Adams Family Correspondence, volume 10

John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 24 March 1794 Adams, John Quincy Adams, John

John Quincy Adams to John Adams

Dear Sir Boston March 24. 1794.

I received on Saturday your favour of the 13th: Instt: Our Supreme Court closed their session in this town last monday, and I am thereby left with more leisure, and less care upon my hands than I had been for some time past used to. The anxieties of business carry with them an antidote, but the anxieties of no business have nothing to weaken or alleviate them.

My Grandmother is still living, and we have yet hopes of her recovery. I heard from her on Saturday, that her symptoms were more favourable than they had been for some time.

The depredations committed upon the commerce of this Country, have considerably distressed, and still more alarmed our merchants, and if the principle upon which the british have lately proceeded to seize our ships be persisted in, I fear we shall have no alternative but War; indeed it is of itself a state of War, to have every thing that passess under the denomination of supplies liable to capture.

126

The aversion of our people to War is however constantly strengthening; and has of late upon several occasions appeared in a very decided manner The Event of our town-meeting exhibited very forcibly the public sentiment here; a still later occasion has shewn the prevalence of the same Sentiments.

An attempt was last week made to celebrate the late successes of the French, by a second civic festival.— It was set on foot by the Jacobin-antifederal faction, and they appointed a Committee who applied to the Lieutenant Governor to order out the military and to make a display in behalf of the Commonwealth— He at first complied with their request, ordered out an artillery company, and directed that they should be supplied with one hundred cartridges at the expence of the State; that is from the public magazines; but what with squibs upon the subject in the newspapers and with serious expostulations from some respectable gentlemen, he got intimidated; one despicable passion rescued him from the disgrace which another was bringing upon him, and he countermanded his orders; the civic festival is postponed, and we shall hear no more of it untill some new accident, shall give another clue to those who set it on foot.1

The old Gentleman has hurt himself by this improper compliance with an insolent request; the general opinion seems to be that there will be no choice of a Governor by the people at our ensuing election. It is my opinion however that Mr: Adams will be chosen.— He may do less harm than some others, but he will certainly never do any good. Stat magni nominis umbra.2 His present impotence leans for support on his former services; and the office will be given him as a reward, not as an employment.

I am Dear Sir, ever your’s

J. Q. Adams.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “The Vice-President of the United States / Philadelphia.”; endorsed: “J. Q. A. March 24 / Ansd April 3. 1794.”

On 17 March some 200 Boston citizens gathered to plan a second civic feast for 25 March “to celebrate the late glorious successes of our French Allies against the Combined Despots of Europe.” Acting governor Samuel Adams initially gave his support to the project and ordered “some military corps to parade on the occasion.” In the days following this announcement a number of squibs appeared in the Boston press, primarily in the Massachusetts Mercury, challenging the event. One questioned if participation by any French citizens would be deemed a violation of neutrality. Another proposed putting the funds toward repatriating American citizens captured by Barbary pirates. And one directly challenged Adams’ right to order the militia to participate in a political event, questioning whether the whole event violated George Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation. In the end, the event was suspended indefinitely due to “the uncertainty of our present political Situation, and the Distress and Embarrassments of our Trade” 127 (Boston Independent Chronicle, 20 March; Massachusetts Mercury, 21 March; Boston Gazette, 24 March).

He stands the shadow of a mighty name (Lucan, Pharsalia, Book I, line 135).

Abigail Adams to John Adams, 26 March 1794 Adams, Abigail Adams, John

Abigail Adams to John Adams

My dearest Friend Quincy March 26th 1794.

