251From 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...
252From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 21 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
The Revnd. Mr Greenwood the successor of Mr Thatcher and Dr Kirkland in the Church in Summer Street Boston; will deliver you this letter—and altho he is a more liberal Christian than you are—I hope you will receive him with Politeness and Cordial Civility as I have no doubt you will— George came to us last night and brought me joy and Literature—John & Charles will be here to night or to...
253From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 18 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
I am anxious for Susan.— I wish to be informed, whether Mr Clark has left any and what Property? And whether any public provision is made for the Widows and Orphans of Officers who died After the War? though they undoubtedly Sacrificed their Health and Their lives in it. I wish to know whether She is with you, on a Visit or as a dependent. I wish also to know, whether her consumptive, dying...
254From James Madison to John Quincy Adams, 18 May 1819 (Madison Papers)
I have received your favor of the 14th. in behalf of Mr. Cardelli. The examples and auspices alone, under which his request is made, entitle it to a ready compliance: and I know at present no objection to the particular time at which he proposes to make his visit. Mrs. Madison is very thankful to Mrs. Adams for the kind expressions you convey from her; and charges me to offer a cordial return...
255From Ward Nicholas Boylston to John Quincy Adams, 15 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have long meditated writeing you; but have always been reminded that I was either robbing you of your moments of leisure, or instrusively interrupting the important, and incessant employment which the duties of your high station has imposed on you— I was also kept back by the hope of seeing you and Mrs Adams in Boston sometime last month, but in this I found my self as much dissappointed, as...
256Thomas Jefferson to John Quincy Adams, 10 May 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
An absence from home of some length has occasioned your letter of Apr. 24. to remain here unanswered until my return. the operation of sitting for portraits and busts, especially after it has been so often done, and probably as well as it will be done again, and that too before the havoc of age had left nothing but an anatomy to copy, needed the strong motive of my desire to meet any wish...
257From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 May 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have particular reasons—for asking the favour of you to inform me—in what year you wrote those three Essays—pray inform me in what Year—they were written—and under what Signature, in the Boston Centinal recommending a System of Neutrallity to the United States—I believe they were written in the year. 90. 91. or 92.—I believe they were printed together in a small Pamphlet—I must, and I will...
258From Josiah, III Quincy to John Quincy Adams, 4 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
I am requested by Mess Kavanagh and Cottril late owners of the Ship Hibernia to make some inquiries of your department, which they think may possibly result in some information, which may be useful to them. That Ship was taken, when bound in December 1800, on a voyage from Waldoborough to Jamaica, with a cargo of lumber, by a French Privateer, (Le Jeune Creole) fitted out of a Spanish port...
259From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
Your comprehensive letter of the 14th Feb’y has given me great entertainment & delight, I hope you will not mistake my employment in collecting my papers as intended to prepare materials for you to write my life for upon a serious retrospection of it—I find I am ashamed of it. I have had so great opportunities to do good and have done so little, and that little so awkwardly that I should blush...
260From William Cranch to John Quincy Adams, 1 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
I enclose the sermon of Mr. Whitney which you was so kind as to lend me. My daughter Nancy has copied that part which speaks of the character of th at e venerable friend whose loss we deplore. I was in hopes that my elder daughters would have had an opportunity of being personally acquainted with her; but as that is now impossible, I shall endeavour to impress upon their hearts the virtues...
261From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the noble pacquets of documents you send me, for though I cannot read them it is convenient to have them by me. I may get a friend to consult them for me as occassion may require. I thank your lady for me for her last journal. I am really grieved at her late severe indisposition which appears to me so alarming that she ought to be extremely cautious of exposing herself to any...
262From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have been employed for a month or six weeks in hard labour to save you trouble. I have ransacked chests, trunks, boxes, bureaus, chests of drawers, escritouirs, or in fewer words, every hole & corner, from the basement story to the cockloft, in search of manuscript books & papers, and in course I have been obliged to break open locks whose key’s were lost and destroy every thing that lay in...
263From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 3 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
You made me a rich present when you allowed your son George to spend his vacation with me. He has been to me a companion and a friend. He has indulged in no dissipation, has been very constant to his studies & his reading. I cannot find it in my heart to say that he has indulged a little too much in his segars and in his flute. I see that you have the honour to be the target of all the sharp...
264From Andrew Jackson to John Quincy Adams, 25 January 1819 (Adams Papers)
Majr. General Jackson presents his Compliments to Mr & Mrs. Adams and regrets that he & his family cannot accept of their polite invitation to dine; having determined to decline all personal attentions of this kind until the issue of the proceedings in his case now pending before Congress. MHi : Adams Papers.
265From John Adams Smith to John Quincy Adams, 24 January 1819 (Adams Papers)
On the 14th instant the day of the meeting of Parliament we dined with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr Vansittart has been exceedingly attentive and civil to us, and has manifested so far as these civilities extend what may be deemed perhaps marked attention to the American Legation. On my right hand sat Mr Hammond, former Minister to the U.S. a much younger man than I could have expected...
