3331From John Adams to Perez Morton, 24 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of receiving your Letter of the Twenty Eighth of October last, by Mr. Revere; in which you acquaint me that the Major Part of the Honourable Council, by Virtue of the Power and Authority, in and by the Royal Charter of the Massachusetts Bay, in the absence of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor lodged in them have Seen fit to appoint me, with the Advice and Consent of...
3332From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, and De la Lande & Fynje, 8 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Great Britain has acknowledged the Independence of America. The King has given a Commission under the Great Seal, to M r. Oswald to treat with the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America. I mention this to You in Confidence for your Information, but You must not mention me as your Authority, nor make any Use of this Letter but for your own Government. There are prudential...
3333From John Adams to Thomas Crafts Jr., 18 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
Since my arrival in this City and not before, I received your Favour of December the sixteenth. I am very sorry to learn that you ever was even for a Moment in a State of Scepticism concerning the Existence and Reality of sincere Friendship. Surely there is sincerity, surely there is Friendship among Men, altho it must be confessed that too Many Persons ground it on improper Principles and too...
3334From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 20 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have recd. your Letter of Oct. 27. 1814. and that of 26. of November. I congrtulate you on the harmony between you and your Colleagues an inexpressible Felicity of which I have not always been So fortunate as to enjoy the Sweets. I congratulate you also on the Peace and the glorious moment in which the News of it arrived. The Raptures of Joy I leave the Newspapers to describe. It is my...
3335From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 8 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour of yours of the 29th. of April, and according to your desire, have inclosed a List of the Bills accepted with the Times of their becoming due, and Shall draw for the Money to discharge them, only as they become payable, and through the House of Fizeaux & Grand. I Sincerely congratulate you, upon the noble Aid obtained, from the French Court for the currant Service of the...
3336John Adams to States General of the Netherlands, 2 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
Le Sousigne Ministre Plenipotentiaire des Etats Unis de L’Amerique, a l’honneur de proposer, qu’il laissa l’année passée, a Paris, quelques Effets, en Habillemens, Papiers, Livres, Argenterie &c dont il S’etoit Servi pendant Son Sejour dans cette Ville—qu’il envoya, il y a quelque tems, un Exprès, nommé Egberts D’Amsterdam, pour transporter ces Effets a la Haye; que le dit Expres est...
3337From John Adams to Samuel Miller, 11 May 1811 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter of the Sixth of this Month is this day received with great Pleasure. I thank you, Sir for the Facts relative to your Ancestors, and Shall be obliged to you for any others that you may please to communicate to me. I may possibly furnish you hereafter with Some Information concerning your Uncle Joseph Miller: but this is mere conjecture at present. I escorted to the Tomb in the...
3338From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 13 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
The young Gentlemen are all flying to Europe, and apply to me for Introductions to our Ambassador in London. You must Shake hands with them all, invite them to a dinner on Mutton and Brockoli, with your Wife and yourself; but Entertainments a la mode you cannot give. The Corps diplomatique, will say “Adams lives “dans le plus infame Œconomy” their Coachmen and Footmen will look down on yours...
3339From John Adams to William White, 13 December 1819 (Adams Papers)
As Charity is the bond of perfection—I think it very desirable that great and good Men should have opportunities to see one another—however different their Opinions in Religion or Philosophy may be—. upon this principle I presume, thought I confess without much Authority to introduce to your acquaintance the Reverend Mr Andrews Norton-Dexter Professor of Biblical Criticism in our University at...
3340From John Adams to John Bondfield, 25 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged by your kind Attention, in your Letter of 22d. April. Clinton has then arrived at Georgia, where he is destined to be as well watched and guarded and finally as compleatly ruined as Burgoyne was at Saratoga or Preston at Rhode Island, and that favorite Child of Fortune Gates is to have the Glory of it all. I am quite easy since I know, he commands. There is an Affection...
3341From John Adams to James Williams, 5 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour, this morning to receive your favour from New York of the 30th of November. At the same time I had the pleasure to receive two small pacquets of letters from London; I thank you Sir for your kind care of these letters, and congratulate you on your safe return to this Country. I am Sir respectfully, your obliged & obedient Servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
33421760. Novr. 19th. (Adams Papers)
Parson Smith says the Art of Printing like most other Arts, and Instruments, was discovered by Accident. Somebody, at an idle Hour, had whitled his Name, cut his Name out in the Bark of a Tree. And when his Name was fairly cut out, he cut it off and put it into his Hankerchief. The Bark was fresh, and full of Sap, and the Sap colored his Hankerchief, i.e. printed his Name upon it. And from...
3343From John Adams to Daniel Brent, 1825 (Adams Papers)
The President directs me to request of you to procure as soon as possible from the Printer some Copies of the Proclamation as he is very anxious to send them to Congress to day Yours &c DLC : Peter Force Collection.
3344To James Madison from John Adams, 17 June 1817 (Madison Papers)
Accept my thanks for your favour of last month. The safe Arrival of your books has quieted my conscience. There is nothing within the narrow Compass of human knowledge more interesting, than the Subject of your Letter. If “the Idea of a Government in one Center Seems to be every where exploded” perhaps Something remains, undefined, as dangerous, as plausible and pernicious as that Idea. Half a...
