1To John Adams from Jeremy Belknap, 19 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your last favor of the 24 th July should not have been so long without a reply had I not supposed that your attention must be so employed by the great national business as to leave You no leisure for a Correspondence with me— Indeed had the Occasion been pressing I might have taken advantage of your very obliging offer, to propose Questions to you; but as another time would do as well for me I...
The House of Representatives have passed the bill sent from the Senate for concurrence, entitled “An act concerning consuls and vice-consuls,” with amendments, in which amendments they desire the concurrence of the Senate. They have passed the bill, entitled “An act in addition to an act, entitled ’An act for establishing the salaries of the executive officers of government, with their...
3To John Adams from Tench Coxe, 8 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose you a list of the Votes in the city and county of Philadelphia from which it appears that the antifederal people are not as much animated upon this occasion as their leaders, and that we have more than our real proportion of votes in the city, and much more in the County. The Boroughs are generally enlightened and federal, and vote largely in proportion in all...
4To John Adams from Edmund Randolph, 26 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
You will be so good, as to let it be understood between us, that the mention, which some time ago was made to you by me, of the nomination of your son, was purely confidential between us ; and that on any occasion, which you may have to speak of the time, when it was first known to you, you will refer to the communication of this day only . I am dear sir / with great truth / yr. mo. ob. serv...
5To John Adams from Samuel Meredith, 26 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
February 26th: 1796 My Treasury Account of expenditures in the quarter ending the 31st. of December last having passed the offices, permit me, through you, to lay it before the honorable the Senate, and to assure you. I am Sir / with Respect / Your very humble Servant DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
6To John Adams from John Jay, 10 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
I cannot easily tell you how much I am pleased & obliged by your friendly Letter of the 4th. Instant:—were I to pursue my Inclinations, I should without Hesitation accept your kind Invitation—but our Inclinations even in things innocent must not always be gratified. my Visits to Philadelphia have ceased to be occasional, or I should certainly avail myself of those opportunities which your...
7Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 March 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your two kind favours last Evening of march 2 d & 8 th . the seasons I belive have been very near alike both here and with you. we have had several days of warm & muggy weather, the Ground thawing the slug & miller very industerous, and as the Scripture assures us that tis Lawfull to do good upon the Sabbeth, my people are employd in Annoying these destructive Enemies, who make not...
8To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 17 November 1795 (Adams Papers)
After a detention of twenty days at Helvoetsluys, and a pleasant passage of twenty four hours from thence to Margate I arrived here on the morning of the 11th: instt: The state of the business on which I came, will be known to you before the receipt of this Letter. An English paper that I saw at Rotterdam on the day of my departure from the Hague gave me the first information of Mr: Randolph’s...
9To John Adams from Francis Dana, 31 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
I did not receive your very obliging favour of the 10 th: inst: till yesterday, when I returned from the eastern Circuit. I have heard that the Judicial bill has been passed in the Senate without any alterations respecting the general plan of the judicial system. But you seem to think great changes may be made in it in the house of Representatives—that the district Judges may be annihilated...
10To John Adams from Thomas Mifflin, 3 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
In the year 1791, the Legislature of Pennsylvania directed a House to be built, for the accommodation of the President of the United States, and empowered the Governor to lease the premises. As the building will be completed in the course of a few weeks, permit me to tender it for your accommodation; and to inform you, that, although I regret the necessity of making any stipulation, on the...
11To John Adams from Tench Coxe, 5 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
Tho I suppose that some recent arrivals in the ports at S.E. of Philadelphia will give you the conformation of the report of war between G Britain & France I do myself the honor to mention to you the foundation on which it rests here. A Philada. ship arrived yesterday from Lisbon, when the Captn. Saw in the hands of Mr John Balkely, our principal American house, a letter from Mr. Fenwick the...
12Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
It was not till last Evening that I received Your Letters of Febry 2 d 4 & 7 th . the post did not get in which was Due on twesday till Saturday. I do not know how to pass a week without hearing from You. I received newspapers to the Tenth. in those I have an account of the Declaration. it was a Solemn Scene to You, and an affecting one. You will find by my Letter of the 8 th that I was with...
