27511778 April 21. Mardi. (Adams Papers)
Dined, this Day, at Mr. Chaumonts, with the largest Collection of great Company that I have yet seen. The Marquis D Argenson, the Count De Noailles, the Marshall de Maillebois, the Brother of the Count de Vergennes, and a great many others, Mr. Foucault and Mm., Mr. Chaumonts Son in Law and Daughter, who has a Fortune of 4 or 5000£ st. in St. Domingo, Mr. Chaumonts own Son and Miss Chaumont....
27521771. Monday June 3d. (Adams Papers)
A fine Morning—a soft, sweet S.W. Wind. Oated in Spencer—turned my Horse to grass at Wolcotts in Brookfield. I ride alone, I find no Amusement, no Conversation, and have nothing to think about. But my Office and Farm frequently steal into my Mind, and seem to demand my Return. They must both suffer for Want of my Presence. The Road to Stafford turns off, by Brookfield Meeting House, into...
2753From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 19 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 13th. has touched my feelings. Deeply infected with a dangerous distemper you ask my advice as a Physician. The Faculty sometimes cure their Patients by relating facetious Anecdotes. I could give you a hundred within my own Experience and little reading but your Malady is two inveterate to be cured by Jocularity. It must be treated Seriously. I know not the Facts. Has the...
2754From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 22 June 1809 (Adams Papers)
In a former letter, it was suggested that I found myself obliged to say something of the peace of 1783. Mr. Hamilton, in his pamphlet, page 7, says, "The principal merit of the negociation with Great Britain, in some quarters, has been bestowed on Mr. Adams; but it is certainly the right of Mr. Jay, who took a lead in the several steps of the transaction, no less honorable to his talents than...
2755From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 23 of June is come to hand, with a Copy of M r Lamb’s of 6 June from Aranjuez. There is no Intelligence from America of Armies marching to take the Posts from the English. The News was made as I Suppose against the opening of the Three Per Cents, and it had the intended Effect to beat down the Stocks a little. Altho the Posts are important, the War with the Turks is more So. I lay...
2756From John Adams to Samuel Dexter, 10 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed is a letter or memorial from Mr I Lewis late consul at the Isle of Enclosed is a letter from General Peleg Wadsworth. A memorial of the select men of Livermore—another of the Select men of Turner—a petition of a committee & an association of about 60 men. All those are amply sufficient to justify me in the appointment of the Turner & Livermore federal volunteer company of Cavalry & I...
2757Tuesday May 20. (Adams Papers)
Saw Philadelphia Papers to the 12 of April. The Corvette dispatched from Cadiz by the Comte D’Estaing, carried the first News of the Preliminaries of the 20 of January. Mr. Livingston wrote it to Carlton and Digby, but they thought it, however respectable, not authentic for them. Soon after the February Packet arrived, at New York, from whence English News Papers were sent out and the...
2758From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am this moment favored with yours of this date, & thank you for the information it contains. It was proper to publish the news in Mr. Humphry’s letter. I return you Mr. Kings, as well as his. The assurances you propose to convey through Mr. King to the court of Denmark, that their consul will be cordially received are very agreeable to me.—I hope to meet you in Philadelphia on the course of...
2759From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 17 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I received this Morning, your Favour of the 16. inclosing a polite Letter from the Duke de la Vauguyon. I hope to receive another from you this Evening, and that it will contain an Account of the Fate of my Memorial. Has it been laid before their high mightinesses or not? And what was done with it? Pray, has the president, by the Constitution of this Country, a right to pocket, Suppress, or...
2760From John Adams to John V. N. Yates, 1 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter you did me honor to write me on the 24th. December. And I pray you to accept my thanks for the kind expressions and benevolent sentiments of it,—The Greeks I believe have been alternately excited and encouraged in their resistance to the Turks by Russia, Austria England and France for a course of years past, and now I fear they are to be abandoned to their fate by...
2761From John Adams to Richard Rush, 30 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 20th has given me great pleasure; because it informs me that you are happy. Your Visit to Philadelphia must have been delightful; and the Company of your excellent Surviving Parent on your return, and her domestication with you, and the fair Enchantress must be more So. This family Intercourse cannot be less pleasing to your Mother. It will preserve her health and prolong...
2762From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 16 September 1810 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged by your favour of the 8th. Oh how I wish, I had time to write, and you Patience to read The Anecdots I could dictate concerning “Chapmans” in New England! all “able bodied Men.” I deceived you a little by an Inference of my own from what The Edinborough Reviewers had written. I know not that they have mentioned you by Name or your Works by their Titles: but I read in them “If...
