Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
th1797
The proclamation of the 25 of March, which is published in the Centinal of April 1st has excited many anxious thoughts in my Mind. What would I give for an hours conversation it would tend to alleviate my apprehensions. I feel as if I could fly in all our many seperations. I have experienced a variety of anxieties. I thought there could be nothing New to feel, but there is now such a responsibility annexed to your station, that New and various thoughts arise hourly in my mind, when I contemplate what may be the concequence of such, and Such, measures. How the senate, how the House will conduct, how the people will act, How Foreign Nations will be affected, in this dark abyss my imagination wanders, without any one to converse with, who can at all enlighten me.
I agree with you that there has been an uncommon silence respecting the late address the Breath of praise was exhausted, the address was acceptable to every one as I have been told, and has had a very salutary effect upon many who had been misled, tho well meaning. as Genll Lincoln assured me, no one has assaild it, but the time is fast approaching when the measures of the Government cannot be looked upon with an Eye of indifference. we shall either be a united people, more strongly bound by common danger, or we shall become a prey to foreign influence. the people will judge right, if they are left to act for themselves it is well to observe, to watch and to attend to concequences. in the present state of things, it is almost difficult to conjecture what a Day may bring forth, much less can we see to the end of a year.
The ambition of individuals, and their Envy will no doubt opperate in proportion to the good or ill success, of the Administration.
That you may be supported through the Arduous and important trials, is the constant and fervent prayer of your
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “The President United stats / Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mrs A. April 5th. / ansd. 14. 1797.”
Alexander Pope, “The Sixth Epistle of the First Book of Horace,” lines 46–47.
I received an hour ago your Letters of the 22d and 27th. I have been anxious enough for you since I saw the proclamation. I advised you to take for your cough Rhubarb & calomil. do not omit it, but take it immediatly. it will serve You for the complaint which usually afflicts you in the spring as well as for your cough.1 I will obey the summons as soon as possible but there are many arrangements to make, or deliver all up to destruction, at once. I Shall endeavour to send mrs Brisler on first by the Stage with her Children. I will See her tomorrow, and consult with her about it. I must find a Family which I can place here.
I expected you would find every thing in disorder in the House, tho not so bad as you represent— I have as I wrote you, had three
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hundred Dollors, of Gen’ll Lincoln for the purposes mentiond, and one Hundred more I was obliged to take, to enable me to pay my Labourers as I went on; O I had got a going so cleverly. Billings will compleat his circle of Wall in two days more, and it is a Beauty, Stutson in the Garden, and Tirril and Bracket have been carting manure & plowing. I had employd Pratt to compleat and finish a cart begun by Billings. it is Done and painted. I had got new ploughs and tools, and a Man to come next week, for the season. I expected to have got all things in order for your reception when you should be able to return to the Domestick joys of Peace Feild.
All these pleasing Ideas must yeald to new arrangements. I will do the best I can and come as soon as I can. I write this now only to assure you that I shall tomorrow take some measures for executing the system proposed
Yours most affectionatly
th
I hope to get this Letter in early enough for the post. I have been in Bed it is true but the multitude of my Thoughts have allowd me but a small portion of sleep. I am determined to feel as little Despondency as possible. the situation of poor mary Smith dejects all our spirits. I do not know by your Letter whether to send on all my Domesticks or whether I may hope to return in the summer this is a very incoherent jumble.
I will write again when my thoughts are more collected two Days past have been very oppressive with heat. I am told that most minds are prepared for any measure consistant with the honour and Dignity of the Country, that they have not a mind like Israel Asses to crunch beneath two burdens—2
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mrs A. April 6. & 7. / ansd. 14. 1797.”
Rhubarb and calomel were purgatives and considered effective treatments for some intestinal disorders (Buchan, Domestic Medicine
, p. 215, 239, 267–268).
“Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens” (Genesis, 49:14).