3345From John Adams to Henry Wheaton, 7 February 1821 (Adams Papers)
My best thanks are due to you, for your Anniversary discourse before the historical society in New York on the 25th. of December—I have read this discourse with uncommon interest, and peculiar delight—It is the production of great reading, profound reflection, a discriminating mind, and a pure taste.—I have never read any discourse produced in America relative to the science of public Law,...
3346From 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...
334723 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
At Colledge, a Clowdy morning, and in the afternoon, Came up a Clowd of thunder and lightning. Towards night fell a very hard shower.
3348From John Adams to John Trumbull, 18 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of the 3d. and congratulate you on your success; which I hope and believe will be an honourable and a noble Establishment, though it may not be so lucrative as I wish it, for Life There is a coincidence of circumstances which affects me very sensibly. A son of Governor Trumbull so meritorious and so conspicuous a character in the Revolution; an Officer of Rank and...
3349From John Adams to Mathew Carey, 26 July 1813 (Adams Papers)
Our old Commodores & Captains, are not so ardent for glory as they were 35 years ago. One of the bravest of them sends me word, that his wife has covered with his journal: but he will send me what he can recollect, as soon as he can prepare it, with proper deliberation. As soon as it comes I will enclose it to you. Commodore John Foster Williams, who at his advanced age still condescends to...
33501779. April 22nd. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
Yesterday Morning, embarked at Nantes, with Mr. Hill, the first Lieutenant, and Mr. Parks, who is Captain of Marines, and my Son. We stopped and dined at Portlaunay, after Dinner crossed over to Pelerine Le Pellerin , where We went to the House of a Mr. Char-michael, a Scotch Man who lives by salting Beef and making Bacon for the Navigation of this River. This Man I suppose was a Jacobite who...
3351[September 1783] (Adams Papers)
This Morning, I went out to Passy, and Dr. Franklin put into my hand the following Resolution of Congress, which he received last night, vizt., By the United States in Congress assembled, May 1. 1783. on the Report of a Committee, to whom was referred a Letter of Feb. 5 from the Honble. J. Adams. Ordered that a Commission be prepared to Mess rs . John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay,...
3352[Saturday March 30. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Saturday March 30. 1776. Ditto.
3353From John Adams to Jonathan Sewall, February 1760 (Adams Papers)
I am very willing to join with you, in renouncing the Reasoning of some of our last Letters. There is but Little Pleasure, which Reason can approve to be received from the Noisy applause, and servile Homage that is paid to any Officer from the Lictor to the Dictator, or from the sexton of a Parish to the sovereign of a Kingdom: And Reason will despize equally, a blind undistinguishing...
3354From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
Half an hour ago I received, and this moment have heard read, for the 3d. or 4th. time, the best letter that ever was written by an Octogenarian, dated June the first. It is so excellent that I am under an almost invincible temptation to commit a breach of trust by lending it to a printer. My Son Thomas Boylston—says it would be worth $500—to any Newspaper in Boston—But I dare not betray your...
3355Adams’ Minutes of the Arbitration: Boston, October 1769 (Adams Papers)
Silvanus Snow and Amos Knowles. Captains. Have been long acquainted with the Customs of Whaling. If A. strikes a Whale, and B. puts in a 2nd. Iron upon a Call or Swing, from A. or otherwise and A’s Iron draws, the Whale is in the Possession of A. the first striker. Knowles to the Mateship and Value of the Whale. Gamaliel and Barzillai Smith. It was the Custom 1765 at Streights of Bellisle,...
3356From John Adams to John Lowell, 15 November 1818 (Adams Papers)
In the distresses and confusions of my family I saw not your address from yourself till yesterday I had read it on its first publication. It is full of information instructive to the Farmers of this Country elegantly written and perfectly adapted to the occasion on which it was delivered. Accept the sincere of your obliged / humble Servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
3357From John Adams to Adriaan Pieterszoon Loosjes, 11 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
The Evening of the Second, I had the Pleasure of receiving from you, a most elegant Present in a Volume intitled “Gedenkzuil ter Gelegenheid der Vry—Verklaaring Van Noord America.” It is indeed “Monumentum aere perennius.” The Connection formed between your Country, Sir and mine is an Event of So much Importance to both Nations, and will have Consequences So extensive in the political System...
3358From John Adams to United States Senate, 3 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I nominate John Cassin, of Pennsylvania, to be a Lieutenant in the Navy. John W Whidbie, of Virginia, to be a Lieutenant in the Navy. Richard H. Lee Lawson, of Virginia, to be a Lieutenant in the Navy. Benjamin Champney, of New Jersey, to be a Surgeon in the Navy. Samuel R Marshall, of Pennsylvania, to be a Surgeon in the Navy. Charles Harris, of Maryland, to be a Surgeon’s mate, in the Navy....
3359John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of Septr. 9. I have received. Septr. 5. I sent you another Cannister by Mr. Hare. I have only Time to tell you I am not worse in Health than I have been. Where are your new Delegates? None arrived here yet. Our People are as lazy and slothfull, as Congress. LbC ( Adams Papers ). 7 Sept. , above; see note 1 on that letter. The General Court during its session of Sept.–Oct. 1776 took no...
3360John Adams to the president of Congress, 5 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
Having been obliged to come to Holland, the Beginning of this Year to obtain Money, to prevent M r Morriss Bills from being protested, I have remained here untill this Time, in Expectation of receiving the further Commands of Congress. From the Resolution of the 1. of May 1783 and from many private Letters, I expected that a Commission would have arrived to the late Ministers at the Peace, to...