4741From John Adams to John Marshall, 17 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
In consequence of the information, transmitted in your letter of the 6, I think it most equitable to suspend the removal of Mr. Pintard for the present. I am glad to find that Mr. Lamar is a native American & now agree with you that whenever Mr. M Pintard must be removed, a more proper person cannot probably be selected, than Mr. Lamar. I have read with care your letter to Mr. Humphries, &...
4742From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 9 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are the original letters copies of which I sent you yesterday—one from Turell Tufts Esqr. our consul at Surrinam of the 9th of July to Capt McNeil, the other of the 11th July from him to me. I pray you to expedite Talbot & still more force to that quarter as soon as possible. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
4743To John Jay from John Adams, 19 December 1800 (Jay Papers)
M r Elsworth afflicted with the Gravel and the Gout in his Kidneys and intending to pass the Winter in the South of France after a few weeks in England, has resigned his office of Chief Justice, & I have nominated you to your old Station. This is as independent of the Inconstancy of the People, as it is of the Will of a President. In the future Administration of our Country the firmest...
4744From John Adams to John Marshall, 28 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
As it has been the practice of this government, to summon the Senate of the United States to meet on the fourth of March after a new election of a President and Vice President, & as various considerations render it probable, that it will be at least as necessary this year, as it ever has been at any former period, I request you to prepare summons for all the Senators, who are to serve after...
4745[Letters to Three Friends on Studying Law, October–November 1758.] (Adams Papers)
My letters, for the future will come to you, not from a School House but from the Cell of an Hermit. I am removed from Worcester to Braintree where I live secluded from all the Cares and Fatigues of busy Life in a Chamber which no mortal Visits but myself except once in a day to make my Bed. A Chamber which is furnished in a very curious manner, with all sorts of Hermetical Utensils. Here, no...
4746March. 1756. 1 Monday. (Adams Papers)
Wrote out Bolingbrokes reflections on Exile. For JA ’s lifelong study of, and his extensive commentaries on, the writings of Henry St. John, first Viscount Bolingbroke, see Haraszti, JA and the Prophets of Progress Zoltán Haraszti, John Adams and the Prophets of Progress, Cambridge, 1952. , ch. 4. JA ’s own copies of Bolingbroke’s writings are now divided between the Boston Athenaeum and the...
4747From John Adams to Laurent Bérenger, 7 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Capt. Isaac Cazneau of Boston, lately arrived here from Norway, in his passage on board a Danish Vessel, unfortunately fell in with an English Privateer belonging to Hull, called the Flying Fish, who took away his Mate who was his Brother, and a Negroe Boy of about fifteen Years of age named Pompey. The Mate the flying Fish left in Prison in Hull, but kept the Negro on board. The Privateer is...
4748[March 1. 1778. Sunday.] (Adams Papers)
March 1. 1778. Sunday. It was discovered that our Mainmast was sprung in two Places; one beneath the Maindeck, where, if the Mast had wholly failed in the late Storm it must have torn up the Main deck, and the Ship must have foundered. This was one among many instances in which it had already appeared that our Safety had not depended on ourselves. We had a fine Wind all day and night. The Ship...
4749From John Adams to Jean de Neufville & Fils, 26 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
I recieved the Letter with which You honored me yesterday. Mr. Barclay’s Office gives him full Authority in the Affair of the Goods, and his Abilities and Experience enable him to do every thing that can be done: so that I shall with great pleasure leave the whole affair to him, ready however at all times to render him any service in my power. It gives me great pleasure to learn that the...
4750From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 15 September 1811 (Adams Papers)
I receive no Letters with So much pleasure as yours and Rushes. The Shortest of them always contains Something new and Solid; Some thing witty and a good deal that his humerous. How many more hot Nutts for the Monkeys you will See, I know not. They will lie, and laugh and joke: but they will not make much Noise, because that might provoke Some of their own Party to peep at the Patriot which...
4751From John Adams to Tench Coxe, 14 July 1791 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favour of the thirtieth of June, with a continued Bill of the Treasurers Set of exchange No. 1351 for five hundred Dollars in my favour bearing date the 4th. day of May 1791 and drawn on Benjamin Lincoln Esq Collector of Boston, and I thank you for the trouble you have taken in this Affair.—I shall certainly hold myself bound to indemnify the United States for any Injury...
4752From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 26 January 1802 (Adams Papers)
I have recd your favors of the third, and am much obliged to you and to Mr. Mappa for your Observations on the generation of shell fish &c My Privilege of franking extends to all Letters and Packetts. I return your letter to Chandler Livingston with this, and will return that to Mr. Boon, in a short time. I can afford you no ideas on the Subject of the mammoth because I have none. The Spirit...
4753John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
I am so idle, that I have not an easy Moment, without my Pen in my Hand. My Time might have been improved to some Purpose, in mowing Grass, raking Hay, or hoeing Corn, weeding Carrotts, picking or shelling Peas. Much better should I have been employed in schooling my Children, in teaching them to write, cypher, Latin, French, English and Greek. I sometimes think I must come to this—to be the...
4754From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 12 October 1797 (Adams Papers)
Last night I arrived at Col. Smiths, and my Family will probably make this House their home till they can go to Philadelphia with Safety. Your Reasons against convening Congress at any other Place than Philadelphia, have great Weight: but must all be overruled, if the Plague continues in that City. Perhaps it may not be necessary to remove many of the Books and Papers of the Public offices to...
