181John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
No Letter from you, yet. I believe I shall Set off Tomorrow or next day, for the Hague, and Shall bring John with me back to Paris in about 3 Weeks. There will be an Interval, before the Signature of the definitive Treaty, and Several publick Concerns oblige me to go to the Hague for a Short time. When I get my Son with me, I shall be ready to go to any Place, where I may embark for home, as...
182John Lowell to Abigail Adams, 22 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am not displeased that the Call of Business obliges me to address you at this Time, and gives me an Opportunity of expressing my sincere good Wishes, that Mr. Adams’s Voyage may be agreable, and happy; I am sensible that the Prospect of so long a Seperation must be painfull to you, the tender social Connection which you have so highly enjoyed, must make the Struggle hard, but the...
183Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I should have wrote before according to promiss, but have been prevented the use of my Eyes by a Cold fixing there and Even now believe I had better not write, but unless I do your Excelency may think it too Great Condesention to inquire after the Cottagers, at Plimouth. You have spent a week at Boston, and what think you of affairs now. I dare say you have Collected many Curious annecdotes,...
184Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but the Greatest affection for my dear Mrs. Adams Would Induce me to Break over the Avocations of this busey Morning, and to quit the Conversation of my Friends who Leave me tomorrow, to scrable over a Hasty Line in Token that I have not Forgot you. Mr. Warren promissed to Make all the Apoligies Necessary for my Long silence. Mine is the Loss and the Mortifycation and on that...
185John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
We wait and wait and wait forever, without any News from America. We get nothing but what comes from England and to other People here and they make it as they please. We have had nothing from Congress an immense while. Every Merchant and every Merchants Apprentice, has Letters and News when I have none. In Truth I have been so long from Boston that every Body there almost has forgot me.—I have...
186John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Week has produced an happy Reconciliation between the two Parties in this City and Commonwealth, the Friends of the new Constitution and those who wish for Amendments in it. . . . Mifflin invited the People to assemble in the State House Yard, at the Desire of General Washington, who sent them an Account that the Motions of the Enemy indicated an intention to begin an Expedition, and that...
187John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I cannot omit the Opportunity of writing you, a Line, by this Post. This Letter will I suppose, find you, in some degree or other, under the Influence of the Small Pox. The Air is of very great Importance. I dont know your Phisician, but I hope he wont deprive you of Air, more than is necessary. We had Yesterday, an express from General Lee, in Charlestown South Carolina, with an Account of a...
188John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 2 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
’Tis a pleasing Reflexion to one absent, that his Correspondence with his friends meets with no untoward Accidents, even though the subject matter of his Scralls should be in a stile little interesting or entertaining. But I am deprived of even this satisfaction, for almost all my Letters are on board the Indian. It is needless for me to add an Apology after this, especially as Newman, Brown,...
189John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Dialogue in the Shades was written by Mr. Edmund Jennings now residing at Brussells, a Native of Maryland. I will send you the Rest when I can get it. How I lament the Loss of my Packets by Austin! There were I suppose Letters from Congress of great Importance to me. I know not what I shall do without them. I suppose there was Authority to draw &c. Mr. T haxter ’s Letter from his...
190Lafayette to Abigail Adams, 29 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Le Marquis de lafayette Most Respectful Compliments Wait on Mrs. Adams and is highly sensible of the honor she had done him By her Most polite letter. He is very sorry that his Going immediately to Camp prevents him from Waiting on her at Bain tree Where he should have been happy to Present her With a tribute of his Gratitude and Respect. RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “To Mrs. john Adams...
191John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have been lately more remiss, than usual in Writing to you. There has been a great Dearth of News. Nothing from England, nothing from France, Spain, or any other Part of Europe, nothing from the West Indies. Nothing from Howe, and his Banditti, nothing from General Washington. There are various Conjectures that Lord How is dead, sick, or gone to England, as the Proclamations run in the Name...
192John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Having now a good opportunity I Cannot Let it Slip without writing a few Lines To You as it is not often That I have That Pleasure & So I must not let Slip one opportunity in writing To So kind and Tender a Mamma as you have been To me for Which I believe I Shall never be able to Repay you I hope I Shall never forget the goodness of God in Preserving us Through all The Dangers That We have...
193John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have a fine Piece of News this Morning of the March of 2000 of the Enemy, and destroying a fine Magazine there—and the stupid sordid cowardly torified Country People let them pass without Opposition. All New England is petrified, with Astonishment, Horror, and Despair, I believe in my Conscience. They behave worse than any Part of the Continent. Even in N. Jersy 2000 Men could not have...
194John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Situation of my dear Brother, at the date of yours 17. June, has allarmed me so much that I dread to hear any further News of him. An Affection for him has grown old with me as it commenced very early in Life and has constantly increased. Mr. Smiths Letter of 6 of May did not surprise me so much because I had often known him in great distress in the Lungs but these disorders are new. The...
195John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 January 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Riding has been so hard and rough, and the Weather so cold that We have not been able to push farther than this Place. My little Colt has performed very well hitherto, and I think will carry me through the Journey, very pleasantly. Our Spirits have been cheered, by two or three Pieces of good News, which Commissary Trumble who is now with me, tells us, he saw Yesterday in a Letter from G...
