Philadelphia January 29. 1796
My Dearest Friend
Yesterday which was Post Day from the Eastward I was disappointed again of a Letter and went pesting all the day long against the Post Office. But this morning has produced me Yours of the 15th
[Abigail to John, 15 January 1796]
which informs me that you meet with similar Dissappointments. There has not one Post parted from Philadelphia for Boston Since I have been here without a Letter from me to You. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the only ones when the Mail is made up for Boston and Quincy and I make a Point of never Suffering one of them to pass without a Letter. Your Letters are the greatest Pleasure of my Life here -- but in your last not one Word about the Farm.
Mr. Langworthy and Dr. Bollman have called upon me this Week and are both intelligent Men.
Page 2
I have read this Week Dr. Styles's History of Whalley Goffe, Diswell and Whale and Governor Adams's Spech to the General Court and I find them both melancholly Examples of Superannination. In the Speech I see the fruit of old Spite against Washington, Jay and old England as well as weak affectation of Popularity. Personal Malice against Men or Countries, has either no Existence in my heart, or they are suppressed and overawed by a decisive sentiment of their Antichristian and Antiphilosophical and Antimoral Turpitude and Deformity. Yet I cannot answer for lips may my self that my shaking hands and trembling dissmay not expose to the World Weakness, folly and Weaknessess as groups as this, if I should live to advance Age, Reflections like these determine me at all Events to retire from the public Stage in good Season.
Pray are our Plymouth Friends become Frenchified as well as Anti federal. If they avow such Opinions as you hear, although I shall
Page 3
never disturb their Repose, I shall never have any Confidence in them. But
Doatage appears to me from every quarter among my old Friends.
Our Grand Children are all well thro the Meazles as Col. Smith writes me and I hear from Travellers who have lately been entertained at that Hospitable House. May the Means as well as Disposition be long continued.
You have lost pressious Letters from the Hague and London I doubt not in the late shipwrecks. I have none since that of the 30 of Septr. which I inclosed to you.
We shall have a flood of News at once, by and by from France, Holland, England and &c.
I hope our Mass. House and Senate will correct the old Doatard -- if they dont they deserve the Confusion and every evil Work to which his impudent Speech directly tends.
Yours affectionately as ever,
J. A.
Mrs A
Page 4
[Endorsement -- see page image]
