Title: From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 20 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Jefferson, Thomas

Sir
Washington Feb. 20th 1801

In order to save you the trouble and expence of purchasing horses & carriages, which will not be necessary, I have to inform you that I shall leave in the stables of the United States seven horses and two carriages with harness the property of the United States. These may not be suitable for you, but they will certainly save you a considerable expence as they belong to the studd of the Presidents Household.
I have the Honor to be with great respect, Sir your most obed. & hum servt.

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Thomas Terry Davis, 20 February 1801
From: Davis, Thomas Terry
To: Adams, John

Sir—
House of Representatives Feby 20th. 1801

I understand that the Senators & Representatives from Tennessee and Mr Marshall of Kentucky have united in Recommending Mr Roen and Mr McClung as proper persons to be nominated Judge in the Sixth Circuit—This was done without any Consultation being had with Mr Brown & the Representatives from Kentucky, which I deem unfair. I consider Mr Roen one of the first Law Characters in the Western Country & a man of stern integrity—next to Mr. Thurston I would choose him, had my opinion any weight— I am respectfully / yr obt Sert.

Tho T Davis


Title: From John Adams to United States Congress, 20 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Congress

					Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
					United States, February 20, 1801.

				I transmit to Congress a report received this morning from Elias Boudinot, esq., Director of the Mint, dated February 13, 1801, which will require the attention and decision of Congress before the close of the session.

					John Adams.


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 20 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

					Gentlemen of the Senate:
					United States, February 20, 1801.

I request of the Senate that the letter and journal of our late envoys to France and the copy of their instructions and other documents relative to that negotiation may be returned to me or to the Office of State.

					John Adams.


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 21 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States Feb 21st 1801.

I nominate the Honorable Thomas Bee of South Carolina to be chief Judge
The Honorable John Sitgreaves of North Carolina and the Hon. Joseph Clay Jun of Georgia to be judges in the fifth circuit of the United States.
sixth Circuit
William McClung Esqr of Kentucky to be a Circuit Judge in the sixth circuit of the United States
The Hon Jacob Read Esqr. Senator from South Carolina to be Judge of that district in the place of Judge Bee
The Honorable William H Hill Esqr. member of the house of Representatives from North Carolina to be Judge of that district in place of Judge Sitgreaves.
Samuel Blackbourn Esqr to be Attorney for the Western district of Virginia
Robert Grattan of Stanton in Virginia to be Marshall of the Western district of Virginia
Thomas Gray Esqr. of the district of East Tennessee to be Attorney for the said district.
Charles J Porter Esqr of the district of East Tennessee to be Marshall of the said district.
William Pitt Beers Esqr of Albany to be Attorney of the United States for the district of Albany
James Dole Esqr of Troy in the district of Albany to be Marshall of that district.
J. C. Mounflorence of N. Carolina to be Commercial Agent for the United States at Paris

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from James Gunn, 21 February 1801
From: Gunn, James
To: Adams, John

Sir,
Washington Feby. 21st. 1801

I beg leave to recommend to the notice of the President Mr. Thomas Gibbons as a man Well qualified to fill the office of Judge in the District of Georgia.—
Mr. Gibbons is a Gentleman of Great professional abilities, was born in Georgia, and is Independent in his Circumstances.—
I am sir, / With the greatest Respect / Your Most Obt. and / very hubl. Srt.

James Gunn


Title: To John Adams from Joseph Wheaton, 21 February 1801
From: Wheaton, Joseph
To: Adams, John

Sir
Washington City Feby 21th. 1801—

Having been honord by you with a request to State Some circumstances which took place in the eastern part of the State of Massachusetts in the early part of our revolution, I have taken the liberty now to inclose that Statement to you, and permit me to add, that thus did I commence engage in the arduous Struggle in the commencement of that revolution with a zeal commensurate With the object, and continued in the armies of my country until tranquility was restored and the object of our contention obtained, Since which I need not add how my feble efforts have been imployed—Notwithstanding I have much reason to fear, that tho’ I am grown grey in Service, I shall be heard of Soon (if any Should deign to enquire after me) in retirement, and in poverty, unable to Support a wife and two young Children my feelings have lately been much agitated by the political disquietude and changes of this Country, on which I make no comment—but I have to beg of you Sir to accept from me the intire Homage of my heart, and believe that I am with gratitude / your faithful and / obedient Servant

Joseph Wheaton


Title: To John Adams from Joseph Wheaton, 21 February 1801
From: Wheaton, Joseph
To: Adams, John

Sir
Feby 21st. 1801—

Soon after the memorable afair which took place at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on the 19th: of April 1775, the news of it reached the Town of Machias, then most eastern port in the province of Maine, and early in the month of May came to that place two coasting Sloops owned by a Mr. Ichobad Jones, and convoyed by the armed Schooner called the Margarite a British tender, commanded by Captain Moore, having 4 carriage guns fourteen Swivels and Maned with eighteen officers & Seamen, one Sergeant one corperal—twelve Marines and two boys—this vessel came up very near the Town, the officers frequently came on Shore, and behaved with great civility to the inhabitants—but the people Strongly believed that hostile measures were pursuing from the recent afair at Concord, and the weight which the cautious conduct of Capt. Moore gave to that opinion, observing the two Sloops employed in loading with Boards & plank for Barracks of the British troops at Boston; the inhabitants of this little obscure place could no longer supress their feeling when some expressions was made for imbarking with their countrymen, they resolved on a Sunday morning to attempt taking the Margarite by force, with this view they calculated on taking the officers while at church, these officers however discovered something like a menace in the uncommon appearance of a party of men hastening towards a place of worship, and Some with arms suspected the design, and leaped out of the windows, and got Safe on Board their Vessel, a few Shot which came near these officers in their escape from the incautious evinced the motive for assembling in that maner; the vessel had Springs on her cables and fired a few shot into and over the Town; this ocasioned the people to assemble in greater members; the vessel got under way, and fell down the river to protect her convoy, and the people also got down the river faster than the vessel, when stoping at a narrow place ( point) they fired a vollie into the vessel, on which captain Moore who was a brave man brought his vessel to anchor and returned the fire with grape Shot and musketry, and cleared the Shore, the people were headed by one Benjamin Foster, a brave man, and was within Speaking distance of capt. Moore during the fire. night came, the vessel had her cable cut fell down with the tide near one mile from this place, the people remained together, and in the morning were about to seperate, having given up the taking the Margarite Schooner as impractable—When one William Obrien, Dennis Obrien Peter Coolbroth and Myself took a boat, went on board one of the loading Sloops & took possession of her, brought her along side of the wharf and then invited those people to Join us, to pursue and renew the attempt, we prevail’d on twenty Six of the young men, collected twenty Six old rusty Muskets, there rounds of loose powder & ball, one wall piece, one blunderbuss, four pitchforks, and half a Douzen axes, we took on board one barrel of water a small quantity of provisions, and being thus maned, armed and victualled, saild from the wharf with the huzza’s of all the old men, women, & children, collected on this novel and extraordinary ocasion, the Margarite having observed our movements, got under way and Sailed some hours before us but carrying away her main boom in Jibeing in Sailind down a crooked river, obliged her to come too at the entrance of the harbour, where she took Captain Robert Avery who had Just arrived from Novascotia, and from his vessel his boom & rigged it and was Making Sail when our vessel came in Sight, then commenced the chase, a Small lumber boat in pursuit of a well armed British vessel of war—in a Short time she cut away her three boats, Standing for Sea—While thus pursuing we aranged ourselves, appointed Jeremiah Obrien our Conductor John Steele to Steer our Vessel, and in about two hours we received her first fire, but before we could reach her she had cut our rigging and Sails immensely, but having gained to about one hundred yards, one Thomas Neight fired his wall piece, wounded the man at helm and the vessel broached too when we nearly all fired. at this moment Captain Moore imployed himself at a box of hand granades, and put two on board our vessel, which through our crew into great disorder, they having killed, and wounded nine men. Still two ranks which were near the prow got a second fire, When our bowsprit was run through the main Shrouds of the Margarette and Sail, when Six of us Jumped on her quarter deck, and with clubed Muskets drove the crew from their quarters, from the waist into the hold of the Margarette, the Capt. lay mortally wounded, Robert Avery was killed and eight Marines & Saylors lay dead on her deck, the Lieutenant wounded in her Cabin.
Thus ended this bloody affray—Peter Coolbroth died the day after, and with him was thirteen killed & wounded, myself one of the number—In the Margarette was found thirty Muskets, thirty cutlasses, thirty boarding pikes, thirty tomahawks, two boxes of hand granades, & eight cases of pistols, a large quantity of gun & Swivel cartrages.—In the evening we returned with our prise, to the astonishment of all who beheld this well equiped vessel—the next day, we buried Capt. Moore with a Solemnity due to a brave man, and entered all our dead, procured a hospital for the wounded, and Set about landing all the guns, arms, amunition and Stores of the Margaritte, we took immediate possession of the other Sloop belonging to Ichabad Jones, this was a stout able vessel of about ninety tons burden we armed her with the guns of the Margarite, and in two weeks, made her ready, and halled into the Stream; on the very day that our Vessel was thus equiped, there arrived in the mouth of the harbour two other British armed Schooners, one called the Diligence of one hundred & twenty tons commanded by Captain James Knight, the other called Le Tapagouch, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas . the Diligence mounted four Six pounders Sixteen Swivels, and maned with thirty eight Seamen & Marines, La Tapnagouch with ten men Swivels fourteen men—hearing of the arrival of those Vessels at the entrance of the harbour, we collected our Ships Company for the ocasion which consisted of forty men—chose our officers—put our boats a head and towed our vessel down the river the Same day we ordered out a boat to reconnoitre the two Schooners who fortunately concealed themselves on a Small Island and took Captain Knight and five men as they were passing along on the Side of the Island guning in the evening—the next morning June 10th: 1775 at day light came in Sight of those two Schooners, which got their anchors to the prow, over halled their guns lighted their matches, placed all hand to quarters & prepared to resist—but our American Crew Steady to their duty alternately changing the crews in the two boats pulling a head for the attack until our gib boom was fast in that of the Diligence, and with a graplin halled our Sloop along side of the her & took possession without fireing a Shot or the loss of blood—the Le Tapnagouche Struck immediately, and Soon after with a light breeze returned into the harbour with our two prizes, our prisoners were dispatched to watertown near Boston, and Jeremiah Obrien, & John Long were commissioned to command the two vessels, the Sloop which we had fitted out & the Diligence already fit for Sea those vessels cruized with various Success, & took Several prizes in the course of that year—