196John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1779 (Adams Papers)
When I left Paris, the 8 March, I expected to have been at Home before this Day and have done my Utmost to get to sea, but the Embarrassements and Disappointments I have met with, have been many, very many. I have however in the Course of them had a fine Opportunity of seeing Nantes, L’orient and Brest, as well as the intermediate Country. By the gracious Invitation of the King, I am now to...
197John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Morning I took a Walk, into Arch Street, to see Mr. Peele’s Painters Room. Peele is from Maryland, a tender, soft, affectionate Creature. . . . He shewed me a large Picture containing a Group of Figures, which upon Inquiry I found were his Family. His Mother, and his Wifes Mother, himself and his Wife, his Brothers and sisters, and his Children, Sons and Daughters all young. There...
198John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 30 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
In acknowledging the receipt of your kind favor of 26th. October and in confessing it was accompanied with five or six other Letters, which arrived yesterday, You will naturally conclude, that a rash Declaration made in my Letter of 22d. instant, of not writing again to my Friends, ought to be recanted. I do not hesitate a moment to make a formal Recantation, and would repeat it twenty times...
199John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have paid Turner, his Wages up to this day, and settled all Accounts with him. Besides which I have given him £3:2s:od. L.M. towards his Expences home. When he arrives he is to produce his Account to you, of the Expences of his Journey. See that he produces Receipts from the Tavern Keepers. Dont pay a Farthing, but what he produces a Receipt for. I am glad he is going, for between you and me...
200James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 3 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have at length an Opportunity by Mr. Brown to forward Bills of Exchange; and I only add the News Paper of Yesterday. Bell so long expected from France is arrived. He sailed with the Alliance. You know much more of your Mr. Adams than we, as only a Letter of April 10th. is come to hand from him. I assure you we feel very angry with Somebody , as neither Congress or the Minister have yet...
201John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 10 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had been so short a time in this place when I wrote you last, that it was out of my power to furnish you then with any particulars respecting the enemy’s conduct during their continuance here. By enquiries and observations since, I am enabled to give you some particulars on that head. The City in general has escaped, but houses and fences detached from the Town have felt the wantoness of...
202Hannah Quincy Lincoln Storer to Abigail Adams, 24 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have often thought of You My good friend, and as often wish’d to See You, and did flatter Myself that I should injoy that happiness before Mr. A——departure. I am really Sorry that I was so unfortunate as to be absent from home when your first friend call’d to see Me. You Must Surely have call’d up all your Philosophy to Stand the Shock of his Absence a Second time for a Year.—Will My owning...
203John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 July 1783 (Adams Papers)
It is indeed a long time since I have receiv’d any Letters from my friends in America, and I must own I have been a little behind hand within these two years; in writing to them. However, I hope they will consider that I have been all that time, almost at the world’s end, or to make the best of it, in such an out of the-way place, as made it very inconvenient for me to write: But I should...
204Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 7 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
Just Come to hand is A Letter from my very Worthy Friend who I suppose is by this time arrived at Philadelphia and Another from his Good Portia whose Mind seems to be Agitated by A Variety of passions of the Noblest kind, A sense of Honnour, of Friendship, of parental and Conjugal affection, of Domestick Felicity And public Happiness. I do not wonder you had a struggle within yourself when...
205John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1779 (Adams Papers)
The Reason of our being in Spain, you will, perhaps, be no stranger to, when this reaches You. I am not sorry We arrived at Ferrol, as a prosecution of our Voyage might have been attended with hazard. A leaky Ship in a Storm or violent Gale, is not a Situation for very comfortable Sensations. We had Leaks, Storms and Winds in the passage. The former were more formidable than the latter, and...
206John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
I told you, in a former Letter, that I lodged at Gen. Roberdeau’s. This Gentleman is of French Extraction, his Father was a rich Planter of the Island of St. Christophers, where my Friend was born, and where he has or had an Estate. He has large Property in England, in Virginia, in Philadelphia, in York Town and in various other Parts of Pensilvania. He has also large Property in our American...
207John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
A Gentleman, Mr. Boardman of Newbury Port, is going, and by him I send you a few Lines. In England nothing is talked of, but Admiral Keppell, whom they are daily trying by a Court Martial. His Defence, I suppose is our security, viz. the shattered Condition of their Navy. They are almost ripe for cutting each others Throats to all Appearance, yet they are about sending Reinforcements to...
208John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I believe I shall set off for Paris next Fryday. Mr. Thaxter and Mr. Storer will go with me. The Treaty of Commerce and the Convention respecting recaptures were Signed on the 8 of this Month, and they go by this and Several other Opportunities. I hope they will give Satisfaction. Mr. Jay writes me that on the 28 of Septr. that the Day before Mr. Oswald received a Commission to treat with the...
209Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
Could I write you any agreable Inteligence I would with pleasure Grasp the pen And Call of my Friends Attention a Moment from her Domestic avocations, but so much Avarice and Venallity, so much Annemosity and Contention, so much pride and Weakness predominate both in the Capital and the Cottage that I fear it will be Long: very Long before good tidings are Wafted on Every Wind and the Halcyon...
210John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, by the Post, I received yours of Septr. 25th., and it renewed a Grief and Anxiety, that was before almost removed from my Mind. Two days before I had the Pleasure of a very valuable Letter from Coll. Quincy, in which he kindly informed me that you and Our Family were so much better that you and my dear Nabby, had made a Visit at his House: and Mr. Williams, who brought the Letter...