he my late Brother lived Conveniant to you, I humbly beg that you may take the trouble of Writing a few Lines in Answer to this Wish all Conveniant Speed Which...
237To John Adams from Elkanah Watson, 9 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
I consider Your opinion on the Subject of War—as expressed to me in the Letter you did me the honor to write of the 6th Inst—So just—& So decisive—that I am confident of it was published as an extract of a Letter from you—to A.B—in this County—it would do great good, in bringg. back many deluded by the farci c al Washn. benovolents—whereas I consider them the real Jacobins—& Tories of Our...
238To John Adams from Horatio Gates Spafford, 21 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I send, by this Mail, Nos. 7, 8, & 9, of my Magazine, & invite thy particular attention to the Essay of Franklin , on a National School, &c. Please favor me with thy opinion of it, & of the plans that he suggests. The little Work I mentioned sometime ago, is printed, at Boston, & I have directed my publisher to send thee a Copy. It is anonymous, because I must conceal the of Authorship. I hope...
239To John Adams from William Turner, 3 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
this Ans is a true statement of my prosidins under the Volinteer acts of Congress of the 6th of February and the 6th of July 1812 Outhersing the President to accept sending Volinteer militarey corps, and I have cept a randevous from january 5th untill this day, for the purpos of raising the Seckond Companey of volinteers in Boston. as I am belated On account of the voluntier law not bein in a...
240To 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...
241To John Adams from Hendrick W. Gordon, 6 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
As you were so kind as to favour me with your name to a recommendation in my behalf, some time since for an Office which was supposed then to be vacated, but was not, nor since has been; I am emboldened to ask of you a like favour, which the enclosed will explain.— If the acquaintance I have had the satisfaction to have with you, will Justify your subscribing to the enclosed, it will very much...
242To John Adams from Alexander Hill Everett, 31 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
I return you the pamphlets you were so good as to send me with many thanks. I have derived much pleasure from reading them. Mr. Hay has said every thing, that need be said upon the subject.—I think there cannot be much doubt of a citizen’s right under the law of nature, to quit his country at pleasure and in a case of pure self-defence, (which is really the only case of justifiable war) to...
243From Charles Francis Adams to John Adams, 16 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I wrote a letter to Brother George, and so I thought that I ought to write you one too; for I love both my Brothers equally well, and I hope it will not be much longer before we shall all meet together again. I want to go home, to see my Grandpapa and Grandmama, who have always been so kind to you and Brother George, and to live where it is not so cold as in this Country; for here,...
244To John Adams from James Madison, 5 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor on the subject of Docr. Waterhouse, inclosing a letter from him which is now returned. Previous to this communication, the vacancy occasioned by the death of our Excellent friend, & the friend of mankind, had been filled by the appointment of his son Dr. James Rush. Besides the numerous & respectable interpositions in favor of it, I felt a pleasure, in putting this...
245To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 August 1812 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of August 1st is still unanswered. It is full of truth, and useful information and reflections. I regret that my son did not state the impressment of seamen being in 1807 an Act of the British Government. It would have obviated One of the Objections to the War by the Minority in Congress. Our Country is divided into two great parties called Fedarists and Democrats. The former are...
246To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 6 September 1809 (Adams Papers)
Although for many years past I have read nothing, but books upon medicine on week days, & upon Religion on Sundays, and have expected to continue to do so as long as I lived, yet you have almost persuaded me to read Fox’s history of James the Second. Your praise of it is enough for me, for I know how much your habits of reading and thinking qualify you to judge of the merit of books that...
247To John Adams from Louis Hue Girardin, 30 September 1815 (Adams Papers)
I take the liberty of enclosing to you two nos. of a little paper which I edit in this place. They contain very interesting details respecting Your son, Mr. John Quincy Adams. These details were transmitted by Mr. John Quincy Adams himself to Skelton Jones, a native of Virginia, who had undertaken to continue Burk’s history of this state, and intended to annex to the work Biographical notices...
248To John Adams from David Humphreys, 28 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
I think we agree in sentiment, that the wealth & prosperity of a Country depend essentially on the Industry , Instruction & Morality of its Inhabitants : on the first for acquiring, and on the two last for making the best use of the means, for public felicity. Nor shall we differ in opinion, that the acquisition
249To John Adams from Henry Marston, 6 July 1815 (Adams Papers)
Knowing that Miss Welsh is on a visit at Quincy and fearing you might be in want of her kind offices in sending you the glorious news of the day, I take the liberty to enclose you the Gazette containing the account of another atchievement of our gallant Tars; the capture of H. B. M. S. W. Penguin , by the Hornet after an action of twenty two minutes , only, upon which I congratulate you most...
250To John Adams from Thomas Clark, 17 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have taken the liberty to forward to you a Copy of the Naval history of the U.S. Your kindness & zealous exertions have excited in me a sincere gratitude. Of our naval history, as well as of our naval establishment, you have been the first patron, & most active promoter. Enclosed are some of the proposals for the publication of my long contemplated history of the United States. Your...