Adams Family Correspondence, volume 9

5 Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 17 January 1790 Adams, Abigail Tufts, Cotton

Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts

Dear Sir: New York, Jan’ry 17, 1790.

I think our dear state makes full use of the liberty of the press, but they who write for the benefit of mankind whether learned or unlearned will always find more utility in reasoning than writing; I am led to these observations by several pieces, some in Edes paper, that fountain of Sedition, and a piece in Adams paper signed “a New England man.”1 This same writer and many others will find their hands full, whenever the systems and plans of the Secretary of the Treasury come before them. Many copies are ordered to be printed. They are not yet published, but are spoken of by many members of the House, as a performance which does much honour to the abilities of the Secretary.2 The two Houses are going on upon business and are now pretty full. The House condescended to go in a body to the President with their answer to his speech, tho’ many of them warmly opposed it, yet as the Senate, with their president at their Head, had done it, they did not know how very well to get over it. But the Senate all rode, & how should they look on foot with a rabble after them splashing through the mud, & this objection was obviated, by a member proposing that the Hackney men should be sent, to supply those with carriages, who had not them of their own.

“Then it looks so monarchial,” to go to the president, that they had best send a committee first to know when & where he would receive their answer, this was done, and the president returned for answer, that as the Senate had come to him, he could not think proper to make a distinction, besides it was the usage & custom of particular states to send answers to speeches made them by their Governours, & he would not wish to make innovations, and this polite answer being reported, a member moved that as the president had been so very delicate upon the subject, he would not any longer oppose the House going, so the Mountain went to Mahomet, and in style too.

Their Sergeant at Arms preceeded the carriage of the Speaker, bearing his maise before on horse back & carriages followed. Thus this mighty business was accomplished. Pray do not tell anybody from whence you get this story, I dare say it will not be entered upon the journals.3

The Ancient Ballad & the Hartford News Boys New Years Address should be bound up together, let those feel the rod who deserve it. Mac Fingal has not yet lost his talent at satire.4

I suppose Boston is not behind hand with New York in speculation. I have thought whether it would not be best to sell the indents & purchase certificates.5 I suppose they have risen with you, they are seven & six pence here, indents I mean. The little matter you have belonging to me I wish you to dispose of as you would of your own property to the best advantage by changing or selling according to your judgment. The small pitance distributed to the widows is but a mite, my Heart is much larger than my purse and I think I should experience a great pleasure and satisfaction if I could make the Fatherless and widows heart sing for joy. I wish you to order Pratt to carry to Mrs. Palmer a couple of loads of wood, it will be necessary to have fires in all the chimneys in the course of the winter and I wish to give her two cords of wood in that way, for several reasons, and you will order it done in the manner you think best.

My best regards to Mrs. Tufts, to all other friends, will you be so good as to give Mrs. Hunt a dollar on my account.

Sir your very / Affectionate Niece

Abigail Adams

MS not found. Printed from Walter R. Benjamin, ed., The Collector, 26:86–87 (June 1913).

Benjamin Edes’ Boston Gazette, which enjoyed great prestige during the Revolution but suffered a gradual decline in the 1790s, was a strongly Antifederalist and then Republican publication. AA probably refers here to items in the 11 Jan. 1790 issue, including the reprinting of a portion of JA's “Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law” defending freedom of the press, first published in the Gazette years before, with a preamble noting, “the manly, and truly democratic sentiments they contain, entitles them to the notice of every consistent Republican. How far they correspond with recent opinions privately and publicly advanced by certain great Characters, the candid must declare. . . . The comparison may at least amuse your readers, and perhaps, may be a lesson to the very learned, and ‘Most Honorable’ Author.” For JA's “Dissertation,” see Papers, 1:103–128.

Thomas Adams’ thriving Boston Independent Chronicle was similarly partisan. The piece signed “a New-England man,” from the 7 Jan. issue, contended that, taxed by the federal government, Americans would “suffer the insults and abuse which the peasants in a government of despotism, are constantly experiencing.” The author asked, “Is the aggrandizing of a few . . . and fatening with exorbitant salaries, those who are near the throne of despotism, what you suffered to purchase?” (Stewart, Opposition Press , p. 616; Jeffrey L. Pasley, “The Tyranny of Printers”: Newspaper Politics in the Early American Republic, Charlottesville, Va., 2001, p. 107–108).

Alexander Hamilton presented his “Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the Public Credit” to the House of Representatives on 14 January. The House ordered that 300 copies of the document be printed and resolved to open debate on the subject in two weeks’ time ( First Fed. Cong. , 3:263; 5:743). For the text of the report, see First Fed. Cong. , 5:743–777.

According to the journal of the House of Representatives, the members of the House waited on George Washington at his home on 14 Jan. to deliver their reply to his State 7of the Union speech. The Senate also visited the president that morning ( First Fed. Cong. , 1:222; 3:262). The following day, the New York Daily Gazette reported, “Yesterday the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States went in their carriages, preceded by the Serjeant at Arms on horseback, and presented their Addresses to the President, in answer to his Address to both Houses.”

