31To John Adams from William Woodfall, 12 March 1774 (Adams Papers)
As the Affairs of AMERICA are now agitating in both Houses of the English Parliament, and as it would be a matter of infinite satisfaction to those subjects of the British Crown, who are natives and residents of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to know the real state of political occurrences in America, I thought it would neither be unwelcome to the English nor American public, if a news-paper...
32To John Adams from the Sons of Liberty, 5 February 1766 (Adams Papers)
You doubtless and every American must be Sensible, that where there is a Union happily established we Should Endeavour to Support it by all possible Means Especially when the grand Object in View is the Preservation of our Invaluable Rights and Priveledges . The Colonies (we Mean) New York and Connecticut have entered into Certain Reciprocal and Mutual Agreements Concessions and Associations,...
33Abigail Smith to John Adams, 4 May 1764 (Adams Papers)
Your desire that I would write every Opportunity is punctually observed by me, And I comply with your request, altho I have nothing more to say than How do ye? and when will you return? These questions perhaps may appear trifling to others, yet to me they are matters of the highest importance. The Doctor just now sent me your Epistle, and word, that tho he had smoked it, yet he had not read a...
34Abigail Smith to John Adams, 13 October 1764 (Adams Papers)
When I wrote you by the Doctor I was in hopes that I should have been out the next day, but my disorder did not leave me as I expected and I am still confind extreemly weak, and I believe low spirited. The Doctor encourages me, tells me I shall be better in a few days. I hope to find his words true, but at present I feel, I dont know how, hardly myself. I would not have the Cart come a tuesday...
35Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I have just returnd from a visit to my Brother, with my Father who carried me there the day before yesterday, and call’d here in my return to see this much injured Town. I view it with much the same sensations that I should the body of a departed Friend, only put of f its present Glory, for to rise finally to a more happy State. I will not despair, but will believe that our cause being good we...
36To John Adams from Catharine Macaulay, August 1773 (Adams Papers)
I was very sorry to find by your favor of the 19 of Aprill that you had so many good reasons to allege for the Depriveing me thus long of the pleasure of your correspondence. We simpathise so much in mind and Body that you cannot think me guilty of compliment when I say that I was much concerned at the account you gave me of the state of your health and the situation of your public affaires....
37Mercy Otis Warren to John and Abigail Adams, 17 May 1774 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Warren being prevented by many Avocations from writing this Morning, has put the pen into the hand of his substitute: who with him presents sincere Regards to Mr. and Mrs. Adams. Lets them know they have been Repeatedly disappointed in not seeing them at Plimouth. Shall not pretend to Deliniate the painful Ideas that arise on a survey of the Evils Brought on this much injure’d Country by...
38To John Adams from Jonathan Sewall, 11 March 1767 (Adams Papers)
11 March 1767. Enclosed in a letter from JA to Hezekiah Niles (5 Feb. 1819, LbC , Adams Papers ). Sewall’s letter was “in answer to a letter I had written to him in which I JA had enclosed a copy of the notes I had taken of Mr. Otis’s argument against writs of assistants.” MS not found. Niles neither printed nor returned the original letter of Sewall which JA sent to him. See L. H....
39Abigail Smith to John Adams, 11 August 1763 (Adams Papers)
If I was sure your absence to day was occasioned, by what it generally is, either to wait upon Company, or promote some good work, I freely confess my Mind would be much more at ease than at present it is. Yet this uneasiness does not arise from any apprehension of Slight or neglect, but a fear least you are indisposed, for that you said should be your only hindrance. Humanity obliges us to be...
40To John Adams from Samuel Cooper, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
Having just been informed that Mr. Tudor is going to Philadelphia, I take this opportunity to thank you for the obliging favor of your letter of 29th September. The struggle, as you justly observe, between fleets and armies and commercial regulations, must be very unequal: We hope, however, the congress will carry this mode of defence as far as it will go, and endeavor to render it as early...
41To John Adams from Edward Hill, 19 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
This may serve to apologize for so ungenteel a piece of Conduct as the carrying away a Sum of Money (£ 13.8—lawful) which I have received in your behalf. Nothing but absolute necessity could have forced me to do it but as I am leaving my friend you will not wonder that I wanted money which could not otherwise be procured. I have stated the matter in a letter I left for my father. RC ( Adams...
42To John Adams from Edward Hill, 29 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
Nothing could induce me to keep alive the remembrance of an affair which you will easily believe I wish might be forever forgotten, but the consideration of the importance it is of to me that my Character should stand fair in the opinion of a person with whom I have had, and in all probability am likely to have, such a connection as with you; and that no suspicion of my fidelity should remain...
43To John Adams from Jonathan Sewall, 15 February 1764 (Adams Papers)
You may remember we had some Confab. together about having the Small Pox in Concert. I intend next week (Thursday) to be inoculated by Doctr. Joseph Gardner at Point Shirley, and I expect to have Brother Thacher’s Company; —now if we could make a Triumvirate, I am perswaded it would be for our mutual Support, Com fort and Edification—but if Brother Thacher should not have Courage enough, yet...
44To John Adams from Catharine Macaulay, 19 July 1771 (Adams Papers)
A very laborious attention to the finishing the fifth vol of my history of England with a severe fever of five months duration the consequence of that attention has hitherto deprived me of the opportunity of answering your very polite letter of August 9. 1770. Your observations of the history of England are highly favorable and flattering to the Author but you must give me leave to say that on...
45To John Adams from Edward Hill, 4 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you a fortnight ago by Mr. Sullivan, since which almost every day has produced some new matter of joy to the friends of Liberty. The proceedings of the people at Salem Cambridge and other places —the resignation of many of the new Councillors—the behaviour of both juries at the Superior Court held here the last week; are some of the most important. I had proposed to send you a very...
