8741To John Adams from Jean George Holtzhey, 5 December 1783 (Adams Papers)
About three month ago I receved a fine silver medal out of Your name from a gentleman Who came from Paris, on the independency of your Illustrious Republiq, at same time was informed that your Hon. was soon Expected here which was true, but i disovered it too late i there fore take this opportunity to return you may hearthy thanks for satisfaction you have done me, is also for the attention...
8742To John Adams from William MacCreery, 29 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the pleasure to write you from Burdeaux the begining of this Month, giving you what little information I had got, during the two Days that I had been there. Amongst other matters, I mentiond the Enimy’s having all their large Ships to the Amount of thirty and upwards Cruizing in the Channel and Bay of Biscay, but I have since learn’d, that their reason for sending them, was, that...
8743L. de Chavannes de la Giraudière to John Adams, 23 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
Le politique Hollandais est mort, et le Mercure Hollandais vient reprendre sa place. J’ai l’honneur d’envoyer à Votre Excellence le premier N o de cette feuille nouvelle. Vous pourrez vous procurer les suivantes chez les Libraires de la Haie qui débitent le Courrier van Europa. J’espere que le public n’aura pas à regretter M. Cerisier pour le zele et le patriotisme, mais moi je regretterai...
8744From Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams to John Adams, 29 May 1823 (Adams Papers)
I was very much hurt at the tone of your Letter yesterday my Dear John which could only be accounted for by the sourness and irritation which the late unpleasant events at Cambridge have produced upon your feelings and general character—You are too susceptible and misconceive the meaning of even your best friends still worse of a Mother who has ever shewn you the utmost kindness and...
8745John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 5 January 1794 (Adams Papers)
I must apologize for not having answered before this your last Letter; but your conjectures with respect to Columbus were not without foundation, and what with politics and Law, what with public and private discussion, I have scarcely had a moment that I could call my own to perform my duties to you.— Columbus has been attacked in the Chronicle by a writer under the signature of Americanus,...
8746To John Adams from John Jay, 6 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
My last to You was dated 4 th: Ult:, since which I have been honored with several from you viz t. two dated 24 th. November last —9. 16. 17. 20. 22. 26 & 27 th. February and 4 th. March last —all of which with their several Enclosures were immediately laid before Congress.— I have at length the Pleasure of informing you that nine States begin to be frequent in Congress, and consequently that...
8747To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 9 June 1819 (Adams Papers)
As I know not where mrs de Wint resides—I must address my Lett to your care—I could not indulge my Self of adopting this ignorance for an apology in not writing—as I have been So peculiarly gratified by their kind and courteous present of Verplank’s Oration—which I had not yet Seen—except in the Rev. of the N. Amer. It proves indeed that I am not forgotten, and that the Spirt of the Grand...
8748To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 24 January 1805 (Adams Papers)
You will find, in the multitude of public documents, which I constantly transmit to you, the only apology I have to offer, for the irregularity which has crept upon the returns to your most valuable letters—Though I find it utterly impossible even to read all these papers, yet I feel it an indispensible duty to peruse with attention the greater part of them, and some of them require even a...
8749To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 24 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
I took the liberty to trouble you with a letter by Col. Franks, in which I desired the favor of you to inform me ab t. a law of Massachussets, which (according to M r. Jefferson’s memory) D r. Franklin told him it was enacted in the beginning of this Century, & tended to discourage the introduction of emigrants. I would be glad to Know the epoc, as near as possible, if not exactly; whether the...
8750To John Adams from David Tappan, 17 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I beg leave to present you with two setts of discourses on our late national Fast, the authors of which are among our first clergymen for piety, patriotism, & usefulness. Having read these sermons with much pleasure, I expressed to the writers a wish, that they might be presented to our beloved Chief Magistrate. They felt themselves restrained by modesty & delicacy from directly offering them...
8751To John Adams from Richard Peters, 15 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 5 th. instant I thank you for your kind & polite Offers of Hospitality. Experience has convinced me of your Friendship on this Head— I find from the Reflexions occasioned by the just Observations in your Letter that I have expected too much & am therefore not entitled to the Right of complaining under Dissappointment. Tho’ placed in a new Situation, we are the...
8752John Thaxter to John Adams, 20 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Lovell informed me last Evening of your acceptation of the appointment; and also that he should send an express immediately to the Eastward with dispatches, by whom I write. I feel a mixture of joy and grief on this event. As a Patriot, I ought to congratulate my Countrymen upon it, as having thereby a glorious prospect of seeing the liberties of America supported by so able an advocate;...
8753To John Adams from C. W. F. Dumas, 3 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
J’ai été mortifié dernierement, de vous trouver justement parti lorsque je passai à votre Auberge, pour vous rendre mes devoirs après avoir vu quelques patriotes. J’espere être dedommagé lorsque vous ferez une autre tournée ici. En attendant, je me hâte de vous faire passer l’incluse, non seulement pour que vous ayiez la bonté de la faire partir par premiere occasion avec vos Dépeches, mais...
8754To John Adams from Bernard Hubley, Jr., 30 October 1802 (Adams Papers)
Having undertaken to publish a Journal, during the period I was an Officer in the Army, upon condition of Eight hundred subscribers to proposals made; I take the liberty of Writing to you a few lines, and enclosing one of the Hand Bills, wishing that you may do me the honor, that your Name may be placed at the head of the list of Subscribers Names.—Should the Book be dedicated to any...
8755To John Adams from Jonathan Williams Austin, 7 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 20th June, and am very much obliged to you, for your Kindness in mentioning my Name to General Washington. I have since waited on his Excellency and find him answer the high Character we conceived of him. General Lee has treated me with great politeness. We are very much pleased with the continental Congress having adopted and organized the Army. There never was greater...
