Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12

Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 6 February 1798 Adams, Abigail Tufts, Cotton
Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts
my Dear sir Philadelphia Febry 6th 1798

I have not had the pleasure of receiving a Line from you for some time. I laughd at my Friend not long since when he sent a Letter to you the contents of which he appeard to be very private about.1 I told him I knew it was the Farm he had written about, and that he would not tell me because he knew I was averse to encumbering ourselves as we grew older with more cares. it is not my wish to add to our landed Property without we were Sure of a fund to improve it, and if my inclination was followd it would be to put all our lose coins, into deferd stock—but you must follow your directions. I shall however when I can lay by any thing, do it, and tho it may be but a triffel, I shall apply it to that fund which if I should live, will prove usefull to me. if I do not, it will not be lost to the Family. I inclose to you two Hundred dollors— one hundred you will apply to my stock the other, you will use to compleat the out house as soon as work can be done. let the Building upon the back designd for a dairy Room be large enough to take of a part as a closset or store Room. might it not be so constructed as to have a half cellar for milk and a cheese Room over it. the small House at the end of the out house, I proposed to mr Porter to dig a vault for and stone it, and remove it upon it. a wood house might then extend from the out house to the end of the Garden fence leaving a passage to the small House through the wood House I do not see any prospect of accomplishing my views in a Building in addition to our House, untill I return & consult further about it, but I must have the out house so that our families may not interfere, and I should be glad to have our dinning parlour painted as soon as it can be done together with the closset, stairs & entrys. I could wish an experienced person to do it, that particular attention may be paid to the wainscoat over the Chimny by white washing or otherways making it fit for to receive the paint that it may dry. if march should be a pleasent month, the sooner it is done the better for drying, and my Chamber I would have new painted at the same time—

I believe as this is wholy upon Buisness of a private nature, I must omit politicks particuliarly as the most important matter now under discussion is occasiond by the Brutal conduct of that Wild Irishman Lyon—Who as you will see stated in the papers, Spit in the face of a man whose shoes he was not worthy to clean, but 383 notwithstanding the insult, one of the greatest that could be offerd a Gentleman mr Griswold so far respected the House as to restrain his anger. yet will there not be found impartial men enough in the House to expell the wretch, it requiring two thirds o tis a pityfull buisness.

my kind regards to mrs Tufts and to miss Warner as well as to your son and daughter from dear sir / Your Ever affectionate

Abigail Adams

you will note to me that the Letter and contents come Safe to Hand can you secure us a hundred Bushels of oats. we shall want that quantity & more— I do not often give currency to Baches papers, but it is the most accurate account of the proceedings of yesterday.2 I send you a report of the proceedings of the college of Physicians. as they will not allow that the Pestilence which lays waste so many of the inhabitants is of domestic origion, so will they annually be exposed to its ravages.3 I shall hope for an early escape from the city, but I fear these French men will keep us in fire one way or other

RC (Adams Papers); addressed by Louisa Catharine Smith: “The Honorable Cotten Tufts / Weymouth—”; endorsed: “Mrs. Adams / Feby 6. 1798”; notation: “8.”

1.

JA to Tufts, 1 Feb., for which see Tufts to JA, 22 Jan., and note 3, above.

2.

The Philadelphia Aurora General Advertiser, 6 Feb., printed testimony regarding the Lyon-Griswold affair, for which see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 8, above.

3.

College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Proceedings of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Relative to the Prevention of the Introduction and Spreading of Contagious Diseases, Phila., 1798, Evans, No. 34356, a copy of which JA received from Dr. John Redman on 2 Feb. (Adams Papers). The publication included minutes, correspondence, and recommendations on quarantine procedures and stated that yellow fever imported from the West Indies had caused both the 1793 and 1797 epidemics.

John Quincy Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 7 February 1798 Adams, John Quincy Johnson, Catherine Nuth
John Quincy Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson
My dear Madam Berlin 7. February 1798.

Your very obliging favour, written at Stromness, found its way to London, only a few days before our departure from it, and reached us in the midst of our preparations for the voyage and Journey then before us;1 the occasion then of much anxiety, and since, the cause of much distress as my dear wife has no doubt before this related to you.— In the hurry and constant avocations of that time, I had no moment left in which to indulge my inclination of writing to any of my friends, and in particular of answering your kind Letter.— On the 18th: of October about six weeks after you, we left London, and 384 sailed the next morning from below Gravesend in a Hamburg merchant vessel for that City, at which we arrived on the 26th: of the same month.— By an accidental circumstance we were detained some hours too late in London, and were in consequence obliged upon our arrival at Gravesend in the Evening, to join in an open boat our ship which had sailed, and come to anchor seven or eight miles below.— The Evening though cold was fine and clear, and we reached the vessel at about 10 o’clock.— Our accommodations, though the best I had been able to procure, were very indifferent, and our voyage from the mouth of the Thames to that of the Elbe, extremely boisterous, though with a fair wind and therefore short. We were eight days only on board ship, of which two were employed in descending one river and four in ascending the other.

