121From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 27 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the fourteenth, with its ample Enclosures of Documents, has arrived in good order....I deliver all the Journals of Senate and House, all the printed Bills and other printed Papers you send me, to your Brother, who I presume preserves them all in order for your Use and his own. The Season here has been unexampled. We have had an Abundance of Snow but it has been melted almost as...
122From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 February 1805 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of the 24 of Jan. this morning. I must repeat to you that I neither expect nor desire that you should answer my Letters. I write for my own Amusement and on a Supposition at the same time that a little diversion from your Studies and Labours might give a little pleasure. Neither you nor the Gentlemen who commonly vote with you, ought to discard your concern relative to...
123From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
I ought, before now, to have acknowledged the Receipt of your favours and even now I can do no more than acknowledge them, for what Subject have I for a Letter? Shall I Send you diagrams of my Grounds, which the fine Weather of November and December has enabled me me to plough, for Corn, Potatoes, Barley Clover and Timothy? But what a Miniature picture of a Lilliputian Plantation, would Six...
124From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
The Mail of yesterday brought, me, the Documents and in the Evening I received from Boston your favour of the 14th. By the Journals of the Senate I see, that you have Work enough, to excuse you from private Correspondences. By all that I read in the Documents, Journals, and Newspapers, it seems to me that the reigning Principle is to crouch to france & Spain and be very terrible to Britain....
125From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
In the first place, I must, in conformity with one of the rules ordained by you orators, endeavour to conciliate the affections of my reader, by quieting your Anxiety for your Children, which I can do with a good conscience by assuring you that George and John are in very good health and very fine Spirits. My Sheet would not hold the history of their Studies, their Sports and frolicks. In the...
126From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 February 1806 (Adams Papers)
My Exordium must inform you that George is and has been a long time in perfect health. John has been as plump and gay and hardy and hearty as you could wish him, till yesterday when he looked a little paler or rather a little less ruddy than usual but he worked and played as usual all day: but this morning he discovered symptoms of qualms in his stomack and puked a little, but a Tea Spoonfull...
127From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 January 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have regularly received the Journals and Documents you have been So good as to inclose and two Short Letters for which I thank you. I have recd also the Economica of Mr Blodget for which I pray you to thank him. It is I presume a work of merit and Utility. I have not been able as yet to attend to it very carefully. I have not written to you before, because I had nothing to write, unless it...
128From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is the Certificate of forty Shares in the Fire and Marine Insurance Company. The third part of the Capital which is to be paid off, you will please to receive in shares of the Boston Bank, if you approve of it, and hold them as you propose. I am your affectionate / Father MHi : Winthrop Family Papers.
129From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 November 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you, though I have received two kind Letters from you, Since your departure, giving me very pleasing accounts of your comforts in your Travels. Soon after you left Us, I took the resolution instead of Sending George to Atkinson by the Stage or any other accidental and precarious conveyance to convey him myself. Accordingly We Set out, your Mother your Son and myself, and...
130From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
Knowing very well by too long Experience the nature of your Employment, I wish you to understand that I never expect or desire any answers to my Letters except when I expressly request Information, more than a bare Acknowledgment of the Recipt of them. I Say this however upon a very patriotic and Self denying Principle because every Line from you is a cordial to my Spirit. Mr John Smith of...
131From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 January 1808 (Adams Papers)
The distance between Us, the total retirement in which I live and the Want of Facts, render a Correspondence between Us, upon public affairs of very little use to you, though it is a great pleasure to me. The Storm that has agitated the Elements for twenty Years in Europe must be drawing towards a Conclusion, and the last blasts may be the fiercest of all. We have been favoured by Providence...
132From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 17 January 1808 (Adams Papers)
As I know you hold a higher Rank in the intellectual Scale and a more estimable Situation in the moral Gradations of the Universe than Admiral Nelson, I know of no reason why I should not borrow his Fathers Epithets and for once or twice bestow them upon you. I, who perhaps ought to be indifferent to all Things in this World, and certainly Should conscientiously resign all Men Measures and...
133From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
Since you will not allow me the whole of Parson Nelsons Epithets for his Son I will insist upon retaining the better half of them. Nothing was farther from my intention than to underrate the Character of Admiral Nelson. I can Subscribe to all that you Say in his praise: yet I would not exchange Sons with the Parson, though the Admiral were still living with all his Wealth, Virtues, Titles and...
134From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
In Answer to your Letter of the 27 of January I request you to make Provision for Advancing me, by Mr Shaw one thousand one hundred and twenty five dollars and fifty Cents, or thereabout, which is the amount of an Obligation I owe to Miss Thaxter, or if you choose and I think there is but one remaining due to that Family. Your Mother has written you on the Subject of Caucus’s. I am not of her...
135From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 5 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
Livy in his 42. Book and chapters 29 and thirty, as an introduction of his History of the War between the Romans and Perseus King of Macedonia, says that all the Kings and States of Europe and Asia had their Attention fixed upon those two powerfull Nations upon the Point of engaging in War. He first explains the Views of the Kings Eumenes, Prusias, Ariarathes, Antiochus, Ptolomy, Massinissa,...
