Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
I inclose a Letter to you for Mrs Black. as there is but one post a week for Quincy, it may probably lay in the office Some days, and it is of conquence that she should have it immediatly as it respects an orphan Baby which I have under my care here. you will be so kind if mr Black should not be in Town when you receive it to send it to mr Lambs with a request to them to send it to Quincy immediatly— Since I wrote you last nothing very material has taken place in the opposition Line, but the cementing of Hearts, and the Union of mind increases. a very handsome address manly & firm was presented by the Grand Jurors of this state to the President acknowledging the Wisdom of his Measures, their confidence in him and their determination to support the Government, not like the Cambridge support, by opposing, but by uniting with the different Branches of the National Government. on twesday a smiliar address from the Merchants will be presented. I do not know how our state can wipe off the stain, from themselves, but through the legislature when they meet. it was an object with the Jacobins here, to sit on foot an opposition in Massachusetts, that they might strengthen themselves here by saying as they already have done, that the state from whence the President originated, is foremost in opposing his measures, but they will change their Sentiments I presume, or they will stand nearly alone—
The fish came safe we have had a report that our Frigate sunk in the hale storm. it was not however credited.1 you may mention to Dr Welch, that young Wier will be made midshipman2 I have been this afternoon to hear dr morse, and have been highly Entertaind. he preach’d for dr Green— We have a number of Bostonians here at present.3
My kind Regards to Mrs smith, to dr & mrs Welch and to mr & mrs storer, Green and Aunt Edwarsds—and all the young folks in a Bunch. I wish I had them here to grace my Drawing Room. who could be so foolish as to make such a Pother about a few words between mr Giles & otis, neither of whom I believe wisht to measure swords. yet they must make a duel of it— Giles is in very bad Health—and will not come again tis said—4
we yesterday received Letters from mr Adams at Berlin and from 511 Thomas, three days after they reachd Berlin & whilst they could get no better accommodation than a Paltry Inn, Mrs Adams was taken dangerously sick, and before She was able to rise from Bed, Thomas was Seizd with an inflamitory soar Throat & fever poor mr Adams was nearly out of his wits, in a strang Country, not a human Being whom he knew, and even the common language he could not speak. happily he says, he found a Good English Physician When he wrote, mrs Adams was recovering, and Thomas had got quite well. the New King had waved the ceremony of new Credentials and received him upon his old one, which was a stretch of civility not shewn to others, in consideration of the compliment made his Government by sending a minister, at which the King appeard to be much pleased5
adieu my dear sir / yours affectionatly
RC (MHi:Smith-Carter Family Papers); addressed by Louisa Catharine Smith:
“William Smith Esqr / Boston”; endorsed: “Philaa. 15 April 1798 / A. Adams—”
The Philadelphia American Daily
Advertiser, 11 April, reprinted a report from the New York press that a storm
on 3 April had sunk the frigate Constitution in Boston
Harbor. The following day it further reported that Boston newspapers carried no
similar accounts.
Edward Wyer (ca. 1777–1839) of Boston was commissioned as a
midshipman on 26 April and promoted to lieutenant on 18 May 1800. He resigned from the
navy in 1805 and thereafter held several consular posts before serving as the Senate
doorkeeper (The Papers of James Madison, Retirement
Series, ed. David B. Mattern and others, Charlottesville, Va., 2009– , 1:380;
United States Office of Naval Records and Library, Naval
Documents Related to the Quasi-War between the United States and France, 7
vols., Washington, D.C., 1935–1938, 7:358).
Rev. Jedidiah Morse (1761–1826), Yale 1783, served as the
minister of the First Congregational Church of Charlestown from 1789 until 1819.
During a visit to Philadelphia in mid-April 1798, he presumably stood in for the
chaplain of Congress, Rev. Ashbel Green (vol. 9:340;
ANB
; Boston Independent
Chronicle, 14–18 June).
