Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
You will See by the Proclamation in the Public Papers that I have been obliged to convene Congress on the 15th of May, and as it is probable they will Sitt till the Middle of July, this measure must make an entire change in all our Arrangements1
There are so many Things to do in furnishing the House in which I want your Advice, and on so many other Accounts it is improper We should live in a state of seperation that I must intreat you to come on, in your Coach with Louisa, Mrs Brisler and her Children. You must hire four Horses in Boston and a Coachman to bring you here, upon as good terms as you can. James may ride my little Horse and Anthony you must give away.
I am very unwell—a violent cold and cough, fatigues me, while I have every Thing else to hurry me: so that I must entreat you to come on as soon as you can— I shall send you some Post Note in a day or two.
Prince’s Time is out and he will be discharged— James may come on with you, and return immediately to New York. I will not keep him a day— You may leave him at New York and hire Some one to ride on the Horse to this Town— I will not have my Family here ruined by them turbulent blacks.— give them their Cloaths handsomly and dismiss them.
My Expences are so enormous, that my first Quarters salary will not discharge much more than half of them. You must come and see for yourself.
The French Executive Directory, will take Care to make our public Path thorny enough and our Country men will make our private 52 one uneasy enough. so We need not expect Beds of Roses nor Walks of Flowers.
I have been obliged to decline Brother Cranches farm. it will involve me—and I cannot increase my Cares— I have and shall have quite enough. You will be Surprized to see hurry of Business in which I am daily and hourly involved.
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs A”; endorsed: “March 27th / 1797.”
On 25 March JA issued a proclamation convening both houses of Congress on 15 May in order to consider “divers weighty matters.” The proclamation was printed in the Philadelphia Gazette of the United States the same day and reprinted in the Boston Columbian Centinel, 1 April. The first session of the fifth Congress lasted from 15 May until 10 July (
Annals of Congress
, 5th Cong., 1st sess., p. 49;
Biog. Dir. Cong.
).
th1797
The official account is arrived and your Father and Mr. Jefferson are Elected President and Vice President1
In a letter from Mr J. to your father, he says “notwithstanding the efforts of his enemies to make the people believe otherwise, he aspires to no higher post than that of Vice President. that he will serve with pleasure under Mr. Adams, and he flatters himself they shall act together, with as much harmony, as they have done heretofore[”]2
Mr. Washingtons address on announcing the choice, is likewise come, but my father has not-yet seen it— The Merchants of Philadelphia, were to give a superb entertainment, on the day he resigned his situation, and became a private man—3
Mr. Hall means to write you shortly. he will inform you more correctly than I can of these Events—4
I suppose you have seen Mr. Pinckney— we understand by a Gentleman lately from Paris, that the French are determined never to recieve him as Minister—
Thank you my friend for your very kind letter of the 14th I am happy to hear that the society at the Hague is so pleasant were you to partake of the amusements it affords more frequently you perhaps might find it less insipid— you are I think too young a man to devote all your time to your books, and solitude, if you now indulge this distaste to society, what will you do some years hence, even your Louisa’s may then become irksome, and unpleasant. indeed my
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beloved friend it is a dangerous indulgence, you know I think it prejudicial to your health, excuse me when I say hurtful to your temper— I should not have given my sentiments so freely my Adams, had I not observed the same expression, in two or three of your letters— I think it a pity that you so calculated to adorn society, should encourage a disposition improper, for the station in which you are placed, and in which you are likely to remain— the extreme dislike I have to what is called society, enables me to judge of its inconvenience, it is this my best friend which induces me to urge you to guard against this indulgence, knowing your excessive fondness for books, perhaps renders me too apprehensive— excuse, and do not think this impertinent, believe me it is dictated by the most sincere affection, and the tenderest anxiety—
My father yesterday recieved a letter from Mr: Humphries in which he mentioned his detention— he is not yet married—
Mr. & Mrs. Church embark for America in the course of next week—5
Adieu may you be as happy as I wish you
RC (Adams Papers).
LCA’s source for this information is unknown, but news of the 8 Feb. reading of the electoral votes in Congress was soon reported by the London press. See, for example, the London Chronicle, 28–30 March, and Lloyd’s Evening Post, 29–31 March.
This is likely a reference to the 17 Dec. 1796 letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison regarding the election, for which see vol. 11:480, 481.
On the evening of 4 March 1797 Philadelphia merchants hosted a public dinner “in testimony of their approbation” of George Washington. More than 200 people attended the event, which began with a procession from Oeller’s Hotel to Ricketts’ Amphitheatre. The dinner was accompanied by a “full band of instrumental music” and an “emblematical painting” of allegorical figures, the principal of which was a female “America” (Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, 6 March; Philadelphia Gazette, 6 March).
Joseph Hall wrote to JQA on 1 April listing the various commissions he had executed on JQA’s behalf, providing the final electoral count in the U.S. presidential election, and reporting on the progress made by the Anglo-American claims commission that had been established under the terms of the Jay Treaty (Adams Papers).
For the emigration of John Barker and Angelica Schuyler Church, see vol. 11:182, 183. Notice of the Churches’ departure was reported in the London Evening Post, 16–18 March.