1John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 March 1804 (Adams Papers)
A few days since, I received your kind favour of 25. ult o: and am greatly rejoyced at the restoration of your health— But I have delayed answering it hitherto, because as the Session draws to a close, we find ourselves more driven for want of time; in addition to which we have had the extraordinary business of trying an impeachment, and I have been in trouble with illness in the family— Both...
2John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 10 th: inst t: came to hand last evening— And I would take this opportunity to request that all letters for me from Quincy, may be put in to the post-office there; without waiting to send them to Boston— I shall thus get them sooner— My own letters too I hope go directly to Quincy.— My brother I imagine will be satisfied with the frequency of my writing or inclosing...
3John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 December 1803 (Adams Papers)
I received two days ago your kind favour of the 3 d: inst t: and it was very precious as containing information of your health, and that of my father, and friends at Quincy.— I have been and am sensible of the inconvenience there would be in any free interchange of political sentiments upon the passing events, by a correspondence which must pass through the channel of the Post-Office— I...
4John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 9 December 1803 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you a letter from my wife, who would have written you earlier but that George has been very ill with a fever, for several days— He is however, thank God now recovered. I have not written to you so often myself as I ought to have done, the only reason for which has been the ardour with which I have thoughtlessly thrown myself into the vortex of public business— The only object or use...
5John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 November 1803 (Adams Papers)
I have received, My dear Mother, your kind letter of the 23 d: ult o: and it gives me the most cordial gratification to learn that your health was daily improving— I have also the satisfaction to tell you that my wife and children as well as myself are in very good health— As are all the family with whom we here reside, excepting M rs: Hellen, and she is fast recovering. My brother has...
6John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 March 1802 (Adams Papers)
I am sorry that we are again obliged to postpone our visit to you at Quincy, as George is this day breaking out with the meazles— His symptoms however are favourable, and we hope he will have the disorder lightly.— I send out by William the two turkies and a fish. There is no Cod at market, for which reason I send a haddock— You will also receive a Rochefort cheese enclosed in a leaden cover—...
7John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 November 1801 (Adams Papers)
We left Washington on the 3 d: inst t: as I informed you in my letter from that place of the 1 st: it was our intention to do.— M r: and M rs: Johnson and their two youngest daughters accompanied us to Frederick— But M r: Johnson and my child were both taken so ill on the road that we had some difficulty to complete our day’s journey— M r. Johnson’s illness detained us a week at...
8John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 November 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have intended every day since my arrival here to write you a line and inform you of my having safely reached it; but have hitherto been prevented, partly by business, and partly by the waste of time in visits, dinners and other avocations of the like nature: I say partly by business, for I have found much more of that to do here than I was aware of: upon undertaking to settle my accounts...
9John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago your kind letter of 29 January. After having been so many months without a line from you, it gave me sincere pleasure to see your hand-writing again, though I could not but sympathise with the afflictions under the immediate burden of which it was written— I have cordially and deeply lamented my poor brother, and will obey your injunction respecting his child I learn...
10John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I am almost asham’d to acknowledge how long it has been since I wrote you last, and can only hope you will consider my numerous letters to my brother, most of which I intended as much for you as for him, to be a sufficient apology— I have not received a line from you or from my father since last June, though I think it impossible but that you should have written more than once— My last letter...
11John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
M r: Paleske arrived here a few days after I wrote you last, and delivered me your letter and the pamphlets together with the dispatches from the Secretary of State, and the letters to my wife; which were extremely acceptable to her, as she had been so long without hearing from her parents. I was much gratified by your anecdotes respecting the proceedings in the Senate upon the Treaty— The...
12John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
The latest letters I have had the pleasure of receiving from you are of January 5. and Feb y: 8. But M r: Paleske has arrived at London on his way hither, and I expect to see him here in the course of a few days— He informs me that he has letters for me from you. A longer time has elapsed since I wrote you last than I can apologize for with propriety; it is possible that at some future day I...