Joseph Wheaton


Title: To John Adams from Timothy Bloodworth, 23 February 1801
From: Bloodworth, Timothy
To: Adams, John

Sir
Monday Morning February 23d 1801

Some time past, I took the liberty to Mention a Gentleman, who I considered quallifyed to fill the office of a Judge, for the Southern District. should a Minute inquiry into the relative Circumstances, induce the President (from prudential Motives) to withold the Nomination, shall deem it a favour, to be endulg’d in Mentioning Mr: William H: Hill, a Gentleman of Respectabilty, who has practisd with reputation, in the Courts of Law in No Carolina. should he be prefer’d in the Nomination, I hope he will do Honor to himself, by Merritting the Confidence of his Country, in the faithfull discharge of Duty, in that important office. Pleas to excuse the freedom of this address, & accept the perfect respect Due to your Station, from Sir. / Your Most obedient, & / Very Humble Servant
Timothy Bloodworth


Title: To John Adams from Israel Hatch, 23 February 1801
From: Hatch, Israel
To: Adams, John

Sir
Philadelphia Febry. the 23 1801

Should Cald on you before I Left Washington but the wether being So Very bad and your hous Crowded with Companey Deprived me of the Pleshur of Seeing you before I left, I Made Aplication to the Secretary of State and obtaind A patent, And an order for making Full trial at Fort Independence In Boston Harber, From the Secretary at War, Sir as I have Spent time and money to Serve my Cuntry and Shall Contenue Still So to Do, Shall Esteme it A particular Faver to have An, apintment that may Anabel me to make Every Exershon that I am Master of For Defence of my Cuntry. If the, President, In his wisdom Should Se Fit to Comply with this Request and nothing more Can be had then An Enginiar that will be Exepted with thanks
The President will Excuse me For not making my Aplication till the Eleventh our. Per Mit me Sir to add, I Regret that your Adminstration is About to End and If Nothing Should be Don For me by you, I Fear your Succeser may not Comply with my wishes—
Remain with Due Respect / your obedent humbel / Servint

Israel Hatch


Title: To John Adams from Jared Ingersoll, Jr., 23 February 1801
From: Ingersoll, Jared, Jr.
To: Adams, John

Dear Sir.
Philadelphia Feby 23d. 1801

I was informed on Saturday Evening that you had done me the honor to nominate me to the Senate as Chief–Judge of the Circuit composed of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
I shall ever consider this circumstance as one of the most honorable incidents of my life—I regret exceedingly that I am obliged to decline the honor you so kindly offer me.
The Salary would not maintain my family I have Sons coming into the business of life; who will want pecuniary assistance from me, I must of cource continue at the Bar some time longer,
I trust to your knowledge of the mode of proceedings, upon such occasions, to withdraw my name, without giving the measure the appearance of a negative from the Senate—
If in your Journey homewards, you will take an apartment in my house, during your stay in this City, you would confer an additional Obligation on your / much obliged / & respectfull hum ser.
Jared Ingersoll


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 24 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States Feb 24th 1801.

I nominate the Hon. Elijah Paine of Vermont to be Judge of that district in the place of Judge Hitchcock promoted
Thomas Gibbons of Georgia to be judge of that district in the place of Judge Clay promoted.
Turell Tufts Esqr. our consull at Surrinam to be commercial Agent at L’Orient
Thomas Aborn of Rhode Island to be commercial agent at Cayenne.

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 25 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States Feb. 25 1801.

I nominate Louis C Baily of Maryland, now acting as Lieutenant on board of the eagle, to be promoted from the rank of midshipman to be a Lieutenant in the navy.
Jacob Jones of Deleware a midshipman to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Navy.
Robert Greenleaf of Rhode Island to be a second Lieutenant in the marine corps vice Lieutenant Bell resigned
Robert Hamilton Nicholls of Mary land to be a second Lieutenant in the marine corps vice Lieutenant McCleary deceased

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 25 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States Feb 25 1801

I nominate the Hon. Philip Barton Key of Maryland to be chief Judge of the fourth Circuit in the place of the Hon Charles Lee who has declined his appointment
Charles Magill Esqr of the West district of Virginia to be a judge of the fourth circuit

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from John Eager Howard, 25 February 1801
From: Howard, John Eager,Hindman, William
To: Adams, John

Sir,
Washington 25 Feby 1801.

We take the liberty to recommend Mr. John Rousby Plater as a proper Character to fill the appointment of one of the assistant Judges of the Territory of Columbia.
We have the honor to be with great Respect and Esteem / Sir, / Your obedt. Serts
J. E. HowardWm. Hindman


Title: To John Adams from Uriah Howell, 25 February 1801
From: Howell, Uriah
To: Adams, John

Sir,
Geo Town 25. Feby 1801.

I take the liberty of Recommending to you John Rousby Plater Esqr. as one of the Judges for the Territory of Columbia. He is a Man of Understanding and of Honor. He Read Law about five years, with the present Chancellor of Maryland, and practiced about three years, in the lower Counties of this state, where He then Resided; and for some time acted as the Attorney of the State in two of the Counties.—
I beleive no Man can be found whose Character is more unexceptionable and none I am persuaded would give more satisfaction to the thinking part of the district.—It is proper for me to add that I am connected with him by Marriage, and that I should therefore be the more cautious in recommending him, were I not quite satisfied of his ability & fitness.
I have the Honor to be with every sentiment of Respect and consideration /    Sir / Your very hble servt

Uriah Howell


Title: To John Adams from Lucius Horatio Stockton, 25 February 1801
From: Stockton, Lucius Horatio
To: Adams, John

Honoured Sir
Trenton February 25th. 1801.

On the day when you will receive this letter, a formal resignation of the office of attorney of the United States for the New-Jersey district will be filed on my behalf in the office of Secretary of State—The commission which I received from Your Excellency bears date on the 6th. of February AD 1798 and purports that the office was to be held during the pleasure of the President of the United States—When I solicited the office which I now resign I viewed in the President of the United States the father of his country, the friend of the human race, the patriot, and the christian; As it hath pleased God in the inscrutable counsels of his wisdom and (as it is to be feared) in the Execution of merited judgment on our guilty land, to Suffer the people to pursue unhallowed idols, altho I desire to submit to the divine will and to the powers that are, yet I do not consider it required by duty and certainly not by inclination to touch the accursed thing by partaking of any office to be held at the tenure of those who now will soon bear sway. At certain times, I believe with Mr. Addison that “the post of honour” as well as of duty is “the private station” Beleiving the present to be such a time I resign my office to the revered donor of it to whom for the honours and advantages which have been derived from it are due the most grateful acknowlegements of Sir with the highest respect and most affectionate regard Your Sincere friend & most obedt Servant,

Lucius Horatio Stockton.


Title: To John Adams from M. I. Stone, 25 February 1801
From: Stone, M. I.
To: Adams, John

Sir
Febry 25th. 1801

I have been acquaint’d with Major Thomas A Dyson Ever since I was a Boy—I believe him to be a Man of intellegence, Deligence, and the Firmest Integrity, I have been Lawyer and Judge, And had an oppertunity of observeing his Conduct During Six years in which he Was Sheriff of Charles County—He has behaved through Life and in Office as a deligent, active, Dignified, faithfull, good Man and officer—
With perfect respect I am your most obed sert
M. I. Stone


Title: To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 27 February 1801
From: Stoddert, Benjamin
To: Adams, John

Sir
27. Feby. 1801.

I take the liberty to mention Mr James M Lingan, a very respectable Inhabitant of George Town – of long standing; of great integrity of Character – & great firmness—and in every way qualified to do credit to the Appointment of Marshal for the District of Columbia—He will accept, if appointed.
I have the honor to be / with great Respect sir / Yr. most obed. Serv.

Ben Stoddert


Title: From John Adams to United States House of Representatives, 27 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States House of Representatives

					Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
					United States, February 27, 1801.

I transmit you a report of the Secretary of State, with sundry documents, relative to the subject of your resolution of the 24th instant.

					John Adams.


Title: From John Adams to United States House of Representatives, 27 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States House of Representatives

					 Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
					United States, February 27, 1801.

I transmit to you, in conformity with your request of the I7th instant, two reports, one from the Acting Secretary of War, the other from the Secretary of the Treasury, of the 26th, with details of the expenditure of the moneys appropriated by the acts of the 20th (4th) of May and 6th of July, 1798, and of the 10th of May, 1800.

					John Adams.


Title: To John Adams from John Marshall, 27 February 1801
From: Marshall, John
To: Adams, John

					Sir:
					Department of State, February 27, 1801.