13To John Adams from Alexander Hamilton, 20 January 1795 (Adams Papers)
Agreeably to the order of the Senate, I have the honor to transmit the plan for the support of Public Credit announced in my letter of the 16th instant together with sundry Statements connected with it—and to be Sir / Your most obedient & / humble servant DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
14To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 4 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
I find you, & I must agree , NOT to disagree , or we must cease to discuss political questions. I could as soon believe that the British parliament, never had once a right to tax America, as believe that a fourth major part of the citizens of New york were federal , or that many of the federal minority were so, from proper motives.— I know from good authority that some of the leading...
15To John Adams from Jeremy Belknap, 1 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
I beg your acceptance of one of these volumes & that you would give the other to the President with the most respectful Compliments of the author Yr most obedt Servt MHi : Adams Papers.
16From Alexander Hamilton to John Adams, [5 July 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor to inform the Vice President of the United States and to request him to cause an intimation to be given to the Honoble The Members of the Senate that at one oClock to day, an oration will be delivered at St Pauls Church in commemoration of the declaration of Independence by a Member of the Society of the Cincinnati and that seats are provided for his and their accommodation....
17To John Adams from Henry Knox, 28 September 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 13th instant and I have the honor to enclose you a letter from the spanish Residents. Your Steward himself has recovered and also his children, but his Wife is dangerously ill Your house is not what it ought to be, either for your dignity or the rent. But it is the best to be obtained. With respectful Compliments / I am my dear Sir / With...
18To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 17 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
I suppose by this time sober hill is in great glory, at least if your spring has been forward in any measure as ours has. And when we compare our peaceful Towns & happy villages with the garrisons & wasted fields of Europe we ought to bless God who has divided us by 1000 leagues of water. But the question occurs will this distance from that great awful & distressed Theatre of human misery &...
19Abigail Adams to John Adams, 4 [December] 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Weather has been & held so uncommonly cold ever since you left Me, that I had no expectation of getting a line from you untill you reachd N york, but that line I have not yet received, and by this Time I presume you have reachd the city of Sedition, the Hot bed of France; I wrote you this Day week, and inclosed to you our Sons Letters. Gen ll Lincoln & mrs Lincoln Dined with Me yesterday...
The House of Representatives have passed a bill, entitled “An act to compensate George Gibson,” in which they desire the concurrence of the Senate. Printed Source--Senate Journal.
21To John Adams from John Bondfield, 15 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Permit me join in the United Voice of America. Accept my sincere Congratulation on the Nomination to the High Office Confer’d on you by the Choice of a free People An Honor superior to any in the Gift of Europe I hope in a few days to receive the Journals of the Opening and proceedings of Congress much more interesting than the Mock scheens of present Assembled States General of many of the...
22William Stephens Smith to John Adams, 21 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
The information I gave you relative to M r. Hammonds official Character at the moment of your departure for Philadelphia, you will probably have confirmed previous to the receipt of this— The various important stations I have filled and the particular agency I had in producing this conciliatory advance of the British Court to the Government of The United States, Justifies to my mind the offer...
23Thomas 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...
24To John Adams from Jan Willink, 20 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
We rec’d with pleasure your respected favor of 12 Sepr: by your Son John Quincy Adams Esqr: & heartily congratulate your Excelly on his nomination, We shall always esteem ourselves happy to manifest the Regard we entertain for you, & endeavour to concile ourselves yr: Sons friendship: & to conserve yours to which we Recommend ourselves.— We have exchanged your 20 Obl: and conform your...
25To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1796 (Adams Papers)
At length I have been released from a situation, equally remote from all public utility and all personal satisfaction. After a detention which I could not avoid, but which was at least unnecessary, of several months I left London on the 28th: of last month, and arrived here on the 31st: The People there were in the midst of the Saturnalian electioneering holidays. The writs issued for the New...
26To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 12 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
Ever since the last week in Octo r I have been engaged in composing & delivering a new Course of lectures on the theory & practice of medicine in the College of this city. This arduous business has employed me so closely that it has seperated me from my friends,—detatched me from all Other pursuits—and—what I regret most of all, has deprived me for a while of the pleasure of your...
