8251John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of June 17. dated at Plymouth, was handed me, by Yesterdays Post. I was much pleased to find that you had taken a Journey to Plymouth, to see your Friends in the long Absence of one whom you may wish to see. The Excursion will be an Amusement, and will serve your Health. How happy would it have made me to have taken this Journey with you? I was informed, a day or two before the...
8252From John Adams to Lafayette, 3 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had Yesterday the Honour of receiving, from the Hand of my worthy Friend General Knox, your kind Letter to me, together with five others, which, with Submission to the Fortune of War, shall be conveyed and deliverd as you desire. I am happy in this opportunity to convey Intelligence from you to your Friends, and think myself greatly honoured and obliged by your Politeness and Attention to...
8253John Adams to Fizeaux, Grand & Co., 4 May 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have received repeated Letters from Mr. Barclay, who is settling American Accounts, requiring me to produce the Bills of Exchange which were accepted by me, and paid by you in Amsterdam in behalf of Mr Grand at Paris, or of D r. Franklin If you are willing to deliver them to me, I will come to Amsterdam to receive them, and will take them with me to Paris. But I will not dissemble to you,...
8254From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 20 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your two favors of the 13th & 15th, & thank you for the very satisfactory information you give me of our naval affairs, & your plans for future operations, which appear to me to be very judicious. I return Capt Tingey’s letters, which I esteem very much, & agree in wishing his commission was of an earlier date. My resolution is irrevocable, that Talbot shall go in the...
8255From John Adams to Susanna Boylston Adams Clark Treadway, 14 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
Our friend John lends me his hand to write you a line to acknowledge your favour of the 7th of this month. I sympathize with you in all your sorrows & congratulate with you in all your pleasures as I know you do in mine. Give my love to Mr. Clarke and wish him health and every blessing but you and I must submit him to a wise & benign providence. I can not wish you to exchange visits very often...
8256From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 19 December 1815 (Adams Papers)
Ah! Monsieur Adams! said my learned Friend The Abby De Mably “ Je sent un grand decadence. J’avois l’habitude d’ecrire six, huit a dix heures, mais Maintenant, Je ne puis pas travaillier que deux. Apres cela il faut que Je me jette sur le lit.” The Abby was then but seventy. As I am ten years older I may now say the same thing and with less regret The Death of my most ancient venerable and...
8257Thurdsday Feby. 14. 1771. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Hancocks with the Members, Warren, Church, Cooper, &c. and Mr. Harrison and spent the whole Afternoon and drank Green Tea, from Holland I hope, but dont know.— Of the “Boston seat” in the House of Representatives.
8258From John Adams to Md., Citizens of Baltimore, 2 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
I thank you, for communicating to me this respectful address— The sense you entertain of the conduct of a foreign nation, in threatening with destruction, the freedom, and Independence, of the United States, and representing the Citizens of America as a divided people, is such as patriotism, naturally and necessarily inspires—The fate of every republic in Europe however, from Poland, to Geneva...
8259From John Adams to Richard B. Lloyd, 20 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Arrival in this City, I had the Pleasure of your kind Letter of the 28 of December, and I thank you, sir, for your kind Congratulations, on my Arrival and obliging Enquiries after my Family, whom I left in perfect Health, as I hope Mrs. Lloyd and your little Family are. I want very much to be furnished with the critical and monthly Reviews: the Remembrancers and annual Registers as...
8260From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 10 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
Relying on your Virtues of and Graces of Faith and Hope, I accepted SSix Bills to the Amount of ten thousand Pounds Sterling, drawn in favour of Mr. Tracy. I have recieved Advice from Congress of more Bills drawn upon me: when they arrive and are presented, I must write You concerning them and desire You to enable me to discharge them: for I am sorry to be obliged to say, that although I have...
8261From John Adams to Edmund Jenings, 24 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have never answered your favor of August 22d. As to the Letters inclosed, I can say nothing. I cannot advise your Friend to take much Trouble about the Affair, because I think Congress will not be able to attend much to such things until the War is over. It is wholly out of my department, and I can do nothing in it, unless it be to inclose these or any other proposals to my Constituents. I...
8262From John Adams to Robert Treat Paine, 9 April 1774 (Adams Papers)
How does the Impeachment set upon the stomachs at Middle borough? Cant you steal a Moment in an Evening or Morning to write me a Line, by Kent? I asked Putnam, at Charlestown this Week, whether the Chief Justice would sit at Worcester. He says he would not advise him to attempt it, and that he has given that Answer, to all who have asked him about it, since he came down, of all Parties. The...
8263From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 5 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d. your favor of 30. ult o. — I am very apprehensive that the Gentleman you conversed with concerning the Loan is decieved, as his worthy Brother was on a former occasion, by whose Advice chiefly I was led to open the Loan with those three Houses. He was then of opinion, that even ten Millions might be obtained; whereas the three Houses have not been able to obtain in a year, so...
8264[In Congress, September–October 1774] (Adams Papers)
It is well known that in June 1774 The General Court at Cambridge appointed Members to meet with others from the other States in Congress on the fifth of August. Mr. Bowdoin, Mr. Cushing, Mr. Samuel Adams, Mr. John Adams and Mr. Robert Treat Paine were appointed. After this Election I went for the tenth and last time on the Eastern Circuit: At York at Dinner with the Court, happening to sit at...
