4021From John Adams to Philip Mazzei, 23 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d your Favours of the 8. &. 10, and although I am Sorry you did not find every Thing to your Satisfaction in America, I congratulate You on your Safe Arrival in Europe and wish you Success in your Views. If by giving a proper Consistency to our Confederation you mean, the making of Congress Souvereign and Supream in the Negotiation of Treaties of Commerce, and in Regulating the...
4022From John Adams to Roger Sherman, 6 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
From the long Series of arduous services, in which We have acted together, I have had Experience enough of your accurate Judgment, in Cases of Difficulty, to wish very often that I could have the Benefit of it here. To me it appears that there will be no more cordial Friendship, nor for many Years to come any long Peace, between G. B. and America, and therefore the French Alliance is and will...
4023From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 16 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 11th. has conjured up, in my Imagination so many Ghosts that I am in danger of being frightened as much as the Old Lady of Endor was at the Light of Samuel.— Many are the Years, in which I have Seriously endeavoured to Strip from my Mind every prejudice, and from my heart every Feeling, unfavourable to Mr Hutchinson. The subject is so familiar to my thoughts that I could...
4024John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Dr. Church has given me a Lotion, which has helped my Eyes so much that I hope you will hear from me oftener than you have done. Pray write me as often and particularly as possible. Send your Letters to the Care of the Committee of safety who will forward them. I long to know, how you fare, and whether you are often discomposed with Alarms. Guard yourself against them my Dear. I think you are...
4025From John Adams to Rufus King, 23 December 1785 (Adams Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your kind Letter of the 2 d. of November, and hope that a Correspondence So agreably begun may be prosecuted, to the Benefit of the Country We have the Honour to serve. Although I may be not personally known to you, the Character uniformly given of your Talents, Application, and publick Spirit, leave me no room to doubt, that I Shall derive much necessary...
4026From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 24 March 1779 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of a Letter from, your Excellency at Nantes, but as I was setting off for this Place could not then acknowledge it. I Staid, no longer at Nantes, than just to look about me, before I determined to see Captain Landais, that I might know, the state and Prospects of his Frigate. As you was so good as to desire Mr. Schweighauser, to consult with me, and Mr. Schweighauser wrote to...
40271779 December [5]. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
We are now supposed to be within 100 Leagues of Ferrol or Corunna, to one of which Places We are bound. The Leak in the Frigate, which keeps two Pomps constantly going, has determined the Captn. to put into Spain. This Resolution is an Embarrassment to me. Whether to travail by Land to Paris, or wait for the Frigate. Whether I can get Carriages, Horses, Mules &c. What Accommodations I can get...
4028From John Adams to William Plumer, 10 January 1813 (Adams Papers)
I know not when or where I have ever received a more luminous letter, than yours of the 2nd of this month. It is a Misfortune to an Old Man to receive a good letter: because it Springs a mine in his memory, and disposes him to write a Volume, which his life would not be long enough to finish. Hence the proverbial Garrulity of Age. I find nothing So difficult as to abridge and compress. You...
4029From John Adams to Herman Heyman, 30 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the Honour to write me on the 17. of this Month. I wish Sincerely well to your Plans of Connection with America, but as they are of a private Nature I have no more Authority to give you Advice or Assistance, than any private Citizen. I cannot give you any Encouragement, that Congress or the State of Maryland, or any other of the United States, will give...
4030From John Adams to Samuel Dexter, 3 August 1800 (Adams Papers)
I recommend the inclosed letter from Mr. David Peter, for Robert Peter, recommending his son George for an appointment in the Artillery to your attention, with all other applications of a like nature, when you form a list of appointments With sincere regard &c. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
4031From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 9 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Some day next Week Mr. John Thaxter, will Sett off, on his Journey for York Town. You may remember, the Want of Secretaries and Clerks, which We suffered before I came away, and that I agreed to send you one or more. Mr. Thaxter is of a good Family, was educated at H. Colledge, and has Spent three Years in the study of the Law in my office, and was last Summer Admitted to the Bar. You may...
40321771. Thurdsday June 13th. (Adams Papers)
Remarkable, the Change of Thoughts, and feelings, and Reasonings which are occasioned by a Change of Objects. A Man is known by his Company, and evil Communications corrupt good Manners. “Man is a Social Creature and his Passions, his feelings, his Imaginations are contagious.” We receive a Tincture of the Characters of those we converse with. Stopped at Mr. Putnams, and at the Court House,...
4033From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 January 1818 (Adams Papers)
In your Letter of the 21st. of October you Say that Mrs Knox said to you that “her husband was the parent of the American Navy.” It is interesting to enquire what Idea that Lady could have had in her Mind. Have you Seen Mathew Careys History of the Rise and Progress of the American Navy? If you have read it you have Seen that the American Navy was begotten and born and a System of Naval...
4034From John Adams to James McHenry, 30 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Regretting with you on every account, public & private, the prevalence of the fever, I cannot but approve of the removal of the public offices to Trenton. Inclosed is a letter from Hugh McAlister, complaining of Mr Simmons & incloseing a certificate from Capt Irvine & another from Mr. Simmons himself. You will please to enquire & satisfy yourself, that justice is done. The original certificate...