136From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 March 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your luminous Letter of the 27th of Feb. and 6. March are is before me. Was this an homogenious Nation under a consolidated Government, the Provision in the Constitution of Massachusetts would be Sufficient. But in a Confederation like ours there is danger. In Holland they have thought unanimity necessary in all most every Thing. Under our old Confederation, a Concurrence of nine States out of...
137From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 12 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
In your favour of March 25th. you express a hope that nothing like a distribution of Money, among the Principal Leaders of our Parties, has occurred or will occur, among Us. I agree with you in this hope and I will add that I Still entertain this belief. At least there is no one, on whom I can fasten even a Suspicion. But that foreign Money has been received by Sebastian, has been adjudged:...
138From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
Please to deliver the inclosed three sheets to the Boston Patriot. MHi : Adams Papers.
139From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
Please to convey the three inclosed Sheets to the Printers. I beg of you to come up in the Stage. I cannot come to Town as I intended to bring you and your dear Boy. Your Brother is Sick at Dedham. We have been obliged to Send for him and I have neither Horses nor Horse MHi : Adams Papers.
140From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 16 March 1810 (Adams Papers)
The Opportunity by Captain Benjamin Harrod is so unexpected and the time allowed me is So Short, that I can only Say We are all Well and your Son very good as well as very healthy. We hear and read Such Accounts of unavoidable Expenses where you are, that our frugal Country We fear will not enable you to do your Errand. Our Reading has been all about Russia Life of The Empress Porters Travels...
141From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 15 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
We have received no Letters from you, later than the 7th of September. The obstructions in the Way, are Such that if the communication is not So frequent or So regular as We wish, We compose ourselves as well as We can, and please ourselves with the hope that you are all well. Your Friends here and at Washington are all well. I write you nothing on publick affairs. Our Government has many...
142From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 25 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
Mr Erving, our Minister destined to Copenhagen, has already a Letter for you from me and others from your Mother and politely offers to transmit this as he may have opportunity, and expresses a desire to manifest his high Respect for Us and for you, upon greater Occasions. I am ashamed to Number my past Letters to you, they have been so few, but this is the Second at least Since this year came...
143From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 11 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
Twelve days of in cessant Snows have obscured from our Sight Sun Moon and Stars till this Morning, till this Moment when I am gazing at it as it rises, in the Chamber where your Mother has been confined during the whole Storm. I brought her home Sick, from The Meeting of The Accademy in Boston on the 30th. Jan. and She has not been out of her Chamber Since. She is now pretty well again...
144From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 14 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
At the Request of Mr Quincy, I inclose to you, his Speech on the Admission of States into the Union which are Situated beyond the Limits of the 13 original Confederates. You will want none of my Comments upon it. Your Authority is quoted in it, in Support of its Principle. The Prophecies of Quincy’s imagination are not altogether chimerical; tho I hope the fulfillment of them is far, very far...
145From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 22 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received by the Post from New York, your obliging Letter of 9. Novr.—Whether Letters are Sent through London Paris Gottenbourg or directly to Boston or directly to St. Petersbough they get along through all the Crannies and Gauntletts. I must Say that every Body has been very friendly in assisting our Intercourse by Letters. I have considered your Mothers Letters as written for me...
146From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
A Battery of Great Guns, has been erected in Philadelphia in the Beginning of this Year, under the Command of a young Engineer Mr Walsh of Baltimore. As Sylla Said that in young Cæsar were many Mariuses, perhaps it may be found that in this young gentleman are many Hamiltons The Title of his work is The American Review of History and Politicks, and general Repositary of Litterature and State...
147From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 4 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
This Letter is devoted to one Subject. Since the Death of Judge Cushing there has been frequently expressed in Conversation, much regret at your Absence, among People of all Parties. Presuming that Absence to be an insuperable Bar to any Nomination as a Judge, I have taken very little Notice of such Insinuations of Regret and imputed some of them to one Motive and Some to another. I need not...
148From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
The Public Mind Seems decided that Gerry and Gray are elected, and a Majority of Senators their Friends. Our Friend P. will not then be So Successful as he was when he brought G. in and turned you out. You are destined to be a Judge, and I am glad of it because it affords me a Chance of enjoying a Portion of your Society at least once a Month or two. And because it takes you out of The...
149From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Mr Pope of The House of Boardman and Pope, No. 37. India Wharf, was so obliging as to call upon Us to let Us know that they had a Ship to depart for St Petersbourg on Fryday next the 12th. The Ship Cordelia Captain Boit: and that they were desirous of taking any Letters from Us. Since then I have heard that Mr. Jordan is going in her, but he has not been so complaisant as to Let us...
150From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 April 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your Mother and your Father have dined here with great Pleasure this day, and I have borrowed a Pen to write you one Line by a Vessel to Sail in a day or two, barely to Say we are all well. George and John are very well and very attentive to their Studies. The Corporation for an Hospital have met to day, and all Parties very cordial and unanimous. I can add no more, only that Mr Gerry and Mr...