151John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The long continuance of the session, and the uncommon heat and drought of the Weather have made this, to me an unpleasant Spring. And to increase my Mortification, I have this Week received no Letter from you. I have not for Several months before, failed to receive a delicious Letter worth a dozen of mine, once a Week. Well! Boston comes on! M r Morton is now to be its Leader! How changed in...
152John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Post of the day brought me, your kind Letter of 26. Ult. The more I am charmed with your Bravery and Activity in farming the more I am mortified that my Letters in Answer to yours are so insignificant and insipid. I must leave all your Agriculture to your Judgment and the Advice of your Assitants. I sent you more Grass seeds with the Furniture, which I hope has arrived before now. M r...
153John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
Last Night the Consul General De la Tombe made me a Visit with your kind Letter of the 18 th. He looks older than When I last saw him and he is indeed a fortunate Man: He gave me many details of affairs in France: a gloomy Picture of the Reign of Terror and a Smiling one of the present Reign of Moderation: but he is not without Inquietude on the subject of a Constitution. By the Turn which the...
154John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
Some Senators are confident We shall rise tomorrow or next day. if so, I shall be with you on Sunday— But these Conjectures are always uncertain. I shall write you every day so that you will be apprized of the time when you may expect me. Both the public Dispatches and private Letters of our dear Boys are the delight of all who read them— No public Minister has ever given greater Satisfaction,...
155John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your old Acquaintance M r Harrison of Cadiz will deliver you this, if you should not, as I hope you will, be Sett off for this place before he can reach Braintree.— I expect you, here indeed in a Week or ten days at farthest, from this date. M rs Washington is arrived. My House and Garden want us very much. We Shall be obliged to bring all our Furniture and most of our Books, except the Law...
156John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
By this Days Post I have your Letter of the 26. Ult. I believe that some incomprehensible sympathy or other, made me low Spirited all the time you were Sick, tho I neither knew nor suspected it. I rejoice to be inform’d of your Recovery. If I were not afraid of every Change in your Situation, that might endanger your health, I would plan a Project for next Winter: but I must leave that for a...
157John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
It is a fortnight to day Since I had a Letter from you but it Seems to me a month— I cannot blame you for one of yours is worth four of mine. Three Bills, for laying Taxes are yet unfinished and there is little Reason to hope that they can be finished this Week, perhaps not before the End of the next. I cannot see much room to hope to get away before the first of June. a tedious Seven Months...
158John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
The Congress have passed the Law allowing 14,000 d to purchase furniture. The State Legislature have done nothing about their new House: so that I shall take the House the President is in, at a 1000 £ or 2700 dollars rent, nothing better can be done. M r Jefferson arrived Yesterday and came to visit me in the Evening. Tomorrow will be a worse day than the 8th. of Feb. was. We are to take the...
159John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Weather is cooler And the Minds of Men are calmed by the inclosed Communication. But A Sourd Party will plunge Us if possible. The most uncandid; the most hypocritical Part is acted to take Us in.— Protestations against War by those who are pushing every Thing that can force War, are not the Worst. The southern Men have Art enough to dupe northern ones to bring forwards measures, that the...
160John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is another Production of Porcupine, whose quils will Stick. The President appears great in Randolphs Vindication throughout excepting that he wavered about Signing the Treaty which he ought not to have done one moment. Happy is the Country to be rid of Randolph: but where shall be found good Men and true to fill the offices of Government. There seems to be a Necessity of distributing...
161John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Prospect that opens upon me presents Troubles enough of every kind.— I have made Some Inquiry concerning Horses and Carriages, and find that a common Chariot of the plainest Sort cannot be had under Twelve hundred Dollars, and if you go to a little more ornament and Elegance you must give fifteen hundred. The President has a Pair of Horses to sell, one 9 the other 10 Years old for which he...
162John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Doctor may have the Steers if he wishes to have them. The People of the United States are about to be Stirred up in every quarter of the Union. The H. of R. are determined to go all Lengths. The Merchants of this City have had the most numerous Meeting that has been known for a long time and unanimously voted to Petition that The Faith The Honour and the Interest of the Nation may be...
163John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
We have done nothing hitherto, but prevent our Countrymen from plunging blindfold into a War, with they know not whom, and for they know not what. If We continue to sit till June, and do no more nor less We shall do well. Tomorrow the Senate is to discuss the Election of M r Gallatin, with their Doors open for the first Time. Whether a Vote will be carried for building a Gallery or for keeping...
164John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
I dined yesterday with M r Hammond the British Minister who told me that M r Dunlap had just received a Dublin Paper of the 25 th of October, which he had Seen and read, in which was a Paragraph to this Effect, “M r Adams appointed Minister Resident from the United States of America to the states General had arrived in London and contradicted the Report of a Battle between General Wayne and...
165John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Birthday was celebrated Yesterday with as much Joy affection and Festivity as ever, and as it happened the New French Minister was then presented. Poor Genet I fear is undone— Bad as his Conduct has been I cannot but pity him. What will become of him I know not. The Name of his Successor is Fauchet. Gloomy as I was in expectation daily of afflicting News from home, I contented myself with...
