Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
I arrived here this Evening with your Mother and Cozen all in good health, and was Sorry to hear that you went from hence on Monday unwell. I hope you are better.
If I go into Town in Ceremony I Should be glad of your Company with me in my Carriage.1
My Letters will, Some of them be directed to your Care, I Shall be glad to receive them as soon as possible. Can you Send them out by the Stage to Guions, or by private hands.2 Any News or Newspapers will be acceptable.
I hope Mrs Adams and the little Miss are well.
I must depend upon you and Mr Malcom to make all necessary Preparations for me. I feel the honour that is done me by the City of New York and pray you to Signify my respectful Attention to it, upon all proper Occasions.
It seems to me the Arrangements had better be conditional—on such a day and hour if the Weather is fair—otherwise the next fair day. However this is only Suggestion. I shall conform in all Things to whatever is determined on. The Thought was Suggested to me, by a drenching in a Soaking Rain of Governer Sumner, General 259 Hull and seven thousand Militia in compleat Uniform the other day at Concord in Massachusetts.3
I am your affectionate Father
RC (MHi:Seymour Coll.); internal address: “Charles Adams Esq.”
For JA’s reception upon his arrival in New York City, see AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 13 Oct., and note 1, below.
Charles Guion had owned an inn in Eastchester, N.Y., since the Revolutionary War. Situated on the Boston Post Road, the inn served as one of the coach stops along the route from New York to Boston (Valentine’s Manual of Old New York, 10 vols., 1919–1928, 3:241; Susanne Stone, “Some Historic Houses of Westchester County,” Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association, 9:294 [1910]).
On 26 Sept. Gen. William Hull, for whom see vol. 7:343, led a review of the Massachusetts militia at Concord that was attended by Gov. Increase Sumner. The Boston Columbian Centinel, 27 Sept., noted the inclement weather at the event: “The troops had no sooner formed than a severe equinoxial storm commenced” during which “the whole of them were drenched to the skin. The troops nevertheless, went through the usual manoeuvres and evolutions with veteran exactness.”
I received your obliging letter dated in Margate Roads just before your departure. I had indeed long observed your distress and that of your family. I was not particularly acquainted with its causes, nor was it a subject upon which I thought it proper or necessary to enquire
You expected that the step upon which you determined would expose you to censure; but as you observe you thought it the best you could take to do equal Justice to all.— The turn of affairs here has not been such as your friends could have wished— Appearances and allegations are advanced which bring in question something more than merely your credit, and unfortunately your friends have not the means of refuting them in their power.1
I enclose to you a copy of a letter I have received from Mr: Delius at Bremen: I can see no honourable motive upon which he could address it to me; but it is such as calls for animadversion from you.2
Your affairs in America, as you represented them to me, are amply sufficient to satisfy every claim upon you in Europe, and to leave you still a decent property. Let me urge you then Sir by every consideration of regard for yourself and your family, to consider Justice to your creditors as the most imperious of your obligations.— To render it speedily, and amply, however unkind you may think their 260 treatment of you has been.— I urge it, because I cannot suspect you of an unnecessary misrepresentation of your affairs to me, and because if your statement was correct it will be perfectly and largely within your power.
With respect to the Execution of your Will, I hope there will be, these many years no occasion for it— But as far as my situation may leave me the possibility to co-operate in it, I shall always cheerfully contribute to it, or to any other service that I can render to yourself or your family.
With my affectionate regards to Mrs: Johnson, and all the children, I remain, Dear Sir, / [your friend &] very hble: Serv1:
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “J. Johnson Esqr”; endorsed: “John Q. Adams / London 11 October 1797 / Recievd 9 Feby. 1798. / Answerd 1st Decmr 98 / through the [Points?].” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 130. Text lost where the seal was removed has been supplied from the LbC.
For more on Johnson’s financial situation, see LCA, D&A
, 1:36, 50–53.
On 29 Sept. Frederick Delius wrote to JQA (Adams Papers) reporting Johnson’s outstanding debts and criticizing Johnson for failing to contact him before leaving England. JQA described Delius’ letter as “a very unpleasant and improper one” (D/JQA/24, 7 Oct., APM Reel 27). For a summary of JQA’s 9 Oct. response, see LCA, D&A
, 1:86–87.