4671Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 15 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I little thought when you left me, that so much time would have Elapsed before I had taken my pen to write to you, but indeed Sir my Hands and my Heart have both been full. My whole Time has been taken up in prepareing my dearest Friend, and Master John for their Voyage, and yesterday they Embarked from this Town, the place you well know, Hofs Neck. I think the wind has been fair for them to...
4672John Lowell to Abigail Adams, 22 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am not displeased that the Call of Business obliges me to address you at this Time, and gives me an Opportunity of expressing my sincere good Wishes, that Mr. Adams’s Voyage may be agreable, and happy; I am sensible that the Prospect of so long a Seperation must be painfull to you, the tender social Connection which you have so highly enjoyed, must make the Struggle hard, but the...
4673—— —— to Abigail Adams, 23 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams for a long time has been engaged by the Kennebeck Company in a cause in which Colo. Tyng is a Party, which was reduced in one or more points to a special Verdict and was to have been argued this Court, but unfortunately being deprived of Mr. Adams to conduct the cause, by his sudden departure for France, the matter is suspended untill April, to give us time to provide for the debate....
4674Hannah Quincy Lincoln Storer to Abigail Adams, 24 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have often thought of You My good friend, and as often wish’d to See You, and did flatter Myself that I should injoy that happiness before Mr. A——departure. I am really Sorry that I was so unfortunate as to be absent from home when your first friend call’d to see Me. You Must Surely have call’d up all your Philosophy to Stand the Shock of his Absence a Second time for a Year.—Will My owning...
4675Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 1 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am greatly allarmed and distressd at the intelligence from Bordeaux, with regard to Dr. Franklin, which if true must be attended with very serious consequences. I had just acquired fortitude sufficent to withstand the dangers of the Sea and open and avowed Enemies, but was not prepaird for the assassinateing knife of a Ravellick. —Is there no method that congress can take to chain these...
4676Abigail Adams to Hannah Quincy Lincoln Storer, 1 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
My dear Mrs. Storers obliging favour was handed me to day. It found me with an additional Weight of anxiety upon my mind. I had been just able by the force of philosophy and I would fain hope by nobler Motives, to acquire a sufficent Stock of fortitude to support me under the most painfull Seperation I have yet been call’d to endure, when last Mondays paper gave me a Shock that I was not armd...
4677Samuel Cooper to Abigail Adams, 2 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
Many besides my self partake with you in the Sollicitude you express respecting our dear Friend; for no Man could carry with him more of the ardent good Wishes of his Country than Mr. Adams did. His Merit is great in denying himself so much for the Service of his Country, and your’s not a little in giving up so much domestic Happiness for the Sake of this Service. Heaven, I trust, will protect...
4678John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 6 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your much esteemed favor came to hand this day, in which you inform me of the departure of your “dearest Friend.” I sincerely wish for your sake it had been convenient and safe for you to have accompanied him: But the danger you mention must, I think, have made the voyage disagreeable and had the event taken place, doubly aggravating on his part.—I can picture to myself the separation and your...
4679Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
Tis a little more than 3 week s since the dearest of Friends and tenderest of Husbands left his solitary partner, and quitted all the fond endearments of domestick felicity for the dangers of the Sea, exposed perhaps to the attack of a Hostile foe, and o good Heaven can I add to the dark assassin, to the secret Murderer and the Bloody Emissary of as cruel a Tyrant as God in his Riteous...
4680James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 21 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am to thank you, in my own name, and on the public account, for that exercise of laudable patriotic prudence, which you have modestly termed the “Freedom” of inclosing to me Mr. McCreary’s letter to your worthy Husband. I read it in Congress, and I think it will be useful to the commercial Committee. The same Gentleman wrote to Mr. Adams in Sepr. some interesting history, of which he gave me...
4681John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 31 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
Since I wrote you last, the mystery of blank Dispatches being sent by Capt. Folgier from France has been developed. One Capt. Hinson (who was honored with Dr. Franklin’s confidence) was guilty of the treachery and robbery. Hinson it seems was to have brought the Dispatches if Folgier declined. But when he found that Folgier accepted the trust, he, from his knowledge of the position and, I...
4682Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, March 1778 (Adams Papers)
I was meditating a Letter to my dear Sister when her agreable favour reachd my Hands. Tho my own felicity is over cast, I can rejoice in that of my Friends and tis with pleasure I hear of your Health and happiness which are very dear to me. The Scene which I have had to pass through, and in which you so kindly sympathize has put to the full proof all my fortitude and patriotism, and required...
4683James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 1 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
When I tell you that no Credit is to be given to the late Report of an attempted Assassination of Doctor Franklin, you are not to attribute my Assertion to an Endeavour to give Relief, at all Adventures , to the anxious Mind of an amiable Sufferer. Had your Letters of the 1st. and 8th. of March reached me before this Morning, I could not have given you so much Satisfaction as at present. I...
4684John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 3 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have just heard a piece of news from Mr. Lovell, which he says comes in a packet lately arrived at New York from England, and which has been published in the New York and Philadelphia papers. It is as follows viz. that the reduction of Genl. Burgoyne has convinced the minister of his weakness in America, and roused the spirit of the nation—that one hundred thousand men are to be raised and...
4685Elizabeth Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 5 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Letter by Cousin Tufts was a pleasing and fresh proof of your Goodsense, Piety of Heart, sweetness of Disposition, and greatness of Mind, which renders you the Object not only of my tenderest Love, but of my veneration. It convinced me that you were actuated by those principles of Virtue which every One should endeavour to cultivate in their own Bosoms, if they wish to enjoy Peace...
