1To John Adams from James Warren, 18 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I Thank you for your favour of Jan y. 9 th. & for the very valuable Present which Accompanied it. I have read your Book with great pleasure, as well as Information. The Avidity of the rest of the Family to read it has prevented a second perusal, which I Enjoy in prospect. I do not recollect a Single Sentiment different from my own. Except we should might differ a little with respect to the...
2To John Adams from James Warren, 22 October 1786 (Adams Papers)
A few days since, I had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 4 th. July— You think the picture I gave you in my last too high wrought. You Cannot be of my opinion that there is here a total Change in Principles, & Manners. nor that Interest is the only pursuit. & that riches only are respected. Your distance will not permit you to form your Opinion from your own Observation. Your partiality...
3To John Adams from James Warren, 30 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
I was a few days ago honoured with your favour of the 12 th: of Dec r. I am much Obliged to you for your Attention to my Son & your favourable, if not partial opinion of the Merits of his Family. Winslow left Lisbon, & returned Home last fall: after a disagreable residence there for more than Twelve months, at a great Expence, fully convinced of the futility of Court promises, which his former...
4To John Adams from James Warren, 6 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you very lately, & very largely, without any Interested views but what arise from the pleasure of Corresponding with a Man, whose Confidence, & Friendship, I have long Experienced and wish to Continue. The design of this is to Engage your Interest in a matter which I wish Exceedingly to Accomplish. Applications to great Men are Taxes which they must submit to. your rank & Influence,...
5To John Adams from James Warren, 4 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
When I used to be in Company with the Prophets, & the Dreamers of Dreams, I could hardly realize, that I should ever have the Honour, & Pleasure of corresponding with an Ambassador at the Courts of Versailles, or London, & yet this Event among many other strange Ones, has taken Place.— I receiv’d a few Days ago by the Hand of your Amiable Son, Yours dated Auteuil April 26 th: & know no Reason,...
6James Warren to John Adams, 28 January 1785 (Adams Papers)
I Received your favour of the 27 th. August. sometime ago. & Intended before this to have wrote to you. but want of direct Conveyance. & some Other Circumstances have prevented. I am very Glad to find my Friends so agreably situated at Auteuil. at the same time the preference given to the Hills of Penn. & Neponsit give me An Additional pleasure. by Affording a prospect of once more seeing them...
7James Warren to John Adams, 29 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
M rs. Adams. & Miss Nabby left us last Sunday was a week ago. with a very fine Wind. which has Continued here ever since & promises her a fine passage. if good Wishes in great Abundance Contribute any thing to the shortness or pleasure of the Voyage. it must be propitious. M r. Jeffeson will I hope hand you this. & be as agreable a Colleague as his Predecessor. you will from him & M rs. Adams...
8James Warren to John Adams, 26 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Since my last which went by M r Temple, I have had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 10 th. Sep r by M r. Thaxter. The Approbation of your Country is as Extensive as it ought to be. that is, it is Universal. but as there remains now no Expectation of your return here before another Election. I dare say we shall not be Embarrassed by the Modesty of our present first Magistrate. whatever...
9To John Adams from James Warren, 15 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
Since my last which went in a French Brig t: by way of Nantes, Copy of which you have above, Nothing Material has taken place, except a Resolution of Congress to erect Buildings & to reside alternately on the Delaware & Potowmack, & in the mean Time they have adjourn’d to Annapolis on the 12 th Instant,— this is consider’d by the Patriots as a Triumph. Our Friend Gerry thinks the Measure will...
10To John Adams from James Warren, 27 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of the 20 th: & 21 st: of March, and the 9 th: 12 th: 13 th: & 16 th: of April, have come safe to Hand, but did not reach me till this Month, & found me on this Hill, at Work among my Potatoes, instead of being in Congress “at the great Wheel,”— Nor do I regret this on my own Account, I am quite contented with a private Life, & my Ambition is quite satisfied by excelling in the...
11To John Adams from James Warren, 24 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letters of the 6 th. Sep r. & 15 th. Dec r. & should have done it long before now. but I Expected to do it viva voce at Braintree or Milton. in the Month of June at furthest. but as that may probably be postponed to November. I will not loose another Opp y. of writing to you & especially so good an one as this by the America. I Congratulate you on the Peace & the...
12To John Adams from James Warren, 1 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
I made my Acknowlegdments of the rec t. of your favours of June 17. & July the 2 d. by Cap t. Grinnall who sailed for Amsterdam about a fortnight ago, since which I have the pleasure of yours of Aug t. 19 th. with the Inclosed Pamphlet. Conveying a State of the origin & progress of the Treaty with Holland, an Event which will make a figure in History in Proportion to its Importance, when...
