1From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 23 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is Mr Pickerings Letter to mr. Pinckney. will you be so Good as to Send it to Mrs. Adams. After you have Read it will you also be so Good as to write me what Sensation it Makes and what Reflections it Occasions in Boston. I want to know what Effect this whole Buisiness has had or shall have On your Insurance offices and the Price of Stocks, in this Place. I am told the Insurers at a...
2From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 21 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I received in its time your favor of the 2d and thank you for your clear and satisfactory answer to my Questions. Pray tell me, entre nous, whether you were one of the Citizens who fraternized with Citizen Adet at Concert Halls, Whether Citizen Lincoln & Citizen Higginson are not a little in the Compunctions for the illegitimate Embraces they gave and received on that day, They seemd to me to...
3From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 16 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received and read with great pleasure your brilliant oration. It is as sensible as it is eloquent. It is one of the most precious morsels that our country has produced upon such occasions. I hope it will be the means of bringing you forward out of that domestic repose in which you seem to place too much of your delight. I cannot blame you, however. I love you the better for the motto on...
4From John Quincy Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 4 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of the 23d instant the evening before last, and am happy to find you enjoying so good spirits amid the discomfiture of honest principles which has occurred in our old parent Massachusetts. This event, though altogether unexpected to me, is easily accounted for after it has happened. I do not, however, impute it to the measures adopted by the Legislature at their summer...
5From John Quincy Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 28 December 1804 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 15th: instt. came to hand last Evening and I thank you for the remarks it contains—Shortness of time, now prevents me from replying to them so fully as I should wish—My principal object at present is to inclose for your perusal a bill, which has pass’d the House of Representatives, and is now before the Senate “to regulate the clearance of armed merchant vessels”—The...
6From James Madison to Josiah, III Quincy, 12 April 1808 (Madison Papers)
As the documents in this office did not enable me fully to answer the Queries contained in the letters written by you, as Chairman of the Committee "to whom were referred the Messages of the President of the United States of the 9 & 15th. Feby., relative to the rupture and to the amicable settlement with the Dey of Algiers," I have delayed my Reply to them, under the daily hope of receiving...
7From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 25 November 1808 (Adams Papers)
I owe you a thousand thanks, to speak in the good old English form of civility, for the Speech and the documents. You are greatly to be pitied, I mean all of you, of all parties, for I see you must labour very hard and with much anxiety, without the smallest hope, that I can discern of preserving yourselves and us the people from very dull times. If you continue the Embargo the times will be...
8From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 23 December 1808 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for all the fine Speeches you send me and especially for that of Mr Loyd and the letter of the 14th. inclosed with it. The Speech is a chaste, neat composition, very Sensible, candid, frank and manly. I conclude with him “remove the Embargo, authorize the Merchants to arm their Vessels, put the Nation in a State of defence and assert your well established and indisputable Rights or...
9From Thomas Boylston Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 18 August 1810 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Official letter, as Corresponding Secretary of the American Academy of arts and sciences, informing me of my Election as a fellow of that Institution, on the 29th: day of May last. Be pleased, Sir, to accept my thanks for this communication, and to express, in my name, to the President and Fellows of the Academy, my Respectful acceptance of...
10From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 15 January 1811 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for two presents, the Message and the documents. Mr. Madison follows the example of Mr. Jefferson in this instance; but is the difference between a speech and a message of much importance? Does the aversion to speeches and the partiality for messages arise or proceed from the spirit of democracy or aristocracy? The glorious uncertainty of the law is a proverbial expression; and why...