16 Went out to pay some visits and in the evening had a small party to Tea which consisted of my Sisters their husbands Mr & Mrs Walsh the Chevallier Corea Mr Pope & Mr Trimble & Mr Vail a protegie of Mr Crawfords. We had some conversation and a little Music; on the whole the evening was very dull— 17 This morning went out as usual to pay visits after a great deal of trouble and being in...
Jany 1 1818 The Circle was extremely crowded. On our arrival Mr. A was ushered into a room where the Presidents aid’s were in waiting, and I was introduced by the President who met me at door into the Circular Hall where Mrs. Monroe was seated with Mrs. Hay and Miss Gouverneur. She rose immediately and received me with much ease and affability; I was followed by the Ladies of the heads of...
23From Charles Thomas Clark to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
My letters to my dear wife will have informed you of our arrival here: I sent several to her by the London Packet bound to Baltimore: there was a Boston ship near Portsmouth but she sailed before I could get any letters on board of her and I do not think she will arrive at this season of the year as soon as one farther South. I find my health improve (notwithstanding this damp climate) very...
Decbr. 15 A Stormy and bousterous day a large party invited to dine being the first Diplomatic dinner nothing to be had and the expence enormous no visitors and no news 16 In much distress about my dinner a french Cook very drunk & every thing in confusion at 1/2 past four the company assembled consisting of Mr. & Mrs. Bagot Mr & Mrs. de Neuville Mr Tencate Mr. Glenham Mr Hughes Mr. Antrobus...
I began to be quite uneasy at your long silence my and was much pleased to find by your Letter of the 12th that pleasure and not sickness was the cause of your delay in answering my last. I am very sorry to hear that Mrs de Wint health is weak and I agree with you in the opinion that she left home too early I hope however that when she returns and resumes her quiet mode of life that she will...
26From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 2 November 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter of 15th. October was received by me on the 20th. from which time, the only possible choice that has been left me with regard to my employments has been what necessary act of duty I should postpone for the sake of attending others still more urgent. On that day (the 20th.) the President returned to the City.—There is a routine of the ordinary department business of the...
Had I not been honoured, So often; with proofs of your kindness, with which you was pleased to distinguish me among the numbers, who know, how to value the privilege of paying their homage to truth, I might deem an apologÿ necessarÿ for Sending a few insignificant lines from Philadelphia—From this point of view they would be considered by others—They may reallÿ be Stamped in this manner—your...
28From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 21 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
An alternation of six Stages, and six Steam-Boats finally landed us here yesterday afternoon, being the very day upon which I had promised to be here. The President had arrived here on Wednesday, and occupies the official mansion, where I had an interview with him last Evening—But the walls are fresh plaistered, and the wainscoting is new painted; and they render it so insalubrious for present...
29From Julia Stockton Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 September 1817 (Adams Papers)
Will you permit me at this late period to come before you with my congratulations on the return of your Son and his family to their native country, I have wish’d to do it ever since I heard of their arrival. I am almost ashamed to say, and yet it is the real reason Why I did not, that I feel such a diffidence in writing to you that I cannot conquer, and which induces me forego what I esteem...
We have arrived safely at this place after a fatiguing journey owing to the dust and extreme heat of the weather which nearly overcame me and produced so much fever by the time we reach’d New London we were apprehensive I should be incapable of proceeding as I found myself considerably better we took our passage in the Steam Boat at New London yesterday morning at 7. o-clock and reached New...
31From Hendrick W Gordon to Abigail Smith Adams, 16 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you, my illustrious friend the President, and all your family on the safe arrival of your son His Excellency John Quincy Adams to the country of his love, and of his fathers. I have not the honor of a personal acquaintance with Mr. Adams, If I had I would not trouble you with what I am about to ask, though he probably remembers the many letters he received from you through my...
We propose leaving this place tomorrow my dear Madam and expect to arrive at Quincy either Sunday or Monday you must prepare to find us all much altered since we last saw you and I have lost all my good looks and all my flesh on the voyage in consequence of a bad miscarriage at Sea added to the usual inconveniences attending the passage I am however past recovering my health and strength and...