8265From John Adams to James Monroe, 7 May 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour of your Letter of the 27 Ap. accompanied with one from St Petersbourg, for which, as well as for another which I received Sometime Since; and neglected to acknowledge, I pray you to accept my thanks. I am Sorry you had a moment’s uneasiness on account of the Accident you mention. I wish you had read the whole letter, not for any information in it, but to make you Smile at the...
82661778. Feb. 26. Thursday. (Adams Papers)
I have made many Observations, in the late bad Weather, some of which I do not think it prudent to put in writing—a few I will set down. 1st. I have seen the inexpressible Inconvenience of having so small a Space between Decks, as there is in the Boston. As the main Deck was almost constantly under Water, the Sea rolling in and out at the Ports and Scuppers, We were obliged to keep the Hat ch...
8267From John Adams to John Marshall, 14 July 1800 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed German letter I received yesterday but as the language is illegible & unintelligible to me I inclose it to you, that if any of your clerks can read it, they may translate it for your edification & that of your humble servant. I have not opened it—but give you full authority for that purpose. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
8268From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 3 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is an extract of a private letter from Gov Wentworth to Mr. McDonald the British consul at Boston. You may shew it confidentially to Mr. Liston & your colleagues. It is so consistent with all our intelligence from St Domingo, that it made an impression upon me. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
8269Fryday March 7. (Adams Papers)
In the Morning Chronicle of Saturday February 22, Mr. Secretary Townsend in the Debate upon the five Propositions of Lord John Cavendish, is represented to have said “He was willing to give his full Assent to the first Proposition, because such a Declaration from Parlia ment was, after the Address voted on Monday last, indispensably necessary. To the second, and to the third Resolutions,...
8270John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
This is the first Time, that I have attempted to write, since I left you. I arrived here in good Health, after an agreable Journey, last Wednesday; There had not been Members enough to make a House, several Colonies being absent, so that I was just in Time. The next day, an adequate No. appeared, and Congress has sat ever since. Georgia is now fully represented, and united to the other Twelve....
8271From John Adams to John Adams, 27 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I nominate James Blake of Pensilvania to be Consul of the United States in the City of St. Domingo in the Island of St. Domingo. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
8272[Saturday September 28. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Saturday September 28. 1776. The Board of War, to whom the Petition of William McCue was referred, brought in a report, whereupon Resolved, as in the Journal. JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 5:833.
8273From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 February 1813 (Adams Papers)
I loose no time in answering your Letter of the 15th, that my Confidence in your Love to your Country, the rectitude of your Judgment as well as your Intentions, and your Personal Friendship to me, are is so entire; that you are at Liberty to make what Use you judge for the Public Good, of my Name and my Letters. Personal and local and State Reflections and Allusions, in which I have indulged...
8274[May 1771] (Adams Papers)
Saturday I rode from Martins in Northborough to Boston on horse back, and from thence to Braintree in a Chaise, and when I arrived at my little Retreat, I was quite overcome with Fatigue. Next Morning felt better, and arose early and walked, up Pens Hill and then round, by the Meadow, home. After Meeting in the Afternoon Mr. Tudor and I rambled up the western Common, and took a View of a Place...
8275To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 1 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; transcript: Harvard University Library Last night I had the honor of yours of the 23d. & 26th Ulto.— If it should be convenient for Mr. Barclay to come here and take the Care of the Goods, it would be happy for me. I am also very happy to learn from your Excellency, that our Troops are tolerably well cloathed,...
82761778. March 1. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Discovered that our Mainmast was sprung in two Places—one beneath the Main Deck, 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 is one among many Instances, in which it has already appeared that our Safety has not depended on ourselves. A fine Wind, all day and night. Somewhat Sea Sick. The Ship was very quiet and...
8277From John Adams to William Woodfall, 14 May 1774 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of receiving your Favour of the twelfth March, Yesterday, for which I thank you. Your Plan of a News Paper to pro fess itself a general Channell of American Intelligence, is happily calculated I think, to Serve the Interest both of the British and of the American Public. If it should be in my Power at any Time to communicate to you, any material Intelligence, I shall be...
8278From John Adams to Judith Sargent Stevens Murray, 22 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
I am so deeply indebted to you for elegant letters and charming addresses that I expect to be obliged to take advantage of the bankrupt law if ever one should be passed. In answer to your last letter I can only say that I know of no vacancy in which your brother can be employed at present. If you or your friend have any particular thing in view, I pray you to mention it and it shall be...
8279Saturday [30 December]. (Adams Papers)
How a whole Family is put into a Broil sometimes by a Trifle. My P. and M. disagreed in Opinion about boarding Judah, that Difference occasioned passionate Expressions, those Expressions made Dolly and Judah snivell, Peter observed and mentioned it, I faulted him for it, which made him mad and all was breaking into a flame, when I quitted the Room, and took up Tully to compose myself. My P....
8280John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 December 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have enough to do to write Apologies in Answer to Invitations to dinner and to Tea Parties: but I have long Since taken the Resolution that I will not again loose myself and all my time in a wild vagary of Dissipation. As it is not in my Power to live on equal terms with the Families and Personages who exhibit so much real Hospitality in this City, I would not lay myself under Obligations to...