13John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
A few days ago, I received your favour of 30. December of the last year; after a long interval during which I had not heard from you; and the communication with England from Hamburg having been for six weeks interrupted by the severity of the season, I was nearly the whole of that time without receiving any information from America— When it came at last, it was in one respect, of a nature...
14John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received at Töplitz, on the 3 d: of last month, your kind favour of 12. June, which I did not immediately answer, because I was then in bed, with a fever, which however confined me, only for about ten days, and since then my health has again been very good.— The principal motive of our Journey to Töplitz, I wrote you before I left Berlin. It was on account of my wife’s health, and with the...
15John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received not untill last Evening your kind favour of Feb y: 10. which however is the latest date that I have from you, and this circumstance is of itself sufficient to give me great concern respecting the state of your health— The Boston Newspapers in April, mention likewise that you were again ill; but I have some comfort in hearing by a letter from D r: Welsh to his son, that you were...
16John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt since I wrote you last of your two kind favours of 15. November and 1. February last— The latter is the latest letter, from America that I have, and I still continue to receive as I have ever since I have been in Europe, received from you the most recent intelligence both public and private— As in this case the first direct notice of my brother’s arrival came...
17John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
After a long period of deep concern, and anxiety, on account of your health, I feel myself in some measure relieved by the receipt of your kind letter of 2 nd Dec r: , which I received the day before yesterday; that which you mention as having written me on the 15 th of November, has not yet come to hand. At the same time, I received from M r Pitcairn at Hamburg a line, mentioning, that the...
18John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
My brother is no longer with me. Eight days ago he left me to take somewhat of a circuitous route to Hamburg, from whence he embarks for America, where I hope within two months from this date, he will deliver you the present Letter.— He had been for rather more than four years, (with two short intervals) my constant companion.— I had neither a thought nor a paper, upon any subject, public or...
19John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago your kind favour of 14 July, forwarded by the Secretary of State, and at the same time a letter for my wife, from M rs. Johnson.— The accounts from home continue to discover a spirit truly worthy of the American name; a spirit which I earnestly hope may support itself in all the vigour through the severe trial which it must undergo, and which if thus supported, will...
20John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my last, I have received your favours of 3 d. 26 th. 27 th. 29 th: May, and 12 th: June— By your very kind and constant attention I find myself as regularly and recently informed of the current Events in our Country, as I could expect or wish— Your pamphlets and papers too, with those which I receive from the department of State are a treasure to me— I have written to the Secretary of...
21John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last I have received your favour of 8. April, with the pamphlets mentioned in it.— The communications of the American Commissioners have resounded through every part of Europe, and produced a very sensible impression in the public opinion with regard to the characters exposed in them.— An attempt at defence has been made, by a publication in the official newspaper of the...
22John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
Three more letters from you of 3. 4. and 13. April, brought to England by M r Thornton, have just this moment come to hand, together with a pamphlet or two.— The message to Congress of 3. April together with all the documents accompanying it, have been published in London, from whence I have received them as mentioned in a former letter. They were received from Philadelphia by the Directory on...
23John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received within these few days your letters of the 17 th: and 29 th: of March, together with the books and pamphlets mentioned in the former. The last was forwarded to me from England by M r: King, and at the same time one from the Secretary of State of the 10 th: ult o: — I had long been without letters, and they have now been pouring in by floods at once. I have written to you and...
24John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have a day or two since received your favour of 10. Feb y: by which I perceive that my last Letters from London, had reached you, though I know not what was the fate of several that preceded them, and none of those which I wrote from this place had come to hand. I have not however since my arrival here been altogether negligent, and I hope that before this time you have received the proofs...
25John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
By your letter to my brother dated 3. January which he has just received I find that at the time when it was written you had received from us no advices later than the 16 th: of September, a circumstance equally surprizing and mortifying to me. After that date I wrote on the 19 th: and 21 st: of September to my father and on the 4 th: of October addressed to him some observations upon an...