8756To John Adams from J. C. Champagne, 14 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Beg leave to Congratulate you on your Safe Arrival to Paris and on the Satisfactory Reception you must have met-with at our Court. I hope you Enjoy good health Such as I Sincerely wish you and your Dear Chield my particullar Attachment for you and to all the Noble Heads of your Cawse is Inexplicable, Shall Never Cease my Vows to the Lord for the Preservation of your Healths and the Success of...
8757To John Adams from Charles Lee, 14 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
Beleiving it probable that if you communicate to Congress all the dispatches received from Paris they will be soon known to the Directory, and if known there before our envoys shall have left France that they some way or other, I am respectfully of opinion that they ought not to be communicated to Congress at this moment . I cannot suppose our envoys contemplated Pending their endeavours to...
8758To John Adams from Winthrop Sargent, 8 January 1799 (Adams Papers)
In transmitting an Address from the people of this Territory an Opportunity is offered of most respectfully tendering my very best wishes to you and Mrs Adams at the least hazard of Intrusion—And I take Leave also of assuring you of my sincere Desire to be useful to you in this Country— You cannot indeed Sir afford me a much greater Satisfaction than by directing how I may contribute to your...
8759To John Adams from Isaac LeBaron, 8 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
The ability, rectitude and firmness, which have distinguished your administration, and indeed every part of your conduct, in the various important public stations, assigned you by your country, would render unnecessary any assurances of support from us, inhabitants of the ancient towns of Plymouth & Kingston, were it not of consequence, to remove an imputation industriously circulated, that...
8760To John Adams from David Hartley, 17 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed I send you a copy of a conciliatory bill which I moved in Parliament on the 27th of the last month. You will perceive by the tenor of it that it is drawn up in very general terms, containing a general power to treat, with something like a sketch of a line of negotiation. As the bill was not accepted by the Ministers in this Country, I have nothing further to say relating to it. As to...
8761To John Adams from Samuel Holden Parsons, 20 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Our former Acquaintance contracted in early Life, and under Circumstances which Experience Shews is hardly to be effaced by Length of Time or local Distance is Sufficient Apology for calling your Attention a Moment from the Important Considerations now before you, on which the Fate of this our rising Empire depends, to the inccorect Suggestions of a Friend, on Matters he conceives of Some...
8762To John Adams from Henry Knox, 27 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
The unalterable respect and affection I entertain for your talents and character dissipates all apprehension of offence in addressing you on the present occasion. My feelings as a father whose fortitude is assailed and wounded by the conduct of a thoughtless and extravagant son will I well know excite your sympathy. A son acting under the delusions of Youthful passions which hurry him headlong...
8763To John Adams from Thaddeus Mason Harris, 3 July 1824 (Adams Papers)
When I was in England I fortunately met with and procured Thomas Morton’s “New Canaan,” a thin 4to. volume,—a work of great curiosity, and to the historian of Massachusetts very interesting, as it details the particulars of an attempt to introduce into this part of our Country a Colony in opposition to the Plymouth settlers, delineates the manners and customs of the Aboriginal Natives, and...
8764To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 4 February 1782 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 25th. past, in which you acquaint me with the Reasons you have for being fully of Opinion that no Loan is possible to be procured by you, till there is a Treaty. Our only Dependance then appears to be on this Court; and I am happy to find that it still continues dispos’d to assist us. Since mine of the 11th. past, tho’ I have obtain’d no positive assurances of...
8765To John Adams from Samuel B. Malcom, 27 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
It was to be presumed that the many Victims which have already fall’n sacrafices to the rage of speculation, would have by this time corrected that immoral and unfortunate infatuation of the people of this Country—Experience however has lately demonstrated to me the fallacy of my conjectures and my wishes—To prove this I take the liberty to inform you of a Subject which at present agitates our...
8766To John Adams from Joseph Whipple, 16 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
I received notice by the last mail from the Secretary of the Treasury that you had considered it expedient to remove me from my office of Collector of the District of Portsmouth.—Early impressed with an Idea of your Candour & Justice & concious that I have meritted no mark of resentment or disgrace from the Executive I conceivd it to be my duty to address you on this occasion and to declare to...
8767To John Adams from the Société Bourgeoise of Leeuwarden, 29 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Nous avons enfin la Satisfaction de voir achevée la medaille qúe nous avions projettée et dediée aux nobles et puissants Seigneurs les Etats de Frise. Votre Excellence est instruite du but et du Contenu de cette medaille par notre Requete du 8 de mai de l année dernière, dont votre Excellence a eu la bonte d’inserer la traduction dans le Recueil de Pieces concernant l’Amerique Septentrionale,...
8768To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 26 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor of your direction of this Days date, for me to take upon myself the charge of the War Office, and to exercise all the Functions of Secretary of the Department of War, from the first Day of June, or from the time Mr. McHenry shall leave the office, until a successor regularly appointed & commissioned, shall appear to relieve me; which I shall attend to with great cheerfulness,...
8769To John Adams from James Warren, 5 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have no late Arrivals no foreign Intelligance. The Affair of Danbury has wholly Engrossed the Conversation here for a week past, and we were never able to determine whether what we heard was true or false, or even that there had been an Expedition there till Yesterday, when we were beyond a doubt Ascer tained of the loss of the Stores there, and the Indelible Stigma fixed on the N. England...
8770To John Adams from James McHenry, 20 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received this morning a letter from Major General Pinckney dated the 10th Inst. with Cap Taylors report dated the 23 of May Ulto. which I have the honour to inclose, and to request authority to make the exchange of names proposed by the General. With the greatest respect / I have the honour to be / Sir / Your most obt. / & hble St. MHi : Adams Papers.