3661To John Adams from John Jay, 23 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having read in the Papers of to Day, an Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in France to one at Boston, mentioning an Edict excluding foreign whale Oil, I waited on the minister of France to be informed whether he had rec d. official Information of it. He told me he had not.— We had much Conversation on the subject, and from it I was led to conclude, that he did not think it improbable that...
3662To John Adams from Sylvanus Bourne, 28 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Pardon the liberty I take, and permit me to call to your Excellency’s recollection, a Person who (at the time the Committee of Convention for framing this State’s Constitution were sitting in this town) requested to be taken into your Office, as a student at Law, and had your promise to be received if the services of your Country should not call you abroad; but which proving to be the case in...
3663To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 31 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Probably before this will reach you the election of Vice President will be determined, upon which I may venture to congratulate you Sir, as I hear of no Competition of any importance. M rs Adams & Col Smith can give you a more minute acc t of public affairs & particularly of the dispositions of the people of this State, having good information from your friend M r Jay and others, than it is in...
3664From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 8 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favor of the 22 d Ult I rec d. last night.— I remember so much of the transactions, at the formation of the Pensilvania Constitution, that I wish you could save time enough from almost any other pursuit, to arrange your materials for an History of the Revolution in Pensilvania, to be published hereafter; at present perhaps it might not be prudent. The four respectable characters,...
3665To John Adams from John Murray, 10 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
How grateful, how thankful, this moment I feel— To who, for what? To the infinitely good, the infinitely great, who, having the hearts of all in his hand, hath in the course of his Providence, dis-posed one of the best, one of the greatest of his speies to feel kindly disposed towards his humble thankful servant. You will, good Sir, (I might had said great , but great you may be, and not good,...
3666To John Adams from Abraham Fuller, 12 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Since I made the last return of the number of Polls in the Commonwealth, to your Hon r , I find a Mistake of 45 Polls, being Short of the number in the County of York, they being Added to the County of York makes the number 4944; than the whole number in the Commonwealth is 90513— Your Hon r. most Obedient & / Hum l. Servant RC ( Adams Papers ); internal address: “Hon’ John Adams Esq r.”...
3667To John Adams from William Cushing, 18 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
I know you will forgive me if I draw your attention, a moment, from the weighty matters that employ it, to the Subject of libels & liberty of the press; on which I had the pleasure of a word with you— lately. Our 16 th. Art. of declaration of rights, holds forth that, “ The liberty of the press is essential to the Security of freedom in a state ,” and that—“it ought not, therefore, to be...
3668To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 February 1789 (Adams Papers)
Few events have happened since the 17th of septem r: 1788, which have afforded me more pleasure than your election to the Vice president’s chair. It is the cape stone of my our labors respecting the new goverment. M r Rutledge had some friends in Pennsylvania—But your friends prevailed. M r Wilson had great merit in this business. M r Morris likewise advised it. There is an expectation here...
3669From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 1 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letter from The Hon. Stephen Higginson Esq r , is upon a Subject of so much Importance, and contains so much Information that I cannot withold it from you. The little Jealousy, Envy or Caprice, that shall deprive our Merchants of the Benefit of Trading to the Isles of France & Bourbon, will only compell them to seek the Ultimate Marketts upon the Continent, directly. In four days,...
3670To John Adams from Tench Coxe, 1 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having just rec d. a letter from my friend Doctor Rush, which contained the enclosed pacquet for you, I do myself the honor of covering it to you lest Col. Smith should have left Massachusetts: and since I have taken this liberty, Sir, I will do myself the pleasure to add such information as I conceive it may be any pleasure to you to receive. The Returns from Virginia are rec d. as far as...
3671From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 2 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your friendly Letter of the third and twentieth of February, I did not receive till Saturday last. To your Friend, who has now been returned from N. York these five Weeks, I have delivered your inclosed Letter as desired.— She will acknowledge the Receipt of it, and transmit you the Compliments of her fellow Travellers.— our Correspondence has had a short Interruption, it is true, as all...
3672To John Adams from Tristram Dalton, 3 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
The accounts received of the votes given for Vice President of the federal Senate render your Election to that high Office undoubted— will you permit me to congratulate you on the occasion, tho’ premature? not only because I wish to express my earliest Joy, which is sincere—but that I may, in season , propose accompanying you to New York—if your arrangements should make it convenient to you— A...
3673To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I find on enquiry that you are elected Vice-president, having three or four times the number of votes of any other candidate. Maryland threw away their votes on Col o Harrison & South Carolina on Governor Rutledge, being with some other states which were not unanimous for you, apprehensive that this was a necessary step to prevent your election to the chair— in this point they were mistaken,...
3674To John Adams from Richard Price, 5 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
Having been very happy in your friendship, and much honoured by it while you resided in this country, I cannot avoid taking the opportunity which is now offer’d me of conveying to you a few lines. While at Portsmouth you favoured me with two letters. The first I answered; and the Second I Should have answered had I not imagined that you were on the point of Sailing, and therefore doubted...
3675From John Adams to William Cushing, 7 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am greatly obliged, by the Letter you did me the Honour to write me on the 18 th. of February; and regret very much the Want of Leisure to examine the Subject of it, with that Attention which its great Importance requires. That the Truth may be pleaded in Bar of a civil Action for Damages, for actionable Words, Spoken or written, I remembered very well: but it lay in my mind that Some just...
