Adams Family Correspondence, volume 10

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 January 1795 Adams, John Adams, Abigail

John Adams to Abigail Adams

My dearest Friend Philadelphia January 19. 1795

On Saturday I Saw our sons Letter to the Secretary of State. Mr Randolph expressed his intire Satisfaction in it. Said “it was a justification of the Propriety of his appointment, a Presage of his future 353 Usefulness: and well digested, well arranged and well connected.” a handsome Compliment.1

In this Letter he says Mr Jay had shewn him the whole Negotiation with Britain— He Speaks very modestly and respectfully. I may not repeat any Thing: but I learn from this Letter that there is not only a Possibility but some Probability that Mr Jay or at least The Result of his Negotiations may be here by the fourth of March. If so I ought to be here too, which will derange my Plan of Spending thanksgiving with you. This will afflect me: but What shall I do?

Charles and I are very happy for the Present but he returns on Thursday. He sends his Love & Duty

Adieu

RC (Adams Papers).

In his letter to Edmund Randolph of 22 Oct. 1794, JQA informed the secretary of state of his safe arrival in England and intended departure for The Hague on 29 October. He also provided a thorough review of the political situation in the Netherlands, from the increasing occupation by the French Army to the response of both the Dutch stadholder and the Patriots. JQA further reported that the strength of the French Army might soon force peace with all the nations at war, except Great Britain, and he closed his letter by remarking that the U.S. treaty with Britain was near its conclusion with acceptable, although not entirely satisfactory, terms (Lb/JQA/3, APM Reel 127).

John Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 19 January 1795 Adams, John Smith, Abigail Adams

John Adams to Abigail Adams Smith

My Dear Daughter: Philadelphia, January 19, 1795.

I have a letter from your brother Thomas, dated London, 19th October; and the Secretary of State has one from John of the 22d. They had a good passage, and were in good health. They intended to go to Holland on the 29th.

Enclosed is a copy of a letter from me to Mr. Jay, dated at the Hague, August the 13th, 1782, which probably put him first upon insisting on a new commission from Great Britain, before he would treat, expressly authorizing Mr. Oswald to treat with the Ministers of the United States of America. Put this copy with those that I sent you before.1 Col. Smith, if he thinks fit, may show this in confidence to Mr. Webster, Mr. McCormic, and Judge Hobart, if he will.2

Charles and I smoke our segars and look over old letter books, in great comfort together. He talks of leaving me next Thursday.

I wish you good health and a daughter, and the blessing of Heaven on the mother and all her children.

John Adams

MS not found. Printed from AA2, Jour. and Corr., 2:138.

354 1.

In this letter, JA reiterated his opinion that negotiations for peace should not commence until American independence was recognized. That it was a shared belief is evident by John Jay’s 1 Sept. 1782 response, in which he informed JA that he formally stipulated such recognition to the British commissioners (JA, Papers , 13:236, 238–239, 412–413).

John Sloss Hobart (1738–1805), Yale 1757, was born in Fairfield, Conn., but settled in Huntington, N.Y. After serving in the provincial congress from 1775 to 1777, he was elected to the state supreme court in May 1777, where he served until his election to the U.S. Senate in Jan. 1798. After only four months in the Senate, JA appointed Hobart a federal judge for New York, a position he held until his death ( DAB ).