Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14
I received Yours of the 22d
Yesterday. I have already written You that the President and I are both well
Satisfied with what you have done respecting help— I forwarded to you the
Ways, and Means in a Letter of April 17th the
receit of which I wish to learn as soon as possible. I have never lost any
thing by post, and hope that what I then inclosed went safe— a vessel is now
here going to Boston it is too late to send Grass seed, or we might have
done it to advantage. the President has authorised me to have a number of
Lombardy poplars sit out opposite the House near the wall which was new sit
two years ago he says he will have them extended from the gate agains Beals
to the corner against Mr Black. I am first for making an experiment of about
50 as far as they will extend in front—and that those Should be of some
Size. if Hay is to be purchased at 4/6 pence the President would have three
or 4 Ton bought, but thinks we are pretty well for Hay in our stables, but
it is not like it can be lower
by this vessel we propose to send the marble for the
herths and the Sides and front of the chimny which I request may be made to
conform to them. mr Bates is to make a Mantle peice in both the Rooms &
the chimnys to be both alike for bigness— the sides of the Jams will also
send which will be of cast Iron. the back you will provide I propose that
there should be a portico over the back door the same as the front. I
believe we had better not purchase any stock for fatning you mention a cow,
& there is one Yoke of the oxen must either be sold or fatned. we have
so many Horses that they devour all before them. shall we not want a supply
of corn? will it not be best to get 50 or 60 Bushel & Rye. the price
will rise as there is Such a scarcity in England that they are obliged to go
to their Enemies to 223 feed
them. 20 dollors pr Barrel is offerd for flower untill sep’br next, which will cause a great exportation of
it from hence.1 I shall write
to you immediatly upon the Sailing of this vessel. she is expected to go on
saturday the 3d of May tho I wish the buisness
expidited.2 I do not wish
to have it so hurried as not to be well done—
I hope to leave here the week after next the President will soon follow— I am most concernd about Garden Stuff enough—
we are all well Mrs smith and cousin Betsy surprized us with a visit we were very glad to see them3
affectionatly / Yours
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Mrs. Adams April 30 / 1800. Philadelp”;
notation: “27.”
Wartime disruptions and poor harvests in 1799 and
1800 caused high food prices in England and triggered more than 200
riots. In contrast to the British government’s response to similar
shortages in 1795, food imports were officially encouraged in 1800, and
the crisis eased by 1801 (L. A. Clarkson and E. Margaret Crawford, Feast and Famine: Food and Nutrition in Ireland,
1500–1920, N.Y., 2001, p. 131; Andrew Charlesworth, ed., An Atlas of Rural Protest in Britain,
1548–1900, repr. edn., N.Y., 2018, p. 100–101).
In a letter to Tufts of 3 May 1800 (ICN:Herbert R. Strauss
Coll.), AA reported that she had placed marble and iron
parts for the Peacefield construction project aboard the schooner Polly, Capt. Gilbert B. Fish. A Boston
newspaper advertised that the Polly was
off-loading Philadelphia freight on 16 May (Philadelphia Gazette, 28 April; Boston Columbian Centinel, 24 May).
In a letter of [ca. 27
April] to Hannah Carter Smith and Elizabeth Smith,
AA expressed pleasure that they had arrived in
Philadelphia and invited them to dine (MHi:Smith-Carter Family Papers).
d1800
I think You have been exercised in Deeds of Charity
to that poor forlorn Man who would once have said, is thy Servant a Dog,
that he should become a living prey to worms, or what is worse?1 He is a most striking
instance of Indolence; and having no stimulous to action! none of those
tender endearing ties of wife, child, sister, or Brother.— Indolence
created first an apathy—and apathy crept on untill all that was
estimable and praise worthy in Man, was sunk into torpor—like waters
that stagnate when they cease to flow. the very it ought to be a warning to every Man, not to
contract habits of Sloth, and inaction, to consider that no Man liveth
for himself mr Wibird is punished in this Life, not for sins of
commission but of omission. talents have been committed to him, which
from the same source of indolence, have not been improved to the best
use and advantage. for the Good he has done, may the Lord reward 224 him, and for what he has
neglected to do, pardon him— We all have much to be forgiven, and as we
hope for mercy, so may we extend it to others— but to quit
moralizing—last Eveng was My Last Drawing Room. both Rooms were So
crowded as to render the Air very oppressive. it was judged that about
200 Gentlemen & Ladies were present; we got through, Some what
fatigued you may easily Suppose, but I got sleep which I did not expect,
and to day feel bright enough to dine between 20 & thirty persons—
on thursday next will be the last dinner of a formal nature Mrs Johnson
& son leave me on Monday— Mr Cranch and family were well this week.
I heard from him—2
yesterday I sent some Trunks on Board a vessel with my Hearths and Jams.
when they arrive and are to be put up, I will thank mr Cranch to be
present with his advice. I would have the chimneys made to conform to
them I am much affraid of having the chimneys contracted too small which
in a Room so large would look bad— I have Mentiond to the Doctor the
Method in which I am told the Hearths & fronts must be put up— I
will thank you when the Rooms new painted, are quite dry to have the
furniture replaced— I expect to leave here the Week after next. it will
bring it near the last of May before I can get home—so that I hope there
will be time enough for the paint to dry
I will thankfully accept mr Blacks offer for Mr Adams’s Books.—
Congress persist in saying they shall rise the Week after next— the weather is fine indeed, as growing and Luxurient a season as I ever knew. with Love regards &c / affectionatly Your sister
Love to Mrs Norten & thanks for her Letter3
RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed by
Louisa Catharine Smith: “Mrs. Cranch / Quincy”; endorsed by Richard
Cranch: “Letter from Mrs / A: Adams (Pha:) / May 3. 1800.”
A conflation of 2 Kings, 8:13, and Acts, 12:23.
William Cranch to AA, 24 April, above.
AA wrote to Elizabeth Cranch Norton on 13 April, sending clothes to Norton’s children, reporting her travel plans, and describing her relationship with Catherine Nuth Johnson (MHi:Jacob Norton Papers). Norton’s reply has not been found.