46To John Adams from James Warren, 3 January 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Received your last and am to Acknowledge that the Contents of it gave me great pleasure. I have for some time thought it necessary that the People should strike some Bold stroke and Try the Issue. They have long enough Submitted to Oppressions and Insults following one another in A rapid Succession without finding any Advantage. They have now Indeed passed the River and left no retreat and...
47To John Adams from Joseph Hawley, August 1774 (Adams Papers)
“We must fight , if we can’t otherwise rid ourselves of British taxation, all revenues, and the constitution or form of government enacted for us by the British parliament. It is evil against right-utterly intolerable to every man who has any idea or feeling of right or liberty. It is easy to demonstrate that the regulation act will soon annihilate every thing of value in the charter,...
48To John Adams from Catharine Macaulay, 11 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
A Very long and uninterrupted course of sickness has hitherto prevented me the pleasure of answering your Letters dated Boston June 28 and Dec. 11:1773, The Letter dated June 28 was long before it reached me and being pillaged of those papers relative to the proceedings of the Council which are mentioned in it I fear it fell into bad Hands. In that Letter Dear Sir you desire me to inform you...
49Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Five Weeks have past and not one line have I received. I had rather give a dollar for a letter by the post, tho the consequence should be that I Eat but one meal a day for these 3 weeks to come. Every one I see is inquiring after you and when did I hear. All my intelligance is collected from the news paper and I can only reply that I saw by that, that you arrived such a day. I know your...
50To John Adams from Jonathan Sewall, 29 September 1759 (Adams Papers)
My Absence from home for this Week past has occasioned my delaying an Answer to your very agreable Favor of the 14th. Instant. It gives me the most sensible Pleasure to find in my Friend so becoming a Resolution to persevere in the sublime Study of the Law, maugre all the Difficultys and perplexing Intricacies with which it seems embarrassed. I call it a sublime Study; and what more sublime!...
51To John Adams from James Warren, 20 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
I need not tell you that I was greatly disappointed and Chagrin’d at not seeing you at Cambridge A Member of our Congress. If it was the Choice of your Town, I Know not how they can Excuse, or even Extenuate the fault, surely A small degree of Patriotism would have dictated a very different Conduct. My disappointment was Encreased by not haveing the pleasure of seeing you on my way there, or...
52To John Adams from Edward Dilly, 4 March 1774 (Adams Papers)
The Letters you sent for Mrs. Macaulay directed, under Cover, for me, were put into the Post office on Capt Scott’s arrival at Dover, and on their coming to my Hands I immediately transmitted the same to Mrs. Macaulay. You mentioned in your Letter to her, that you had sent the Proceeding of the Assemb l y relative to Certain Letters, but upon examining the Packet, they were not inclosed. I...
53Abigail Smith to John Adams, 19 April 1764 (Adams Papers)
Why my good Man, thou hast the curiosity of a Girl. Who could have believed that only a slight hint would have set thy imagination a gig in such a manner. And a fine encouragement I have to unravel the Mistery as thou callest it. Nothing less truly than to be told Something to my disadvantage. What an excellent reward that will be? In what Court of justice did’st thou learn that equity? I...
54To John Adams from Samuel Swift, 13 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have Read a specimen of Nov Anglus as of this day and am not a little in Raptures with it, should have Rejoyced if Edes & Gill had began and finished this days paper with his masterly performance, which I hope in God may be continued for the Edification of the Good people for whose Good it was designed and as this is Something of a leasure time may we go on. God will prosper his endeavours....
55Abigail Smith to John Adams, 12 September 1763 (Adams Papers)
You was pleas’d to say that the receipt of a letter from your Diana always gave you pleasure. Whether this was designed for a complement, (a commodity I acknowledg that you very seldom deal in) or as a real truth, you best know. Yet if I was to judge of a certain persons Heart, by what upon the like occasion passess through a cabinet of my own, I should be apt to suspect it as a truth. And why...
56To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 28 June 1774 (Adams Papers)
We yesterday received your Letter directed to us, with those for Braintree, immediately on the Receipt of it, I went to Mr Cranch’s to seek a Conveyance for them but no Opportunity offered there or at the Markets. After my return to the Office, I thought it probable that we might send them from Edes and Gill’s Shop. Accordingly I run in, I very luckily met with Mr Allens Servant who promised...
57Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I dare not express to you at 300 hundred miles distance how ardently I long for your return. I have some very miserly Wishes; and cannot consent to your spending one hour in Town till at least I have had you 12. The Idea plays about my Heart, unnerves my hand whilst I write, awakens all the tender sentiments that years have encreased and matured, and which when with me were every day...
58To John Adams from James Warren, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Recd yours of the 18th Sepr with A pleasure and satisfaction that render my Negligence in not Answering it before almost Inexcusable. I shant trouble you at this Time with any Apologies, but leave your Candour to Excuse me till I have an Opportunity to do it on A Social Evening att Braintree or Plymouth and Improve the Short Time I now have in Another way. Great has been my Anxiety since you...
59To John Adams from Richard Cranch, October 1756 (Adams Papers)
Tho’ I acknowledge that one ought never to be asham’d to speak the truth; yet I find my self much inclin’d to it, when I’m about to tell you that I have two of your very kind and ingenious Letters by me unanswer’d. I assure you sir, that my neglect arises not from any want of esteem for my Friend, but (to tell another ungratefull truth) from downright dullness; I must wait with patience for...
60Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I know not where this will find you whether upon the road, or at Phylidelphia, but where-ever it is I hope it will find you in good Health and Spirits. Your Journey I immagine must have been very tedious from the extreem heat of the weather and the dustiness of the road’s. We are burnt up with the drouth, having had no rain since you left us, nor is there the least apperance of any. I was much...