3676To John Adams from Ebenezer Storer, 10 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had yesterday the honour to go to Braintree on purpose to pay my respects to you on the commencement of the new Federal Government, & to assure you of my partaking in the general Joy on the choice of the President & Vice President of the united States.— Had I been so happy as to have seen you, I should have taken the liberty, after congratulating you on this pleasing event, to have made an...
3677Address from the Inhabitants of Marblehead, 16 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
the Inhabitants of Marblehead in Common with their fellow Countrymen have ever felt Strongly impressed with Sentiments of gratitude and satisfaction for the eminent Services rendered by you to the United States of America. in all their foreign Negotiations, which have been Committed to your Charge, in considering the result of those Negotiations we find Ourselves under Very peculiar...
3678To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 19 March 1789 (Adams Papers)
From the influence as president of the senate, and a Citizen of massachussets, that you will have in the Councils of our Nation, and more especially upon the Votes of the eastern delegates in both houses I have taken the liberty of addressing a few thoughts to you upon the Subject of the residence of the Congress of the United States.— 1 The active and useful part which the Eastern states have...
3679Address from Rhode Island Federalists, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
The Federalists of this State though denied the Priviledge of giving you their Suffrages, are peculiarly happy, to find your Excellency by so decided a Majority, One of the Gentlemen placed at the Head of that August Body, to which, with Anxious expectation, this Country now looks up to rescue it from that Anarchy & Prostration which have So long degraded the American Character, and rendered...
3680To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 2 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
You are too well acquainted with the history of the world & the distresses of mankind to expect to stand on the eminence of rank, fortune, and influence without solicitations from various quarters— Where you feel a friendship it will always be a sufficient stimulous for the exertion of every kind office without importunity: & when applyed to by strangers in distress your benevolence I trust...
3681To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 3 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by the Hon. William Smith Esquire one of the representaives in Congress from the State of South Carolina—whom I beg leave to introduce to you as a friend and a fellow citizen whose talents, integrity, fortune and connexions are respectable in the eyes of his constituents in the district which he represents, and whose family since the earliest settlement of...
3682To John Adams from John Langdon, 6 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to you the information of your being elected to the office of Vice-President of the United States of America. Permit me, Sir, to hope, that you will soon safely arrive here to take upon you the discharge of the important duties, to which you are so honorably called by the Voice of your country. I am, sir, with sentiments / of respect, your obedient / humble...
3683To John Adams from Richard Peters, 10 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I should be wanting in those Evidences of my very sincere Respect & Esteem for you which I shall ever be happy in shewing, if I did not take the Oppertunity your Election to the honourable & respectable Station you now fill affords me of joining my Congratulations with those of the great Numbers of our Fellow Citizens who are gratified by your Appointment. I very truly wish you every...
3684To John Adams from James Lovell, 12 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Advised and even pressed, by Friends near me and at a Distance, “ to go on to New York;—to be in the Way of soliciting, counteracting ” and such kind of Measures respecting the Collectorship here, I am sure I need only say to you that my Duty lays in this County; and that the very Circumstance of quitting & neglecting it for the Purposes mentioned would be a very ill Proof of that Degree of...
3685To John Adams from John Bubenheim Bayard, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
It is with great sincerity, I beg leave to congratulate your Honor on your election as Vice President of the United States— the many high offices you have been called by your Country to fill, & the eminent services you have render’d to your fellow Citizens during our important struggle, justly entitle you to this distinguished mark of their gratitude & affection— I take the liberty to inform...
3686To John Adams from Robert Treat Paine, 13 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
When we were going to the first Congress our worthy Freind Hawley, gave us in writing some broken hints— I take Liberty to imitate him in the method tho not in the matter, I intended to have done my self the great pleasure to wait on you at Braintree for the benefit of social Conversation, but innumerable Accidents have prevented, I wish to Communicate a few Ideas respecting my Official...
3687To John Adams from William Stephens Smith, 19 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of receiving your letter of the 10 th. ins t. the last evening, and should have done myself the Honour of meeting you at New Rochelle this day were I not kept in check by Mr: Jay’s proposing that if I would wait untill the morning he would accompany me to meet you at Kings-Bridge, where we suppose you will be at 12. o Clock— The arrangements for your accomodation and that of...
3688To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 20 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
After my most sincere congratulations upon your arrival at the present Seat of the Federal Goverment, I do myself the honor to enclose you a Copy of the Rules adopted by the Senate, A list of the members, present, a list of the members of the House, present, And a Copy of an order passed the Senate this day, which will be executed whenever your Honor shall appoint, as I presume the Committee...
3689John Adams’ Address to the Senate, 21 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
Invited to this respectable situation by the suffrages of our fellow citizens, according to the Constitution, I have thought it my duty cheerfully and readily to accept it. Unaccustomed to refuse any public service, however dangerous to my reputation, or disproportioned to my talents, it would have been inconsistent to have adopted an other maxim of conduct, at this time, when the prosperity...
3690To John Adams from Jabez Bowen, 21 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will find you in Health and that Harmony and Unanimity prevails in the Councels of the United States, altho we cannot yet joyn, them. By the Choice of the Representatives that has taken place in this State we have some prospect of the Lower house Voting a State Convention, hope our Friends in Congress will be mindfull of the Mercantile Intrest in this State. and if a Letter could...