				The order of the House of Representatives of the 24th of this month, requesting an account of the depredations committed on the commerce of the United States by vessels of Great Britain, of which complaint has been made to the Government, having been referred to this department, I have the honor to transmit herewith an abstract of such cases as have been complained of since the commencement of the year 1800.The order of the House having fixed no period at which the account it requests is to commence, I have, from a consideration of the short space for which the present session can continue, thought it compatible with their view to limit the abstract to the time above mentioned.From the various reasons, it is to be presumed that many captures have been made, of which no complaint has been forwarded to the Government. Under this impression, and for the purpose of giving a comprehensive view of the subject, I have thought it not improper to annex to the abstract several extracts of letters from our consuls, and also an extract of a letter from the President of the Chamber of Commerce at Philadelphia to the Secretary of the Navy.I will also take the liberty to observe, that neither the communications from our minister at London, nor my conversations with the chargé d’affaires of His Britannic Majesty in the United States, would lead to an opinion that any additional orders have been lately given by the British Government, authorizing the system of depredation alluded to in the letter from Mr. Fitzsimmons.I am, sir, &c.

					J. Marshall.


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 28 February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States Feb 28 1801

I nominate The Hon Thomas Johnson Esqr of Frederick in Maryland to be Chief Judge
James Marshall Esqr of Alexandria and
William Cranch Esqr of the city of Washington to be Assistant Judges of the territory of Columbia
Thomas Swan Esqr of Alexandria to be Attorney for the district. I also nominate the three judges and Attorney to be justices of the peace in both Counties of the district
James M Lingan Esqr to be Marshall of the District
John Adams


Title: From John Adams to Thomas Beall, February 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Beall, Thomas,Gantt, John Mackall

No. 62.John Adams, President of the United States To Thomas Beall of George & John M GanattFebruary 1801

You are hereby requested to convey a certain Square, parcel or lot of Ground in the City of Washington, bounded as follows—Beginning in the line of the east side of eleventh Street east, at the distance of ninety feet south of the south-west corner of Square numbered nine hundred and eighty eight—thence east eight hundred and twenty six feet, six Inches—thence south four hundred and forty feet—thence west, eight hundred and twenty six feet, six Inches—thence north, four hundred and forty feet, to the Beginning to William Thornton, Alexander White and William Cranch, Commissioners appointed under the Act of Congress, entituled “An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States.” To have and to hold to the said William Thornton, Alexander White and William Cranch, and their Heirs, to the use of the United–States forever.
Given under my Hand and the seal of the United–States, this day of February in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and one.


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States March 2d 1801.

I nominate Jonathan Russell Esqr of Bristol in Rhode Island to be a collector of the port of Bristol in that State
Nathaniel Phillips Esqr of Warren to be Surveyor of the Port of Warren and Barrington.
Samuel Bosworth Esqr to be Surveyor of the port of Bristol.

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States March 2d. 1801.

I nominate William Hammond Dorsey Esqr to be judge of the Orphans court in the County of Washington in the District of Columbia.
John Peter to be register of Wills for the same County.
John Herbert Esqr. to be Judge of the Orphans Court for the County of Alexandria.
Clion Moore Esqr of Alexandria to be Register of wills for that County.
The Hon. Thomas Sim Lee
The Hon Tristram Dalton
The Hon Benjamin Stoddert
The Hon Uriah Forest
Daniel Carroll
John Mason
James Barry
Thomas Beall Esquires
William Thornton
Daniel Reintzell
Robert Brent
Thomas Peter
William Marbury
Thomas Addison
John Laird
Richard Forrest
Cornelius Cunningham
Marsham Waring
John Threlkeld
Lewis Deblois
William Hammond Dorsey
Joseph Sprig Belt
Abraham Boyd Esquires
to be justices of the peace for the county of Washington in the district of Columbia.
William Fitzhugh
Robert Townsend Hooe
Richard Conway
Charles Alexander
George Gilpin
Frances Peyton
George Taylor
Dennis Ramsay
Simon Summers
John Potts
Jonah Thompson
William Harper
Jonathan Swift
Abraham Faw
Charles Alexander Jun.
John Herbert
Cuthbert Powell
Jacob Houghman
Cleon Moore Esquires
to be justices of the peace for the County of Alexandria.
Samuel Hanson of Samuel to be Notary public for Washington and Henry Moore to be Notary public for Alexandria County.
John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
March 2d. 1801

I nominate the following List of Promotions and Appointments in the Army
First Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers.
Lieutenant Peter Talman Captain vice Elliott resigned.
Prescott Barron of Rhode Island, Surgeon’s Mate
Second Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers.
Lieutenant John Hancock Captain vice Eddins resigned
Moses Swett of Vermont, Lieutenant vice Hancock promoted.
Stephen Thomas of Massachusetts, Surgeon’s Mate.
First Regiment of Infantry.
First Lieutenant Meriwether Lewis Captain vice Prior deceased
Van Bennet of Virginia, Second Lieutenant.
Charles Blake of Massachusetts, Surgeon’s Mate.
Ebenezer Lawrence of Massachusetts, Ditto.
Second Regiment of Infantry.
Second Lieutenant Seymour Renick First Lieutenant vice Rand resigned.
Levi Alexander, Second Lieutenant vice Renick promoted
John H. Douglass of New York, Surgeon’s Mate.
Edward Reynolds of Maryland, Ditto.
Third Regiment of Infantry.
Captain Isaac Guion Major vice Cass resigned.
Reuben Everitt of North Carolina, Surgeon’s Mate.—

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States March 2d. 1801.

I have considered the advice and consent of the Senate to the ratification of the Convention with France, under certain Conditions. Altho. it would have been more conformable to my own judgment & inclination, to have agreed to that instrument unconditionally, yet in this point, I found I had the misfortune to differ in opinion from so high a consitutional authority as the Senate. I judged it more consistent with the honour and interest of the United States to ratify it under the conditions prescribed, than not at all. I accordingly nominated Mr. Bayard, minister plenipotentiary to the French Republic, that he might proceed without delay to Paris, to negotiate the exchange of Ratifications. But as that Gentleman has declined his appointment, for reasons equally applicable to every other person, suitable for the service, I shall take no further measures relative to this business, and leave the convention with all the documents in the office of State, that my successor may proceed with them according to his wisdom(Signed)

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Elizur Goodrich, 2 March 1801
From: Goodrich, Elizur
To: Adams, John

Sir
Washington March 2d. 1801

I have this day had the honour to signify to the proper Officer, my Acceptance of a Commission, under the hand of your Excellency, constituting me Collector of the Customs, in the District of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut.
I feel it due to those sensations I feel, to express to your Excellency, personally, my grateful Acknowledgements, for so honorable a testimonial of your Excellency’s Confidence.—
Happy in retiring to domestic Life, authorised to exercise an Authority, derived from your Excellency, it will be my future pride & pleasure to cherish and cultivate, in connexion with my fellow Citizens those sentiments of respect and esteem for your Excellency’s Character & person, which are so justly due to those eminent and distinguished services, which you have rendered to your Country.
My endeavours, at all times and on all occasions will be directed, rightly to appriciate, and to remember with Gratitude, the Obligations I feel, and as a Citizen to express that high regard, which every real American will ever entertain for your Excellency. I have the Honour to be, / with the most profound respect / your Excellency’s / most obliged & humle servt

Elizur Goodrich


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 3 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
United States March 3d 1801

I nominate Thomas Duncan Esqr. of Pensylvania to be Attorney and
Hugh Barclay—do. to be Marshall of the Western district of of said state.

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to United States Senate, 3 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: United States Senate

Gentlemen of the Senate
March 3. 1801

I nominate Enoch S. Lane of Virginia to be a Lieutenant of Marines

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Matthew Lyon, 4 March 1801
From: Lyon, Matthew
To: Adams, John