26John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
I had scarcely closed my last Letter to you my dear mother, acknowledging the receipt of your favours of Dec r: 2. and Nov r: 23. before I received that of Nov r: 3. written at East-Chester.— We are duly grateful for your kind congratulations upon our marriage.— You will find by some of my late Letters that we have already been brought to the trial of some unpropitious circumstances Yet much...
27John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I am still to acknowledge my dear and ever honoured mother as the most attentive and punctual of all my American correspondents, by announcing the receipt of her kind favours of December 2. and November 23, which I mention in the order, as I received them, and which by their contents I find should have been preceded by another of yet earlier date which has not come to hand.— I shall endeavour...
28John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I believe it is almost three months since I wrote you last. The interval has been a disastrous and distressing period to me, and as while our misfortunes were pressing upon me, I had not the time to write even to my dearest friends, so now that as I hope they are past, I feel little inclination to give you pain by a minute recital of them. It may suffise to say that soon after the date of my...
29John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
It is but a few days since I received your kind letter of 14. July, brought to Holland by Gen l: Marshall, and forwarded to me here. The pamphlets also which you have been kind enough to send me have come to hand. I value them much not only for the advantage of perusing them, but because I am endeavouring to preserve a collection of such publications. My state of continual motion is indeed...
30John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a few lines yesterday, jointly with my new partner informing you of our marriage, upon which I would once more invoke your maternal blessing.— At present I write in answer to your very kind Letters of 15. March. 15. and 23. June all of which I have received since my arrival here. Before the receipt of the latter, I was in doubt whether you were at Philadelphia, or at Quincy.— I...
31John Quincy Adams and Louisa Catherine Adams to Abigail Adams and John Adams, 28 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have now the happiness of presenting to you another daughter, worthy as I fully believe of adding one to the number of those who already endear that relation to you.— The day before yesterday united us for life. My recommendation of her to your kindness and affection I know will be unnecessary. My sentiment of her merit, will not at this moment especially boast its impartiality , but if...
32John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
I am once more in the same pleasant situation as that which I described to you twenty months ago from Helvoetsluys. Nine days since, we left the Hague, and I believe you will think I have at least as much occasion for Patience and Philosophy as I had upon the former occasion. I am going to London, where I shall stay no longer than will be absolutely necessary, and from whence I intend to...
33John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you, since receiving your very kind Letter of 3 d: March. though I received it almost a month ago. I have determined finally to go by the way of England; you will readily conceive that this circumstance together with the necessary attention to the preparations for my departure from this Country, and since the arrival of M r: Murray, the arrangements for introducing him to...
34John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter I have received from you is dated the 11 th: of last November. I know not whether since that time the multiplicity of your own avocations or the uncertainty where your Letters would find me have prevented you from writing to me. However it be I cannot suffer a long period to pass without writing, on my part, and I feel already culpable in some degree, when I reflect, that I...
35John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
Though not many days have elapsed since I wrote you last, and I scarcely know what I can write for your amusement, I cannot omit the acknowledgment of having recently received your kind Letter, dated November. 11. which besides the pleasure which your Letters always afford, had the additional merit of relieving me from great anxiety on account of your health. The address of the President...
36John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
A few days ago, I received a Letter from my father dated at Quincy the 28 th: of October, and brought by a vessel directly from Boston. But there came with it, none from you either to my brother or to me, and my father does not mention the state of your health, so that we are much concerned about it, particularly as a Letter from M r: Cranch at Washington, written in September mentions by...
37John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago, your favour of August 10 th. it mentions a previous letter of July 11 th. which has not yet reached me. The latest date from you before this last is of June 10. From my father I think I have none since May.— The appointment to the mission of Portugal, I find from your Letter was as I had before concluded, unknown to my father. I have already written you upon the...
38John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have still to thank you for a very few lines addressed to myself, and for about half of a long Letter to my brother dated June 10.— The quotation expressive of the universal power of Love was pleasant, and the recommendation to my brother to fix his choice upon a person of manners habits and sentiments such as are likely to be found only in our own Country is judicious. — I have already...
