1James Madison to Charles Francis Adams, 12 October 1835 (Madison Papers)
private I have received your letter of Sepr. 30th. with a copy of "An Appeal from the new to the Old Whigs." The Pamphlet contains very able and interesting views of its subject. The claims for the Senate of a share in the removal from Office; and for the legislature an authority to regulate its tenure, have had powerful advocates. I must still think however, that the text of the constitution...
I have received your Letter of the 9th. instt. and now enclose a Check on the Branch Bank for 500 dollars payable to your order—With this you will repay the Coachman, his advances; repay to Mary Hellen the 50 dollars borrowed of her, and give the remainder to Antoine, for the purchase of winter fuel and other necessary payments. You and I will settle accounts when I return to Washington, which...
I wrote you a very few lines yesterday my dear Charles, with a promise to write to you again immediately and more fully, but I fear that it will not be in my power to say all I wish to say, and for that you will thank your stars—In the first place let me beg you will not suffer Johnson to leave the house to sleep in his barn ; for the consequences might prove fatal to him—In the next let me...
4From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 13 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I received in due time your Letter of the 1st. instt. from New–York; since which Letters from your mother have informed me of your progress to Fishkill Landing, and the Newspapers of your arrival at Albany—I ardently hope your mother’s health will derive more benefit from the Springs than it appears she has from the journey—We are expecting by the next Mail to hear of your reaching Lebanon— I...
5From John Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 19 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
Knowing as I do the whirlwind of business, ceremony, Levee’s Drawing rooms Dinners, Parties, with which you are hurried away, I acknowledge it a great favour for you to write a letter to me—and when I receive one, it is so much the more pleasure— As to the Message a Father says, that a more meritorious state paper has never appeared on the American Annals; And I think it gives as universal...
6From John Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 3 December 1825 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your two letters—and I wish you would continue to write to me twice a week—my dear Charles Mathematicks and Law are the two rocks on which a Man of business may surely found his reputation, as well as his capacity for doing good, to himself, his friends, his country, as well as to mankind. Study my dear Charles makes the man. It is not novels or Poetry It is neither Scott or...
7From John Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 17 August 1825 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for a very pleasant letter, and I supplicate a continuance of them—I have given up the hopes of seeing the family, or any part of it this Year—but when the Marquis is gone I hope to have letters from your Brother, John, and yourself, which will help to keep up my old spirits a little longer, my heart & wishes and Prayers are with you forever—We have nothing to tell you here but...
8From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 17 July 1825 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 2d. Instt. has remained some days unanswered, more from a repugnance in me to think at all upon the subject, than from any other cause. If as you say, you have destroyed the prospect of having any part assigned to you for Commencement, I agree with you in the opinion that it will be most comfortable for you, to be as far distant from Cambridge, on that day as you can—Under...
As I am afraid you will hardly recieve my Letter in time I hasten to tell you that if you have no part assigned to you you must come on directly so as to be here on Wednesday Week when Genl La Fayette is to pay us a visit and I want you to assist me in doing the honours of the House— Give my love to all and tell George to send the Silk by you to your affectionate Mother MHi : Adams Papers.
The perpetual trouble and occupation we have found in getting into our new residence has prevented my writing to you my dear Charles and even now I have no subject on which to occupy your attention— The situation in which we found the House made it necessary to furnish almost entirely anew a large portion of the apartments and the whole time of John and my self has been engrossed in...
11From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 4 December 1824 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 25th. ulto. and very cheerfully comply with your desire to come and pass your vacation with us. On your shewing this Letter to your brother George, it will be an authority for him to pay you sixty dollars; additional to your stated allowance; to defray the expenses of your journey hither, taking your receipt for the same. I am your affectionate father MHi :...
Keep up your spirits my dear Son and do let the outrageous slanders and misrepresentations of the day make any impression on your mind as the very people are from whom the Slanders emanate acknowledge that they are only invented for electioneering purposes— A Presidential Election is becoming so fiery an Ordeal it will soon require more patience I had almost said more Virtue than falls to the...
Since my return home my Dear George Charles I have been so much engaged it has been almost impossible for me to write more especially as I have been even more sick than ever and even my intellect seems to suffer from these constant attacks— Genl La Fayette has passed through our City and like all Meteoric lights has illumed our horizon for a few days and I fear darkened many of the pockets of...
I received your Letter my Dear Charles yesterday Eveng. and hasten to answer it from the apprehension that some expressions in your Letter indicate a sort of temper to the Col Tutors which may become dangerous although at this moment it may be harmless—Words of strong signification brought into familiar use frequently I believe produce effects which we have no idea of while using them and...
Eh b’en Mon petit Caporal honours seem to thicken so fast on Adams race we can scarce find time to greet or congratulate ere a new event occurs to call forth our gratitude. Well chaqu’un a son tour. And now it is my turn to be brought before the publick by the classic pen of Mr. Colvin or some of his Satellites with the kind intention of blackening the reputation of your father!!! and what is...