2763John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 February 1793 (Adams Papers)
I am so anxious for your health, Since you inform’d me of the return of your Intermittent, that I shall take the Stage on Monday for N. York, but whether I shall go by the Packet to Providence, or continue in the Stage to Boston, I know not. This will depend upon the Wind and other Circumstances to be learn’d at N. York. C. Smith is here in good health. He is returned from France and England,...
2764Wednesday [29 March.] (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Blakes. Mr. Middleton and Wife, Mr. Alexander and Mrs. Williams, Mr. Jefferson. Coll. Smith and my Family. William Blake (1739–1803) , a wealthy and well-connected South Carolina planter, lived much of his life in England but contrived to save most of his property in America; his wife was the former Anne Izard ( S.C. Hist. and Geneal. Mag. , 2:231–232 [July 1901]; 9:81–82 [April...
2765From John Adams to United States Congress, 16 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I wish to know the pleasure of Congress and request their direction concerning the disposition of the property of the United States now in my possession; whether I shall deliver it into the hands of the heads of Departments, or of the commissioners of the city of Washington, or of a committee of Congress, or to any other persons Congress may appoint, to be delivered into the hands of my...
2766From John Adams to Robert R. Livingston, 23 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
The letters you did me the honor to write me on the 6 th. & 18 th. of November, are come to hands— You do me honor, Sir, in applauding the Judgement I have formed, from time to time, of the Court of Britain, and future Ages will give me Credit for the Judgement I have formed of some other Courts. The true designs of a Minister of State are not difficult to be penetrated, by an honest man of...
2767From John Adams to Samuel Cooper?, 9 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 27. May, received yesterday. I did not expect that our Army would have raised the Siege of Quebec, So soon, much less So unskillfully and So timorously. I cannot forbear, these Epithets. But raising a siege in open day, and in the Face of an Enemy, was a Step, that nothing could justify, that I can think of. The Small Pox is a terrible Enemy, but why could not this have been kept out...
2768From John Adams to Rev. John B. Sim, 17 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Poem in imitation of the manner of Ossian, on the Death of Washington and thank you very kindly for the Present. Among all the elegant Productions upon this mournful Event which I have Seen I know not that I have read any one with more pleasure. The Novelty and Singularity of the Idea adds much to the Merit of the beauty and Pathos of the Execution of it. I think that...
2769From John Adams to the President of Congress, 6 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 6 August 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 347–350. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:623.. In this letter, which was read in Congress on 16 Nov., John Adams provided an English translation of a report dated 13 July at St....
2770From John Adams to United States Congress, 3 July 1797 (Adams Papers)
The whole of the Intelligence, which has for sometime past been received from abroad, The Correspondences between this Government and the Ministers of the belligerent Powers residing here, and the Advices from the Officers of the United States civil and military, upon the Frontiers, all conspire to shew, in a very strong Light the critical Situation of our Country. That Congress might be...
2771May 11. Monday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Sorins, at Passi.
2772From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 26 March 1806 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the fifteenth is received. In a cornfield, which I had manured with seaweed and Marsh mud, in a compost with other materials, I found, last fall, two plants of an uncommon Appearance which I Suspected to be the Kali: because—they resembled the descriptions of it which I had read in the Dictionary of natural History and in the Œconomical Dictionary, both of which quote Monsieur...
2773To John Jay from John Adams, 21 March 1792 (Jay Papers)
A difference of opinion having arisen among those of the Trustees of the Sinking Fund, who are now in this City, respecting the construction of their authority under the Act making provision for the Reduction of the Public Debt, by which they are equally divided, your presence here towards settling the principle which is in question, in order to the future conduct of the business, has become...
27741783 June 1. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
The Loadstone is in Possession of the most remarkable, wonderfull and misterious Property in Nature. This Substance is in the Secret of the whole Globe. It must have a Sympathy with the whole Globe. It is governed by a Law and influenced by some active Principle that pervades and operates from Pole to pole, and from the Surface to the Center and the Antipodes. It is found in all Parts of the...
2775From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 5 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Though your Son is engaged in an honourable and a laudable pursuit, I apprehend he is not quite aware of all the embarrassments in his way. his objects are the literature and the history of his country. I will pass by the first for the present and confine myself to the second There were two pivots upon which the American revolution turned, These were The controversy between Governor Hutchinson...
2776From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 27 October 1821 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter of the 21st. has given me great satisfaction, indeed you have been very good I have received letters from all places you stoped at, as far as Trenton—The safe arrival of you all at Washington is very agreeable news—I hope you will not expose yourselves to the pestilence that walks in darkness through the whole region round about you—I hope the frosts have before this time...