Fellow Citizen
Washington March 4th: 1801

Four years ago this day you became President of the United States, and I a Representative of the People in Congress; this day has brought us once more on a level, the acquaintance we have had together entitles me to the Liberty I take, when you are about to depart for Quincey, (by and with the concent and advice of the good people of the United States) to bid you a hearty farewell; this appears to me more proper, as I am going to retire (of my own accord) to the extreme western parts of the United States, where I had fixed myself an asylum from the persecutions of a party the most base, cruel, assuming, and faithless, that ever disgraced the Councils of any nation; that party is now hapily humbled in “dust and ashes, before the indignant frowns of an injured Country,” but their deeds never can be forgotten—
In this valedictory I propose without further ceremony to bring to your view a retrospect of some part at least of your public conduct during the last four years—In doing this I shall not trouble you or myself with the fair promises in your inaguration speech, nor those three volumns in which is displayed your love of Royalty and Great Britain. Your early endeavours to involve this Country in an endless war, and to draw forth her resources on the side of Monarchy against Republicanism, forms a trait in your History which much more deserves my notice.—Your first speech to the 5th. Congress containing groundless insinuations that Charles C Pinckney was authorized to discuss and investigate the demands of the French Nation for redress of what they call’d grievances, presaged what your further conduct would be, and deserves from you a calm review in your retirement, and when looking over that speech, I beg you to reflect on the base manner in which you abused Mr Monroe and the French Government, because he had according to his instructions, cultivated a good understanding with that Government, and on your Childish nonsense about dividing the people from the Government.—I hope Sir you are not pass’d blushing at what a school boy would be ashamed of.—
The People of this Government Country can never be divided from the Government; you have brought yourself into hatred and contempt with them, but they never could be induced to view you and your executive Officers as the Government. No! the Government they love and respect, and have accordingly put it into better hands
You will now have leisure Sir to look over your second Speech to the same Congress when I hope you will recollect how you swelled and strutted while abusing the Nation you were hypocritically pretending to make up differences with ——— Look at the list of laws which you sanctioned that session giving new and unconstitutional powers to yourself. Sir you will now have time to review all those fulsom addresses to you, from a Misguided Multitude—I will not pretend to describe the sensations they will produce, when you reflect how they buoyed up your pride, flattered your vanity and persuaded you the day was approaching and night at hand, when an Hereditary Crown would be offer’d you—Read over your answers Sir, they were calculated to invoke more and more addresses, until the whole store of the folly and sycophansy of the Country became exhausted—Pitiful indeed must be your feelings in passing home through the now Democratic State of New Jersey, which formerly so conspic copiously furnished you with piping hot addresses every morning for breakfast; the servility of a few of their abandoned Citizens studied your palate and changed the cookery of the dish oftner than your kitchen servants—Should you stop at Philadelphia, how melancholy must it seem to you, McPhersons band of cockaded boys are dispersed or grown up into democrats, no federal mobs now there to sing hail Columbia, huzza of John Adams and terrify your opponents opposers—Hopkinsons lyre is out of tune, Cobbett & Liston are gone, the Quakers are for the living President and your old friend Joe Thomas I am told can scarcely find duds to cover his nakedness—I am surprized you have not made him a Judge—I beg pardon for this digression, but let me advise you to take water at the Federal City and land at the nearest port to Quincey; the condolence of your old confederates all along from this Quincey, and the silent contempt of the multitude will be too hard for you to bear, so soon after your fall, and may deprive you of the little reason you have yet left—But to return to the review of your Administration as respects your endeavours to plunge this nation into all the horrors of War after you found the X, Y, and Z fabrications did not blind the people sufficiently to their own Interest; and after you found france would not be provoked by you to a declaration of War; that they had prudently overlooked all your bullying rhapsodies, and offered to meet you in the work of reconciliation on the terms yourself had proposed, you insulted the patience and good sense of the American people, by with holding the public communications, nearly throughout a whole session of Congress; and then after some of your turgivesations, put the business of negociation in such a train, as has kept this Country more than two years longer in a state of half war, which has destroyed some of the most valuable branches of her commerce, and left the Staple and essential article of tobacco in the hands of the planter, or obliged him to sell it at one half of its real value to british speculators who furnished to the French indirectly furnished it to the French, and that at three times the prime C price it a th price it actually cost them—You came to the Administration Sir under the most favourable Auspicies; at a time when if there were parties in this Country, they were by no means hostile to each other; when the encreasing revenue was sinking the public debt, when the Federal Judiciary held a share of popularity in this Country and were regarded with respect; when the Contributions toward the public expence sat tollerably easy on the people; when this Country was considered as an asylum for the oppressed of all nations, and there was a great influx of foreign riches, industry, and ingenuity; when this Country was happy in the freedom of speech and of the press; when the Constitution was considered as a barrier against Legislative Executive and Judicial encroachments & before the people were divided into Casts of Gentlemen and simplemen, before offices, places, and contracts were considered as the exclusive right of the favourite cast. Reflect a little Sir and see the awful change made in favour four short years—I will give you a slight view—You commenced your carier Sir by professions which promised to unite all honest men to you; but they were mere professions; your mad Zeal, for Monarchy and hatred for rational liberty, your love of pomp, your unhappy selection of favourites, your regardlessness of the public treasure, the heard earning of your fellow Citizens has divided the people into parties and fostered among them envy, malice and the most rancorous hatred toward each other—Father has been set against son, and son against Father, brother against brother, Neighbours and friends have lost their former relish for the social enjoyments; under your administration Sir a system of appointments has been established by which implicit faith in your infalibility and a nack at discolouring the truth, become the only Quallification to office or to entitle a person to a contract—
Under your Administration Sir useless and expensive Embassies have prevailed to an alarming degree, offices & officers almost without umber have been created, and appointed all out of the favourite cast, while merit and abilities have been disregarded, capable deserving and popular men, have by you and your minions been disregarded discharged from the service of their Country without being vouchased a reason for their degradation—Your Administration Sir has been famous for Contracts, there is not a doubt but in future the secret records of your navy office will be studied by your friend William Pitt and those he wishes to give favourite Contracts to, there the oldest and wickedest British peculators may learn new modes of managing advantageously about Contracts—
The Judiciary Sir under your untoward Administration, have made alarming encroachments on the rights of man; they have adopted the British maxim of non expatiation, in the face of every principle hetofore held dear in this Country, and in contradiction to many of the state constitutions, they have been endeavouring to introduce the crude, cruel, undigested, inapt and obsolete system of the common law of England into our national jurisdiction jurisprudence, and they have, in defiance of the express prohibition in the constitution made pass for treason a crime, known and defined in the laws by another name and these decreed to be punished by fine and imprisonment—Your concience recoiled at this; it seems you were not prepared for every thing, your old friend Hamilton abuses you for the only good thing you ever did in your life, he ought to have known excused you, and recollected how your imagination had been tortured by the Ghost of Jonathan Robins; your confident in that case Judge Bee it seems you have well provided for in this world, but there is an other world to which you sent poor Jonathan where you must both meet him, may you by sincere repentance be prepared for that awful meeting—
Under your Administration Sir, and with your consent your fellow Citizens have had a heavy addition to the tax on salt, their houses and lands have been subjected to an unprecedent tax, a tax on Licences for selling the liquor but just before taxed, as well as an odious tax on paper, parchment and velum has been instituted and the taxes on some other articles of Consumption has been raised; these heavy and additional contributions have not suffised you to have the command and disposition of. No many Millions have been borrowed at an enormous interest to satisfy the apetite of the gready courtier, for which the future earnings of your fellow Citizens stands pledged—An alien law Sir bears your signature which unconstitutionally subjected to your sovereign will, the liberty or banishment of every alien, whatever might be his connections in, or attachment to his Country, and the terms of Citizenship have been rendered almost inaccessible, by which the best disposed and the most able and useful emigrants have been obliged to fly from your vindictive wrath.
Perhaps in no instance has our constitution, our sacred will bill of rights been more shamefully, more barefacedly trampled on than in the case of the passage of the bill called the sedition law—This Sir was your darling hobby horse, by this law you expected to have all your follies, your absurdities and your attrocities burried in oblivion, you thought by its terrors to shut the mouths of all but sycophants and flatterers, and to secure yourself in the Presidency at least; but how happily have you been disappointed! the truth has issued from many a patriotic pen and press and you are fallen, never,—never to rise again.
It has availed you little, Sir, to have me fined 1,000 dollars, and imprisoned four months, for declaring truths, long before the Sedition Law was passed; to have Holt and Haswell fined 200 dollars each, and imprisoned two months, one for calling the late disbanded army, a standing army; and the other for publishing the sentiments of your Secretary at war, in his letter to Gen. Darke; to have Cooper fined four hundred dollars, and imprisoned Six months, because he resented your publishing his confidential  application to you for an office, which he was trury worthy of; you complained of a breach of confidence in the case of Tench Coxe, but you had forgotten your perfidy to Cooper. Those attempts to stifle an investigation into your conduct, only accelerated your fall.
When you have read thus far you cannot but recollect the benevolent Mr. Ogden and your rudeness to him,—that man who had formerly been your panegyrist, and who possessed as much of the milk of human kindness as ever was contained in the breast of one man, took a journey of 400 miles through the tedious snows of the northern regions, to carry to you the petitions of the people of Vermont, in favor of their representative, and to try his powers of persuasion on Mr Adams; mercy for his favorite friend was to be his theme. I told Mr. Ogden that you was vindictive and revengeful, and that he would be disappointed; his good nature would not suffer him to believe me: he tried the experiment,—he failed; but how cruel was it of you, Sir, to add insult to unkindness. After your refusing to comply with his request, he said you would not let him go, without morosely telling him that you supposed it was in his behalf you had been solicited for an office, in the customs, in Connecticut, and that his interferrence in behalf of Colonel Lyon, put it out of your power to do him any favour, that was cruel indeed, it was enough to disappoint his expectations of flying to his imprisoned friend “with the joyful news of his enlargement; it was too much to tell him his own hopes were all blasted; it broke his heart Sir, he had not hoped so much on his own account as on that of an aged and unprovided for widow of General Worster who would have shared with him the emoluments,—That office I understand was among the sacrifices your old friend the General made at the commencement of the Revolutionary War—but Sir the good Mr. Ogden wants no place now from you or any other earthly potentate, he has got a place in Abrahams bosom and he no doubt looks down from Heaven on you with ineffable pity and tender compassion.
It is a long time sir since I intended Myself the honour of at this time ad writing you a—I have however put it off from time to time, as we are apt to do about things that concerns others more than they do ourselves—Inevitable business has caused me to neglect this duty until the last moment, when I have been obliged to hurry the thing over much against my inclination, you will be kind enough to pardon the many essential omissions I have necessarily made been guilty of—there is no doubt but by the time you read thus far your conscience, seared as it is will be ready to supply many of the defects of my memory.
I must finish this letter Sir, where you finish your Administration, that is with our late nominations—I have been told that you have given one secretaryship and four judge ships for laying the Ghost of Jonathan Robins, besides Judge Bee’s appointment or in other words, you gave as a premium to the man who made the most learned & perplexing speech in your favour the secretary ship—It is a maxim with lawyers and popish priests I believe that the greater the villany to be exculpated from, the greater the fee—the same secretary ship becomes precarious, the services Renderd were great indeed and not to be forgotten, the Judiciary was the only permanent fund to be applied to, and so long as there was a brother or a sister to make a claim, they, (it seems) have been ordered to draw upon it; Until all were satisfyed—The same fund has renderd served you an excellent purpose for legacies to your poor and distant relatives, as well for rewarding the tories who have been the firmest friends to your Administration—Through the whole of your of your last nominations you  have proceeded as if you took council from the infernal regions, some men, (who are not thought highly of neither), have spurned your nominations avowedly to avoid the disgrace they confer—
I am told Sir, that when you were vice president, you boasted that for the casting vote upon Mr Maddison’s propositions you would not take ten thousand pounds, by your Administration you have rendered that vote fatal to your Country and made it cost her Millions.—You seem now more than ever bent on Mischief, your vindictive spirit prompts you to do every thing in your power to give the succeeding Administration trouble, but you are unfortunate in this as in most of your calculations, your creatures are generally pliant reeds, they will bend to, and fawn upon any body that is in power, it was power they worshiped in you, not John Adams—
Come pray Sir cool yourself a little, dont coil around like the rattle snake and bite yourself! No, betake yourself to fasting and prayer awhile, it may be good for both body and soul, it is a safer remedy for an old man in your situation than the letting of blood—
Suffer me to recommend to you that patience and resignation, which is characteristic of the holy religion you profess—
I hope and pray your fate will be a may be a warning to all usurpers and tyrants, and that you before you leave this world, may become a true and sincere penitent, and be forgiven all your manifold Sins in the next—I repeat it, this is the sincere wish and prayer of your / fellow Citizen

