4171From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 21 December 1819 (Adams Papers)
I must answer your great question of the 10th in the Words of Dalembert to his Correspondent, who asked him what is Matter- “Je vous avoue que je n’en scais rien.” In some part of my Life I read a great Work of a Scotchmen on the Court of Augustus, in which with much learning, hard study, and fatiguing labour, he undertook to prove that had Brutus and Cassius been conqueror, they would have...
4172[Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress] 1776. Feb.[16] (Adams Papers)
Cant we oblige B. to keep a Navy on foot the Expence of which will be double to what they will take from Us. I have heard of Bullion Sp anish Flotas being stoppd least they should be taken—But perishable Commodities never were stopped. Open your Ports to Foreigners. Your Trade will become of so much Consequence, that Foreigners will protect you. Wilson. A Gentleman from Mass, thinks that a...
4173From John Adams to Ralph Izard, 2 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of yours of the 28th, and agree with you in Sentiment that if the Money which has heretofore been Squandred upon Articles of Luxury, could for the future be applied to discharge our national Debt, it would be a great Felicity. But is it certain that it will? Will not the national Debt itself, be the Means, at least a Temptation to continue if not increase the Luxury? It is...
4174From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 18 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to sympathize with you and your Children on the loss of your amiable and excellent Consort. As my reflections on this mournfull Event can be no other than your own I shall spare you the pain of reading them. I thank you for your Letter of the 14th and the Pamphlet inclosed. Do you know the Meaning of the Words “ Awakenings ”? and “ Revivals ”? I am old enough to have attended the...
4175From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 12 February 1821 (Adams Papers)
I owe you a letter or two I believe, and my Conscience smites me for the neglect,—and my daring attendance in the Convention a whole Month, threw me into a fever, which has confined me from the eighteenth of December— Yesterday I ventured out to Church, for the first time—Recluse as I have been, I have had opportunity to read, and here read, a great deal of the Current Literature of the...
4176From John Adams to James Oliver, 26 September 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received with great pleasure your Address of the 14th of this month, and I know not whether any that has been published contains more important matter or juster sentiments. It must be great Perverseness and Depravity in any, who can represent the late Acts of Government, and the necessary measures of Self Defence taken by Congress, as a Coalition with Great Britain. It may be Usefull...
4177Decr. 27th. 1765. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
In unforeseen Cases, i.e. when the State of things is found such as the Author of the Disposition has not foreseen, and could not have thought of, we should rather follow his Intention than his Words, and interpret the Act as he himself would have interpreted it, had he been present, or conformably to what he would have done if he had foreseen the Things that happened. This Rule is of great...
4178Wednesday. Septr. 6. 1769. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Cudworth told me on the Town house Steps, that Mr. Charles Paxton, the Commissioner, told him this day, that it was possible, he might be sent with some Proscess on board a Man of War, and he advised him, as a friend not to attempt to take any Man from on Board the Man of War; for you have no Right to, and if you attempt it, you’l never come away alive—and I want to see Otis the D eputy...
4179From John Adams to Samuel Holden Parsons, 5 December 1760 (Adams Papers)
I presume upon the Merits of a Brother, both in the Academical and legal family, to give you this Trouble and to ask the favour of your correspondence. The Science which we have bound ourselves to study for Life, you know to be immensely voluminous, perhaps intricate and involved, so that an arduous application to Books at Home, a critical observation of the Course of Practice, and the Conduct...
4180From John Adams to Samuel B.H. Judah, 24 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have heard read your horrible Odo friede; although there are marks of genius & talents, which in so young man; if hereafter carefully cultivated and applied to more proper subjects, may produce something agreeable and useful, yet I can neither applaud or approve this kind of compositions in prose or verse They serve only to continue in the minds of men chimerical fantasies, which never...
4181John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
The states of Holland and West Friesland have resolved, 28 March to admit Mr. Adams to an Audience. The inclosed Papers will shew what is going on here. You will hear much more of it. —I have yet no news of Charles’s Arrival. John is well—&c. British Ministry changed. RC ( Adams Papers ). “ I nclosed Papers” not found. The relevant passage in “the Resolutions of the Lords the States of Holland...
4182From John Adams to James Warren, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to acquaint you that Congress have ordered the arrears of Pay to be discharged to the soldiers and one Months Advance Pay to be made. No Bounty nor any allowance for Lunar Months. I have a Thousand Things to say—But no Time. Our Army must be reconciled to these Terms, or We shall be ruined for what I know. The Expenses accumulating upon the Continent are so vast and boundless...
4183From John Adams to Jonathan Jackson, 17 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Upon my Arrival here, I found, M r Jay, in very delicate Health, in the midst of great affairs and without a Clerk. He told me, he had Scarcely Strength to draw up a State of the Negotiation hitherto, but that he must do it, for Congress. I offered him the Assistance which M r Thaxter could afford him, in Copying, which he accepted. M r Jay as well as D r Franklin and myself, are exceedingly...
4184To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 24 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recd your favour of March 8 with the Letter inclosed, for which I thank you. Inclosed is a Letter to one of your Domesticks Joseph Dougherty , Had you read the Papers inclosed they might have given you a moment of Melancholly or at least of Sympathy with a mourning Father. They relate wholly to the Funeral of a Son who was once the delight of my Eyes and a darling of my heart, cutt off...
4185From John Adams to United States Congress, 6 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
In compliance with the request in one of the resolutions of Congress, of the 21st of December last, I transmitted a copy of those resolutions by my Secretary, Mr. Shaw, to Mrs. Washington, assuring her of the profound respect Congress will ever bear to her person and character; of their condolence in the late afflicting dispensation of Providence, and entreating her assent to the internment of...
