Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14
th.1800
Your sisterly kindness to me my dear Madam induces me to
believe that to hear of our welfare will not be uninteresting to you. We
were blessed with fine weather every day until the last from Newhaven here
when the wind at NE produced a violent snow storm that night (the 28 of
Feby) & the next day, when we considered
ourselves very fortunate beings in arriving here before it took place. The
dreaded Powleshook ferry I never crossed with less fear & indeed I can
say the same of the other two.1 It was our intention to have staid here but a few days in expectation of
reaching Boston while the frost remained in the ground; but one of our
horses geting lame on the road has prevented it. We are now waiting for the roads to settle in
some measure. The weather is now fine; if it continues we intend to proceed
next week. However the days pass pleasantly away in the society of my
relations, & in the renewal of friendships formed in youthful days. We
got to New York the 22nd. but not in time to
hear Dr Lin’s Oration: judging by what was said
of it, it was in an elevated strain.2 Dr
Dwights we expect to see as soon as it is printed. I shall be much
disappointed if it is not a very good one.3 He avoided reading anything on the
subject untill he wrote. I hope he was not unmindful, as too many others
have been to remember mercies as well as judgments, & that unspeakable
gratitude is still due to the Supreme ruler of the universe. We are assured
from good authority that Mr Strongs Sermon was
written after three OC— in the morning on the same day it was delivered; but
he recollected that the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha.4 I conclude you have been deprived
of the society of Mrs Smith some time. I hope
she enjoys good health & is comfortably situated. Please to remember my
love to her. If the manuscript possessed by her, which you read to me upon
what Females ought to be (not what they are said to be in Paris, & some
I could name not a 1000 miles from us) is printed it would give me pleasure
to be possessed of it. This day we had a pleasing sight of above 20 Vessels
under sail coming up the river at one time. We hear very frequently from my
brother.5 The accounts
are flattering as to his health, & business— Mrs Stahl was so unwell when we left her that I took leave of her
with an aking heart.6 I hope
she has recover’d.
Mr Cushing joins me in
grateful respects to the President & 184
yourself, & in wishing health & happiness to attend you. A letter
from you will be thankfully received by your friend
RC (Adams Papers).
A ferry across the Hudson River between Paulus Hook,
N.J., and Manhattan had operated since 1764, and since 1799 it was
utilized by Tuttle’s Federal Stage operating between Philadelphia and
New York (William H. Benedict, “Travel across New Jersey in the
Eighteenth Century and Later,” Proceedings of
the New Jersey Historical Society, new series, 7:111, 117
[April 1922]).
Rev. William Linn of the Collegiate Dutch Reformed
Church of New York, for whom see vol. 8:417, delivered
a eulogy on George Washington before the New York chapter of the Society
of the Cincinnati on the morning of 22 Feb. 1800. The oration extolled
Washington’s “transcendent and inestimable worth” while at the same time
noting that “flattery was ever confounded in the presence of Washington” (New-York Gazette, 21 Feb.; William Linn, A Funeral Eulogy, Occasioned by the Death of
General Washington, N.Y., 1800, p. 10, Evans, No. 37834).
Yale president Rev. Timothy Dwight’s address on
Washington was published as A Discourse,
Delivered at New-Haven, Feb. 22, 1800; on the Character of George
Washington, Esq., New Haven, 1800, Evans, No. 37339. Citing the late
president’s intention to free his slaves upon his death as evidence of
his character, Dwight said of Washington: “To Americans his name will be
ever dear; a favour of sweet incense, descending to every succeeding
generation” (p. 22, 29).
Rev. Nathan Strong of the First Church of Hartford,
Conn., for whom see vol. 9:455, delivered a sermon on Washington on 27
Dec. 1799. Strong alluded to the biblical chapter 2 Kings, 2, in noting
that JA carried on Washington’s legacy: “Under this
bereaving event, there are but two grounds of consolation remain for us;
the LORD who hath been our God, and the
defender of our country is still on the throne; and he hath prepared an
Adams to succeed our Washington; for we already see the
spirit of Elijah resting on Elisha” (Nathan Strong, A Discourse, Delivered on Friday, December 27,
1799, … to Lament before God, the Death of Gen. George
Washington, Hartford, Conn., 1800,
p. 26, Evans,
No. 38577).
Gen. George Phillips (1750–1802) was Cushing’s oldest
brother. He was a merchant and former collector of customs in
Middletown, Conn. (George Frederick Tuttle, The
Descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle, Rutland, Vt.,
1883, p. 694; Dexter,
Yale Graduates
, 3:354).
That is, Philadelphia boardinghouse keeper Frances Stall (vol. 10:286, 287).