Philadelphia Feb. 10 1794
My dearest Friend
I have received yours of Jan. 30
[Abigail to John, 30 January 1794]
. And it has relieved me from a Melancholly which has hung upon me has been taken notice of by every body, since you wrote me of my Mothers illness. Present her my dutiful affection and tell her that I hope to enjoy the Pleasure of her Company yet for many Years, That I am of her Opinion that she has the best Daughter and that the best Mother ought to have such a Daughter.
It is Day about with the Newsmongers. France is in not so good a Way. Even Mr. Butler told me this day that "he turned away his face and thoughts from France with Disgust and Horror." A shambles is called a Republic. And if they would but have read the Discourses on Davilia they would have seen all this foretold in plain Language. St. Barthelomews days are there said to be the natural and necessary Consequence of such a form of Government, aussi longtems qu'il plaira a Dieu.
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I am weary of this eternal Indecision. I wish for the Times when Old Sam. And Old John conducted with more wisdom and more success. This is Egotism enough to deserve the Guillotine to be sure but I cannot but recollect old scenes, and old Results.
The Rascals are now abusing the President as much as ever they abused me. And We shall see that a life of disinterested Devotion to the Publick is no more sacred in him than in another. In this Days Paper he is compared to Cosmo De Medicis to Sylla to Caesar: and charged with arbitrary illegal Conduct in many particulars particularly in the Proclamation respecting Duplaine.
He cannot get out, any more than Stirling, but I believe he desires it as fervently.
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I am
determin'd to be saucy and I say that a
Parcell of ignorant Boys who know not a rope on the Ship, have the Vanity to think themselves able Seamen.
We ought to authorize the President in perfect secrecy to go as far as two hundred Thousand Pounds to obtain a perpetual Peace with the Algerines. Build a frigate if you will but expect they will be useless because unmanned. But there is not a Member of either House who is not more master of the Subject than I am, so I should be modest.
Yours as Ever.
[illegible]
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[Endorsement -- see page image]
