Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14
th1800
Whilst I feel as a Parent, I Sympathize with You as a wife, hopeing that all the frailties, and offences of My Dear departed son may be forgiven, and buried with his Mortal part
I besought the throne of grace that he might find Mercy from his God, to the great judge of us all we must leave him, resigning our wills to the Sovereign of the universe—
From My own thoughts and reflections I trace the Sorrow of your Soul, and feel every pang which peirces your Heart. would to God that I could administer to You; that comfort which [I] stand in need of Myself—
upon Your part, you have the consolation of having performed Your duty. no remembrance of any unkindness, has detered Your fulfilling it, even to the last distressing Scene. may You be rewarded by a self approving conscience; untill fatal propensities took intire possession of this poor deluded Man: he was kind, and affectionate, beloved by all his acquaintance; an Enemy to no one, but a favorite where ever he went. in early Life no child was more tender and amiable; but neither his mind, or constitution could Survive the habits he but too fatally persued. in the midst of his days, his course is stoped, and his years numberd. May I be enabled in silence to bow 475 myself in Submission to my Maker:—whose attributes are Mercy, as well as judgments.
The Children will be ever Dear to me: may they be trained up in the way in which they should go. I will supply to them as far as in My power, the Parent they have lost—
The President sends his Love to You, and mourns with—as he has a long time for You—
I am with a respectfull remembrance to Your Mother and Love to Nancy and Abbe— / my dear daughter / Your affectionate / Mother
Susan is well except a cold— sends her duty—
RC (private owner, 1974); addressed by
William Smith Shaw: “Mrs. Adams” and by WSS “at Mrs: M. Smith’s / at / Newark—”; notation:
“Abigail Adams / 1800 / death of Charles Adams.” Some loss of text due
to placement of the seal.
I know My Much loved Sister that you will mingle in my Sorrow, and weep With me over the Grave of a poor unhappy child who cannot now add an other pang to those which have peirced my Heart for several years past; cut off in the midst of his days, his years are numberd and finished; I hope my Supplications to heaven for him, that he might find Mercy from his maker, may not have been in vain— his constitution was so Shaken, that his disease was rapid, and through the last period of his Life dreadfully painfull and distressing; he bore with patience & submission his Suffering’s and heard the prayers for him with composure; his Mind at times was much deranged thro his sufferings, and through a total want of rest; he finally expired [wi]thout a groan on sunday week. Mrs smith & sally have had a [di]stressing Scene to pass through, yet I cannot be thankfull enough that Mrs smith got home when She did, and that She took him into her care— She has a satisfaction in knowing that She Spared no pains to render his last moments less Distressing to his Parents and relatives than they could have been else where— I was Satisfied I had seen him for the last time when I left him. three weeks only has he been really confined, but his constitution was broken down food has not been his sustanance; yet he did not look like an intemperate Man— he was bloted, but not red— he was no Mans 476 Enemy but his own— he was beloved, in spight of his errors, and all spoke with grief and sorrow for his habits—
afflictions of this kind are a two edged sword— the
scripture expresses it as a mitigation of Sorrow that when we do not sorrow as those who
have no hope—1 the Mercy of
the almighty is not limited; to his sovereign Will I desire humbly to
submit—
Mr Cranch in the cover of his Letter refered Me to one written to his son for the state of your Health mr cranch did not get the Letter, So I have not heard—but I know I should see your own hand writeing if you were able I have not been well my self for the Week past. I have been afflicted with a loss of voice & a sad cough— it is not Worse— I hope is going off— the President is well and has been so ever Since we have been here. your son dinned with us yesterday he and family were well— pray remember me kindly to all our Friends and let me hear of or from you as often as possible—
I am my Dear Sister Your / truly affectionate / but afflicted Sister
RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); endorsed by
Richard Cranch: “Letter from Mrs. / A:
Adams, Washington / Decr. 8th. 1800.”; notation: “death of Charles.”
Some loss of text due to placement of the seal.
Thessalonians, 4:13.