3031From John Adams to Christopher Raymond Perry, 8 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mrs Greenman has come all the Way to this Place to solicit the discharge of her son William Greenman. She is, as I understand a Friend, and against War upon Principle, and says her son has a Rupture that disqualifies him for any severe service. Her Case is so hard, that if you can discharge him, I pray you to do it. I have not that I know of, any legal Authority to interfere. But the Woman is...
3032From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday was one of the most uniformly happy days of my whole long life. The Morning brought Us a Letter from our Friend Crafts of your Arrival; in a few hours our Neighbour Beal brought Us a Newspaper confirming it, and the Evening presented Us your Letter to your Mother of the 6th. that you were Landed “All well”. A thousand Circumstances exalted the delight or as West used to Say upon all...
3033From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 28 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received upon my Arrival here your favour of the 25th with the Commissions, all of which I have signed and My son will transmit them to you. The Weather was yesterday so hot, that I came very nigh destroying my Horses, and is not moderated this morning. I am, Sir your most obedient / and humble servant ICU : Miscellaneous Papers.
3034Wednesday. Jany. 15th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Isaac Smiths. No Company, no Conversation. Spent the Evening with the Sons of Liberty, at their own Apartment in Hanover Square, near the Tree of Liberty. It is a Compting Room in Chase & Speakmans Distillery. A very small Room it is. John Avery Distiller or Merchant, of a liberal Education, John Smith the Brazier, Thomas Crafts the Painter, Edes the Printer, Stephen Cleverly the...
3035To James Madison from John Adams, 23 March 1815 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed Letter Supposes more importance in my Judgment than it deserves. Whatever it is worth, however, it is all in favour of the request in it. Waterhouse is another Rush: and for no other Reason that I can conjecture than his respect and able Services to the national Government for the last fourteen Years, has been cruelly treated by the worst Faction against it. I Submit the Subject...
3036From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 23, 25 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
The Prince was ill advised, when he undertook, what he was not obliged to do, in producing Mr. Laurens’s Papers, which he did too in a manner justly offensive to the United States. It was the part of Sir Joseph Yorke, to have produced them, not to the Prince, but to their High Mightinesses. His Serene Highness, therefore, in this Work of Supererogation, gave himself the Air of an Instrument of...
3037From John Adams to Nathanael Greene, 2 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 28 Ultimo is before me. It is certain that Religion and Morality, have no less obligation upon Armies, than upon Cities and contribute no less to the Happiness of Soldiers than of Citizens. There is one Principle of Religion, which has contributed vastly to the Excellence of Armies, who had very little else of Religion or Morality, the Principle I mean is the Sacred obligation of...
3038From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 3 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
yours of the 26th. January is received. I pray you to attend as much as possible, to every Court, and every scene in which law questions are discussed or mooted. Observe patiently and critically the conduct of Judges Counsellors, Jurors parties, Witnesses and spectators. And by no means fail to provide yourself with an ample apparatus for writing, a pocket ink horn, plenty of ink, good pens...
30391773. March 22d. Monday. (Adams Papers)
This Afternoon received a Collection of Seventeen Letters, written from this Prov ince , Rhode Island, Connecticutt and N. York, by Hut chinson , Oli ver , Moff at , Paxt on , and Rome, in the Years 1767, 8, 9. They came from England under such Injunctions of Secrecy, as to the Person to whom they were written, by whom and to whom they are sent here, and as to the Contents of them, no Copies...
3040[Wednesday August 7th. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Wednesday August 7th. 1776. A Letter from George Measam referred to the Board of War. A Report from the Board of War, as in the Journal. A Committee of the whole on the Articles of Confederation, Mr. Morton in the Chair. JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 5:636. This ordered payment for the board and...
3041From John Adams to John Steele, 4 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of Aug 29th inclosing the resolutions & addresses of Bladen county in N Carolina. A more excellent address has not appeared. A few words in answer I return to you with the address, that you may publish them in the papers if you please. The election of Mr. Henderson is very honorable to him and his constituents. If the inveterate phalanx should be broken our country...
3042From John Adams, 30 March 1819 (Adams Papers)
This Book, of more value than a gold Watch Sett with diamonds is presented to John Adams by his Grandfather MQA .
3043From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 19 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of yours of August 19, by the last Post, and thank you for your kind Congratulations on my Return. You judge right, when you Suppose, that I cannot be idle, but my Industry will probably be directed, in a different manner, in future. My Principles are not in Fashion. I may be more usefull here, as you observe, than in the Cabinet of Louis the 16. But let me tell you, that...
3044From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 9 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have read the proceeding against Lt. Mariner of the frigate Adams, inclosed in your favor of the 30 Aug, & upon due consideration of the whole, have approved of the justice sentence of the Court martial. I cannot however omit to express my anxiety, that so much irregularity should have occurred, as I fear from too much indulgence in the harbor of St Kitts. I pray you to impress upon all our...
3045From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I thank Mr. Bordley kindly for his Book and you for your care and trouble in Sending it. I have a great Opinion of Mr. Bordleys Experience, skill and Knowledge in Husbandry and should have great delight in trying his Experiments, if I was not obliged to recollect and apply to myself President Washingtons Words to me, a few days before he went out and I came in. “Sir, I have read nothing these...
