1From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 23 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
Under an expectation that after our personal interview at Cambridge, you would provide yourself with the Article of dress which you required, and a new Hat, at Mr Fairbanks’s, I have been less urgent to answer your Note which was received and acknowledged by your Aunt, in my absence from Quincy. I have now only to Say, that whatever Garments you or your brother may want, if not, like yours, of...
2From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 21 August 1820 (Adams Papers)
There is in Boston, a Lemmon-tree of a peculiar kind, called the Sweet Lemmon, Sent to your Grandfather, by a gentleman from Malaga—and I expect it will be in the custody of our friend Mr J H Foster, by Tomorrow. Your Grandfather is desirous of presenting this plant to the Botanical garden, in Cambridge, and wishes you to call on Mr: Peck the Professor, with his compliments, tendering the Tree...
3To John Adams from Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have reflected with mingled emotions of filial tenderness and respect upon the proposal you made me, yesterday, to take up my abode with you and to make one family of your’s and mine. As a proposal of such a nature, would not be proper on my part, it is my duty to consider it and to answer it, as made by you. And I prefer the freedom of epistolary communication on this occasion to oral,...
4Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 25 February 1803 (Adams Papers)
Your two letters on La Harpe, I have taken the liberty to publish in the Port Folio, and I have now to ask the favor of you, as your leisure & inclination may serve, to pursue your extracts & comments upon any portion of that great work, which you may find agreeable or think useful. I make this request in behalf of the Editor of the Port Folio, who will be flattered & obliged by any literary...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 January 1803 (Adams Papers)
I lately enclosed you a prospectus of the Rev d Doctor Smith’s works accompanied by a print of the Author, which I sent rather as a specimen of good American Engraving, than on any other account; although as a subscriber to the work, which will ere long be published, you might wish to posses so striking a likeness of the Author. I sent the print and prospectus without any knowledge of M r:...
6Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 15 February 1802 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive, this morning, your favor of the 1 st: curr t: and now hasten to acknowledge it, with more eagerness, on account of the long interval, which has elapsed, since I have written particularly to yourself. I am not sorry, that you consider politicks, as forbidden fruit, for though you cannot fail to form an opinion, upon the very novel & extraordinary occurrences, in...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 10 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I enclose for your perusal two of the latest letters received by me, from my Brother; although the last contains a conditional injunction, against the communication of it, to you, I am sure it will gratify your feelings, to discover the spirit, which dictated so much solicitude, on your account. That he should have felt all the anxiety, which he describes, both as it concerned the public &...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your favors of the 24 th: & 27 th: ult o: are duly received. It seems not to be understood here, whether the proceedings, in Senate, relative to the Convention, are conclusive, as to the fate of that instrument, or whether, under any pretext, the discussion can be revived upon it. I am, myself, unable to solve the question, though I have some idea, that the rejection of the particular,...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
When I said, that I did not disagree with Manlius, in attributing the downfall of the federal cause, to the Mission to France, my meaning was, not, that the loss of the late election, was to be viewed, as the consequence of that Mission, for I believe with you Sir, that independent of that measure, the federal Candidate would have been almost universally deserted. But I meant to assert as my...
10Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have your favor of the 15 th: inst t: and am pleased to find in it an interpretation of the 6 th: Article of the Convention with France, which had escaped my reflection— Viewing it as a provision only to operate after the expiration of our treaty with G Britain, it may be both natural & proper, but as the time when it was to operate was not specified, many others, like myself, have supposed...
11Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have searched, in conformity to the request expressed in your favor of the 2 d: inst t: all the writers upon the law of Nature and Nations, which I have in my Office, for authorities to support & justify & explain, the Sixth article of the Convention with France. The extracts from Vattel in your letter are somewhat more explicit on the particular point in question, than his masters,...
12Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 28 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your affectionate & confidential favors of the 17 th: & 23 d: inst ts: and have conferred with M r: Ingersoll on the subject of their contents, so far as they concerned himself. He observed, that his communication with me, on the subject of his resignation of the office he now holds under government, was intended merely to afford an opportunity for filling the vacancy, which...
13Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 December 1800 (Adams Papers)
The letter from Gen l: Pinckney to Gen l: Marshall apprising him of the probable result of the South Carolina election, seems to be considered here as deciding the great political contest, which has excited so much interest, throughout the Continent, for some months past. The issue is like to be different from that which the federalists have, of late allowed themselves to anticipate, and their...
14Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
The morning after you left this place, the Aurora was filled with five columns & an half, from T. Coxe; wherein he undertakes to detail another private conversation, which passed between him and M r: Dennie, during his last visit to the City, & while he lodged in the same house with Dennie & myself. It is hardly necessary to observe, that this, like all other details from the same source, is...
15Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 6 th. & 10 th: inst ts:— The little schism which took place among the federal people at their late meetings, & which was detailed in one of my late letters, has terminated to general satisfaction & from the turn it has taken will probably very much promote a union of interest & exertion. Every measure, which was pursued to modify the proceedings of the...
16Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 30 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 23 d: inst t: I hesitated for some days, whether I should enclose the paper containing the Number of Horatius, which was so ridiculously headed as that you refer to, but I finally concluded that the intention of the Author was good, and that an honest though deluded zeal, had transported him, like so many others, whom we have seen, to bolster up a cause,...
17Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received in course your favor of the 4 th: inst t: a pretty assiduous attendance at Court, during the whole of the last week prevented my making a sooner acknowledgment. Two causes of considerable moment were argued very elaborately, an outline of which may be found in the Gazette of the U.S. of the 16 th: — The question of war or no war, as it respects the relative situations of the United...
18Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 26 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 14 th: has been some days in hand— I thank you for your tender solicitude for my health & success— As to the first I can say, with thankfulness that it is better than usual at this melting season— To the second, I can reply, that my professional success, is sufficient to keep me above despondency, though far short of my necessities. On Tuesday last I argued a cause of...
19Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 22 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favors of the 17 th: & 19 th: instants and take the first moment of leisure, that has occurred, since their receipt, to acknowledge gratefully these fresh instances of parental solicitude respecting my personal concerns. I shall reply without reserve to your last letter, which relates more immediately to my professional prospects. I have always been persuaded of the...
20Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 15 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 12 th: instant came to hand this morning, and I am greatly obliged by the kind invitation it contains to join you & my cousin at Trenton, which it would give me great pleasure to do immediately, but for the desire I feel of procuring an office in to which I may enter immediately on my return to the City. The inhabitants are daily flocking to town, but I have not thought it...
21Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 26 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your very kind favor of the 14 th: inst t: has a claim upon my gratitude, not only for the obliging wish it conveys, that I should become one of your family, on your return to Philadelphia, but also for the flattering opinion, you are pleased to express, on the subject of my letters & classical taste. I shall make no scruple to accept the invitation to dwell under the same roof with my...
22Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 18 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here safely yesterday forenoon, after an agreeable, though rather tardy passage from New-Port, which place we left on Sunday noon. During my stay at Newport, I visited fort Wolcott, being acquainted with Lieut t Ross of Pennsylvania who is stationed there. Major Toussard had the politeness to accompany me, and I was much pleased with the appearance of discipline & military decorum...
23Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
My time has been so occupied between going to Boston to get my dinner and coming back to Quincy again, that I have written to you but once since my arrival. I should have considered these frequent visits as time lost to improvement, but that they have enabled me to attend the Session of the Supreme Court, which commenced on the 19 th: ult o. . Having now complied with all the necessary forms...
24Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at Boston on Monday evening after a prosperous journey, and came out to this place the following afternoon in the Quincy Stage. I had the happiness to find my Mother in tolerable health, and shall be highly rejoyced, if my presence, should in any degree contribute to the continuance of that blessing. The rest of our friends are well, excepting Uncle Adams, who suffers much from a...
25Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 1 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
The morning I left Philadelphia I had not an opportunity of making the necessary arrangement with the Secretary of State for the payment of my Brother’s salary, which the Secretary of the Treasury had promised to advance. I should be sorry that this circumstance should defeat my intention of subscribing to the Loan on behalf of my Brother, the sum of 4000 D ls: which each person who...
26Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 12 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I arrived at this place yesterday afternoon, in the Ship Alexander Hamilton, after a passage of 46 days— The Season of the year will best explain what kind of weather we have experienced. I thank God that I tread once more the land of my Fathers. I shall wait only for my baggage to come on shore and then set out for Philadelphia—where I hope—to meet you in health. It gives me pain that I...
27Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 27 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you soon after my arrival here that I expected to take passage with Captain Jenkins of the Ship America, bound to Newburypor[t.] I had in fact engaged to go with him, but as he said much to me of the uncomfortableness of his vessel and refused any compensation for taking me as a passenger, I thought best to look out for another opportunity, and upon the recommendation of Capt n:...
28Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 4 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
Since my residence at this place I have received your kind letter of October 25 th: written at East Chester, a few weeks previous to your return to the seat of Government, from your nothern excursion. I have been highly delighted by the accounts which reached us from various quarters of the cordial & dignified reception given by the people to their chief magistrate, both in his going from &...
29Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Since I came to this Country, two of your kind letters have reached me; one dated in June & the other in July; the latter came by Gen l: Marshall, but by some accident was not forwarded at the same time with your letter to my brother of the same date. It has only this day come to hand. Contrary to your expectation, as well as my own, your letters find me still in Europe, and about to embark in...
30Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favors of October 28. & November 11. of the past year, have been some weeks in my possession. I am not, nor can I conveniently be, so good a correspondent as my brother, whose frequent and copious communications exhaust most of the subjects upon which I should feel disposed to write you myself, I think it is my duty nevertheless not to suffer any considerable period to pass, without...
31Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 26 November 1796 (Adams Papers)
Two days since I had the pleasure to receive your kind favors of the 9 th: June and 8 th: of August, which came by the way of England with one of the 16 th: August from my mother. I find by these, that my letter’s to you and my mother of the last of June, had not then been received, but they must have come to hand soon after, as I have an answer to a letter, which I wrote my brother at...
32Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 6 August 1796 (Adams Papers)
Since the date of my last letter, (June 24 th: ) I am favored with your’s of May 19. which gives the comfortable assurance of your safe return to Quincy. After the fatigues, vexations and anxiety, which a lengthy session of Congress always produces, I easily conceive the luxury of your enjoyment upon returning to your farm. There you meet the reward of your labors, by the appearance of...
33Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 24 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
Upon my file of unacknowledged letters, I find three from you, the last of which is of the 7 th: April and came to hand on the 21 st: inst t . The other two are of the 19 September and 13 December of the past year; and were received at a time when the state of my health rendered both mental and bodily exertion almost impossible to me. From the beginning of the last winter until very late in...
34Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I owe you a volume, & the certainty that I have not time to compile it at present is more terrifying to me than the weight of the debt. Your two kind letters of June 29 & August 25. though some time since received have never before been acknowledged; but my gratitude for these precious testimonials of Parental affection has not I trust diminished in force by having remained thus long in...
35Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 13 July 1795 (Adams Papers)
The flattering reception which my Letters have met with from you, and the expressions of commendation you have been pleased to use respecting them, would excite sensations of vanity, if I could consider them in any other light, than as the effusions of parental partiality, & paternal indulgence. As a tribute of affectionate approbation, I shall cherish it with fondness, & rember it with...
36Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 8 May 1795 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 11 th: Feb y reached me on the 29 th: ult o: ; being the first direct communication from you since my residence in Europe, the receipt of it was peculiarly acceptable; it also had another merit, that of giving the latest intelligence from our Country and friends. M r Wilcocks has not yet visited this Country; when he does I shall certainly pay him every attention, which his...
37Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 December 1794 (Adams Papers)
The rumor’s of peace have almost totally subsided; those still in circulation deserve as little credit, as they generally receive. The hope is still cherished, and even encouraged by the Government here, merely to silence the importunate demands of many of its adherents. In a former letter I mentioned the report then current, that a cessation of hostilities had been agreed to, by the armies in...
38Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 2 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
By the Ship John, Capt n. Duer I gave you information of our safe arrival at London, and I now embrace the earliest opportunity of acquainting you that on the evening of the 31 st of October we reached the place of our destination. We left London on the evening of the 28 th. and reached Harwitch the next day at noon; about 5 oClock we got under Sail on board a Packett for Helvoetsluys with a...
39Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 19 October 1794 (Adams Papers)
I embrace the earliest opportunity to acquaint you of our safe & happy arrival at this place after a Passage of 28 days. I scarcely conceive it possible at any Season of the year to have a more delightful Voyage; we got soundings on the 21 st: day after our departure, and arrived at Deal on the 28 th: in London the 29 th: exactly four weeks from the day of Embarkment at Boston. With a fast...
40Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 July 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter by my Brother was delivered a few days since; as the proposal it contains is of very considerable importance, I have taken time to consider it before I returned an answer. As you have been good enough to leave it in my option whether to adopt the plan, or not, I shall express my sentiments with the freedom which your indulgence seems to authorize. I am sensible that a young...
41Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 June 1794 (Adams Papers)
I arrived in Philad a: on Sunday Morn g & was not a little disappointed at finding you had taken your departure only the Day before; I hastened my return from Reading, that I might reach Philad a: before you left it. My Journey has been as pleasant as I co[uld] wish, & I have returned not a little prejudiced in favor of the State of Pennsylvania. If my conject[ures] are well founded, it will...
42Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 20 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
I was a little disappointed in not finding a letter for me in the Post Office of this place upon my arrival here yesterday— The arrangement, of the Posts is rather inconvenient in all the towns I have yet visited where there is any— In West Chester there is none, in York & Lancaster there is but one Mail Pr Week, as also in this place— the Mail arrived here yesterday from Philadelphia &...
43Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 14 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 10 has come to hand; I arrived at Lancaster a few hours before it; of course you favor of a prior date is yet to be received. I have requested the Post Master of York Town to forward it here when it reaches that places— As to the Letter’s you speak of I am at a loss what request to make concerning them— The business of Newcombe cannot be advanced till I return; if you will...
44Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 5 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
In our Journey from West Chester to this place we lodged at Strasburg, a German Village 9 miles the other side of Lancaster; I had little opportunity of viewing the town, as we arrived at dusk & started at 5 oClock the next morning; the lands about it are valuable & well cultivated, the Houses are many of them built with logs, with a Cement of gravel mortar to fill up the chincks— the people...
45Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 3 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
The return of some Gentlemen of the Philadelphia Bar gives me an opportunity of droping you a few lines; The Court has been engaged in many important trials, & contrary to their expectations are obliged to meet this day— M r: Ingersoll however intends making part of the Journey, to Lancaster this afternoon; To prevent an interference of the Court of Com Pleas & the Supreme Court in Lancaster...
46Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 October 1793 (Adams Papers)
After repeated, tho’ unsuccessful attempts to procure the letters, which I was informed by my Mothers letter, must be in the Post Office at Philad a: this night’s Post has brought me six : four from Boston and Quincy, & two from my other friends; I feel no little gratitude to my friends in General, & my Parents in particular for the anxious solicitude they have expressed for my wellfare, upon...
47Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 9 June 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have procured the Warrant from the Treasury for the payment of D 1250. and taken two Orders on the Branch Bank at Boston in the name of my Brother. One for Dls800. & the other for Dls1,190, which will be paid him on demand, on your behalf. The surplus I have reserved for the following purposes. Viz For five months Board Dls66. 50Cts; One hundred Dls sent to my Brother Charles; For two...
48Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 7 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
I am requested by M r: Dobson to enquire of you what disposition you desire to be made of your Book’s of which he has a considerable supply of Coppies. Whether some of them should not be sent to Boston & New York, or whether you would wish them to remain where they are. He thinks you gave him no possitive directions about them before you left the City. Various events have taken place in France...
49Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 30 October 1792 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 11 th: reached me some time since. The reasons you assign for delaying your journey to Philad a: would be sufficient to satisfy me, but I have been particularly requested by several of your warmest Friends, to mention that your determination may be viewed in a different point of light by those who seek occasions & opportunities to injure you or your cause. It has become...
50Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, 16 August 1792 (Adams Papers)
In my last Letter I promised to transmit the Result of the Town meetings which have been lately held in this City; the inclosed abstract will supersede the necessity of any additional remarks from me; It will be sufficient to say that the Party, which on the last meeting in which any business was transacted, had the majority, having gained all their measures prevented any further business on...