“The Ancient Ballad” probably refers to the poem titled “Fragments of Ancient Ballads,” dated 1 Jan., which appeared in the Massachusetts Centinel, 6 January. An indictment of Gov. John Hancock's behavior during Washington's visit to Massachusetts in the fall of 1789, a portion read: “They rais'd a grand Triumphal Arch / With trophies on the top, / And all agreed in form to march / And meet him, when he'd stop. / But then this City govern'd was, / By such a little man. / That he determin'd, ah! alas! / To intercept their plan.” The other piece was likely “The News-Boy's Address to His Customers,” which appeared in the Connecticut Courant, 7 Jan. 1790. Touching on a number of political subjects, it also alluded to Hancock: “Now states, ’tis clearly proved at Boston, / Their sovereignty should make the most on, / Each State, in governor's opinion, / At home should rank before the Union; / And should our President but doubt, / We'll try the reasoning force of gout.” This poem was probably drafted by one of the Connecticut Wits—perhaps, as AA suggests, by John Trumbull, the author of McFingal.

For AA's activities as a bond speculator, see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 5, above.

Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 24 January 1790 Adams, Abigail Cranch, Mary Smith

Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch

my dear sister Richmond Hill Janry 24 1789 [1790]

I embrace this opportunity By my Brother to write you a few lines tho it is only to tell you what you would have learnt from him, Namely that we are all well. he is come in persuit of Betsy Crosby. how well the child might have been provided for if the dr had lived, I cannot pretend to say, but two thirds of her property is already consumed, every minutia being charged to her as the account will shew, however this is no concern of mine.1 I am not without hopes my dear [Sis]ter of comeing to Braintree and spending several months [wit]h you during the next recess of congress.2 how long they [wil]l set this Session I cannot pretend to say, but rather think they will rise early in the Spring.3 I think it would be a plasure to me to have a small Family, and be able when I returnd to visit my Friends a little more than I have done. I never rode so little as I have done Since I resided here there are no pleasent rides no, variety of Scenes round Newyork, unless you cross ferrys over to long Island or to the Jerseys. I have however enjoyd a greater share of Health than I have for some years past & been less afflicted with the Complaint which used to allarm as well as distress me

How is my Neice mrs Norten? give my Love to her & tell her I hope to find her with a fine Girl in her Arms when I return to Braintree. tell Lucy she is quite as usefull as if she was married. I want to see her much as well as the rest of my dear Fiends, to many of them 8I owe Letters, but I really hate to touch a pen. I am ashamed to Say how laizy I am grown in that respect

I could give an account of visiting and receiving visits, but in that there is so little variety that one Letter only might contain the whole History. for Instance on Monday Evenings Mrs Adams Receives company, that is her Rooms are lighted, & put in order Servants &c Gentlemen and Ladies, as many as inclination curiosity or Fashion tempts come out to make their Bow & curtzy take coffe & Tea chat an half hour, or longer, and then return to Town again on twesday the same Ceremony is performd at Lady Temples on wednesday at mrs Knoxs on Thursdays at mrs Jays and on Fryday at mrs Washingtons, So that if any person has so little to employ themselves in as to want an amusement, five Evenings in a week, they may find it at one or other of these places. to Mrs Washingtons I usually go as often as once a fortnight, and to the others occasionally.

So I learn that my Young Friend Nancy is seariously thinking of becomeing the Madam of a Parish be sure to tell her, that I like it much as it will be so fine a half way House to call at when I go & come From N york to Braintree, but laying Selfish considerations aside I hope she is like to be setled to the mind of herself & Family.4

my best Regards to mrs Quincy and all other Friends.

Brother says You wrote to me by mrs Cushing. she is not yet arrived—5 adieu yours most tenderly

A Adams

RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed by CA: “Mrs Mary Cranch / Braintree.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.

Elizabeth Anne Crosby's father, the minister Joseph Crosby Jr., had died in May 1783 with few assets. His brother, Dr. Ebenezer Crosby, professor at Columbia College, acted as Betsy's guardian until his death in July 1788, at which time six-year-old Betsy went to live with Peter Boylston Adams, who had been married to Joseph and Ebenezer's late sister Mary. Betsy would eventually marry their son, Boylston Adams, in 1802. Although Betsy was named in Ebenezer Crosby's will, she did not receive her inheritance until 1807 when his youngest son turned 21 (vol. 5:187–188; Sibley's Harvard Graduates , 18:53–54, 19:forthcoming).

Although AA was unable to return to Massachusetts during the summer of 1790, she did visit Braintree in the summer of 1791 and lived there permanently from 1792 to 1797. Throughout JA's presidency, she returned to Quincy every summer.

The session of Congress, which lasted longer than AA anticipated, adjourned on 12 Aug. 1790 ( First Fed. Cong. , 3:568).

For Nancy Quincy's marriage to Rev. Asa Packard, see vol. 8:448.

Hannah Phillips Cushing (1754–1834), originally of Middletown, Conn., was the wife of U.S. Supreme Court justice William Cushing ( DAB , entry on William Cushing).