3046Tuesday 11th. (Adams Papers)
Went to Boston. The C hief J ustice not there. A Piece of political Finess, to make the People believe he was under a Necessity of going a Journey this Week, but would be here by the next, was put about while Care was taken, to secure an Agreement to an Adjournment for 3 or 4 Weeks. So that Hutchinson is to trim, and shift, and luff up and bear away. And elude the Blame of the Ministry and the...
3047Thurdsday. Jany. 31st. (Adams Papers)
The snowy Weather prevented me from going to Dudleys. The Sodality however met and read the two Titles assigned, and assigned the three next vizt. the 6th. Episcopum, vel Abbatem veil Abbatissam, vel Dominum plebis feudum dare non posse. Tit. 7th. De Natura Feudi, and Tit. 8th. De successione Feudi.
3048To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 16 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Give me Leave to introduce to you Mr. John Brown Cutting, who will need no other Recommendation, than his own Genius. Let me beg your acceptance, too of a Sett of my Defence &c. and let me know your Opinion of the Second volume, and whether it is worth my while to write a third upon Confederations &c. Yours most Sincerely, RC ( DLC ); endorsed. Recorded in SJL as received 23 Sep. 1787. My...
3049From John Adams to Joseph Aiken, 12 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Address presented to me by Mr. Freeman your Representative in Congress. Your modest diffidence in regard to Measures of political Practice, well becomes your Age, and the Pursuits of your Lives science and Literature which have as they ought occupied hitherto the most of your time. But it behoves you to consider well the situation of your Country at the time you are to...
3050From John Adams to William Stephens Smith, 7 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I go farther than you in your Glooms I expect Detroit and Michigan will be again taken and all Perry fleet taken or burned How far you go in your hopes of Peace I know not. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. Romans would not treat in adversity neither Gauls nor Hannibal, could intimidate Rome, nor terrify any one to pronounce the word Peace. America asleep and Britain awake thro the winter may...
3051June 21st. 1760. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
June 21st. 1760. Saturday.
3052Auteuil May 3. 1785. (Adams Papers)
Tuesday. At Versailles, the C. de Vergennes said he had many Felicitations to give me upon my apointment to England. I Answered that I did not know but it merited Compassion more than felicitation.—Ay why?—Because, as you know it is a Species of Degradation in the Eyes of Europe, after having been accredited to the King of France to be sent to any other Court.—But permit me to say, replies the...
3053Sunday. Jany. 19th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Robbins of Milton.
3054John Adams to Charles Adams, 9 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I rec d this morning your favour of the 7 th and am glad that your State have not too much Complaisance for the restless Projects of old Aunt Nell. The peevish fretful old Creature has got, to day, a worse Compliment from the senate of this State, than she rec d even from the Massachusetts. They have not only rejected her vapoury humours but have proposed to her some other Amendments of the...
3055From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 September 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Favour of the 16th. The Speech of Pastoret I had before received by two Conveyances from France, from an old Acquaintance, whom I had not heard from, before for thirteen Years. The Applications from Dr. Hall, and General Miller as well as that of Col. Francis Nicholls mentioned in your Letter of the 12th, and those of Mr. Huger and Dr. Conover mentioned in your two Letters of...
3056June 20th. 1761. (Adams Papers)
I have latterly arose much earlyer than Usual. Arose at five and at 6 O’clock, instead of 8 and 9. The Mornings are very long, and fine opportunities for Study. They are cool and pleasant. But I have not improved my Time, properly. I have dozed and sauntered away much of my Time. This morning is very fine. The clear sky, the bright sun, the clean Groves and Grass, after so fine a Rain are very...
3057From John Adams to Charles Storer, 11 October 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have rec’d from M r: Ridley, some Letters from home and a Newspaper.— My Son wrote you Sometime ago, that I was ill, and desired you to come to me— I have written you Since that I had altered my Plan both these Letters may be sent you from London, where untill M r: Ridley rec’d your Letter of the 6. october from S t: Quentin I supposed you were M r: Thaxter is gone home. He sailed from...
3058From John Adams to Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 14 February 1823 (Adams Papers)
Thanks for your Journal of the 26th. There is in human nature a germ of superstition, which has cost mankind very dear, and there is an other germ the love of finery, and which has done almost as much harm, and both have been employed with great sagacity by temperal and spiritual politicians to debase, degrade and subdue mankind, even with their own consent under the cruel iron rod of...
3059From John Adams to James McHenry, 28 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 20th & return the letter of Gen. Pinckney & Capt Taylors report & readily consent to the exchange of names proposed by the General MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
3060From John Adams to John Jay, 4 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday at the Ministers Levee, one of the foreign Ministers put into my hand a Leyden Gazette, in which I found announced to the Public, an Arret of the King of France of the 18 th. of September, in which a Bounty of Ten Livres per Quintal is promised to any French Merchants who shall import into the Markett of the French West India Islands, or of Spain Portugal or Italy any Fish, of the...