13To John Adams from James Warren, 7 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters of the 17th. June and 2d. of July have given me great pleasure, perhaps more because they were Unexpected. A Spirit of Jealousy founded on a long Intermission had made me suppose you had totally forgot me? and never Intended again to write a Single Line. I hope the reasons you give for so long silence are by the fine Air of the Hague, and by Exercise removed and that I shall again...
14To John Adams from James Warren, 4 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
It is some Time since I wrote to you, and much longer since I have been honoured with a Line from you. I have but Just got to Town. Mr. George Storer who goes by the way of Denmark is on the point of sailing and I can only Inclose two papers received from Mr. Lovel, and the Boston Papers of the day. I shall write you soon and if you have not forgot that there is such a Man in the world perhaps...
15To John Adams from James Warren, 19 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Having wrote you so often and so fully I presume you would readily Excuse me if I omitted this Opportunity more especially as I am at a distance from the Capital, and have no certain News to hand you, but that Admiral de Ternay died a few days ago of a fever after a few days Illness, which perhaps may have been Occasioned by Chagrin and disappointment. It is also reported here that Cornwallis...
16To John Adams from James Warren, 22 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
Two days ago I received your favour of the 18th. March, without ever hearing before of, or seeing since the Gentleman there recommended. When I have an opportunity I shall most certainly pay proper respect to your recommendations, by takeing proper Notice of him. My last to you was by a French frigate from Newport with a Copy of what went by Capt. Hayden from here to Amsterdam. I beleive I...
17To John Adams from James Warren, 12 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
My last two or three Letters were by Capt. Samson, who if he has not Shared the ill fate of some Others, must have been handed you long before this. Three Letters went by my Son. He had the Misfortune to be taken, and carried to Newfoundland, and I suppose the Letters went to the Bottom with a great Number of Others. In them I Endeavoured to give you as perticular an Account of our Affairs...
18To John Adams from James Warren, 19 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Haveing Already wrote you pretty largely by Capt. Samson, this is only to Inform you that two days ago Arrived here one Mr. Mitchel with a Load of English Goods from London. This seems to be a prevailing and Encreasing Object of Commerce. One Arrived in the Spring. Little Notice was taken of it. Four More Vessels are said to be on their way here. It is certain there is one and Mr. Duncan is in...
19To John Adams from James Warren, 11 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
My last Letters went by my Son Winslow who left this place about three weeks ago for Amsterdam and I hope will soon be Able to deliver them to you at Paris. At that Time I flattered myself that we should be Able to hold Charlestown, but you will find before this reaches you that the Enemy have got it, with the four Continental Ships that were ordered there last Novemr. This is a great...
20To John Adams from James Warren, 29 July 1779 (Adams Papers)
I am Told that in the few Letters which have been received from you here you Complain greatly that your Friends dont write to you oftner, and that you seldom hear from America. I easily Conceive such A Situation painful, and have Contributed my Mite to prevent it by writeing by every good Opportunity and long Letters too, for I know that People in high Stations have their Curiosity as well as...
21To John Adams from James Warren, 13 June 1779 (Adams Papers)
The Providence Frigate, and a Packet have been long held in readiness to proceed to France. The first is now ordered to Another Service and we have yet no Orders for the last. This is to go by A small private Vessel Accidentally met with. I dare say you Experience in Common with us the Inconveniencies of the little Intercourse between Europe and America, and wish with the same Anxiety to hear...
22To John Adams from James Warren, 1 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
I keep no Copies of Letters and therefore am Unable to refer to the dates or the Contents. I know I have wrote you many and some of them very Lengthy. The Contents may be of no great Consequence whether they are lost or received. How many you have wrote me, you can best tell, only one has yett reached me. I have been now ten days from the Capital, and therefore Unable to give you such...
23To John Adams from James Warren, 7 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
As I keep no Copies of the Letters I write to you, and have been so Careless as to keep no Memorandum of them I cant recollect either the Number or Contents. But this I am certain of, that they are both Numerous and Lengthy, and that I have not received a Single Line from you. This is equally a subject of Complaint among all your Friends, and I am to be satisfied while I dont find myself...
24To John Adams from James Warren, 1 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have wrote you several long Letters since you left us, some of which you will doubtless by the Enemy be releived from the trouble of reading. My last was by Capt. Barnes about 14 days ago, at A Time when we had reason to be Anxious for your safety. Two days ago for the first time we were Ascertained of the safe Arrival of the Boston and of your being in Paris. This Intelligence we have by A...
