451From Walter Hellen to John Quincy Adams, 9 July 1807 (Adams Papers)
As the British have blockaded the Chesapeak it has deprived us in this Quarter of any conveyance to Europe; will you therefore my dear sir be good enough to forward the enclosed letter by the first vessel going from your place to any part of Holland—as its early conveyance under present circumstances may be of considerable consequence to me— You will observe from the Papers how indignant the...
452From Charles Francis Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
I recieved your very kind letter of the 31st: of May, which Mama gave me the day before yesterday. I came to Mama’s Country house last Saturday. There is a very small Garden, in which I play; Mama is going to give me some seeds to sew, and I hope to become quite a Gardener. I have already got a Spade, a Rake, and a Wheel-barrow. You ask me what part of the Bible I am in? the lesson I read...
453Louisa Catherine Johnson to John Quincy Adams, 20 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your letter of the 6 which gave me infinite satisfaction your approbation love and esteem being my greatest ambition and delight— My father talks of embarking early in July and preparations are making for our removal— I almost wish the time was arrived— though I know the advantages resulting from it, to the whole family, I cannot help regreting the necessity, of our renewed...
454From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 August 1809 (Adams Papers)
I would not come to Town to day because I knew I should only add to yours, and my own agony, my Heart is with you, my prayers and blessing attend you, the dear Children you have left, will be dearer to me for the absence of their parents, and my care whilst, Providence continues to me my faculties, and my Life. If your Father and I Should be removed, they cannot fail of finding Friends and...
455From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 June 1824 (Adams Papers)
Johnson arrived last Eveng. and brought me your very kind Letter my best friend and I am truly grieved to learn that you were so anxious; more especially as I did not write until I arrived at this place, in consequence of having omitted to bring some paper for that purpose—As the Stage only goes three times a week, I took the earliest opportunity after taking possession of our appartments to...
456Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
Tis a long time since I had the pleasure of a Letter from you. If you wrote to me by Capt. Davis as I suppose you did, your Letters were all thrown over Board. If you have since written by a Brig call’d the Fame , I fear it will never reach me. She is still missing and must be taken or lost. The Mars from France we daily expect. The last Letters which I received from you came by the Alliance,...
457From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have already written to you twice by this opportunity. I had not intended to have taken my pen the third time, but having received intelligence from Washington which I wish’d might be communicated to mrs Adams, and her Sister with that prudence and tenderness which so distressing an event calls for I thought it best to communicate to you the Sudden death of Mrs Hellen, who was at Church on...
458From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 28 July 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your No 14 is just put into my hands and the hope it gives me of your return has come most opportunely to restore me to something like happiness my spirits were so much depressed at the parting with my Sister and her Dear Babe and the house is so dull and gloomy without them that I roam about like a spirit without knowing what to do with myself or on what to fix my attention Charles is almost...
459From James Madison to John Quincy Adams, 16 October 1810 (Madison Papers)
Previous to my return to this City, I recd. a letter from Mrs. Adams, your highly respectable Mother, communicating your anxiety to leave a situation rendered insupportable by the ruinous expences found to be inseparable from it; & taking for granted that you had written or would write to the Secy. of State to the same effect. The answer to her was, that as it was not the intention of the...
Your favour of the 9th my best friend which is the first letter I have recieved from you since you left me found the Family nearly recover’d restored to usual health excepting Charles whose Cough still afflicts him and whose eyes are again very much affected which renders me a little apprehensive of another attack this symptom having generally been a of a threatning nature however I hope for...
461From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, February 1809 (Adams Papers)
The Saturday after you left Boston, I went to Town, and brought up George. he went the next week to his uncle Cranch’s, and goes daily to school to mr Whitney. he appears well pleased, and learns to the Satisfaction of mr Whitney as I hear, who has put him into Lattin, which George Says is not so hard as French, in his French Bible his Aunt hears him daily. he is a Good Boy, save now and then,...
462Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 9 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
I had not time to write to you before I left Braintree I was in so much trouble for your Aunt and Family, that I left home with a Heavy Heart indeed, nor can I look to Philadelphia with a much lighter one, for there mrs Brisler lies at the point of death with a fever, if living. I promised Lucy if any Letters should come from Gen ll Knox or mr Brisler after I left home that you should open...