33From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 6 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
After a passage of fifty days from Cowes, we have this day landed from the Ship Washington; all well—We shall stay here only so long as may be indispensable for landing our baggage, and making other necessary arrangements. In the course of a week or ten days, I hope to enjoy the happiness of seeing once more, my dear father and you—Remaining in the meantime, ever affectionately your’s. MHi :...
34From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 29 July 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favor of the 14th of this month, was very gratifying to me. Nothing can be more interesting then the account which it gives of the Presidents visit to Boston and the vicinity. The letter from Mr Adams which you were so good as to enclose, I have to apologize for not returning sooner. I desire to thank you for the opportunity afforded me of perusing it. There is an impressive wisdom...
35From John Pope to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 July 1817 (Adams Papers)
I am one of the Trustees of the Trasylvania University, and on that account have to request the favour of you to give me in detail as correct a view as you can of the moral habits, literary attainments, and religious tenets, of Docr. Holly—Is. he a Christian? Does he deny the divinity of Jesus Christ? That is does he believe Jesus Christ to be merely an inspired man, or the Son of God in the...
36From Ruth Hooper Dalton Deblois to Abigail Smith Adams, 16 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
The long friendship experienc’d from you, and the President and the regard he has ever had for our lamented Father and my poor agoniz’d Mother induces me to take the liberty of soliciting you both in our behalf—When we left Washington we had reason to believe if my Parent was unable from indisposition or if this sad event we now all mourn —was to take place, my Husband would be his...
37From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
The President yesterday received a letter from Mr Adams, in which he mentions his acceptance of his late appointment, and that he expected to embark in the course of the present month. The letter is dated on the 19th of April. In the possible event of this information not having reached you by the same vessel, I hasten to communicate it, offering my renewed congratulations to yourself and Mr...
38From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I am very happy that you have favored me with a letter respecting Mr Smith. It increases the interest that I before took in his situation. I will not permit myself to believe that any recollections are cherished to his disadvantage, on account of that portion of his conduct as a youth to which you have alluded. It would not be simply unkind, but unjust. It would be cruel. I took great pleasure...
As we are on the point of departure and much engaged I can only write to mention that we are all well and very desirous of soon meeting you in Boston. The remainder of the time that we shall stay in this Country will be very unpleasant as we are harrassed to death in procuring furniture and such articles as may be useful to us in America according to the advice which you gave us in a Letter...
40From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Smith Adams, 15 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your letters, dear Madam, are always welcome, and your requests are commands to me. I only regret that I can do so little towards obeying them. but eight and twenty years since I left France would, in the ordinary course of mortality, have swept off seven eighths of my acquaintances, and when to this lapse of time are added the knife of the Guillotine & scythe of constant and sanguinary wars,...
41Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters, dear Madam, are always welcome, and your requests are commands to me. I only regret that I can do so little towards obeying them. but eight and twenty years since I left France would, in the ordinary course of mortality, have swept off seven eighths of my acquaintances, and when to this lapse of time are added the knife of the Guillotine & scythe of constant and sanguinary wars,...
Although I have it not in my power to make this Letter in any manner interesting—yet I am So fullÿ confident of your good opinion, and your willingness to oblige me, that you will permit me, in acquitting me of a duty, by assuring you of my grateful Sense of your favour. This acknowledgment you might not doubt—but it is a pleasure to indulge it. It was however a higher gratification—as it was...
43From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 4 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
Some time in the early part of last month, I had the pleasure to write you a letter in answer to your favor of the 24th of March. The mail is so true that it never occurs to us to doubt the safe arrival of a letter when we know that it has been safely lodged in the post office; nor did that which I wrote leave any thing suspended leading me to look for an answer. My only reason for thus...
44From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 23 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letters of 12 and 17. March, the latter enclosing one (copy) from Mr H. G. Otis to my father reached me on the same day with a Letter from the New President of the United States, informing me that with the concurrence of the Senate, he had appointed me to the Office just vacated by himself—I had never received from him any previous intimation that it was his intention to make this...
45From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 10 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
We have been many weeks without receiving a line from you, or from any of our friends at Quincy—Your last was of 8. January, and then remarked on the mildness of the Season on that side of the Atlantic; corresponding with that which had been experienced here—But here it continued through the Winter, and to this day we have scarcely been visited with frost or snow, while we hear that in your...