M Lyon


Title: To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 9 March 1801
From: Williams, Jonathan
To: Adams, John

Sir
Philadelphia March 9. 1801

It was with great regret that I found myself dissappointed in my attempt to pay my gratefull respects to you this morning.—Conceiving that the bad weather, and worse Roads, would have rendered your arrival before to day impossible, I remained in the Country in full confidence of meeting you either to day or tomorrow.
I beg you to be assured, Sir, that in your Retirement from public Life, my best wishes for your health and happiness will always attend you, and that in the exercise of my new profession, I shall never ungratefully forget the beneficent hand that Signed my Commission. Nothing could give me greater Pleasure than, by rendering you or your Friends any acceptable service, to testify the high sense I entertain of your Virtues, and the obligations I owe to your Friendship.
Mrs Williams joins me in most respectfull Compliments to Mrs Adams, /  and I remain as ever /  with the highest degree of /  Esteem & veneration  /  Sir /  Your obliged and /  obed servant

Jon Williams


Title: To John Adams from Christopher Gadsden, 11 March 1801
From: Gadsden, Christopher
To: Adams, John

Dear Sir
Charleston State of South Carolina 11th March 1801.

For five or six Years past at least, very rarely have I been seen from home (or wish’d to be) excepting at Church or Funerals, but my Duty to my Country & to our old Standbys tho’ now in my 78th, compell’d me in our late Election to take up my feeble pen again, at least to shew my good Will & Inclination, & tho’ many able Hands were not wanting, yet sorry am I to say, all our Efforts fail’d
Many well earn’d Honors have the united States confer’d on you, had they added one more, a second Invitation to the Presidency, it wou’d have been not only what your long, faithful, important & useful Services might have reasonably expected, as a public Acknowledgmt. & Concurrence wth all the World, of in your able & successful Discharge of your first Appointment, and of all your many other important Trusts, but also, what in my humble Opinion, sound Policy seem’d to dictate—God grant that the Recollection of your ungrateful Treatment may not deter truely firm, virtuous Men from venturing their Names to be held up to the public on such Elections, I am not without my Suspicions that Foreign Medlers must have had this deep political Slyness in View.
Many of our new comers cajol’d & impos’d upon by Emissaries from without, & egg’d on by a numerous or rather innumerable Tribe of young Law followers amongst ourselves, especially in the Circuits have brought on a strange Renversement in our slate, our old standers & independent Men of long well try’d Patriotism, sound Understanding & good property have now in general very little Influence in our public Matters Our too easy Admittance of Strangers has entangled us in this Evil & when or where it will end God only knows, But here my dear Sir I must confess my own Credulity & Shortsightedness who was amongst the most zealous in that over hasty & not sufficiently guarded step which we now have great Reason to lament as big with innumberable Mischiefs. Our worthy deceased Friend John Rutledge looking farther was for giving them every reasonable Protection & Encouragemt. but for admitting only their Sons born amongst us into such compleat Citizenship as to vote either at State or Congress Elections, & when unsuccessful in this point was then for extending the Time to ten years at least, had even this been carried it wou’d have given NewComers full Time to look so deliberately about them as greatly to have deter’d & hinder’d all designing Tamperors & deceivers in most of their infernal Views & mischeivous Suggestions & much better in all probability would this have been for the Peace, safety & lasting political Security of both.
You must have heard of & admir’d the open honorable Behaviour of Genl Pinckney in our State Election, that he wou’d Listen to no Proposals of Composition whatever but persisted from first to last to stand or fall with you—
I know you cannot want any Consolation in this Matter beyond your own Breast the firm well grounded Complacing there is I am sure amply sufficent to dispense with any Thing exterior—.
Long have I been led to think our Planet a mere Bedlam & the uncommonly extravagant Ravings of our own Times, especially for a few years past, & still in the hightest rant, have greatly encreas’d & confirm’d that Opinion—Look round our whirling Globe my Friend Where you will, East, West, North or South where is the Spot in which are not many thousands of these mad Lunatics, But not a few strong Symptoms seem now loudly to proclaim that this terrible catching Epidemic cannot be far from its Crisis, & when arriv’d there, our all-knowing unerring Physician always mercifully producing good from evil, & setting to rights the mad destructive Freaks of Mortals will ’tis to be hop’d in the present forlorn Distresses interfere & give such a favorable Turn to the Crisis so as to make this Bedlam-Commitment end in the Cure of all its miserable Captives
More & more happy I bless God do I every Day feel myself, to find that my Passage over this Life’s Atlantic is almost gain’d, having been in Soundings for some Time, not far from my Wish’d for Port, waiting only for a favorable Breeze from our kind Saviour to waft me to that pleasing & expected Landfal which I cheerfully & humbly hope for.
Since our Country will have it so———That Mr. Jefferson may discharge his four Years Duty with as much Faithfulness & steadiness as you have done, & as much to the Public Benefit; That in so doing he may have the constitutional Assitance & Countenance of every Citizen of the Union; & that his Public Actions may be judg’d of with Candor & Generosity, without any captious hole-picking; & above all that every tendency to cut our re-harmonizing & keeping so, may be cordially embrac’d & Zealously forwarded by all Ranks & happily effected is the constant sincere & heartfelt prayer of him who is,
with great Repect & Affection / Dr. Sir / Yr. most obedt. hble servt

Christ Gadsden


Title: To John Adams from Isaac Story, 20 March 1801
From: Story, Isaac
To: Adams, John

Respected Sir,
Sterling March 20th 1801

The man, who loves his country, will venerate those, who have contributed to her glory and prosperity; and, as Republics are sometimes found wanting in gratitude, it becomes each individual, unless he would involve himself in the general obloquy, to express personally the sentiments of his heart. Unfortunately for America, that time has arrived. Being but a young man, I dare not trust language with my sentiments and feelings; lost in the fervour of expression, I should offend the exalted character, I would glory to honour. Accept, then, venerable patriot, the small volume, which accompanies this and an Eulogy on your departed brother. I have only to lament, it is not more worthy your notice; but as they are the productions of mere youth, candour will pardon what wisdom cannot applaud. That your valuable life may be prolonged and filled up with health and happiness – is the prayer of all good men, and the warm wish of—
Your humble servant

Isaac Story.


Title: From John Adams to Samuel Dexter, 23 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Dexter, Samuel

Dear Sir
Stony field Quincy March 23d 1801

I left Washington on the 4th & arrived at Stony field on the 18, having trotted the bogs five hundred miles. I found about an hundred loads of sea weed in my barn yard, & recollecting Horaces “Et genus et virtus nisi cum re vilior alga est” I thought I had made a good exchange, if Ulysses is an orthodox authority in this case, which I dont believe, of honors & virtues, for manure. I have more reason than Ulysses had to enquire of Tiresias or some other prophet “Quibus amissas reparare queam res Artibus atque modis” I shall not however most certainly take the measures recommended by Tiresias. The 5th. & 6th satyrs of the second book of Horace have much good matter applicable to me. If you will read them, they will save me the trouble of writing & you of reading much, which I might commit to paper concerning myself.
All is still as night in this region. My respects to the President & compliments to Mr Maddison Lincoln Dearborne and love to Mrs Stoddert. Pray Mrs. Dexter to accept the kind regards of my family & you will do me a favor by letting me hear of your welfare.
With great & sincere esteem I am & ever shall be / your friend & humble servant.