266From John Jay to John Quincy Adams, 11 January 1819 (Jay Papers)
The last mail brought me a Letter, dated the 3 d of Nov r . last, from the House of the Mess rs . Fox at Falmouth in England; mentioning the Death of M r . Robert Were Fox, who had long been our Consul there; and who they observe had rec d . repeated Testimonies of the approbation of our Government. They express a Desire that his Son Robert, whom they represent as being a Man of “Ability...
267From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 24 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 14th. found me deeply immersed in researches, not astromical or mineralogical or metaphisical; but after old Papers, Trunks Boxes Desks Drawers locked up for thirty Years have been broken open because the Keys are lost. Nothing Stands in my Way. Every Scrap Shall be found and preserved for Your Affliction for your good. I am now employed very anxiously and laboriously,...
268From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 7 December 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, my dear Son, for your Letters and for the Presidents Speech, which is Consolation for all our Miseries for 60 Years. But I must have done with public affaires. Your Sons who behave well have been with Us last Week. They leave Us this morning for their School. Mr and Mrs Clark, and my little darling Susanna Maria were comfortably lodged last Night at Dedham on their Way to...
269From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
The bitterness of Death is past. The grim Specter So terrible to human Nature has no Sting left for me. My consolations are more than I can number. The Separation cannot be So long as twenty Separations heretofore. The Pangs and the Anguish have not been So great as when you and I embarked for France in 1778. The Sympathy and Benevolence of all the World, has been Such as I Shall not live long...
270From James Madison to John Quincy Adams, 2 November 1818 (Madison Papers)
I have received your letter of the 22 ult: and enclose such extracts from my notes relating to the two last days of the Convention, as may fill the chasm in the Journals, according to the mode in which the proceedings are recorded. Col. Hamilton did not propose in the Convention any plan of a Constitution. He had sketched an outline which he read as part of a speech; observing that he did not...
271From Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, 1 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, in the afternoon, was committed to the Tomb, the earthly remains of our dearly beloved and venerable Mother. She died about One oClock, PM, of Wednesday the 28th: ult: after an illness of three weeks and three days; but we did not think her case dangerous until the last week. but Her decline from this day week was very rapid, and she sunk into the arms of the great destroyer without...
272From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 October 1818 (Adams Papers)
Exoterick and Esoterick Doctrine. See the American Encyclopedia Tit. Exoterick: the French, Title Exoterique; the Dictionaire de Trêvoux, the Same Title, Stephens’s Thesaurus Tit. Exotericus, Gesners Dictionary Tit. Exotericus, and Acroaticus, Fabers Thesaurus Tit. Exotericus. See Also Herodotus Diadorus Siculus, Pausanias Strabo, Plutarch, Aetius , Aristotle Cicero and Aulus Gellius. See also...
273From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 23 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
enclosed is a Letter which you will see contains a request to me; and through me to you. the ploughing with the Hiffer is not yet out of date. were the object an office, I should refuse to medle with it, but as it is only a simple renewal of a midshipman from one ship & station to an other, I would hope no great interest necessary; particularly as his Health has sufferd severely in this...
274From 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...
275From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 30 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I think I once heard you Say—to make a thing choice it Should be rare. your kind Letter last Evening received—possesst both those qualities. The very Sight of your hand writing—addresd as formerly gave a Spring to my Spirits, and your Father Sprung from the settee to place himself by my Side, while I read it to him—I have foreborne writing to you, during the Session of Congress, being...
276From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for the documents you Send me, which I give to the Athenaeum believing they will do more good there than in my possession. I dare not write to you upon public Affairs, because I do not understand them. All that appears under your Signature is cooly approved as Usual, and will be, till fifty Years after you are dead and then it may possibly be admired by a fine Antequarians. Your...
277From John Adams Smith to John Quincy Adams, 19 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
An Anonymous writer has commenced his communications with me & I received his first letter on saturday evening the 9th of May. I shall give you extracts from these letters, not doubting, but you will be better able to form a correct opinion of the matter of them, which may be considered worthy of attention & remark. He communicates three important points— 1. The Newspapers of this country will...
278From Alexander Contee Hanson to John Quincy Adams, 1 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr. & Mrs. Hanson are highly flattered by having it in their power to acknowledge the honor of an invitation to dine with Mr. & Mrs. Adams, and certainly do not regret less than Mr. & Mrs. Adams the circumstances which will deprive them of the pleasure of accepting it. They take pleasure in reassuring Mr. & Mrs. Adams of their very high respect & consideration. MHi : Adams Papers.
279From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
I write but seldom to you, least you should feel as tho’ you were obliged to replie, when you must be much occupied with public Business and as I am now engaged to address you in that line, You will feel obliged to listen. My present design is to name to you a Gentleman for office conditionally. It is reported that Major Warren of plymouth is about to resign, or be removed from the office of...
280From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 29 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
This will be presented to you by Mr Holley whom you know and whom I pray you to receive with Civility; because he is one of the few in whom I delight. I love him because he is, as Dr Holmes calls him “a phylosophical divine.” I do not much affect any unphylosophical Divines though I candidly tolerate them all and esteem Some. I am told there will be complaints against Henry Warren as Collector...