2777To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 19 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have the Honour to inform you, that I yesterday drew Bills of Exchange upon your Excellency, in favour of the House of Fizeaux & Grand to the amount of Twenty Seven Thousand Crowns of three Livres Each, to enable them to discharge the Bills of Congress which I have accepted and which are now or will be in a few days payable. The following is the List I...
2778[June 1774] (Adams Papers)
At Piemonts in Danvers, bound to Ipswich. There is a new, and a grand Scene open before me—a Congress. This will be an assembly of the wisest Men upon the Continent, who are Americans in Principle, i.e. against the Taxation of Americans, by Authority of Parliament. I feel myself unequal to this Business. A more extensive Knowledge of the Realm, the Colonies, and of Commerce, as well as of Law...
2779From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 26 December 1813 (Adams Papers)
Be not anxious. I am not jealous. Had your Packett arrived one day Sooner, I Should have delivered it in Person to Mr and Mrs Quincy at this house. I shall Send it to Boston where they now live, by the first opportunity. Mrs Adams is very low, in consequence of a pulmonary fever of dangerous Symptoms: but she is So much better as to bid me tell you She Should have answered your very polite...
2780From John Adams to Josiah Quincy, 6 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Two days ago I had the Pleasure of yours of Septr. 22. I am very Sorry to learn from your Letter that you have occasion for any Advice of mine, and have not had an opportunity of taking it. I fully intended to have made you a visit, but my stay was so short and I had So many Engagements that it was out of my Power. That a great Revolution, in the Affairs of the World, is in the Womb of...
2781October 9. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Went this Morning to the Secretary Fagel and returned him the original Treaty, and the original Convention which was designed for their High Mightinesses. The others designed for Congress, I kept. We run over together the few litteral Variations, and corrected all, indeed all the Inaccuracies were found to be in my Copy which I kept to compare. Mr. Fagel said that one day this Week he would...
2782From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 7 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have just now, recd. your favour of the 6th. I am glad Mr. Winchester has accepted his Commission. I return your Sons Extract from Liancourts Travels. Who could have put into his head, falsehoods so absurd and so gross? It could not be Simcoe. Absurd as he often was he could not have been guilty of this folly which is almost too palpable for our own Jacobinical Prints. Why have We no Copy of...
27831778. June 2d. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Went to Versailles, and found it deserted, the Court being gone to Marli. We went to Marli, waited on met the Compte De Vergennes, and did some Business, then went to Mr. De Sartine, and dined with him. His Lady was at home, and dined with the Company. The Prince de Montbarry dined there.—Went with Madam Sartine to the Count D’Arandas, the Spanish Ambassadors Coffee, as they call it, where he...
2784From John Adams to Charles Thomson, 6 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
Col: Pickering has sent me in your name your Synopsis of the four Evangelists, The whole of which has been read to me, except the notes, I cannot delay to express my gratitude for your Rememberance of me, and for this rich present, It is much more intelligable to me than King James translation— I know of no Man who has spent the last thirty years of a long life in so much serenity, industry...
2785John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 21 July 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
I am greatly obliged to you for your Letter of the 9 th It has entirely convinced me that the Mecklenburg Resolutions are a fiction, when I first read them in the Essex Register, I was struct with astonishment—It appears appeared to me utterly incredible that they should be genuine; but there were so many circumstances calculated to impose on the public; that I thought it my duty to take...
2786To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 4 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Preston has at last found and sent me your Letter. Dr. Bancroft spoke to me, about Commodore Jones’s Demand upon Denmark: but upon looking into the Papers we found that the Commodore is recommended by Congress wholly to the Minister at the Court of Versailles, so that We were apprehensive our Powers would be disputed. The Danish Minister however was not here; I offered to go with Dr....
2787John Adams to Charles Adams, 18 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of receiving your favour of the 1 st. on Saturday night: by your Brother, who has been admitted this Term at the Supreme Court and is rising in Practice as well as in litterary fame. We cannot be too cautious in forming our Opinions of french affairs, and We ought to be still more Slow in discoursing on them. Our amiable and excellent Friend, the Baron is like many others,...
2788From John Adams to Francis Dana, 12 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
In the Lists of the House and Board, I was as much pleased to find your Name among the latter as I was chagrined to find it omitted in the former. This is one among numberless Advantages of a Middle Branch of the Legislature, that a Place may be found in it, for such distinguished Friends of their Country, as are omitted by the People in the Choice of their Representatives. This is an...