Title: From John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 24 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Jefferson, Thomas

Sir
Stony Field, Quincy March 24. 1801

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 in the flower of his days, amidst very flattering Prospects by causes which have been the greatest Grief of my heart and the deepest Affliction of my Life. It is not possible that any thing of the kind should hapen to you, and I sincerely wish you may never experience any thing in any degree resembling it.
This part of the Union is in a state of perfect Tranquility and I see nothing to obscure your prospect of a quiet and prosperous Administration, which I heartily wish you.
With great Respect I have the honor /  to be Sir your most obedient and /  very humble / servant,

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Samuel Phillips, 25 March 1801
From: Phillips, Samuel,Robbins, Edward H.
To: Adams, John

Sir,
Boston March 25, 1801

The Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at their late Session, appointed the President of their Senate & the Speaker of their House of Representatives, to present to you a respectful address which they prepared they prepared for the purpose, upon your return to your native State.
The execution of this commission has been unfortunately delayed, by reason of Mr. Phillips’ ill health, which is much regretted.
The Committee propose to do themselves the honor of waiting on you, Sir, tomorrow at 12 o’clock, to discharge this trust, if it will be agreable then to receive them; if not, they have to ask the favor of your naming a time for this purpose, and they will conform with pleasure. With very high respect / we have the honor to be / Sir / your most humble Servants

Saml. PhillipsEdwd H Robbins


Title: From John Adams to Samuel Phillips, 25 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Phillips, Samuel,Robbins, Edward H.

Gentlemen
Stony Field March 25. 1801

I have received the Letter you did me the honor to write me, this morning, and shall be very happy to receive you tomorrow at twelve O Clock, according to your proposal.
With great respect and Sincere / Esteem I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, / your most obedient and very / humble servant

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Isaiah Thomas, 25 March 1801
From: Thomas, Isaiah
To: Adams, John

Honored Sir,
Worcester, March 25th 1801.—

I have taken the liberty to enclose you a few numbers of our weekly Spy, being from March 4, which is the commencement of the Volume.—Should they afford you any amusement, I shall be happy to continue sending them to you, and shall be amply rewarded in so doing.—With Sentiments of Esteem, I subscribe myself, your most obedient & / very huml Servt—

Isaiah Thomas, Junr


Title: To John Adams from Benjamin Lincoln, 30 March 1801
From: Lincoln, Benjamin
To: Adams, John

My dear sir
Boston March 30th. 1801

The extreme bad traveling for some time past has prevented my calling and paying to you the debt of my most dutiful Gratitude
While I sympathise with my country in the loss which they have sustained by the events of the late election it is some consolation that you will suffer less by the change than any other of your fellow citizens in the Union. Some few of them may be ingrateful for your past unparalled exertions in favour of your country and of mankind. But you have made them, & their interesting effects will always be experienced they cannot be annihilated or even be buried in oblivion.
It is a pleasing circumstance indeed to observe that one judicious and highly important measure of sending Commissioners to France contrary to the wishes of those nearest to you and under all the embarrassments which the opposition could create will only serve to evince the strength and correctness of your own judgment, give additional lustre to the great transaction and the high finishing stroke to a long and most valuable public life principally occupied in important national concerns and to know that you must have a source of happiness in your Self which your warmest friends could not give nor your most obstinate enemies take away
with my warmest wishes for your present / and future happiness permit me / My dear sir to reiterate that / I am sincerely your affectionate / friend & obedient servant

B Lincoln


Title: From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 31 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Stoddert, Benjamin

Dear Sir
Stony Field, Quincy March 31. 1801

On the evening of the 18, a few minutes after my Arrival at this place commenced a violent Equinoxtial Gale of Wind, accompanied with a flood of rain, from the North East, which has continued with very Short intervals to this day and confined me to my house. This is So old fashioned a storm that I begin to hope that nature is returning to her old good nature and good humour and is substituting fermentations in the Elements, for revolutions in the moral intellectual and political World. I can give you no information of the Politicks of this State having had little opportunity to converse with any of the knowing ones.
We know nothing with any certainty of the Acts of our Executive at Washington. Who are to go out and who to come in. Whether the Virginia System is to be a Copy of that of Pennsylvania, or whether it will be original. Appointments of Mr Dallas and Mr Dawson are announced and as these Characters are not held in great veneration here they are not much Admired. We Federalists are much in the situation of the Party of Bolinbroke and Harley after the Treaty of Utrecht: compleatly and totally routed and defeated. We are not yet Attainted by Act of Congress and I hope shall not fly out into Rebellion. No Party that ever existed, knew itself so little, or so vainly overrated its own Influence and Popularity as ours. None ever understood so ill the causes of its own Power, or so wantonly destroyed them. If We had been blessed with common sense, We should not have been overthrown by Phillip Freneau, Duane, Callender, Cooper and Lion, or their great Patron and Protector. A Group of foreign Lyars, encouraged by a few Ambitious native Gentlemen, have discomfited the Education, the Talents, the Virtues and the Property of the Country. The Reason is We have no Americans in America. The Federalists have been no more Americans than the Anti’s.
Your time is too prescious to be wasted in idle Correspondencies: but if you, have a moment to Spare, you will oblige me by giving me News of your Wellfare. My Family presents their high regards to yours. I have not Seen any of the Attacks upon you nor any of your defence. Indeed I have no great Anxiety or Curiosity to know the Productions of Malevolence.
I am, and / ever shall be, I believe, World without End, your / Friend and humble Servant

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to Isaiah Thomas, Jr., 31 March 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Thomas, Isaiah, Jr.

Sir
Stony Field, Quincy, March 31. 1801

I have received your favour of the 25th., with the numbers of the Massachusetts Spy inclosed, and I thank you for your civility in Sending them. I am much pleased with their Appearance, and the Sentiments which predominate in them. You will Say this is natural enough, because they are in general conformable to my own and certainly favorable and friendly if not partial to me. Your offer to continue to send them is very kind and obliging. I have a Strong curiosity to know, whether the County of Worcester has really become a Proselyte to the moral and political opinions of Virginia or not. Can you inform me? My Compliments to your father if you please. I am Sir with due regard / your obliged and obedient Servant
John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Samuel Dexter, 4 April 1801
From: Dexter, Samuel
To: Adams, John

Dear Sir,
Washington 4th. April 1801

Your obliging favor of 23d. ult. is just recieved; it was truly welcome as it gave me the first information of your safe arrival, & as the manner of it proved that you were in good health & spirits. Pardon me for differing from you in opinion when you say that you have exchanged honor & virtues for manure. I take the last article to be accumulative;—tho’ they aggregate may be formed of as form as strange a whole as Daniel’s image, yet you possess them all. As I am in the habit of believing that to be right which you advise, I went almost of course to look for Horace’s  satires, but on reading further I desisted, for the motive you urge for it operates strongly the other way; you say that by reading 52 Cath. books “I shall save reading much which otherwise you might commit to writing concerning yourself.” Under such circumstances I positively refuse to read Horace.
The President has gone to Virginia—Mr. Madison has not arrived. Mr. Lincoln plays secretary of State, & Genl. Smith & Dearborn, aided by the  Secretary, take care of the Navy Department. Smith directs & Dearborn signs papers. This I presume is done least Smith’s electioneering views might be impeded by an appointment.—
I have resigned to take effect from 20th. inst., & my Generous successor will be here early in May.
The new administration is cautious, but thorough in party politics; & tho’ I have usually had bad success in prophesy, I venture to predict violent agitations of parties before the expiration of four years. Mrs Dexter prays you & family to accept her affectionate regards.
I am, dear Sir, with entire esteem / & respect Your very ob. friend & hb. servt

Saml. DexterWe have heard that Mrs. Adams was much injured by the Carriage breaking down near home—as you say nothing of it I hope & presume it is not true—


Title: From John Adams to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 6 April 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Lafayette, Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de

(copied)
Dear Sir
Stony Field Quincy April 6. 1801

I have received from Mr Pichon, your favour of the 10th. of January, and, while I feel my obligations to you for your kind Remembrance of me, I very heartily rejoice with you, in your return to your native Country.
The new Superintendant of the commercial relations between France and the United States, will, I presume be very well received here, and the better by most men for the part he acted in holland, in promoting the late Negotiation.
“I live” also “with my Family in a rural Solitary place of retirement” after an uninterrupted Toil of Six and twenty years in the service of the Public. Like you Also “I preserve the Love, the Doctrines and the Independence of true Liberty.” It is a lamentable Truth that Mankind, have always been ill treated by Government, and a most unfortunate Circumstance, which renders the Evil totally desperate is, that they are never so ill used as when they take the Government into their own hands. The Doctrines of Sansculottism are productive of more plagues than those of Sir Robert Filmar, while they last.
I am glad you are on good terms with your principal Deliverer from Olmutz, who did honor to his own head and heart by his wise and generous Conduct on that Occasion.—How extraordinary that Character! Is it not unique?—As it has been my fortune to conduct a Negotiation with him, I may without offense wish him a greater Glory than ever yet fell to the Lott of any Conqueror before him, that of giving Peace to Europe and Liberty and good Government to France.
Your Country by Adoption has grown and prospered since you saw it. You would scarcely know it, if you should make it a Visit.—It would be a great Pleasure to the farmer of Stony Field to take you by the hand in his little Chaumiere.
Mrs Adams, who is all the Family I have, joins me in respectfull attachment to you and your Lady and Family. With great / Regard I have the honor to be, dear Sir your most obedient / and very humble Servant

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 6 April 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Wolcott, Oliver, Jr.

