151To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 24 October 1806 (Adams Papers)
Ever since the receipt of your last letter I have passed my days like an arrow shot from a bow. At a time of life when (to use an expression in one of your letters written to me soon after your return from England) “nature sighs for repose,” I live in a Constant round of business, which employs both body and mind. Even my studies (the times for which are taken from family Society or Sleep) are...
152To John Adams from Bernard Hubley, Jr., 30 October 1802 (Adams Papers)
Having undertaken to publish a Journal, during the period I was an Officer in the Army, upon condition of Eight hundred subscribers to proposals made; I take the liberty of Writing to you a few lines, and enclosing one of the Hand Bills, wishing that you may do me the honor, that your Name may be placed at the head of the list of Subscribers Names.—Should the Book be dedicated to any...
153To John Adams from Hary Grant, 20 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the Honor to send You from London some time Ago the Pictures Raphel through my friend Mr Harper. I Now take the Liberty to send You by the Portsmouth from Havre de Grace Under the Care of Capt. Izard of South Carolina a Bust of Our Ever revierd Washington Executed by Monsr: Pudon which I flatter my self will be Acceptable to You— I have been from my Consulate in Scotland some...
154To John Adams from William Heath, 18 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of Your highly esteemed letter, which you did me the honour to write me, under the date of the 11th. of May current. Having written many speculations (between the begining of the year 1770, and the present time,) under the signature of a military Countryman, I was fully aware, that my stile, Signature, and motto, would discover the writer, but it is from your...
155To John Adams from William Cunningham, 19 September 1808 (Adams Papers)
In a Letter which I had the pleasure, some time since, to receive from you, you expressed some reproof of the inactivity of the Federalists—Their conduct, at present, is not liable to such a censure; perhaps it may deserve the reproach of intemperate ardour. The zeal of party has certainly attempted to overbear the freedom of private opinion, and totally to overthrow the character of him who...
156To John Adams from Wilhem Willink, 13 September 1806 (Adams Papers)
We had the pleasure to see here this Summer William Dandridge Peck Esqe: who delivered us your letter of 24. May 1805. this Gentleman’s Stay here was Very Short, yet We endeavored to make it as agreable and as interesting to him as possible; in Short recommanded by you he met with that Regard which every one of your Friends is entitled to.— We are Very Sensible indeed to your obliging...
157To John Adams from Amos J. Cook, 21 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
Having the honor to be Preceptor of the Academy in this place, and feeling interested in the diffusion of science and literature in general, I am respectfully led to request the favor of your sending me by mail, or otherwise, as you may think proper, a specimen of your handwriting, to be preserved in the cabinet of curiosities, collecting in our Institution for the benefit of students.—I need...
158To John Adams from Henry Guest, 1 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
I take the Liberty to Send to you a Little Pamphet—That if it is Not Instructive to a Cultivated Mind it May Serve to an honor in a January Day When Better Company Would be More Agreable—And When read Will you be pleased to Acquaint Me that it Came Safe to your hands Otherwise, you Will perhaps be plauged with Duplicates—These Matters are some Measure is planed to Draw a Line from you, as I...
159To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 7 February 1803 (Adams Papers)
In returning you my remarks—I hope to enjoy ere long the satisfaction, that, after a Second perusal, you may find them worthÿ a place among the Mem. of your Academÿ: if So, my debt towards you will be increased, as you may claim their additional value. However this may be, I am preparing a Memoir on the use of copper by the Greeks, addressed to John Luzac—to pay a part of the Intrest—if I can...
160To John Adams from Isaiah Thomas, 24 March 1803 (Adams Papers)
You will pardon my boldness, for my freedom in so often troubling you—but I thought you would have the Curiosity to peruse one of the Greatest Wonders of the Age—It is an Oration, said to be written by the Son of him, who would ransom a second time turn our Churches into brothels —& who wrote in legible characters, " will ransom our freedom a second time from the hands of the Opulent !"—This...
161To John Adams from James Lovell, 2 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
Our Lincoln is wreathing in the Fox-trap of pretended-Friends. And the desendants of those Same Mice, who nibbled you when you sent good-Ellsworth to France, have been Striving to make holes in a Small Mole-hill here . I long to have in a proper “Hole,” Some of that “Sweet Converse” with you which the now-cautious Demos extorted into a rascally Public Gazette Chronicle. But, Sir, the Set-time...
162To John Adams from Tremalaroy, 1 June 1804 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to inform your goodness that since you left Madras Coast, I wrote about four or five letters but no line was favored from you an answer thereof—I last Dispatched a letter and a tiger skin by the Ship Captaïn John Neckils through the means of Ship Markee which I think would certainly have Delivered up to your goodness. I therefore hope your goodness will be pleased to Send a...
163To John Adams from Isaac Story, 20 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
The man, who loves his country, will venerate those, who have contributed to her glory and prosperity; and, as Republics are sometimes found wanting in gratitude, it becomes each individual, unless he would involve himself in the general obloquy, to express personally the sentiments of his heart. Unfortunately for America, that time has arrived. Being but a young man, I dare not trust language...
164To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 9 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to trouble you with the delivery of the enclosed letter to Dr Tufts. It contains an Account of the death of his patient Mr: Land, and a small sum of money to be sent by the Doctor to Mr: Land’s parents in new Hamshire. I sent you Mr Stevens’s pamphflet “on the dangers of the Country” a few days ago. I beg your Acceptance of it. Since the date of my last letter I have been made very...
165To John Adams from William Cunningham, 11 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The last Letter which I had the honour to receive from you, dated Jan. 3d. I have before acknowledged. Permit me to remind you, that, I have in expectation something farther from you concerning the misnamed Aristides. I am perfectly ashamed to speak to you again of my Chathams, but it is unavoidable. The three concluding numbers the printers refuse to publish. In two of them, I embodied the...