463From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
How shall I express my thanks my best beloved friend for you very kind attention. No 8 was put into my hand on my arrival in Town where I went to carry Charles to School he wrote you a long letter yesterday which I shall enclose in this and was very desirous of completing it without mistakes but it was more than he could perform and he was considerably mortified at not having accomplished the...
I am just going to dine with the Princess Belloselsky at which I have no doubt you will be much astonished but I thought it but decent to pay my respects to her as she takes such a deep interest in our affairs. in fact the general sentiment is so strong in our favour here that though it may in itself be of little consequence it can do no harm to promote by every means in our power I therefore...
465From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday evening I received a few lines from you dated from Heglecht. I am extremely happy the accident was so trifling, and hope your Servant was successful in his search— I wrote you the day after you left us, but I fear you will not receive my letter at Reval. Since your departure there has arrived a large number of dispatches among which was one brought by Mr Lewis’s brother who came in...
466From Charles Francis Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 November 1814 (Adams Papers)
By some accident my letter was too late for the last Post I therefore only send you this letter of Charles’s with assurances of our mutual affection— Dear Papa St Petersburg Novbr: 18th: 1814 I am quite a Soldier since Mrs: Betancourt made me a present of a Gun, and I exercise every day. Mama has got a new Servant who has been a Solider, and he drills me; it is a real gun, and George Krehmer...
467From François Adriaan Van der Kemp to John Quincy Adams, 24 July 1822 (Adams Papers)
If a Sense of duty did not compell me to address You with these few lines, I could not deem it proper to intrude on your more Serious occupations—but—where, perhaps, it might afford you an opportunity of doing good—even in attending to the duties of your High office, I trust, I Shall not need an excuse for this interference by the Secretary of State—while I am too well informed of John Quincy...
I can scarcely find time to write you into even a few lines having been so interrupted yesterday as to be unable to perform my accustomed task, and it affords another strong proof of how much “procrastination is the thief of Time” a tardy repentance is however of little avail, and you must wait for the next Post. this will only call into exerscion the philosophy upon which you used to pique...
469From William Steuben Smith to John Quincy Adams, 6 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
my son John graduates at this College the next Commencement—I am so occupied and shall continue so for some time to come, in the final arrangement of my affairs, that I shall not be able, and sufficiently composed, to give him the aid that he may require, in composing an English oration for him to deliver on that day— Will you do me the favour to write one on such a subject, as will instruct,...
470From Alexander Bryan Johnson to John Quincy Adams, 21 August 1825 (Adams Papers)
With a reluctance, commensurate with the liberty which I am taking, I am constrained, by obligations of friendship, to trespass one moment on your time The death of Judge Skinner, of the Northern District Court of New York, has lately been announced; & among the competitors, for the vacant office, is Nathan Williams Esqr. of this village. Mr. Williams is one of the circuit Judges of our...
I have just recieved your letter of the 5, my beloved friend, and can only lament, that the extreme irregularity of the Mails, should have caused you unnecessary anxiety. I have written to you twice, and trust ere this, your mind is perfectly at ease on our account. I am sorry however, to be obliged to tell you, that George has a very bad Cough, and that I am very unwell with a Sore Throat,...
Percieving from your last letter my beloved friend that you suffer great anxiety concerning Charles; I can with pleasure assure you, that he is very fat, very handsome, and apparently very well; though he still has the Cough which is sometimes very troublesome. Your Mother is recovering slowly and all the rest of our family are in good health— Your father was in Town yesterday and brought...
473From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 March 1815 (Adams Papers)
I write you from this place where I arrived last evening and where I have again met with a severe disappointment in not receiving Letters, more especially as the public News renders my situation extremely unpleasant— I shall leave this place for Mayence this Evening and propose to sleep there to Night and continue my rout tomorrow morning at five o’Clock I shall in all probability find you...
474From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 21st arrived from Quincy this Morning and I can only assure you in answer that your Mother is much better and that Charles is very well. you may therefore spare yourself any farther anxiety and hope to meet us soon in perfect health I merely write a few lines to satisfy your doubts concerning them and to express my regret at your cause not having come on when you expected...
475From James Madison to John Quincy Adams, 7 June 1819 (Madison Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 1st. instant. On recurring to my papers for the information it requests, I find that the speech of Col: Hamilton in the Convention of 1787, in the course of which he read a sketch of a plan of Government for the U. States, was delivered on the 18th. of June; the subject of debate being a resolution proposed by Mr. Dickinson “that the articles of...
476Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 July 1794 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter this morning of the 12 th and one from N york by your Brother Charles, who got here the day before commencment; in good Health & spirits. your Father and Brother, myself and Louissa all went together to commencment. the weather was uncomfortably Hot. it was otherways an agreeable day. I hope you will not experience any unusual inconvenience from the Heat of Philadelphia....
477From Thomas Jefferson to John Quincy Adams, 30 March 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
I am thankful for the very interesting message and documents of which you have been so kind as to send me a copy, and will state my recollections as to the particular passage of the message to which you ask my attention. on the conclusion of peace, Congress, sensible of their right to assume independance, would not condescend to ask it’s acknolegement from other nations, yet were willing, by...
478From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 June 1814 (Adams Papers)
Without knowing where to address you I cannot refrain from writing to you to inform you of our health, and our great anxiety to hear from you two posts having arrived without bringing us a line. I was uneasy at first lest you should have been prevented from writing by indisposition, or accident on the road, but on reflection your silence may have been caused by finding a number of letters at...
Having heard of the arrival of the Fingal you may suppose how anxious I am for the next Post A letter was brought me from Gottenburg addressed to you as I percieved immediately that it came from Quincy I opend it and found that it was from your and contained the most interesting news I can hear that my Boys were well I was however much grieved to find that George was to enter so soon you know...
480From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 July 1812 (Adams Papers)
Mr Benjamin Beal jun’r Who has long resided in France, returnd last Winter upon a visit to his Family here as he connected himself in France, his stay here has been Short, and he is now going back in a to Liverpool, and from thence to France I request him to take this Letter for you, which I shall place under-cover to Mr Barlow our Minister in France that he may forward it to you by the first...
481From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 2 May 1816 (Adams Papers)
Mr Edward Brooks, Eldest son of mr P C Brooks has visited us, and offerd to take Letters for us to you. his parents you know, and this young Gentleman is worthy of such parents he is said by those best acquainted with him to be a solid Sensible and correct Character—Such as will do no dishonour to our Native State, or Country. any civility in your power to show him, will be gratefully received...
482James Madison to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1829 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 1st. (post marked 7th.) instant, inclosing two letters from you to Mr. Bacon in 1808, one bearing date Novr. 17th. the other, Decr. 21. You ask the favor of me to compare these letters with the narrative in that of Mr. Jefferson [to Mr. Giles] of Decr. 25. 1825, and to let you know whether they were seen by me shortly after they were recd., with a further...
483Thomas Jefferson to John Quincy Adams, 26 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return to this place after an absence of 6 weeks I find here your favor of Nov. 29 . when I proposed to the President the appointment of mr Sasserno to be Consul at Nice , I was not possessed of his Christian name. I therefore took measures immediately to obtain it, and found also, on my return here, the answers to my enquiries. his name is Victor Adolphus Sasserno . I was intimately...
484From Charles Francis Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
I went to School on Monday as usual in a Boat because the bridge is not yet put up. When I arrived at Mr: Fishwick’s the Boys told me that Tuesday was John Dahler’s Birth-day; he gave us some nice Cake. Thursday a new Boy came whose name is Duncan. Once Priestly looked into his Drawers and saw that there were some playthings and a flute which he had brought with him. Pray do not forget to Send...
You cannot think how much I was disappointed in your last last Letter when I open’d it I was in the full expectation of reading all the good news which we had recieved here at least 4 days before instead of which I found nothing but a melancholy detail of all the suffering and disgrace which had befallen us I hope you had heard the news more in detail when you dined with the Ministers and that...
486From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
Having arrived safely without any “hair breadth scapes” to relate, I have little or nothing to say, but, that we are well, that the Horses were very much frighten’d at their trip in the Steam boat, and that Dash is the admiration of every one; so much so that Joseph is very apprehensive we shall have him stolen— In Baltimore it is said that there is little or no fever—we remained there but an...
487From Stephen Peabody to John Quincy Adams, 12 July 1826 (Adams Papers)
I have no assurance that my opinions have any claims to your confidence; but I have been acquainted with the writer of the inclosed letter for thirty years past. He is about sixty five years old & has always sustained a good character . He is an inhabitant of Orland in the County of Hancock on Penobscot River in Maine. He has seen better days than the present. He was employed several years...