Agreeable to the directions of the Honorable Marine Committee, We have provided the Scooner Dispatch, Corbin Barns Master, for the purpose of Conveying to you some Packetts of Great Importance; which are to be forwarded to you through the Council of this State. We have therefore only to wish them Safe to your hands, and to desire that your Orders may be given to furnish the Captain, with such...
26To John Adams from James Warren, 7 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
We are yet in A State of Uncertainty whether you are Arrived in France or England, and Consequently whether you are now Acting As An Embassador or suffering as Prisoner. All we know is that the last Ship from France brings no Account of you tho’ you had been out 7 weeks when she left Rochfort. The Enemy have Circulated a Report that the Boston was taken, and mention the Name of the Ship that...
27To John Adams from James Warren, 12 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
I want Extreamly to hear from you to know what situation you are in, and what is the true situation of our public affairs. It is Impossible to describe the Confused, Uncertain Accounts we have here of the military Operations to the southward. We are at A loss who possesses Philadelphia. We hear that Congress have left it, but we know not what place they have retired to, and Consequently I cant...
28To John Adams from James Warren, 10 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
You will recollect that A long time has elapsed since I had a Line from you. Our hopes and fears with regard to the Operations of War in your quarter have alternately risen and fallen perticularly with regard to the fate of Philadelphia. Till Yesterday the Post Informs us that Howe is in peaceable and quiet possession of it, without A Battle. Has Genl. Washington after all not Men enough to...
29To John Adams from James Warren, 17 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours with the Inclosed came safe to hand last week, and have given me great pleasure. I wish I could in return give you any thing that would equally Amuse, Entertain, or gratify your Curiosity, but there is not so much as A single peice of News here to hand you. We are all Agreed that Burgoine is “treading dangerous Ground.” You are doubtless better Informed of the Motions, and Intended...
30To John Adams from James Warren, 7 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the last post. I wonder whether all the Letters I write you get to hand, and if they do whether you are not tired with the Number and length of them, to say Nothing of the Composition &c. which from the Confidence I have in your Candour I pay no regard to. I am now Applying myself with all diligence to the Business of the Navy Board in Order to Answer as far as I am Able Your...
31To John Adams from James Warren, 4 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for yours of the 12th. and 18th August which came safe to hand. I am much Gratified by seeing some Account of your plans, and Operations Abroad. Your good Lady Obliged me with A Sight of A Letter of A similar kind She received from you some time since. I think on the whole they are as well as we could Expect, and perhaps in A better way than our Enemies ever had An Idea of. I shall...
32To John Adams from James Warren, 10 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
I Received your favours by Mr. Hewes and by the post since writeing which, you must have heard of the Important Event of the Evacuation of Ti. What will be the Consequences of it Time will discover. What will be the reflections upon it in the South you are Able before now to say. I suppose many Aspertions on these States. That Languor, supineness, and want of public virtue, and spirit prevail...
33To John Adams from James Warren, 11 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have this Moment an Account of the Evacuation of Ticonderoga in Consequence of A Council of General Officers who determined it to be Absolutely necessary to save the small Army there. This Intelligence is by A Letter from St. Clair to the president of the Convention at Vermont. This Letter was dated the 7th. He was then on his way to Bennigton, and he Intended to throw himself on the North...
34To John Adams from James Warren, 10 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
I Returned to this Town on Tuesday and found the Court had Just Adjourned to Sepr:. Last Evening I had the pleasure of yours of the 19th. June. Am much Obliged to you for it. It is A rarity being the only one for A Month. I hope the laudable Ambition you so frequently discover for your Countrys Excelling her Exertions for Carrying on this war will be gratified. I beleive we have 8000 already...
35To John Adams from James Warren, 22 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
If any Conjecture may be formed from the Intelligence or rather reports prevailing here you may leave Philadelphia before this Letter will get there. It is said the Britons are determined at all Events to Attempt that City, and I presume the discretion and Prudence Wisdom of your Body will Induce you to decamp and retire, before the Seige Commences. If our Army is in the situation we are told...
36To John Adams from James Warren, 11 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
It is A long time since I have had the pleasure of A line from you. I looked for one last post, and was disappointed. I wrote to you by the Thursday post since which Nothing of Consequence has taken place here. A Number of Men of War are Cruiseing on our Coast and 3 or 4 of them in our Bay. I suppose their design is get our frigates, and to Intercept the prizes taken by the Privateers lately...
37To John Adams from James Warren, 5 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
You will perhaps wonder that you have not heard from me for so long a time. I have had so little time at home of late, and found so much to do there, that I did not Attend Election, and returned to this town not before Yesterday. On my way I had the pleasure to find Mrs. Adams and family well. I left Mrs. Warren to spend this week with her friends at Braintree. I dare say every hour of it will...