46From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 2 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
I am to thank you for the kind wishes contained in your favor of the 24. of last month. You have often, indeed, gratified and flattered me by similar ones, and I feel how much I owe to your over partiality. The appointment of Mr Adams gives, as far as I can ascertain, the highest satisfaction. If ever a citizen of our country owed his elevation to the solid merits of his own character, your...
For some time past I have been wishing to have the pleasure of writing to you, to express my thanks for the very kind and flattering letter you addressed to me by Miss Sumner; also to repeat to you the gratification I felt at an introduction to Col Sumner and herself. All agreed that they were ornaments to the society of Washington this winter. It was not however in my power, and truly did I...
48From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
There have been a multitude of American Vessels, wind–bound at Liverpool near two months, several of which have Letters for you, and for my father, and which I suppose will nearly all arrive about the same time—In the interval there will be a wide chasm during which you will be without advices from us, as we have now been long without any from you—The present will go by Mr A. H. Everett, who...
49From Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Smith Adams, 13 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
A long time my beloved Friend has elapsed since we have seen each other or even conversed by letters. My eyes are so affected by the fire in winter, that I do not attempt to write. It was my intention when at Quincy to have spent the winter at Scituate; but as soon as dear Sister Bowers relinquished the idea of being there also; I was decided at once to pass it here; A spot rendered very dear...
Did I not foster Such an exalted opinion of John Quincy Adams, then yet I might deem it a becoming courtesy to address his excellent Parents on this Solemn occasion—But now I will indulge the irresisteble impulse, of allowing my Self the exquisiste gratification, which not often can be offered, in congratulating his Mother with the certainty—that the highest office—in the gift of the...
Unexpectedly I found myself once mor honoured with a few lines and well in a Season—in which the Severity of the weather might prevent any other—besides your Ladyship to bestow Similar favours: It cheered indeed my nearly benumbed Spirits; but—what enhanced the value of this gratification—was your courtesy in permitting me the perusal of a gift—intended by the Embassador for his favoured...
52From William Cranch to Abigail Smith Adams, 21 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
I know you will rejoice with me that Mrs. Cranch is again the mother of a daughter. This event happend last Evening. Mrs. Cranch requests you to permit us to name her with your name, not only as a testimony of our gratitude to you r for all your kindness to us and our connections, but as an incentive to the little stranger to in imitate the virtues which she will hear recounted when she shall...
53From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 12 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Scarce a day now passes without the arrival of vessels laden with flour from the United States. I am informed from Liverpool that upwards of twenty-five thousand Barrels have already been received there since the opening of the Ports. We have had several days ago accounts from New-York, down to the 18th. of last Month; and on Saturday I received your kind Letter of 8. Jany.—There is an old...
54From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 6 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Nothing further received from you, since I wrote you last week—My boys have returned to School; and to close their holidays I went with them to Drury–Lane Theatre, and saw the Tragedy of Richard the third—The part of this amiable hero, was performed by Mr Kean, who is now the reigning favourite of the Public—They have mutilated this Play so much in their manner of getting it up, that it is...
55From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 1 February 1817 (Adams Papers)
Mr J. Sergeant, arrived in London last week, and delivered to me Letters from you, my father and my brother. Your’s is of 5. December—At that time, you observe, the Season with you, had become very cold—Most fortunately for this Country, there has been no cold weather this Winter, and scarcely any Snow. The verdure of the fields in this neighborhood, is like that of May—There are several...
56From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 25 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Scarcely a day now passes, without the arrival of vessels from the United States; but they are principally from New York or more Southern Ports—The failure of the Harvests in this Country has much contributed to their frequency. Two years ago the British Parliament made a Law, to raise the price of Bread; having discovered that if that first necessary of life should be cheap, the Country would...
57From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of 26. November, is yet the latest that I have received from you—But since my last to you, and since mine of the 3d. instant to my father, I have received one from him, more earnestly calling upon me, to ask my recall from this Mission, and return home—I have in my last Letters both to him and you, expressed my sentiments and intentions on this subject, and have alledged such...
58From Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 January 1817 (Adams Papers)
I owe you, dear Madam, a thousand thanks for the letters communicated in your favor of Dec. 15. and now returned. they give me more information than I possessed before of the family of mr Tracy. but what is infinitely interesting is the scene of the exchange of Louis XVIII. for Bonaparte. what lessons of wisdom mr Adams must have read in that short space of time! more than fall to the lot of...
59Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 11 January 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I owe you, dear Madam, a thousand thanks for the letters communicated in your favor of Dec. 15. and now returned. they give me more information than I possessed before of the family of mr Tracy . but what is infinitely interesting is the scene of the exchange of Louis XVIII . for Bonaparte . what lessons of wisdom mr Adams must have read in that short space of time! more than fall to the lot...
60From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 28 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
General Boyd, Mr Stores, Mr Forbes, and Mr and Mrs. Everett, have all arrived in London within the week past; and by them, with many other Letters and despatches I have received your favours of 5. and of 26. November—There must be I think a Letter in arrear between the 30th. of September and the 5th. of Novr—You acknowledge the receipt of my Numbers 92 and 93—and 97 and 98. I hope the...
61From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 20 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
I mentioned to you in a former Letter, the visit that I had received from Mr Frend, and Mr Aspland, the Minister of the Unitarian Congregation at Hackney—Since then I have dined with Mr Frend, who is a Unitarian, and Astronomer, and Actuary , of an Insurance Company. There I met again Mr Aspland, who afterwards made me a present of several of his own publications, and from Dr Disney a copy of...
62From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I enclosed several numbers of Cobbett’s Register, as they are republished in open Sheets—Here are two additional numbers, with, an Observer where you will find an account of the late Riots in London, and an extract from a recent publication containing some interesting particulars about Napoleon at St Helena. The Ministerial daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly publications, the...
63From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 26 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I sent you a number of the Monthly Theological Repository, containing some Speculations of Mr Van der Kemp and Mr Jefferson—With this Letter I enclose to my Father the numbers just published of the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews—Presuming that you know the History and Character of those Publications from Cobbett, you will sufficiently understand them to be in the Nature of Lawyer’s...
64From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Last week I sent you with a Letter from my wife the Newspaper containing the Account of the Lord Mayor’s day feast at Guildhall, where you will find again some mention made of the American Minister—The singularity of the feast did not however consist in his being there; but in the Circumstance that no other Minister, either home-bred or foreign was present; and in the phenomenon still more...
Mr. Adams brought me your very kind Letter from Town the day before yesterday dated in Septbr: and was very happy to find that you enjoyed your health so well throughout the Season which is generally so trying to you and I hope that you will pass the fast approaching Winter equally well. you must be careful of yourself and not expose yourself by taking the whole charge of the family as you are...
66From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 11 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I find, from a conversation with Mr Monroe, that it is not the intention of government to send dispatches to Spain by the Chippewa, or to employ her, in any other way, as a dispatch vessel. Hence the rumour adverted to in your favor of the 28th ulto. must, it would seem, have originated in some mistake. I ought to have transmitted this information some days earlier, and beg leave to apologize...
67From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 4 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Since I last wrote to you, I have received your kind Letters of 27. August, and of 10. June, which I mention in the order, not of their dates, but of their reception. That of June enclosed a printed Copy of Judge Story’s biographical eulogium of our late excellent friend Dexter, whose loss is a calamity to our Country, and especially to our Native State, which with all her errors and follies I...
68From Richard Rush to Abigail Smith Adams, 4 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have been honored with your favor of the 28th of last month, which got to hand this morning. The wishes of which it makes mention on behalf of Mr. Clarke, to be the bearer of the dispatches by the Chippewa to Spain, I will, with the greatest pleasure, lay before the secretary of state: the testimonials to his merit, and fitness for such a trust are so perfectly ample, that I flatter myself,...
69From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 15 October 1816 (Adams Papers)
The quiet Season has at length arrived. For the last six weeks I have had no occasion to go into London, except upon business, and there is some relaxation of that—Almost all the Cabinet Ministers are absent upon excursions; and Lord Castlereagh is gone to Ireland to see his father . The Morning Chronicle gives a shrewd hint, that it is the sign that Parliament will be dissolved, and that his...
Your amiable and respected Husband has lately written a letter to Mr Madison, on a subject, in which he thought me interested, with so much delicacy and kindness, that I am about to present thro you, my grateful acknowledgments to him—and at the same time to assure him of my utter ignorance of the letter, to which he alludes. We were allways much acquainted with Mr Steele and his family, and...