our two Tenants are come, and I have occupation enough. I have set them to clear the manure out of the Barn and to digg the Garden put all the wall up and look to the fences. when that is done, I shall send them to clear up the Bushes in Curtis’s pasture.1 I hope you will not be detaind longer than the Month of April. you will be weary of hearing of my wants, and of supplying them, but I find we want for the Two Farms a Wheelbarrow for each place 2 spades 2 forks 2 shovels 2 axes 2 hoes. I shall order two more Sythes immediatly—each place must be supplied for it will not be working it right to carry from this place those articles as at present, we are obliged to, and still worse to Borrow— I shall Buy 50 weight of clover and a few quarts of Herds Grass seed. I wish you to inform me whether for the corn land which is broken up here, the manure is to be spread as the last year. Belcher is of opinion that as the land is cold it would be better to manure in hills— I am waiting for a Remittance to proceed with courage. mrs Brisler, too want me to let her have some money, or you had better let Brisler have it for her, but I shall let her have 5 dollors as I promisd it her— for myself I have spent only 2 dollors & half through the winter & that was for shoes— the whole of the Family expences are upon my Books. Arnold seemd so desirious of continuing with us, that I think to hire him for 8 Months, or by the Year if you think best.

we continue our daly Labour of tarring how long it is to hold I know not, but it will be necessary to get an other Barrel of Tar, as the animals are so thick as to oblige them to lay on plentifully every day.

Mother continues much in the same state as when I last wrote you. she is a mere shadow but the wonder is that she lives. she has been led out of the Room twice—

Trade languishes. we are full of wrath but Patient, whilst

“A Passenger the voilated Merchant comes along That far sought wealth, for which the noxious gale He drew, and sweat beneath equator suns, By lawless force detained” 128 “When ruffian force Awakes the fury of an injurd, state Even the good Patient Man, whom reason Rules Rouz’d by bold insult, and injurious rage with sharp, and sudden check th’ astonishd sons of voilence confounds;”2

Yet I see no more reason for going to war with England than with France, nor indeed so much for England does not pretend to give us the Fraternal kiss, & judas like betray us, tho I own want of power only to resent their injuries would restrain me, if negotiation should prove unsuccessfull—

the civic feast vanishd in smoke. none but the democratic club would unite in it. I have not seen our son for a long time, so that I cannot tell you so much about it as I wish.

I am my dearest Friend most affectionatly and tenderly yours.

Abigail Adams—

I have learnt this afternoon that the L. Govenour assured the Jacobines who waited upon him requesting his attendance to the civic Feast, and that he would order out the Militia, that their request should be complied with. when the real merchants and principal people found that the Government was to be drawn in; they had a meeting, & sent a committee to remonstrate to the Governour, assuring him that it was in direct voilation of their Solemn engagement to remain Neuter; and that if any such thing was attempted more than a thousand of the inhabitants would remonstrate against it; he was much allarmed and said he would use his endeavours to prevent it the Chronical asscribes it to the distress of the Town and the deplorable Situation of the Trade!3 misirably reduced indeed that not even one solatary Dollor pr head could be furnishd. poor spirited wretches. what shifts to support an abhored system.

I must request you to hasten me some money. my Buisness is much impeeded at this time through want of it. I know the reason has been the delay of the Appropriation Bill—4

RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mrs A. March 26. / 1794.”

Possibly Neddy (Edward) Curtis (1767–1832), a cordwainer, some of whose land JA would purchase in 1796 (Sprague, Braintree Families ; JA, D&A , 3:247, 248).

James Thomson, “Britannia,” lines 46–50, 154–160. AA slightly alters the second stanza: “When ruffian force / Awakes the fury of an injured state. / Then the good easy man, whom reason rules, / Who, while unhurt, knew nor offence nor harm, / Roused 129 by bold insult, and injurious rage, / With sharp and sudden check the astonished sons / Of violence confounds.”

Besides printing Thomas Crafts’ official notice of the cancellation of the proposed civic feast, the Boston Independent Chronicle, 24 March, also added that the festival “did not fail of its completion on the day assigned, for want of a hearty disposition in the citizens in general to celebrate the successes of our illustrious Allies; but the distresses of the town as they operate on every class of citizens, prevent them at present from shewing this public mark of fraternal affection to the French Republic.” For more on the canceled feast, see JQA to JA, 24 March, and note 1, above.

“An Act Making Appropriations for the Support of Government” for 1794 was approved on 14 March. It provided for compensation for all government office-holders, including JA as vice president ( Annals of Congress, 3d Cong., 1st sess., p. 1419–1422).