Mrs: Adams had for the last fortnight before we left London, been in an infirm state of health, so as very much to increase my concern with regard to our voyage, but upon our arrival at Hamburg, she appeared to have supported it remarkably well, and to have improved in health to a very flattering degree.— We spent a week at Hamburg, and left it on the 2d: of November accompanied by Mr: Ross and Mr: Williams brother of our Consul at that place.— Mr: Calhoun who there took leave of us, assured us that he would upon his return to America which he soon intended, mention to our friends, his parting from us there all well—2 The roads from Hamburg to this place are a continual heap of sand, which at that season had by the continual falls of rain been converted into deep bogs.— The drivers were careless and disobliging, and seemed to bear a special ill will to a carriage of English construction in which we travelled. Nevertheless we reached Berlin on the 7th: after 6 days riding, without any material accident.— Your daughter had supported this Journey too extremely well, and we congratulated ourselves upon having got over with so much facility an undertaking, which had appeared so formidable in prospect.— We were not permitted long to enjoy this satisfaction. Three days after our arrival, on the 10th: Mrs: Adams was taken ill, and from that time untill the 20th: I could scarcely for a moment leave her bedside.— I shall not attempt to describe what she suffered, nor the deep distress of my own feelings in considering that she was remote from her beloved mother and sisters; from all her friends, at a public Inn in a foreign land with a strange language, and without the benefit of a single female, who could give her assistance or relief. Amidst these numerous afflictions we had however the consolation of meeting an 385 able English Physician, who attended her not only with professional skill, but with that kindness and interest which is more efficacious in sickness than medecine— She recovered slowly, but I hope effectually, and notwithstanding some remains of weakness, I think her health and appearance for this month past has been as good as I have known it, at any period.

Since her recovery she has been presented at Court, and to the several Princesses belonging to it.3 Her personal appearance as well as her manners and deportment which are such unequivocal indications of her character and disposition have been every where pleasing

We have been informed by letters from my mother that you arrived at Georgetown about the 25th: of November, after a passage of ten weeks, which no doubt you found tedious and uncomfortable, but which as happily all the family arrived in good health, you now remember only as a difficulty overcome—4 I hope you will find the residence of America more agreeable than you had anticipated, and that Mr: Johnson by his own preference may bring his affairs to such a settlement as may be satisfactory to himself and to you.

Your meeting with your son must have given you the most heartfelt pleasure, as my mother writes us he intended going to meet you immediately after your arrival. I beg to be remembered affectionately to Mr: Johnson and to all the young family, and remain, Dear Madam, your faithful & very hble: servt:

John Q. Adams.

P. S. My wife has not yet entirely conquered an old and obstinate aversion to writing, and therefore her friends may perhaps not hear from her directly so frequently as they would wish. She has written however several Letters, both at Hamburg & here, and writes now a letter to be enclosed with this.5 We hope to hear as often as possible from you. Any letter either addressed under cover to the American Consul at Hamburg, or to me directly, at Berlin and sent by a vessel bound to Hamburg, would be regularly forwarded to us.

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs: Johnson.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 130.

1.

Johnson to JQA, 18 Sept. 1797, above.

2.

Francis Williams (1776–1847), Harvard 1796, was born in Salem, Mass., and spent most of his life in Europe. James Calhoun (1770–1819), son of Baltimore, Md., mayor James Calhoun, had been acquainted with JQA and TBA since arriving in Europe in 1795. Calhoun sailed from Cork, Ireland, on 25 March 1798 aboard the Sidney, Capt. Parker, and arrived in Baltimore on 26 May (vol. 11:102; D/JQA/24, 31 Oct. 1797, APM Reel 27; Harrison Ellery and Charles Pickering Bowditch, Pickering Genealogy, 3 vols., n.p., 1897, 1:246–247; Harvard Quinquennial Cat. ; George A. Hanson, Old Kent: The Eastern Shore of Maryland, Baltimore, 1876, p. 48; 386 TBA, Diary, 1798–1799, 11 May 1799; Baltimore Federal Gazette, 26 May 1798).

3.

LCA was presented at the Prussian court on 21, 22, and 23 January. She expressed her “trepidation” at meeting Queen Louise but noted that the queen “came immediately almost to the door to meet me, and kindly expressed the desire she had had to become acquainted with me, and used the most encouraging expressions to set me at my ease.” For more on LCA’s presentations, see LCA, D&A , 1:56–58, 68–69, 73–74, and D/JQA/24, APM Reel 27.

4.

AA to JQA, 2 Dec. 1797, above.

5.

Not found.