4035From John Adams to John Farmer, 16 January 1823 (Adams Papers)
my apology for neglecting so long to acknowledge the receipt of your Historical Collections, is that eighty seven years is a heavy load to carry, or in the more expressive and more elegant language of one of my Farmers, the eightyeith year of a Mans life, is a hard outside roe of corn to hoe, but I am weary of alledging age and infirmity as excuses for procrastination.— You have sent me a very...
4036From John Adams to United States Senate, 30 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
I send you for your consideration a treaty with the Oneida nation of Indians made on the first day of June 1798 at their village. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4037From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 31 October 1810 (Adams Papers)
The president De Thou introduces his history with “Pro veritate historiarum mearum deum ipsum obtestor.” Although I shall not follow the example of this great historian in this solemn appeal, in which perhaps he is singular, yet no man ought to commit any thing to writing as history, or as memorials to serve for history, without a strict regard to truth. I shall therefore designedly conceal...
4038From John Adams to United States Senate, 18 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I nominate the Honorable John Lowell Esqr of Massachusetts to be Chief Judge The Honorable Benjamin Bourne Esqr of Rhode Island and the Hon. Jeremiah Smith Esqr of New Hampshire to be judges of the first circuit under the act of Congress, in their present session, to provide for the more convenient organization of the courts of the United States John Davis Esqr. to be Judge of the district of...
4039From John Adams to United States Senate, 28 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Robert Starke—of Virginia—to be a surgeon’s Mate in the Navy. Sterling Archer—of Virginia—to be a surgeon’s Mate in the Navy. Thomas G Price—of Virginia to be a Surgs. Mate in the Navy DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4040From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Temple has held offices of such Importance, and a Rank so considerable in America, before the Revolution, that his Return to his native Country at this time, cannot fail to cause much Speculation, and it is to be feared some diversity of sentiments concerning him. As he came from London to Amsterdam and did me the honor of a visit, in which he opened to me his design of returning, and his...
4041July 20. 1796. Wednesday. Commencement. (Adams Papers)
Rode to the Swamp, at the Top of Penns hill. Trask is mowing the Bushes, cutting the Trees, and leaves only the White Oaks which he trims and prunes as high as he can reach. My design is to plough up a Corn field for Burrell, against next Year, in that Inclosure. Walked in the Afternoon over the Hills and across the fields and Meadows, up to the old Plain. The Corn there is as good as any I...
4042From John Adams to Mathew Carey, 21 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Letter of the 14th. and printed half Sheets inclosed. I am Sorry there has been So much cause for the publication of the Olive Branch; but as I believe it will do good I have Subscribed for it. I am ashamed of the Vanity and Injustice of Some of our Preachers and Writers: and rejoice that the Events of the War have so completely confuted their Calumnies against the...
4043John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 22 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
The Capture of one or two of our Vessells by the Barbary Rovers, obliges Us to think Seriously of treating with the Port, Morocco, Algiers Tunis Tripoli, and the rest. But We wish to be informed as nearly as We can, how much the Expences of every Kind will amount to. let me beg the Favour of you then, to apply to M r Bisdom and M r Vanderhope and inquire of those Gentlemen, what Presents they...
4044From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received with great pleasure your favour of the 23 of January. I suspected that the Sample was left at the Post Office and that you would soon have it. I regret the Shabby Condition in which you found it: but it was the only Copy I had, and I thought it Scarcely worth while to wait till I could get a Sett properly bound. The Dissertation on the State of real homespun was a feast to me,...
404522 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Dined at home with a great deal of Company. Went after Dinner to see the Misanthrope of Moliere, with Mr. Amiel. It was followed by the Heureusement.—Called at the Microcosme. Called at Mr. Amiels at the Pension.
4046Fryday. July 5. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Cadwallader Ford came to me this Morning, and congratulated me on the Verdict for Freeman.—Sir, says he, I shall think myself forever obliged to you, for the Patriotick manner in which you conducted that Cause. You have obtained great Honour in this County, by that Speech. I never heard a better &c.—All this is from old Cadwallader. Langdon told me, that a Man came running down, when I had...
4047From John Adams to Edward Everett, 2 September 1820 (Adams Papers)
I have received within this hour, the Inclosed letter from Mr. Jefferson—Which, as it is infinitely too Learned and scientifical for my dull Genius, and poor attainments to grapple, I send to you—who are, or will be, equal to all these things—If any Man is, or is like to be—I send it especially, as it has relation, to the North American Review—As I have barely read it over, and not yet...
4048From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 13 June 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have this morning received your favor of the fourth & immediately communicated it to the present Sec. of State Gen Marshall who will look into the papers relative to the subject & bring it soon to a conclusion—A business which ought to have been done last fall.—I have taken a view of the federal city & its environs as far as Mount Vernon & am well pleased with the whole. I think Congress...
4049From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 2 January 1789 (Adams Papers)
Give me leave to introduce to you John Coffin Jones Esq r , an eminent Merchant of Boston and a late Member of the Legislature from that Town. His Character both in public and private Life is much respected, and his Intelligence will enable him to give you a much better Account of the general and particular Politicks of this Country than I can. our Fellow Citizens are in the midst of their...
4050From John Adams to Richard Rush, 25 November 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 18th: and thank you has your “Idea”; Your reasoning upon it is that of a modest prudent philosopher & Statesman. It is more; It is classical enough for a member of the Academy of inscription and Belle letters. I who am neither Philosopher Statesman or Academician, would if I had power cause medals to be struck of every conflagration, Massacre, prison stripe,...