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Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 February 1796


My Dearest Friend

Yours of Jan.ry. 20th [John to Abigail, 20 January 1796] reachd me the last post. There appears a universal pause. We do not get any thing from abroad, and the State Legislature are so federal that no warmth or altercation is to be heard or seen. Congress are lying upon their oars, not hatching mischief I hope. The Chronical and  [illegible join issue, and go on with their mad rant, which is totally disregarded. The people have in general learnd how to estimate their contents.

I believe a Subject which will excite all their feelings, is not thought of, or contemplated any more than if it could not happen. I Spent a Week in Boston in the last Month, but did not hear a sugestion of the kind from any quarter but those; he came and sit down by me, and told me what you had before written me. I replied to him, that such a report had prevaild the year before the last, and the last Year and I hoped it had as little foundation in Truth now as then. He said He believed nothing short of a storm which should shake the constitution to its center, would alter the determination. I replied to him that it was a weighty and serious subject to the people, the concequences could not be forseen, and I hoped the P 't had not taken his determination unalterably as this past in a kind of a whisper. I changd the subject as soon as I could. I askd no question, nor intimated that the


subject had reach'd me from any quarter, but as a former Rumour it is a Subject which I tremble to think of. I am sure that it is a momentous one, if Such is the determination. I should suppose a Suggestion of the Kind would have been directly communicated, to you. The Government stands firmer I believe for the Shocks which it has received. The politicks of a foreign Nation are well understood in this State.

I had Yesterday an application to me for the Quincy Farm, a Son of Deacon Frenchs with his Brother in Law Bowditch. Your Brother says they are both smart Men. They proposed taking it jointly, if the terms were agreable. I told them as near as I could recollct and attended to some minuts you left. I have a person who talks of taking the Thayer Farm. They have it under consideration. Your directions to Copland will be attended to. We have Snow and it is fine getting home the Wood to what it is by casting. Copland and Joy are desirious of compleating that which they have nearly done;

We are all well. Your Mothers arm is growing better daily.

There have been some cracks in the Brittle Wave at Boston. Two pr cent pr month for large Sums of Money, will require great gains to hold up long. Mr. Lamb as I supposed had


Letters from our Sons which he put in his own Trunk with a promise of delivering. They were all lost.

Remember me kindly to Mrs. Washington and to Mrs. Otis, and be assured of the tenderest affection of your A Adams

PS No mail to the Southard of N York this week so I shall get no Letters. I suppose the ice in the North River the cause.



[Endorsement -- see page image]



Cite web page as: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 February 1796 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/
Original manuscript: Adams, Abigail. Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 3 February 1796. 4 pages. Original manuscript from the Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Source of transcription: Adams Papers Editorial Project. Unverified transcriptions.
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