4686Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 9 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your repeated kind favours demand my acknowledgment. I own I have been rather remiss in not sooner noticeing them. I must plead many avocations in excuse, with which you know I am cumberd; and the real Dearth of any thing worth communicating. Some part of the time my mind has sufferd a distress which cannot be discribed, upon account of intelligance which you very cautiously conceald from me,...
4687John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 11 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I Now Sit Down to inform You That I have Safely arrived at Paris which we Did on Wednesday evening when We went to 3 hotels Before we could Procure a Lodging which we Did for 2 days the next Morning we Went To a place Calld Passy where we found Dr franklin his Son and some other Gentlemen where we stayd about an hour when Mr. Deanes son and another Gentleman and I Went about the City which we...
4688John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am so sensible of the Difficulty of conveying Letters safe, to you, that I am afraid to write, any Thing more than to tell you that after all the Fatigues and Dangers of my Voyage, and Journey, I am here in Health. . . . The Reception I have met, in this Kingdom, has been as friendly, as polite, and as respectfull as was possible. It is the universal Opinion of the People here, of all Ranks,...
4689John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Having now a good opportunity I Cannot Let it Slip without writing a few Lines To You as it is not often That I have That Pleasure & So I must not let Slip one opportunity in writing To So kind and Tender a Mamma as you have been To me for Which I believe I Shall never be able to Repay you I hope I Shall never forget the goodness of God in Preserving us Through all The Dangers That We have...
4690John Adams to William McCreery, 15 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have to thank you for your obliging Politeness to me at Bourdeaux and to request that you would give my most respectfull Compliments, and most hearty Thanks to Mr. Delap for his kind present of Wine, which was very good, and afforded us an abundant Supply the whole Journey. I have another Thing to mention to you, which is, that in unpacking my Baggage, I miss a pair of coarse homespun...
4691John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 18 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Since I had the pleasure of addressing you last, I have found in the office a Narrative respecting Count Pulaski, a copy of which is inclosed. He is a great Character. Congress, in confidence of his military skill and prowess, and attachment to the American Cause, have authorised him to raise sixty eight Horse and two hundred Foot. The Horsemen are to be armed with Lancets, and the Foot in the...
4692John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be conveyed to you by Sir James Jay and Mr. Digges. Sir James is a Brother of the C hief J ustice of N. York. Mr. Digges is of one of the southern states. I never felt myself under so much Embarrassment in Writing because there never was so much Danger of my Letters falling into British Hands. I am pleasantly situated at Passi, a fine airy, salubrious Situation, in the same...
4693John Adams to Isaac Smith Sr., 19 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will be delivered you, by two Gentlemen who are returning to America, Sir James Jay of New York, a Brother of The Hon. John Jay, once a Member of Congress, now Chief Justice of that state. The other is Mr. Digges a Gentleman from South Carolina. These Gentlemen will be able to give you, a particular Account of all the News. I should be obliged to you if you would introduce Dr....
4694John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I now Sit down to Write a few Lines To inform you That I am now at a good School which I like very Well. I will now give you an account how We live here at 6 o Clock in the morning We get up and go in to School and Stay till half after 8 When We Breakfast and Play till 9 When We go in & Stay till 12 When We dine after dinner we Play till 2 When We go in and Stay till half after 4 When We Come...
4695John Adams to Abigail Adams, 25 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Monsieur Chaumont has just informed me of a Vessell bound to Boston: but I am reduced to such a Moment of Time, that I can only inform you that I am well, and inclose a few Lines from Johnny, to let you know that he is so. I have ordered the Things you desired, to be sent you, but I will not yet say by what Conveyance, for fear of Accidents. If human Nature could be made happy by any Thing...
4696John Thaxter to John Adams, 30 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I should have done myself the honor of addressing you before this, had I been so fortunate as to have known of opportunities previous to their passing. I have a prospect of sending this soon, and gladly embrace the opportunity. Ld. North’s propositions have occasioned much speculation here. Congress have expressed their opinion of them in their resolutions, which will doubtless have a good...
4697Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 6 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Hopeing this might find you safe Arrived, and haveing an Opportunity by Via Cadiz, thought itt might be Agreeable to let you know your family and friends are well. A fleet from France is now Arriveing. The Dean Frigate with Young Cushing &c. is att Portsmouth. Mr. Dean was landed att the Eastward as you will know as the ship returnd. —Tryon sent Out part of an Act to Govr. Trumbal. I have...
4698John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 9 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of receiving your agreeable favour of the 9th. of April. I am so exceedingly hurried in copying the Treaties (which are long beyond bounds) that I have had no time to write you fully. Six Copies of the Treaties are wanted, and it falls to me to make them out, as My Companion is absent. Have you done? Have you done? is the Cry every hour of the day. I am almost tired...
4699John Thaxter to Abigail Adams, 16 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to inclose the postscript to Hall & Sellers’s Paper of the 9th instant containing the message of the undersigned Ambassador of the Court of France to the Court of London; his Majesty’s Speech in Consequence &c. &c. The message is couched in terms very ludicrous and merry. It also speaks tacitly the Power and determination of France. It has chagrined the King and Ministry...
4700Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have waited with great patience, restraining as much as posible every anxious Idea for 3 Months. But now every Vessel which arrives sits my expectation upon the wing, and I pray my Gaurdian Genious to waft me the happy tidings of your Safety and Welfare. Heitherto my wandering Ideas Rove like the Son of Ulissis from Sea to Sea, and from Shore to Shore, not knowing where to find you....