4755[Wednesday April 17. 1776. Thursday April 18.] (Adams Papers)
Wednesday April 17. 1776. Thursday April 18. No Committee of the whole.
4756From John Adams to Arnold Welles, 5 September 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received your kind and obliging Letter of the second of this month encloseing a polite invitation to the Festivities at Fanuel Hall on this day, in Honour of Captain Hull and, the gallant officers and seamen of the Frigate Constitution. The committee will please to accept my thanks for this mark of their attention to me. I had till this morning flattered myself with the pleasing hope...
4757From John Adams to William Paca, 9 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
I rec d. soon after my arrival in London the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 29 th. of April, with the enclosed copy of a letter from M r: Chace to the Minister— Your Excellency & the Council may depend upon every assistance I can give to the Cause. The Agent & Solicitor of Maryland have been with me several times, & the last time to request that I would speak to the Minister...
4758John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
My Letters by Davis, Mr. Guild &c. are lost.—Pray did you get the Goods by Davis? This goes by Mr. De L’Etombe Consul of France, a worthy Man. He will do honour to his Country and good to ours. My Boys are both Students in the University of Leyden.—All well.—Write me by the Way of Spain, France, Holland, Sweeden and every other. Jones carried your Chest, Samson carried another.—Yours with more...
4759From John Adams to James McHenry, 4 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are recommendations for the Army of a Major McFarland, and two Mr Eatons whose names will be entered and Pretensions considered in Course. I am sir your most humble DLC : James McHenry Papers.
4760From John Adams to James Monroe, 19 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
From the tenderness of Friendship and the Weakness of Compassion and humanity, I have promised two Gentlemen to mention their names to you, as Candidates for Mr Daltons late Office, Captain Tucker and Mr Deblois. A Friendship of forty Years with the former, and of fifty Six years with Mr Dalton have deeply interested my Feelings in behalf of both these Gentlemen. But what Signify Feelings when...
4761John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 February 1797 (Adams Papers)
I hope you will not communicate to any body the hints I give you about our Prospects: but they appear every day worse and worse. House Rent at 2700 dollars a Year 1500 dollars for a Carriage 1000 for one Pair of Horses— All the Glasses ornaments kitchen furniture—the best Chairs settees, Plateaus &c all to purchase—All the China Delph or Wedgwood Glass & Crockery of every sort to purchase—and...
4762[November 24 1779.] (Adams Papers)
November 24 1779. We were on the Grand Bank of Newfound Land, and about this time, We spoke with an American Privateer, The General Lincoln Captain Barnes. He came on board and our Captain supplied him with some Wood and other Articles he wanted. We all wrote Letters by him to our Families. Since I came on board I found that even the French Officers had heard more News, or at least more Title...
4763John Adams to Norton Quincy, 28 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I Sigh every day, in whatever Scaene I am in for a walk down to your House and a Day by your Fireside. —I hope the Time will come, but not so soon as I wish. It would amuze you, as it does me to wander about in scaenes once frequented by the great Princes of Orange, by Brederode, Barnevelt, Grotius, De Witts, Erasmus, Boerhave, Van Trump, De Ruyter and a thousand others, and I can assure you,...
4764From John Adams to United States Senate, 19 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Archibald Richardson of Virginia to be collector for the district of South Quay. Archibald Richardson of ditto to be inspector of the revenue for the port of South Quay. Edward St Loe Livermore of New Hampshire to be naval officer for the district of Portsmouth. Andrew Torbone of Virginia to be Inspector of the revenue for the port of Bermuda Hundred. Andrew Torbone of ditto to be...
4765[17? March 1754.] (Adams Papers)
Kept sabath at Cambridge. March about the middle.
4766From John Adams to Seventy-Six Association, 8 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of 24th: July & the oration enclosed. The respected name of the orator excited high expectations which upon repeated perusals have not been disappointed To point out the beauties of this composition would be to transcribe it but the animated Eulogium on the Heroes of the last war by sea & by land made the deepest impression on my head and heart. Allow me to present...
4767From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 14 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
Thanks be to God, my dear Gerry, that our Tom Cod are Safe, in Spight of the Malice of Ennemies the Finesse of Allies and the Mistakes of Congress.— The Fisheries were attacked through my Sides, but they have not been wounded. We have obtained an explicit Acknowledgment of our Right to all the Fisheries, and the most unlimited Liberty to catch Fish, and Liberty to dry them on Nova scotia,...
4768From John Adams to Richard Sharp, 27 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
Through the favor of Mr Russel Sturgis I have received the original and a Duplicate of your kind Letter of the 19th December. It is to me a great Pleasure to learn, that you have become acquainted with Mr Harris, whom I esteem very much, and who is generally considered here as a most amiable Character well informed and accomplished. Your “Regrets that I had not a longer opportunity, in an...
4769From John Adams to the President of Congress, 12 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
Amsterdam, 12 June 1781. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, III, f. 209–217. printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 4:495–498. John Adams provided an English translation of a piece that originally appeared in a Dutch newspaper, probably the Gazette d’Amsterdam , but...
4770From John Adams to Tyler Bigelow, 1 February 1824 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your address to the Peace Society. I have heard it with great pleasure It is ingenious eloquent and learned. It shows a fine talent and I always read such benevolent compositions with delight. They always reccommend themselves to the best feeling of my heart—My natural wishes are for their success, but War is a mightier river than Mississippi or La Plata. We may wish it should...