39John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 July 1796 (Adams Papers)
Your letters of May 20. and 25. have both reached me forwarded from London. The latter was brought by M r: Gore, who sent me at the same time the speech of M r: Ames which one of your letters mentions in terms of applause which I think it well deserves. After the apprehensions and anxiety, which the preceding accounts from America had excited, I was not a little gratified at the intelligence...
40John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
I begin again to number my letters to you; a practice which I neglected, in writing from England, but which I renew, that at least you may know whether any of them miscarry in the conveyance. I wrote you eight Letters from London: the last of them dated May 5 th: and though you have been the most frequent and punctual american correspondent I have had, I have yet no acknowledgment of the...
41John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 May 1796 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days ago your favour of Feb y: 29. which was doubly grateful to me, as it was the first letter I had received from America, for many weeks.— Since then I have also received a letter from Philadelphia, which determines my immediate return to the Hague, from whence I hope that the next letter I shall write you will be dated. You will find in the papers enclosed all the news that...
42John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 April 1796 (Adams Papers)
You will find by the papers that I send with this letter, what you will perhaps know before the receipt of it; that is that the negotiations for Peace have stumbled at the threshold, and that a trial of one more year of War is to be endured by the contending Nations. The Notes of M r: Wickham & M r: Barthelemi are considered as decisive upon this point.— The scarcity of provisions has suddenly...
43John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
The opportunities for writing occur so frequently at this time, and there is so little to say that I am apprehensive some of them will escape without carrying any letters to you; for one is ashamed to write a short letter; when it is to go so far; and like most correspondents I do not always remember that to write little is better than not to write at all. I send you by the present opportunity...
44John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 March 1796 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of January 23 d. by Captain Barnard reached me two or three days ago. I am a little surprized that you had not at that date received any letters from me later than July. But indeed the intercourse between America and Holland is so precarious and interrupted that it is scarcely possible that a letter should pass from the one to the other in a shorter time than four or five months....
45John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter I wrote you should have gone by the Galen, but from being postponed to the last moment, the opportunity was lost, and it will now be delivered to you, together with this by my friend M r: Gardner who goes with Scott. He has also the goodness to take charge of the cloaks for yourself and Louisa, for which you wrote to my brother Thomas. As he remained at the Hague, I undertook...
46John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
By the present opportunity, I send you a few pamphets which may give you some entertainment in the perusal, and newspapers from which you will collect the current intelligence. For my own part I have been here so long in idleness that I have almost entirely doff’d the world aside and bad it pass.— You will observe in the papers a pretended preliminary convention for a pacification between...
47John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have the receipt of two Letters from you to acknowledge; the one bearing date September 15. and the other October 8. of the year which has just been added to the rolls of departed Time. For both these Letters please to accept my cordial thanks. As the principal subject of them relates to the Treaty, which brought me here, they are not susceptible of a lengthy answer from me.— The part which...
48John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
You will receive the letter I wrote you during my captivity at Helvoetsluys, where I was detained by opposite winds and violent weather almost three weeks. On the 11 th: inst t: I arrived here. How long I shall stay is yet unknown to myself, but I hope not long; there is something so dissipated and yet so solitary in the residence of a City like this, that I have never found in it either the...
49John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your few lines of August 25 th. were forwarded to me from the Hague by my brother, and though short, yet as the tokens of your remembrance, gave me the customary pleasure. A longer interval than I can fully justify to myself has elapsed since I wrote you last. But having written repeatedly to my father, I have always supposed myself writing at the same time to you. As you have been a traveller...
50John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday your favour of May 25 th: not numbered but the fifth that has reached me from you; the four former ones I have acknowledged before. The Peace and tranquility of this Country has not hitherto been interrupted since the Revolution, and it is to be hoped that it will continue to be inviolate. The greatest dangers to which it is exposed proceed from the popular Societies,...