166John Adams to Abigail Adams, 31 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of January 22 d. I know not the reason you had not rec d Letters for a Week— There has not been a Week since I arrived in Philadelphia that I have not written you twice or thrice I agree with you that Something must be done for my Mother to make her Condition comfortable and respectable. A Horse and Chaise must be at her Command and I like your other Plan very well if she...
167John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of Nov. 30, I received this morning. As every Thing conspires to keep me poor, I may as well give Way as not: so I will even agree to purchase Pratts Pew: But when I can send you Money to pay for it I know not— The Appropriation Bill is not passed and when it will be brought forward is uncertain, I will Send to the Treasury however and see if I can get a quarter without it. If I...
168John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 28 th. Ult. arrived this morning. before this time I hope you have received your furniture. We are Still endeavouring to preserve Peace. But one moves a Series of commercial Regulations, another a Sequestration of Debts, a third to prohibit all Intercourse with Britain, a fourth to issue Letters of Mark against Algerines, all tending to excite suspicions in Britain that We...
169John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 April 1794 (Adams Papers)
Upon the receipt of your excellent Letter of the fifth of this month I Yesterday sent for our son Thomas and desired him to remit to his Brother at Boston for your Use two hundred Dollars. I have been at Expence to Purchase a Horse Saddle Bridle and Saddlebags to fix out Thomas to ride the Circuit with his Master M r Ingersol. He begins his Journey on the 28 th of this Month. This has left me...
170John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am impatient to return but partly on Account of my Son who wishes to Stay at Colledge as long as he can, and partly, on Account of my Books and other Things which I wish to get ready before I go, to be sent to N. Y. I fear I shall not see you these three Weeks. I should however break away if I were not necessitated to wait for my horse, whose Lameness is not wholly cured. Excepting the...
171John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of Dec r 23 d you Say “Faxon wants Money to buy, three Cows and four young Cattle.”— I know not the Price of Stock: but if you can purchase him what he wants at a reasonable rate and can finds means to pay for them I shall be content. but I would employ Some one to purchase them in Bridgwater or Abington. Faxon himself is not So judicious as he ought to be, in Some Things. I...
172John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
I was not a little Surprized, a few days ago at receiving a Letter from D r Hutchinson as Secretary to the Philosophical society in this City certifying my Election as a Member of that Body. This Gentleman you know has been celebrated for his opposition to my Election as V.P. one of the Society since told me, that when I was nominated they all rose up and cryed out that I had been a Member...
173John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
The Weather has been so disagreable and the Roads so bad, that I have not been able to advance farther on my Journey than to Bulls Tavern in this Town where I arrived last night after an unpleasant ride in the snow from Springfield. It Snowed all last night and has blocked up the roads so that I cannot move onwards till monday. I have fallen into Several curious Conversations, on the road,...
174John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the President sent his Carriage for me to go with the Family to the Theatre. The Rage and the Spoiled Child were the two Pieces. it rained and the House was not full. I thought I perceived a little Mortification. M r George Washington & his fair Lady were with Us. Yours of 21 st gives me a Satisfactory Account of farming. I think I would engage Billings if I could— I must leave it to...
175John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Door Keeper has just brought me your kind Letter of Dec r 28. Freneau’s Paper is discontinued and Fenno’s is become a daily advertising Paper and has not yet been worth Sending you. The State Papers will be reprinted in Russells Paper which you have and there has been nothing else worth Reading. I Send you the Negotiations with Genet, inclosed. The Algerines will cost this Country very...
176John Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Anxiety you express (in your kind Letter of Dec r 31 which I received this morning ) for your Country and the Happiness of your Children is very amiable. The Prospects of this Country are gloomy, but the Situation of all Europe is calamitous beyond all former Examples. At what time and in what manner and by what means, the Disasters which are come and Seem to be coming on Mankind may be...
177John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
We have floods of rain but no frost nor Snow and very little news. The Democrats continue to pelt as you will See by the inclosed Political Chess. We go on as We always have done, for the three first months of the Session, distributing Business into the hands of Committees, meeting and adjourning. The Gallery finds little Entertainment in our Debates. We have Seldom more than 30 or 40 in it...
178John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
We took the Packet at New Haven, and arrived at N. York as Soon as the Stage— Although We Saved no time, We avoided some bruizes, at the Expence of a little of the Mal De Mer. M rs Smith and Children all well. Charity Smith married to M r Shaw, Brother of the late Consul at Canton.— Our Charles at Steuben after an Examination at Albany and an honourable Admission to the Rank of Counciller at...
179John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Sensations of Ap. 19. 1775 and those of this Morning have some Resemblance to each other. a Prospect of foreign War and civil War in conjunction is not very pleasant. We are a poor divided Nation in the midst of all our Prosperity. The H. of R. after debating 3 Weeks about asking for Papers are now beginning another Discussion which may last as long on the Merits and Demerits of the...
180John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
The Senate were obliged to Spend the whole of the last Week, in a Solemn Tryal of the Election of M r Gallatin: and I find that a great Impression has been made upon the Public, by the Learning Eloquence and Reasoning of Some of the Senators. The Decision has given general Satisfaction. That Popularity was more courted than Truth by a few Individuals, I fear will be the Judgment of some of the...