On 16 April William Branch Giles obtained a leave of absence for
the remainder of the congressional session. He resigned his seat on 2 Oct. but would
again be elected to the House in 1801 before serving in the Senate from 1804 to 1815
(U.S. House, Jour.
, 5th Cong., 2d sess., p. 261;
Biog. Dir. Cong.
).
See JQA to AA, 28 Dec. 1797, above. For TBA’s letter of 22 Dec., see his letter to AA of 12 Feb. 1798, and note 4, above.
m.
It is now past Ten oClock Am. and a
violent Snow Storm which began about 7 oClock this Morning
still continues, the Thermometer stands at. 32. and has not been much lower in any Snow
Storm We have had in the Winter past— Our Winter has been severe, the Month of March
cold & stormy, April hitherto has been a continuation of the Scene, but Two or Three
Days of fair Weather thro the 512 Day, since its
Commencement. Our Progress in Farming & out Door Business has been greatly retarded—
the Earth is filld with Water— if Warm Weather should come on, Vegetation will be very
rapid— Had not the Weather & other unavoidable Hindrinces prevented—I should have
had the proposed Building raised & covered before this Time— The Frame is ready for
raising, Windows already made, & the necessary Stuff upon the Spot— the Building
will be more expensive than I imagined, but will I hope embrace all Your Views— Poor
Soule was taken sick the very Day I engaged him & has been confind ever since, which
has been much Trouble to Mrs. Porter— at first he was
attacked (as I was informed by dr Phipps) with the Bilious
Cholic, it was several Days before his Bowells could be opend, after this a Losness with
Pains in his Bowells similar to the Dysentery came on & continued for 7 or 8 Days,
attended with a Fever, next a Constipation of his Bowells ensued with severe Pain— I
have visited him with Dr. Phipps for some Days past and find
that his Bowells are deeply obstructed, and I think there is much Danger of his falling
into a Dropsical State, unless a Mortification should end the Scene sooner. His Brother
at present supplies his Place on the Farm— Mr. Lane began
Yesterday Morning to paint the Rooms, having waited a considerable Time for a dry Season
for the Purpose—
I am fully in Opinion with You, That You could not have found any Couple that would have suited you better than Porter & his Wife, they are both highly valuable—and ought to receive every Encouragement— We cannot think that it would be for your Interest to hire Tirrell by the Month, nor indeed at any Time more than what absolute Necessity may require— Hitherto but little wuld be done in the Garden, the Ground being too Wet & heavy— Stutson has put the Strawberry Beds in order, and we shall get on with Gardening as fast as possible—
Yours of the 29 & 30th Ulto. I recd. last Week,1 at the latter End of which the Communications of
the Presidents Instructions to our Envoys and their Dispatches reach’d us; There is not
a candid Mind in America, but must allow, That the President has done all that is
incumbent upon him, to produce a Reconciliation & Intercourse with the French
Government and all such I think must allow that our Envoys, have submitted to a
Mortification, that nothing but a Desire of Peace, would have sufferd them to have
endured, and all such must also allow that the Directory and their under workmen 513
have acted like themselves In short, it appears to me, That
there is not a Person in whom a spark of Honesty remains, tho heretofore misinformed
& misguided, who will not be convincd by these Communications, and I hope converted—
but there is a Class of People, Slaves to Vice & Corruption, that will Still
persist, in refusing all Light & pursue their vile Purposes, even if possible to the
Destruction of their Country—
It may be fortunate for us, that Money, Money was demanded our Countrymen will be awake at this Cry and stare not a little.
I have not said half I wishd to have utterd but I must break off and only add, That I feel much for the President and pray God to guide him by his Wisdom, guard him by his Providence and enable him to steer our Political Vessell safe amidst all the Storms & Tempests that attack her—
Sukey is verging towards the close of Life and will I trust make a hapy Exit—
Yours Affectionately
RC (Adams
Papers); internal address: “Mrs. Abigail
Adams.”
AA’s letter of 29 March has not been found; for her letter of the 30th, see AA to William Smith, 30 March, note 1, above.