Sir
Stony Field April 6 1801

I have received your favor of the 28 of March and read it with much pleasure
The information you have received from your Friends, concerning the Circumstances of your nomination to be a Judge of the Second Circuit of the United States, is very correct.
I have never allowed myself to Speak much of the Gratitude due from the Public to Individuals for past services. But I have always wished that more Should be Said of Justice. Justice is due from the Public to itself, and Justice is also due to Individuals. When the Public discards or neglects Talents and Integrity united with meritorious past Services, it commits Iniquity against itself by depriving itself of the benefit of future Services, and it does wrong to the Individual by depriving him of the reward which long and faithfull Services have merited. Twenty years of able and faithfull services on the Part of Mr Wollcott, remunerated only by a Simple subsistance, it appeared to me constituted a Claim upon the Public which ought to be attended to.
As it was of importance that no Appointment should be made that would be refused, I took measures to ascertain from your friends the probability of your Acceptance and then made the nomination, happy to have so fair an opportunity to place you beyond the reach of Will and Pleasure.
I wish you much Pleasure and more honor in your Law studies and Pursuits and doubt not you will contribute your full share to make Justice run down our Streets as a Stream.
My Family joins in friendly regards to you and yours.—
With much Esteem / I have the Honor to be, Sir your / most obedient and humble Servant

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Bernard Hubley, Jr., 9 April 1801
From: Hubley, Bernard, Jr.
To: Adams, John

Respected Sir
Pennsyla. Northumberland April 9th. 1801

The Affectionate Attachment, I ever had for you, has induced me, to take a liberty, which I pray, may meet your abrobation;—My Dear Wife, was safely delivered of a Son, on Sunday, the Twenty fifth January last; on Sunday last, Fifth April, (being Easter day) he was Babtized, and Named John Adams, he is a fine Babe; should Providence permit him to live, to become a Man; the Wish and Prayers of his Parents, are, that as he increases in Statue and Years, he may also increase in Wisdom, and Virtue, to Model after the Character, whose Name, he has the honor to have.—
I am with every sentiment of Esteem / Respected Sir / Your Most obdt. / & / Most Huml. Servt.

Ber. Hubley Jur.


Title: From John Adams to Christopher Gadsden, 16 April 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Gadsden, Christopher

My dear Friend
Stony Field April 16. 1801

I have received your favor of the 11th. of March and, with a pleasure far exceeding all my powers of Expression perceive that your friendly Sentiments for me are as kind and indulgent as they were six and twenty years ago.
I read with the Same Satisfaction your publication last fall, and with a tenderness which was almost too much for my Sensibility. While Wythe and Pendleton and McKean and Clinton and Gates and Osgood and many others I could name were arrayed in tical hostility to  Friend, Gadsden was almost the only staunch  Companion who was faithfull found.  What is the reason that so many of our old “Standbys” are infected with Jacobism? The Principles of this infernal Tribe, were surely no part of our ancient political Creed.
“Foreign Meddlers” as you properly denominate them have a Strange, a misterious influence in this Country. Is there no Pride in American Bosoms? Can their hearts endure, that Callender, Duane, Cooper and Lyon, should be the most influential Men in the Country? All Foreigners and all of degraded Characters.
It is astonishing to me that the “Tribe of Law followers” Should adopt Principles subversive of all Law: should unite with the ignorant and illiberal, against Men of understanding and Property.
The Plan of our worthy Friend John Rutledge, relative to the Admission of Strangers to the Privileges of Citizens, as you explain it was certainly prudent,...Americans will find that their own Experience will coincide with the Fxperience of all other Nations, and foreigners must be received with caution, or they will destroy all Confidence in Government.I have been well informed of the ‘frank ’ and honorable Construct    of General Pickney, at your state Election, which was conformable to the whole tenor  of his conduct through Life as far   as it had come to my knowledge.
The only Consolation I shall want, will be that of Employment. Ennui, when it  on a Man  is ps, is worse than one of our North  But the   of Agriculture and Amusement of Letters will shelter me. My greatest Grief is that I cannot return to the Bar. There I should forget in a moment that I was ever a Member of Congress a foreign Minister, or President of the United States. But I cannot speak.
I concur with you so fully in Sentiment, that I very much doubt whether in any Period of the World, so much ever happened in a dozen years to mortify the Vanity of human Nature, and to render Existence odious to Men. I know of no Phylosophy or Religion but yours which can reconcile a Man to Life.
I should envy you, the felicity of your Prospect, If I had not the Same in substance in my own View. I am approaching Sixty Six, and what is ten or Eleven years after that Age? I shall arrive soon after you, and it is my Sincere and devout Wish that We may be better acquainted and never seperated in our new Country.
To Mr. Jeffersons Administration I wish Prosperity and Felicity: But the Commencement of it, is too strongly infected with the Spirit of Party to give much Encouragement to Men who are merely national.
Accept my dear Sir a Repetition of Assurances of / a warm Affection a sincere friendship and / a high Esteem from

John Adams


Title: From John Adams to Louis André Pichon, 16 April 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Pichon, Louis André

Sir
Stony Field April 16. 1801

I have received your favour of the 19th of March, and thank you for your care of the Letter which you inclosed from my Friend La Fayette. The inclosed Lett Answer from me to him I pray you to transmit to him with your dispatches. I congratulate you on your Arrival in this country and I wish you much honor and pleasure in your public and private Intercourse with our Government and Citizens.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your / most obedient and humble servant
John Adams


Title: To John Adams from John Murray Forbes, 25 April 1801
From: Forbes, John Murray
To: Adams, John

Sir
New York 25th. April 1801.

On my return to this Country permit me to take the earliest opportunity to express to you the warm sense of grateful obligation which I feel for your attention to my Wishes & those of my friends, in the nomination of me to the Commercial Agency of the U. S. at Havre de Grace in France—This place promises to an American House even greater Commercial advantages than that of Bordeaux which I had, at first, Solicited. I shall accept it with pleasure & in the humble hope that I shall never want an intention to do the duties which may be incumbent on me in every situation—I beg leave to offer to you & Mrs. Adams the assurances of my most perfect Respect and my most earnest prayer that ye may long, very long live in the enjoyment of perfect health & of every earthly blessing. As soon as my business will permit, I hope to have the honor, to pay my respects to you in person—I have the honor to be, Sir, / with the highest Consideration, Your very obedient & humble Servant,

John M. Forbes


Title: From John Adams to Bernard Hubley, Jr., 10 May 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Hubley, Bernard, Jr.

Sir
Stony field Quincy May 10 1801

I duly received your favor of April 9 & am much gratified with that affectionate attachment, which you express for me. The mode you have adopted to mark your regard is very flattering. All that I can say to you upon this occasion is, God bless the brave boy to whom you have given the name of

J. A


Title: From John Adams to Louis André Pichon, 10 May 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Pichon, Louis André

Sir
Stony field Quincy May 10 1801.

I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 20th of April and in answer to the enquiry in it, I have the pleasure to inform you, that on the 16 of April I answered your former favor, acknowledging the receipt of it with the letter inclosed from my friend La Fayette. In this letter I inclosed an answer to that illustrious but unfortunate gentleman and requested the favor of you to transmit it to him as early as conveniently could be done, thinking this the surest conveyance & hoping you would excuse the trouble of it. I am now somewhat anxious to know whether you have received it. If not I will transmit a duplicate or another letter
With due consideration & respect I have the honor to be / Sir your most obedient humble sert
John Adams


Title: From John Adams to Eliphalet Fitch, 12 May 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Fitch, Eliphalet

Dear Sir,
Newyork May 12th. 1801.—No. 16. Broadway.—

In writing to you, on the present Occasion, I have to express my Concern that I am disappointed in the Intention of paying my Respects to you and Mrs. Adams at Quincy, during the ensuing Summer.—The Gentleman, Whom I had appointed my Attorney in Jamaica, writes me that he has been very ill, and will be under the Necessity to take a Voyage to Europe for the Recovery of his Health; and thinks my Presence, for a few Months, will be indispensably necessary in making some Arrangements respecting the Estate.
I have therefore taken my Passage and expect to sail in the Brigt. Cruger from this Port in ten or twelve days.—
In whatever Climate my Destiny may devote me to reside I shall ever enquire after your Welfare and that of your worthy Family with affectionate Regard, and hear of the Continuance of every Blessing to you and them with very great Pleasure and Satisfaction. I beg you will offer my best Respects to Mrs. Adams and believe me to always with the highest Esteem, / Dear Sir, / Your obliged Friend & Relation
Elipht. Fitch
PS You stile me the Honourable, but I am only a plain Citizen.—Yet if a good Man, “Semper Honos, Laudesque manebunt.”—I have left out Nomenque as I wish my Christian Name may never be a Burthen to any human Being in future.—


Title: To John Adams from Benjamin Stoddert, 18 May 1801
From: Stoddert, Benjamin
To: Adams, John

Dear Sir
Geo Town—18 May 1801.

I have been for sometime past honored with your letter from Quincy, which afforded great gratification to my feelings, because it convinced me, you thought of me, & was not indifferent to my reputation. My first wish is to Act my part in life, with propriety & honor—my second, that minds like yours, should think I do so Act it.
The attack made upon me in the wretched paper of Lyon, which no longer exists, was so impotent, & the Printer himself so early acknowledged the malevolence & the folly of the charges exhibited against me, that I did not think the matter of sufficient importance to trouble you about it.
It is impossible for me to form any correct Idea of the course intended to be pursued by the new administration—To Judge from present appearances, it would seem that no violent changes in Men, or things, were contemplated—& that the course would rather be a conciliatory one. Genl Smith, who without being Secy of the Navy, is executing the duties of that Department acknowledged to me two Days ago, that moderate & honest Men of all parties, might have met on your System of Politics—There is no great merit in a concession like this from Genl Smith, & I only repeat it after him, because I presume he repeated it after others.
Capt Dale is now here on his way to Norfolk, to take command of a squadron of three Frigates & a schooner, for the Mediterranean—No other Vessels are to be employed except the George Washington, with more Tribute, until it is time to relieve Dale—& then three other Frigates I understand are to be sent—all the rest are to be laid up in the Eastern Branch of Patomak—not in different ports of the United States. This arrangement seems to be calculated for a long Peace—& I imagine it is the determination that there shall be a long Peace—and if there is a general Peace in Europe quickly, there will be no difficulty in adhereing to this determination—but if the War continues, it will require great resolution to resist the strenuous efforts which will be made to draw us into the coalition against England.
Mr Jefferson has no levees—& is therefore in a great degree excluded from intercourse with Federal Men—at least modest Federal Men, who wish not to be thought Intruders—For my own part, I have not once seen him since I quit the Office of the Navy.
If any thing turns up here, worth your attention, I shall take the liberty to communicate it, as I am sure you cannot be indifferent to whatever affects a People & a Country, you have so long, so zealously, & so successfully served—& who cannot be long insensible to the merit of such services, in times so critical & so important—Indeed, there is no man of real understanding & real candor, who is not already prepared to acknowledge the vast merit of those services.
I hope Mrs. Adams enjoys better health, than she did at Washington, & that you both enjoy & will long continue to enjoy every human felicity—My Wife & even my Children desire me to present their most respectful & most affectionate regards to her.
I have the honor to be, with real / & great esteem Dr Sir Yr. Obed / Obliged & grateful servt

Ben Stoddert.