27891774. Sept. 14. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Visited Mr. Gadsden, Mr. Deane, Coll. Dyer, &c. at their Lodgings. Gadsden is violent against allowing to Parliament any Power of regulating Trade, or allowing that they have any Thing to do with Us.— Power of regulating Trade he says, is Power of ruining us—as bad as acknowledging them a Supream Legislative, in all Cases whatsoever. A Right of regulating Trade is a Right of Legislation, and a...
2790From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have requested a number of Friends, to Search and Seek for information concerning the Fisheries, and they have procured me many Letters which I have Sent you. I ought to have recorded in a Book every One of those Testimonies: but you know the impossibility of it, as I have no Clerk. Some of those documents I have been obliged to Send away to you, without reading them. Inclosed is one from...
2791July 14. 1796 Thursday. (Adams Papers)
The Wind N.W. after a fine rain. A firing of Cannon this morning in the Harbour. I arose by four O Clock and enjoyed the Charm of earliest Birds. Their Songs were never more various, universal, animating or delightful. My Corn this Year, has been injured by two Species of Worms. One of the Size and Shape of a Catterpillar, but of a mouse Colour, lies at the root, eats off the Stalk and then...
2792From John Adams to the Marquis of Carmarthen, 28 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inclose to Your Lordship, an authenticated Copy of a Resolution of Congress of the third of May, relative to Phineas Bond Esquire, His Majestys Consul in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania Delaware and Maryland. Congress being desirous, on this and every other occasion to manifest their Disposition to cultivate a friendly Correspondence with Great Britain,...
2793From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 24, 24 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Burke’s Bill not being as yet public, we are not yet informed of the Extent of it. But as it already appears, that it strikes at the Department of Secretary of State for America, at the Board of Trade, there seems to be little Reason to doubt that it goes further and strikes at the American Board of Commissioners, at all the American Judges of Admiralty, Governors of Provinces, Secretaries...
2794From John Adams to Mathew Carey, 9 February 1820 (Adams Papers)
I had not sufficiently thanked you for your great Work—The Vindicie Hybernice, when I received your favour of the 26th. Janry. With the Valuable present of Addresses of the Philadelphia Society for the Protection of National Industry—for which again I thank you— Under the necessity which I am, of borrowing Eyes to read, and hands to write, It is utterly impossible for me to take any useful...
2795John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 15 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
What would be the Consequence if We should have an immediate War with Great Britain? dont be allarmed there is no danger of it. but it is usefull to Speculate. Would not our Produce be all fetched away to Europe in Dutch French, Portuguese, Italian Sweedish Vessells &c— and would not our Privateers made great Havack among British Commerce? They might pour into Nova Scotia and Canada Troops,...
2796John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 February 1795 (Adams Papers)
I was not disappointed Yesterday, for the Post brought me your Letter of January. and I was relieved from an heavy Burthen of anxiety On Account of Nabby by a Letter from Charles assuring me that she was much better and thought to be out of Danger. Your Gratitude for the kind Protection of Providence to your Family is as natural as it is pious. Few Families have oftener been at hazard, and...
2797Saturday March 1767. (Adams Papers)
Went with Captn. Thayer to visit Robert Peacock and his poor distressed Family. We found them, in one Chamber, which serves them for Kitchen, Cellar, dining Room, Parlour, and Bedchamber. Two Beds, in one of which lay Peacock, where he told us he had lain for 7 Weeks, without going out of it farther than the Fire. He had a little Child in his Arms. Another Bed stood on one side of the Chamber...
27981777. Feb. 21. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Dined Yesterday at Mr. Samuel Purveyances. Mr. Robert his Brother and Lady, the President and Lady, the two Coll. Lees and their Ladies, Mr. Page and his Lady, Coll. Whipple, Mrs. K. Quincy, a young Gentleman and a young Lady made the Company. A great Feast. The Virginia Ladies had Ornaments about their Wrists, which I dont remember to have seen before. These Ornaments were like Miniature...
2799From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 6 May 1820 (Adams Papers)
The Emperiour of China quoted the precept of Confucius, give much, and take but little—but you have adopted another maxim, give much, and take nothing—for I have nothing to give—but I am too proud to receive so much with all the gratitude that is due without returning any-thing—Here is a Box of Cegars which I have not dared to open though I suppose they are as odoriferous as an incensoir of a...
2800From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 April 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have always believed that the Afra Avis, was the Guinea Hen, but have lately heard it was the Turkey. You say “Alass poor Europe” – I say “ alass poor human nature.” I am as weary, as my friend the Abby Raynall, with contemplating the Stupidity of one part of Man kind and the Villany of the other: but I cannot say with him, if they are never to be wiser and better may they be annihilated....