During my long absence from home my Dear Charles I could not write to you as it was difficult to procure conveniences for the purpose business and the chambers were not furnished in a suitable manner for those purposes— I am happy to learn from John that you are well and in very good spirits and I hope that the Commencement will pass without any unpleasant occurrence—I am very glad that Thomas...
17From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 12 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of 21. February and 6. April, have remained long unanswered—They are both upon Subjects important to your feelings and prospects, and therefore highly important to me—But independent of the occupations which press so heavily upon my time, the tenour of the first of them, written so soon after you had left us, required some deliberation from me to answer it in the Spirit of the...
I am very sorry my dear Charles that any thing in my last Letter should have wounded your feelings as it was very far from my wish or intention to say any that thing that could intimate so absurd a charge as I have hitherto found you more docile than youths of your age generally are. I hope you propose to pass your vacation at Quincy as I think it will give pleasure to your Grandfather to whom...
I hasten to answer your last my Dear Charles as I cannot bear your reproaches which I feel I merit for my total want of exertion—The complaint under which I am labouring however must plead my excuse as it entirely incapacitates those who are subjected to it from performing all active duties by debilitating both mind and body to a degree of almost imbecility— I am happy to learn that you are...
I am rejoiced my Dear Charles to learn that your journey was so pleasant and that the little accident you met with was soon repaired so much to your satisfaction— That you must be very busy I am well aware but the division of your time will render all your occupations easy and I hope your health of which you now complain will soon be entirely restored— I am much better than I was and intend if...
21From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 7 December 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have duly considered your affectionate Letter of the 25th. of last Month, and shall be glad to see you here , during your approaching vacation—I will direct your brother George to furnish you the money, necessary for the journey, and assure you of the cordial welcome which I hope and trust will always endear your father’s house to you as your home . I do not altogether understand that part...
Our winter routine has begun and as usual I am plunged into the depths of visits invitations dinners &c &c &c— It is singular just after reading Randolph that I should have become acquainted with the supposed Author of the Work and that his conversation should have produced conviction in me that the supposition is not incorrect—Speaking of the Painters I could have fancied I was reading the...
Your two Cousins and John having left me at home and gone to pass the evening at Mrs. J Monro’s I shall devote some time to you by way of amusing myself and to find occupation as neither reading or writing are at present suited to my sight being almost blind— I really do not wonder you should have suffered uneasiness at hearing the poor child cough as I know nothing more distressing than the...
Having just dismissed my visitors Mr. Jackson and Mr McTavish I hasten to write you in answer to your long expected and long wished Letter which reached me yesterday— Your encreasing popularity is a thing as you observe calculated to excite vanity you must therefore be on your guard against the encroachment of so ignoble a passion for even men of superior understandings suffer it sometimes to...
I have been so sick my Dear Charles since my arrival at home it has been altogether out of my power to write to you or to George and I now sieze the earliest opportunity that you may be convinced I can never neglect you or forget my promise of writing frequently—Washington looks very dull although it is full of strangers but it is said we are to have a very gay and crowded Winter unless...
Yours of the 30th. came to hand yesterday and I feel very uneasy concerning the fever you mention, and advise should it encrease, that you quit the College and return to Quincy—I hope however that it will subside, and that there will be no danger—I recommend you however at any rate , to get some good vinegar, and wash your hands and face with it two or three times a day, and sprinkle it about...
You are right my Dear Charles to go Quincy for a few days to restore your health a little before the vacation and I am glad to hear that you have adopted the resolution although it may probably lose you a few marks on Mr. Hedge’s and other Lists—Your Brother George has just had a very dangerous illness the crisis of which passed last Eveng. and he is pronounced so much better to day we now...
I am very sorry my Dear Charles to find by your last Letter that your health is not good but am glad to see that your spirits are high and that you are tolerably happy—Johnson left us yesterday for Rockville and will probably not return very soon as he and I do not agree as well as we used to do—His opinions on politics and his great desire to see your father promoted to a higher station urge...
29From John Quincy Adams to Charles Francis Adams, 15 July 1823 (Adams Papers)
The bearer of this Letter Mr Cornelius McLean is a young Gentleman of very respectable character and connections who goes to Cambridge with the view of entering the University after the next Commencement in the Sophomore Class. I pray you to shew him every kind attention and to render him every obliging service that may be in your power— I am, Your affectionate father— MHi : Adams Family...
I am very much pained by your account of your health and hope sincerely that you have made a short visit to Quincy where such remedies have been applied as have restored you entirely— It gives me great pleasure to learn that you are growing popular in your Class and I grieve that you must lose your room because I know what delight you took in it, and that you spent a good deal of money on it—...