Title: To John Adams from Hary Grant, 20 June 1801
From: Grant, Hary
To: Adams, John

Sir
Paris 20th: June 1801—

I did myself the Honor to send You from London some time Ago the Pictures Raphel through my friend Mr Harper.
I Now take the Liberty to send You by the Portsmouth from Havre de Grace Under the Care of Capt. Izard of South Carolina a Bust of Our Ever revierd Washington Executed by Monsr: Pudon which I flatter my self will be Acceptable to You—
I have been from my Consulate in Scotland some time, attending my privait Affairs in this Country, It is to be Lamented by those of Our Country Men who has had property Captured by this Country, that the Senate rejected the Treaty as it first stood, and as it Apears You Wisht—that and With other recent Conduct of my Countrymen, they may have Cause to regrett. Permit me Sir to say whither You are in Public or Privait Life, I shall Ever retain a Gratefull sence of Your friendship and Civilities shewn Me, at Philadelphia. I beg My respectful Compts: to Mrs: Adams and Miss Smith—and May the Almighty Protector of the Universe Ever Gaurd You, is the sinceir Wish of / Sir / Your most Ob Sert:
Hary GrantI Shall Leave this in a few days in a few days for London and Scotland—I have sent You by Mr Izard allso a Snuff Box with a good Likness of Bonaparte on it—


Title: To John Adams from John Sinclair, 22 June 1801
From: Sinclair, John
To: Adams, John

Dr Sir
Charlotte Square Eding 22 June 1801

I have now the pleasure of inclosing, the plan of a new Town I am erecting in the north of Scotland, where you will see the place destined for erecting a monument to the memory of our much respected friend General Washington.
I hope that you have received the copies of the Generals letters to me, transmitted to you some months ago.
At present they are a singular publication, but must be an uncommonly valuable relic in America, a century or two hence—
I remain with much esteem— / your faithfull & / Obdt Servant

John Sinclair


Title: To John Adams from Caleb Strong, 24 June 1801
From: Strong, Caleb
To: Adams, John

Wednesday June 24th. 1801—

The Governor presents his respectful compliments to the honorable John Adams Esqr, and requests the honor of his company to dine with him on the 4th of July next.


Title: To John Adams from François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 5 July 1801
From: Van der Kemp, François Adriaan
To: Adams, John

Sir!
Oldenbarneveld 5 July 1801

Having unexpectedly received an opportunity of conveying you my cursory remarks on some parts of Buffon’s and Jefferson’s Theory on Nat. Hist. by my Frend Col. John Lincklaen, I could not resist the temptation in Submitting them to your criticism, persuaded that you Shall bestow on me a new favour, if you condescend to their perusal and think them So much worth your attention, to communicate me your ideas on them.
Col. Lincklaen will Stay the best part of this Summer in the environs of Boston, and by his return the papers may come again Safe in mine hands. I would beg your excusing my Sending the brouillon, was I not, convinced, that the impossibility of its peforming copÿing would be Sufficiently valid. I Suppose, he will enjoy the happiness of paying you his respect at Quincÿ; I Should be inclined to envy Him this good fortune, did his excellent character not merit him this peculiar favour. His Lady, who accompanies him, is an amiable woman—whose virtues honour his choice—She is of the family of Lodges of Connecticut: He is charged with the concerns of Dutch Gentlemen in the Canal Negotiations.Permit me to recommend me again to your remembrance, and renew my Sincere protestations of the high consideration and respect, with which /  I am / Sir! / Your most ob. humbl. Servt.

Fr. Adr. vanderkemp


Title: From John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 13 July 1801
From: Adams, John
To: Van der Kemp, François Adriaan

Dear Sir
Quincy July 13 1801

Your favour of the 20 of June has been long on its Journey. I cannot recollect, in detail, the particulars of the Conversation you allude to at Mr De Neuvilles.—Capellen de Poll was a noble man by Nature. A frank, manly, generous Soul. Wherever I have met such spirits I have always felt them. Capellen was frequently  with the Reports fabricated by the Anglomanes, representing the affairs of America to be, in a desperate situation. I recollect Some Instances, when he seemed to be in a state of despondency. Upon these occasions I made very light of his fears, contradicted the facts he had heard and denied the Inferences he drew; which sometimes brought on Spirited Arguments between us, but never any coolness. Time always justified me and confuted him, and he was always ready to acknowledge when he was convinced.
You call upon me for a History of my ancient dreams. Prestons Tryal, and How’s Conference, are like long forgotten Reveries to me. There is a printed Tryal of the soldiers—and I wrote a Letter giving an Account of the Conference with on Staten Island: but I knew not how long time it would take me to find it. I never had a home, till now: and my Papers are not arranged.—
of the present Administration I shall say nothing, at present. There is a Report of a Saying of General Charles Lee, in a printed Paper of his, after the Affair of Monmouth, “that the Gentleman you hint at was indeed a Paraxism of Bravery: but he much doubted whether it was a kind of Bravery that would ever be of any use to his Country.” But I know nothing of any Saying or Opinion of General Green respecting this gallant spark.—
I have long ceased to conjecture, and never pretended to prophecy. The Duration of Bonaparte’s Consulate, is the most uncertain of Things.
I should have as soon expected from you a discussion of Bishop Pontoppidan’s Kraken, the Norway Fish half a League long, as of Jefferson’s Mommath.—The natural History of the Giants and the long Lives of the Patriarchs are curious Subjects and would be well worthy of your Investigation, if any Thing was now to be learned, concerning them: but I believe We know all We shall ever know. A Species of Animals large enough to feed upon Live Oaks and Elm Trees as Horses feed on clover, and to eat Cord Wood dry in Winter by the Load at a mouthfull, has nothing in it impossible or incredible: but it seems to me you would not be employed so well in Researches after such a Species as you and I are in manual labour upon your our farms. I delight in Buffon’s facts and his manner of relating them, when he is correct: but his Theories I cannot Admire. What do you make of his “Molecules organniques.”? Are they any thing better than Epicurus’s Atoms? Connected together by their horns and hooks, what keeps the horns and hooks together? Suppose them as Small as you will, they must still be composed of parts and what binds the parts together? I suspect the Chancellor by turning your Attention to such Subjects meant to divert you from some others.
I will endeavour to procure you some Information relative to the Voyage of Mr Grey in the Sloop Washington. At present I know nothing of it, in particular. I am told there is a very intelligent Journal of Captain Joseph Ingraham, lately lost in the Insurgente,. The Journal I hope is not lost.
For forty years past, my head has been too full of schemes for the publick and my heart has Aked too severely all the time to see how little good I could do, to leave me time for any of the curious Inquiries which now engage your Attention. I am therefore the most unqualified man you could have chosen to Assist you. I wish you however much pleasure and success.
I am, with much Esteem, Sir your good friend / and humble servant

John Adams


Title: To John Adams from Elias Boudinot, 13 July 1801
From: Boudinot, Elias
To: Adams, John

Dear Sir
Rosehill 13th. July 1801

A convenient opportunity offering by your Son, permit me to ask your acceptance of a small tract, I have lately been prevailed on to suffer to be published, in answer to Paine’s Age of Reason.
I am not so vain, as to suppose it can add any thing to your stock of knowledge: it is merely an attempt to throw together the substance of various proofs of our holy religion, that lay scattered in a thousand excellent works of pious & learned Men, for the use of our young & unlearned Citizens, who either cannot or will not search for themselves: but altho’ you may not receive information by this small work, yet if you should think it will be useful to the meanest order of our fellow Citizens, I am sure you will, at least, not disapprove the attempt, at a time when the patrons of infidelity, are moving, as it were, heaven & earth to destroy every moral, as well as religious principle in the rising generation—
Originally, this work was designed for domestic use, and there was no Idea that is should ever go further: but from the various modes that I saw daily attempted, to spread principles which I think dangerous both to Church & state, I was prevailed upon to cast in my mite, and at least to bear a testimony agt them—
At all events my end, in thus troubling you, will be answered, as it is principally designed to testify my respect to you and Mrs. Adams, for whom I shall allways entertain most respectful sentiments of esteem & friendship—
Mrs. Boudinot & Mrs. Bradford cordially unite with me in every affectionate expression & sincere desire for your & Mrs Adams’s health & perfect happiness— I have the honor to be Dr Sir / with very great respect / Your most obedt & very Hble Servt

Elias Boudinot