488From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 July 1821 (Adams Papers)
As Mary is much better to day I hasten to write you that the Letter of yesterday may not create unnecessary anxiety—After taking an Emetic she was so much relieved I found it useless to send for a Physician and had resolution sufficient to starve her notwithstanding her freting which produced the best possible effects—This morning the alarming hoarseness with the fever have entirely...
489From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Through the kind of attention of mr Crafts we learnt yesterday morning of the arrival of the Washington, and in the Evening, through our watchfull centinal Harriet, I received the gratefull intelligence under your own hand, that you were Landed and all well for which joyfull News to your parents; God be thanked—we now wait, in pleasing expectation of welcoming You; one and all, to the old...
490From Alexander Hamilton to John Quincy Adams, 9 August 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
Upon a revision of the Loans, which have been made under the Acts of Congress of the 4th. & 12th. of August 1790, I have discovered, that a loan for One Millions of Guilders, made the 1st. of June 1793, is not upon the list marked E, accompanying the other papers, mentioned in my letter to you of the 8th. Instant. In consequence of this omission, the sum already borrowed in pursuance of the...
491From George Washington to John Quincy Adams, 20 January 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with a letter from you, dated at Berlin the 29th of Octr last; covering one from a namesake of mine, & who, very probably, may be a distant relation; as our families were from the same Country. Mine earlier than his; two brothers migrating during the Commonwealth of England. or rather, during the troubles of Charles the First. Not knowing through what other medium to...
Conceive the astonishment your Letter caused me if you can and still more the Treaty which is published in the English Papers I think it is indeed pointed at the Eastern States and that our good Friends the Yankees have some ground for discontent but I must learn not to say all I think— I know not what to do about the Selling of the goods and I fear I shall be much imposed upon this is a heavy...
I this morning recieved your favor of the 12 which afforded me the satisfaction of knowing that you were well & regret very sincerely the strange remissness of the Mails for which I can no way account— I made my first payment to Mr. Gulliver as you directed. Mr. Shaw inform’d me to day he should bring me the money from Mr. Bradford in the course of a Week he is so much occupied in attending...
494From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 October 1817 (Adams Papers)
The president has thought it Safe for the Students to assemble at Cambridge upon fryday last, and George has followd yesterday. we Shall miss his Society much. he has been company for his Grandfather Since Louissa has been Sick—I hope he is properly imprest, with the necessity of arduous application—John and Charles appear to like their Preceptor very well and perform their lessons I am told,...
Some how or other By some mistake I think I misdated my last Letter to you and it is only to day that I discover’d it. Had yours last of the 23d of Septr. not been accompanied by one from Mrs. Smith I should have been extremely uneasy, at the great depression of Spirits under which you appear to labour. The melancholy situation of our Country, warrants almost any degree of apprehension, and we...
496From William Wirt to John Quincy Adams, 6 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed letter from Mr. Bache, the post-master at Philadelphia, ought, I think, to be communicated to the President of the U.S. As it is not improbable that an application for pardon, in the case alluded to, may follow him, on his tour. Taking it for granted that, some channel of communication between him and your department, during his absence, has been settled between you, I have...
497From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 19 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Actions of little import, can demonstrate the Man of Magnanimity. I exult Sir, as an American Citizen, and it is with Pride, pleasure, & honorable Ambition, that I announce, the fact to have been demonstrated, in your Excellencys deportment in a late Transaction. Permit me Sir to make my acknowledgments with Sentiments, and in a manner, far above ordinary respect, and to assure Your Excellency...
498From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 August 1826 (Adams Papers)
I was so much hurried when I wrote to you from New York that I am afraid you could scarcely read the scrawl—We left that City yesterday Morning and arrived here at about seven o clock last Evening—Mrs de Wint is much better than she has been and I find her looking very well— In consequence of Mr Kings having enclosed your Letters to me under cover to yourself at New York I have been much...
499From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 6 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
I last night recieved your truely tender and kind letter words cannot describe the feelings with which I read it my heart swelled with gratitude and love and I almost ceased to think the stroke so bitter which proved to me how dear I am to your heart. Your plan is so perfectly agreeable that I beg you will take the house and if possible have it prepared and my Children with you by the time I...
500From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 July 1806 (Adams Papers)
Accept my best beloved friend the sincere congratulations of your wife whose prayers are humbly offered to the author of all good for your happiness and to grant you many many happy returns of this day that it may be the last which we may pass in affliction and separated— This day poor little Archibald was consign’d to the earth close by our dear little babe and poor Boyd and his wife are in...