166To John Adams from Cotton Tufts, 20 April 1803 (Adams Papers)
Receieved by Cotton Tufts of the Honble John Adams Esq. Sixty Seven Dollars and Fifty Three Cents in full for one years Interest on his Note of hand given to me April 1802 —Quincy Thaxter and endorsed by him to us Said Note bearing Date March 29. 1802 Hingham April 20th. 1803 Received by Cotton Tufts of the Honbl. John Adams Esq. Sixty Seven Dollars and Fifty Three Cents being in full for one...
167To John Adams from James Wilkinson, 12 September 1804 (Adams Papers)
I rely on your goodness to pardon me for this intrusion, which springs from my solicitude to preserve inviolate, as far as may be in my power, the sound principles by which Military institutions are governed. A single Officer (Col. Butler) not long since, resisted an order for regulating the Uniform of the Head; standing alone in apposition to his Brethren & the universal practice of armies,...
168To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 9 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
It was with great regret that I found myself dissappointed in my attempt to pay my gratefull respects to you this morning.—Conceiving that the bad weather, and worse Roads, would have rendered your arrival before to day impossible, I remained in the Country in full confidence of meeting you either to day or tomorrow. I beg you to be assured, Sir, that in your Retirement from public Life, my...
169To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 21 October 1808 (Adams Papers)
The election in Pennsylvania has issued in a manner totally unexpected by the federalists, and beyond the expectations of the Democrats. I was deceived in the Opinion I gave you in my last letter by some of my federal friends who pretended to know the dispositions of the interior And frontier Counties Stse of the State. Mr: Langdon will be returned governor by a majority of nearly 30,000...
170To John Adams from William Cunningham, 16 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
The person who carried to the office my the letter which I had the pleasure to write to you the 12th. inst. brought me yours of the 9th. You may depend, most assuredly, that your disclosures concerning the ci devant Secretary, shall not be divulged while you live, and may the day be distant which shall discharge me to my discretion in the use of the important matter you have deposited in my...
171To John Adams from Rufus King, 22 June 1803 (Adams Papers)
On the 16th of last month the King of Great Britain sent a message to Parliament announcing the termination of the discussions with France, and calling on them to support him in his determination to employ the power & resources of the nation in opposing the spirit of ambition and encroachments of the Government of France. Letters of marque had been issued against France, and I conjecture that...
172To John Adams from Samuel Foxcroft, 10 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I herewith send you Asmall book, which having your Name in it I suppose it to be yours. and that I borrowd it when we ware at Colledg together) tho I have littile or no rememberance of it. Why it was not then returnd, or why it has not since been returned before now, I can give but poor too poor an account, I but can say Im not sesibel there has ben any frautilant aim or design.—in the...
173To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 23 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have been waiting like Horace’s Clown till the Stream of my business should so far lessen that I could pass over it, in order to acknowledge the receipt of your interesting letter upon the Subject of the perfectibility of human nature, but as that Stream, from adventitious currents pouring into it, rather encreases, than lessens, I have seized a few moments merely to testify my gratitude for...
174To John Adams from James Lovell, 10 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
Hoping to have, very speedily, an opportunity of testifying my Esteem of you, at your own house, in propria personâ; I now take the freedom of making a previous intreaty that you would find from Judge Cranch the origin of the Katascoptic Club; which met at the Chamber of Edmd. Quincy 3. times in a Chamber at in the Widow Salter’s House where Gl. Donnison now lives; – in 1756 or 57. I beg you...
175To John Adams from William Cunningham, 20 February 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your favours of the 11th. and 14th. inst. came both to hand to-day. I have only time, by this mail, to make this acknowledgment, and to request of you the goodness to send me what you have written on a point controverted between yourself and the person whose pertinacity you have found so unmanageable. The engagements, on my part, which you have proposed as conditional to its reception, I most...
176To John Adams from Jedidiah Morse, 20 April 1802 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for the honour & advantage of your name to head the list of subscribers to the Gazetteer of the Eastern Continent. I wish the Work may not be found unworthy such patronage. The high & sincere respect I have for your character, the gratitude I feel for the eminent services you have rendered our country, & the many acts of kindness I have received from you, prompt me to...
177To John Adams from William Cunningham, 3 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 25th. ult. came duly to hand. What you have already confided to me concerning Mr. P. and what more you may have the goodness to disclose, I shall not impart to any one. I repeat this assurance to relieve the solicitude which I perceive you cherish to have me sensibly impressed with the delicacy and importance of the communications, with which you have honoured me. I hope,...
178To John Adams from Samuel B. Malcom, 14 July 1803 (Adams Papers)
Although a considerable period has elapsed since I have had the honor to address you, I have notwithstanding continued to entertain an uniform recollection of your former civilities, and an anxious Solicitude for your health and happiness. Flattering myself that the friendly concern which you were pleased hitherto to manifest towards me, has undergone no abatement. a sense of duty mingled with...
179To John Adams from Esther Barrette Adams, 8 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
Having a considerable time since took the liberty of addressing you, being the Widow of your late Brother Summers, of whom I gave the particulars of, stating that by his Death I was left with three Children to maintain by my labour, which thanks be to God I have hitherto done.— Therefore Sir, having an opportunity per favor of the Bearer Captain Philip De Gruchy of this Island, who has known...
180To John Adams from Winthrop Sargent, 14 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
At the Solicitation of some of my particular Friends in this Country I have published a Compilation of Papers in relation to my Official Conduct in the Missisippi Government and Take Leave most respectfully to offer a Copy to the perusal of yourself and mrs Adams— I have the honour to be with gratitude / and highest Consideration / your very great Admirer / and obliged humble Servt P.S. I had...