4186From John Adams to the President of Congress, 16 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Copies of the Memorials, which I had the honor to present on the fourth instant to the President of their High Mightinesses, and to the Secretary of his most Serene High ness. The former has been published in English, French and Dutch; and has been favourably recieved by the Public: but the public Voice has not that Influence upon Government in any part of Europe,...
4187Thurdsday Aug. [7 or 14] 1766. (Adams Papers)
In the Morning rode a single Horse, in Company with Mrs. Cranch and Mrs. Adams in a Chaise, to Marblehead. The Road from Salem to Marblehead, 4 miles, is pleasant indeed. The Grass Plotts and Fields are delightfull. But Marblehead differs from Salem. The Streets are narrow, and rugged and dirty—but there are some very grand Buildings. Returned and din’d at Cranch’s—after dinner walked to...
4188From John Adams to William Cunningham, 24 February 1804 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the 15th: with its inclosures. I thank you for the outline as well as the eulogy. I am sorry you had the trouble of transcribing the former, which I see was written as the Italians speak con amore . Speaking of the classification of Scholars in our Colledge, before the Revolution, you consider rank & wealth as anti-republican principles of precedence; Is this...
4189From John Adams to Wilhem & Jan Willink, 9 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d. the favor of your’s of the 3 d. — There is nobody in Europe authorized to give American Papers to any Vessels.— We have given Passports to British Vessels in pursuance of the Articles of the Peace, but British Vessels alone wanted such Protection. Dutch Vessels have no need of them. Please to pay off the Accounts which you transmit me, in this Letter of the 3 d , take Receipts...
4190From John Adams to George Washington Adams, 21 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
I recd, last night your pleasing Letter of the 9th of Aug. which is the latest date We have had from your Family. I have read Goldsmith too, this fall, and agree with you that his style is good but he was too intimate with Johnson to be impartial. Read Human and Smollet and all such Compends as you read Epick Poems and Romances. But you must consult original Writers to find the Truth. Smith...
4191From John Adams to Robert J. Evans, 12 January 1820 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your New-Years letter of Benjamin Rush—As Agriculture is the Nursing Mother of us all - It cannot be too assidously cultivated - nor is it likely to be too much honored—while Mercantile profits are so much greater—and military glory is esteemed the highest glory The American is an Able writter—but I wish he had avoided so many appearances of endeavouring to Justify—or at least...
4192John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
A Letter from General Washington, was received last Night by the President, which I read. It is dated the 29th. Yesterday. The Enemy are in Possession of the Head of Elke, a little Town, at the Head of the River Elke, in which they found a Quantity of Corn and Oats, belonging to the States. Waggons were so universally taken up, in conveying away the valuable Effects of the Inhabitants, that...
4193From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 28 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival in Europe I have had Reason to be very well Satisfied with my Reception, hitherto, in Spain, in France, and especially among the Americans in Europe. I have received Letters, from various Quarters of warm Congratulations and full of Professions, of Respect and offers of service. Such Letters I have had from Mr. Bondfield at Bordeaux, Mr. Williams and Mr. Johnson, and Mr....
4194John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 November 1798 (Adams Papers)
You never rec d a Letter from Berlin but with Pleasure: and this I dare say will not be the first.— From Austins in a lowry Morning We proceeded to Hartford and dined at Bulls. A polite Invitation from the County Court to dine with them was declined, and We came on immediately to Squire Rileys. The Coachman thought it would be too hard upon the Horses to go to Wallingford I have now read all...
41951760 Novr. 28th. Friday. (Adams Papers)
I have not read one Word of Law, this Day. But several Points, and Queries have been suggested to me, by the Consultors.—In whom is the Fee, and Freehold of our burying Yard? What Right has any Man to erect a Monument, or sink a Tomb there, without the Consent of the Proprietors? In England, the Church Yards are the Places of Burial, and the Parson is seised in fee, of them as of the Ground...
4196From John Adams to William Ellery, 28 February 1790 (Adams Papers)
Many months ago I received a kind letter from you, which by some odd accident or strange fatality has never been answered, I really know not how this happened: but I hope you will excuse it and beleive me to be as I am, at all times ready to promote your views, expressed in it as far as I may have opportunity and ability. We are very greatly dissapointed in the election of Delegates to your...
4197From John Adams to William Smith, 27 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have received your obliging Letter of the 19 th . a drawback on Rum exported is admitted by the House, and I believe will not be taken off by the Senate. The duty on Molasses will be reduced to 4 Cents and I hope to three. Your Reasoning appears to be very just and I think will prevail. The jealousies Distilleries and Breweries are natural and cannot be wholly prevented: but I hope they will...
4198From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 93, 15 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris,15 July 1780. Dupl , both text and signature in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 185–188) printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:859–860. In this letter, read in Congress on 26 Dec., John Adams provided an account from St. Petersburg, probably from a...
4199From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 9 August 1813 (Adams Papers)
My Philosophy and my Religion, Such as they are, are brought to a Tryal. My dear, my only daughter lies in the next Chamber consuming with a Schirrous Cancer; my Daughter in Law, Charles’s Widow lies in the next Chamber, extreamly weak, and low with one of the most dangerous diseases to which We are liable. My Wife a valetudinarian through an whole Life of 69 Years, is worn down with care,...
4200[Wednesday April 10. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Wednesday April 10. 1776. Resolved that the Letters from General Washington be referred to a Committee of the whole Congress. These were two additional letters, both dated 1 April ( JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 4:266); they are printed in Washington, Writings , ed. Fitzpatrick The Writings of George...