27To John Adams from John Singleton Copley, 20 April 1792 (Adams Papers)
By this conveyance I send a case directed for you, containing two prints of the Death of Lord Chatham framed and glaized; one of which you will find marked with your name; the other with General Washingtons name; the first, I beg you will do me the honor to accept; The other, I take the liberty to request you will present, in my name to General Washington; As the painting from which the print...
28To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 5 May 1792 (Adams Papers)
I hope this will find you agreeably reposing at your pleasant Seat after a tedious and fatiguing Session—which however is not ended nor do I know when it will be. They have agreed to Saturday next but such long speechifications as took place on the excise &c will protract the time two or three weeks.—The Senate are almost unemployed and wish for a recess, but it will hardly do for them to...
29To John Adams from Peter Thacher, 8 February 1791 (Adams Papers)
I must make an apology for asking you to accept of the sermon inlosed herewith. You knew and loved the man whose death occasioned it, and this circumstance may render it pleasing to you to receive it. Besides, you loved the father of the author and have always been kind and friendly to him in person, and by these means the candor which it needs will be secured in your perusal of it. Excuse me,...
30Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
our parson has been praying for you to day that you may be enabled to discharge the high and important Trust committed to you with equal integrity and abilitis as you have heretofore excercised in Negotiations at Foreign courts & embassies abroad, and with equal Benifit & satisfaction to your Country. I have been reading with attention the various addresses to the Pressident & his replies....
31To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 4 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
Since I had the honour of seeing you at your own house, I have been so unwell, & so much occupied with my private Business, when able to attend to it, that I have not had an opp y of writing to you, as you requested & I engaged to do. Nor can I now do more than just to inform you, that, as the British are coming fast into their old practice, of taking from hence the Rum necessary for their...
32To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 14 June 1790 (Adams Papers)
By a vessel that sails for Boston tomorrow I inclose You the british king’s speech on the adjournment prior to the late dissolution of parliament—for which dissolution the next day a royal proclamation issued. From the tenor of this speech a general european war is expected. Meanwhile the most extensive naval armaments are preparing in the ports adjacent to all the great dockyards of this...
33To John Adams from Tench Coxe, November 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that I have been engaged thro this week in attempts to provide for you an house fit for the reception of your family but have not yet succeeded. Genl. Knox is also payeing attention to the matter & we shall certainly accommodate you, if in our power. He is of opinion that it will not be proper to refuse £300 per annum for Mrs. Keppelis house at the corner of Arch...
34To John Adams from William Tudor, 9 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
However you & I may have been taught by Civilians, & however History confirms the Maxim, that an Imperium in Imperio is a Solecism, this Country will continue to learn from its own limited School, & by the most expensive Experiments, those Truths which Statesmen, Legislators & enlightened Politicians have in vain pointed out to them.— Our present Confederacy is not very unlike the Monster of...
35To John Adams from James McHenry, 7 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to transmit you herewith, a list of Invalid Pension-Applicants, belonging to the State of New Jersey, who have been re-examined by Physicians agreably to a Resolve of Congress of the 18th of April 1796. I am with great respect / Sir / your obedient servant DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
36To John Adams from Alexander Hamilton, 23 June [1790] (Adams Papers)
M r. Hamilton will have the honor of Dineing with the Vice President on the 30 th. of June agreeably to his Obliging invitation RC ( MHi :Adams-Hull Coll.); addressed: “The Vice President of the United States”; endorsed by CA : “Mr Hamilton.”; notation by CA : “Van Berckel Sen / Van Berckel Jun / Gen Knox / Viar / Jefferson / Hamilton / Otto / Andriani / Cazenove / Izard / Butler / Smith /...
37To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 8 April 1791 (Adams Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to the Vice-president of the U. S. and has the honor to inclose him the copy of a letter from the President, just now received. MHi : Adams Papers.
38To John Adams from Chérot Dumaine, 3 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
Vous trouverez sans doute surprenant que sans V ous connaitre & sans avoir l’honneur d’être connu de V ous, je me hazarde à mettre Votre complaisance à l’épreuve, en Vous priant de Vouloir bien me rendre un service. Ce service sans doute très faible relativement au peu qu’il en coutera à Vos talens, pourrait, je le Crains, vous causer quelqu’embarras, puis qu’il Vous dérobera quelques momens...
39Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 November 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of Nov br. 9 th 11 th 12 & 14 th . you are made easy respecting the Election of mr Ames tho I believe that many of the Electors would not bear a strict scrutiny any more than Jarvis’s Party. I fear that in one sense evil was done, that good might come of it. there was no other way of Parrying the stroke, but making use of similar weapons and as Hudibrass has it, “to Combat...
To the Honourable John Adams Vice President of the United States of America The Petition of W m: Brown & Jam̃. Hopkins with advice of the Honourable John Jay most humbly sheweth that they being now in Confinement in the new Goal of this City suffering under the greatest cruelty that can be inflicted on any human Person & from the Noble Character that Yr. Honour bears induces them to apply for...
The House of Representatives have passed the bill sent from the Senate for concurrence, entitled ’An act for granting lands to the inhabitants and settlers at Vincennes and the Illinois country, in the territory northwest of the Ohio, and for confirming them in their possessions,” with amendments, in which amendments they desire the concurrence of the Senate. Printed Source--Senate Journal.
42To John Adams from Henry Knox, 15 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to submit to the honorable the Senate, by order of the President of the United States, an extract of a letter from James Seagrove Esq, temporary agent to the Creek Nation, dated the 28th ultimo, containing further information relative to Indian affairs in the Southern department. I have the honor to be, sir, with perfect respect, your most obedient servant, Printed...
43Charles Adams to John Adams, 9 May 1794 (Adams Papers)
Suppose that for a few moments we should indulge in the regions of fancy and imagine a nation about to form into civil society Suppose their fundamental law to be that no member of the community should possess more land than he could actually cultivate Suppose them determined to be an agrest people without commerce without communication with foreigners. Could not thier exist in such a...
44To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I am to thank you, my dear Sir, for forwarding M. D’Ivernois’ book on the French revolution. I receive every thing with respect which comes from him, but it is on politics, a subject I never loved, & now hate. I will not promise therefore to read it thoroughly. I fear the oligarchical executive of the French will not do. we have always seen a small council get into cabals & quarrels, the more...
45To John Adams from Pierre Deschamps, 29 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
Il m’a été informé que je dois m’adressér a Vr̃e Excellençe; Je le fais avéc confiançe. C’est au Sujet de deux balles de Lainages qui furent chargées a Londres pour mon compte sous la marque PSD N o 1 & 2. Sur le n re La Concorde, qui Fut pris par un de vos Corsaires dans sa traversée venant içy: ce n re était neutre, ainsi que moi etant Français; attestation que Je remis du consul de ma...
46To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 26 November 1792 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose you the minutes of the last week and to repeat my wishes to see you here as soon as possible, and as I hear Mrs Adams has quite recovered her health and that your own is restored I flatter myself those wishes will soon be gratified. I have every day less fears of an unfavorable election of the two first officers in the Government—People seem to look with solemn...
47To John Adams from John Trumbull, 25 June 1794 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to forward to the care of your Son in Boston, a packet which I presume comes from your friend Mr. Hollis—neither Lord Wycombe nor Mr. B. Vaughan are in Town. but your Letters I have been careful to forward. The Campaign by Sea as well as by Land is thus far severe & bloody—In the Naval Engagement the French Suffer’d a severe loss, which they consider as compensated in a...
48To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 4 February 1792 (Adams Papers)
A variety of circumstances have occurred since you left this part of the Country, which have combined to change in some measure the state of our parties in this State; you have probably heard of them from other Quarters, and ought to have heard of them before this from me. I will endeavour however to retrieve as far as possibly my former deficiency, and to give you an account of the present...
49John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 21 September 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have received within a few days three Letters with which you have favoured me, and shall pay to their contents all the attention which I can command. The scheme which you have traced out in the last of them is so extensive, that I am apprehensive it will require much time, as well as very constant enquiries, to obtain the information of the several kinds which you mention. I shall endeavour...
50To John Adams from John Brown Cutting, 6 August 1789 (Adams Papers)
Before this reaches You I hope You will have authentic accounts of the late revolution in France. At such a distance from Paris it is difficult to asscertain the truth of such important transactions as have continually taken place since the 14 th of July, at court and in the capital. By Cap t Bond of the Washington I inclosed you a parcel of pamphlets and newspapers which afforded You I hope...