38To John Adams from James Warren, 8 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you a Letter which will Accompany this with A design it should have gone by last Monday’s post, but he gave me the Slip. Nothing very Material has occured since. We had Yesterday very Agreable Accounts of A late Action in the Jersies. If it proves true, it is a good begining. Our Fleet is still in the harbour. We have had Easterly winds and thick weather almost constantly for A...
39To John Adams from James Warren, 5 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have no late Arrivals no foreign Intelligance. The Affair of Danbury has wholly Engrossed the Conversation here for a week past, and we were never able to determine whether what we heard was true or false, or even that there had been an Expedition there till Yesterday, when we were beyond a doubt Ascer tained of the loss of the Stores there, and the Indelible Stigma fixed on the N. England...
40To John Adams from James Warren, 27 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you by the post on last Thursday, Nothing very material has taken place here. Two Frigates have for some time been Infecting our Coasts. A species of Insult that has ever Gauled me, and more especially since we had Ships sufficient either to take or drive them off, lying in our harbours for months sufficient to build and Equip A large fleet. The Ships now on the Coast have taken...
41To John Adams from James Warren, 23 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have been very Unwell and Absent for A fortnight. I returned here Yesterday. While I was at home I had the great pleasure of receiving several of your favours, perticularly those of March 31. April 1st. and 3d. with the Inclosures, and since my return yours by Capt. Arnold of the 6th. Instant. I think myself greatly Obliged to you for the Entertainment as well as Intelligence and Information...
42To John Adams from James Warren, 3 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure Yesterday of receiving your favours of the 15th. and 18th. of March. There are few things I wish for more than A War between Britain, and France &c. I am therefore greatly pleased with the Accounts you have of the probability of it. Such has been the situation, of matters for some time that I could not see how it could be Avoided, and yet my Impatience makes me Uneasy at the...
43To John Adams from James Warren, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last from Plymouth about three weeks ago after which I was detained at Home longer than I Expected and did not get here till last Tuesday. I Understand that Letter and one wrote at the same time to Mr. Adams went by the Post. As I wrote with some freedom I should be glad to hear of the receipt of it. Since I have been here I have had the pleasure of yours of the 17th. Feby. and am...
44To John Adams from James Warren, 22 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure Yesterday of receiving your favours of the 3d. and 5th. Instant the first that have come to hand since your departure. I am Extreamly glad to hear of your safe Arrival in health, and good Spirits at Baltimore. I have had some Uneasiness about you, the weather has been very severe, and I supposed you must pursue a disagreable if not a dangerous route. But the climbing...
45To John Adams from James Warren, 19 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you in my last that we were about raising every fifth Man of our Alarm and Train Band List to go to the Aid of the Army at New York. Except from some remote Counties and Seaport Towns. We have now Concluded that Business. The orders are gone out and they are now Executeing, only one Regiment of them are to be taken to go to Rhode Island. That there should be no failure in this Business...
46To John Adams from James Warren, 11 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
The singular situation and great suffering, of Mrs. Temple have Induced me to Advise her to write to you, and hope from An Application to your Justice and Benevolence for all the Aid and Compensation that can with propriety be given. I have Encouraged her to Expect at least An Answer to her Letter, which is more than the President with all his politeness gave to one of which the Inclosed is A...
47To John Adams from James Warren, 7 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Reading and writeing have for some time past been Interdicted on Account of the small Pox Affecting my Eyes, which is the reason that you have heard from me so seldom of late. I generally scribble to you when Oppertunity presents whether I have much, or Indeed anything of Consequence to say or not. I Received yours of the 24th. 26. and 27th. July with the Inclosed which I have delivered as...
48To John Adams from James Warren, 17 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
When you are Informed, that on the variety of Changes that have taken place in this Town, it is now become A Great Hospital for Inoculation, you will wonder to see A Letter from me dated here, but so it is that the rage for Inoculation prevailing here has whirled me into its vortex, and brought me with my other self into the Croud of Patients with which this Town is now filled. Here is A...
49To John Adams from James Warren, 10 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have for some time past been at Home in daily Expectation of the Courts riseing. It has however Continued setting till this time. What they have lately been Employed about I am not able to say. I believe nothing very Important. A very large Committee are out to raise the Men. I mean the 5000 requested by Congress for Canada and York. I hope they will by the large Encouragement of £7–for...
50To John Adams from James Warren, 5 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Inclosed Letter was sealed to go by the last Post, but I Unluckily missed it. I have now An Opportunity to Inclose one from Braintree. Doctr. Church is Arrived here. Is not your resolve relative to him somewhat Extraordinary. I fear the People will kill him if at large. The Night before last he went to Lodge at Waltham was saved by the Interposition of the selectmen but by Jumping out of A...