Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14
21 February 1801
I write You once More from this city. the Trenton River is impassable, and has prevented my Sitting out. we hope however that the Rain may clear it. I sent Townsend of to day; I have heard Some of the Democratic rejoicing Such as Ringing Bells & fireing cannon; what an inconsistancy Said a Lady to me to day, the Bells of Christ Church ringing peals of rejoicing for an Infidel President! the People of this city have evidently been in terror, least their Swineish 576 Herd should rise in rebellion and Seize upon their Property & share the plunder amongst them; they have permitted them really to overawe them; I foresee some day or other that N England will be obliged to march their Militia to preserve this very state from Destruction—
There is great uneasiness with the Merchants. they Say
the senate by rejecting the article in the convention to which they have
excepted, have plunged them into great difficultys— that they know not what
to do— that a better convention as it respects Commerce could not have been
made and why it should be hazarded by the senate they cannot conceive the
difference Mr Breck told me it would make to this Country in one year, would
be nine Millions of dollors— the Chamber of commerce meet this Evening, and
send off an express tomorrow to the Senators of this state, hopeing that
Something May yet be done; that the President May be requested to return the
convention to the senate with his reasons, and by Means give the Senate an
other opportunity of accepting it. the
Mr Breck says that he wrote the Sentiments of the Merchants of this city to
mr secretary otis requesting him to communicate them to mr Bingham &
others, Whilst the convention was before the senate; they regreet that they
did not exert themselves more2
I could not help smiling when Mr Breck told Me he had conversed with mr Wolcott, but could get no satisfaction, only mr Wolcott Said that there was no faith to be placed in French promisses treaties or conventions
I have shall leave
this city tomorrow I believe there is scarcly a Lady who ever came to the
Drawing Room but has visited me, either old or young—and very many
Gentlemen; as to a return of their visits, they cannot expect it; I believe
they have made a point of it; who publishd my arrival in the papers I know
not, but the next morning by ten oclock rainy as it was, they began to come
and have continued it by throngs ever since—3 I thank them for their attention
& politeness, tho I shall never see them again—
adieu My dear Friend— I wish You well through the
remainder of Your political journey— I want to see the list of judges— pray tell all who inquire after me
With Love to William / yours affectionatly
RC (Adams Papers); addressed by
TBA: “The President of the United States / City of
Washington”; endorsed: “Mrs A. Feb. 21.”
This is the final extant letter between AA and JA. Its dating is based on JA’s endorsement and AA’s 22 Feb. departure from Philadelphia (TBA to JA, 20 Feb., Adams Papers).
Members of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
convened on 21 Feb. at City 577
Tavern to discuss the Senate’s exclusion of Art. 2 from its ratification
of the Convention of 1800, for which see
AA to Cotton Tufts, 15 Dec.
1800, and note 2. TBA wrote to JA on
20 Feb. 1801 (Adams
Papers), outlining the view of Samuel Breck Sr. and other
chamber members that ratification of the article was necessary to ensure
that U.S. merchants were compensated for vessels lost to French
privateers (Philadelphia American Daily
Advertiser, 21 Feb.; Madison, Papers,
Secretary of State Series
, 1:206).
AA’s arrival in Philadelphia was
reported in the city’s press on 18 Feb.; see, for example, the Gazette of the United States and the Philadelphia Gazette.
th[
1801]
I have had the pleasure to receive your very kind
letter of the 14th of Feb. at Baltimore, for
which I pray you to receive the grateful offerings of an honest heart. I
should not have neglected answering it, till this late date, had I not
been uncommonly occupied in business, and had nothing to tell you, but
what I wrote to Mr. Adams, whose letters I presume you have seen1
Soon after you left us the election was decided in
favor of Mr. Jefferson for President. A majority of none of the New
England States were in his favor. To be obliged to vote for J. or B.
was, to be sure, placing the Legislators of our Country in a very
responsible and delicate situation—not unlike a man in the chamber of a
house that is burning—if he runs down stairs, he will probably be burnt
in the flames, and if he jumps out of the window, he will clearly break
his legs.— When Stewart announced the election in his paper, at the head
of the paragraph, the eagle was reversed, with the motto e pluria uno. I ask’d him what he meant by
it. His answer was
Gentlemen here speak confidently of the men to fill
the executive departments. Sam Smith gives it with his own signature,
that Maddison will be Secretary of State—Gallatin Secretary of Treasury
Dearborn Secretary of War—and Levi Lincoln Attorney General. He told the
Secretary of the Navy Mr Stoddert that that department had been twice
offered him but that he could not accept—that Mr. J. would not receive
his refusal and said, if he could not have men, for his ministers of the
most respectable character and first talents the Country afforded,3 he would not accept of
t[he] office of President.—4 I understand the democratic
members of the house give a dinner this day in honor of Mr. J. They gave
one to Duane on friday last.
No laws of national importance have been enacted since you left 578 us. A bill has passed the house respecting this district, which I understand to be a mere system of judicature, only. The Senate have at last agreed to Col Smiths nomination, 18 & 8. The malice which Mr. H. has discovered on this occasion and the mean and unfair manner, which he has conducted through the whole business, deserves and ought to receive the most unequivocal scorn & contempt of the whole family.5
The President sen is very well—desires his best love to be presented to
you—is so occupied in business that he cannot find time to write and if
he could, says he should not dare to do it. We leave this city very
early on Wednesday morning. Shiply & his wife go Tuesday
With every sentiment of gratitude and respect / I am my dear Aunt / your dutiful nephew
mS Shaw
I have received a letter from Dr Tufts
inclosing the [bill] from Frothingham, you requested,6 which I have recorded on the
book. Friends at Quincy and Weymouth were all well on the 8th of February—
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs. Adams”; internal address: “Mrs. Adams.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
Shaw to TBA, 19 Feb., above.
John Stewart (1759–ca. 1823) was one of the printers
of the Washington Federalist. In the issue
of 17 Feb., he inverted the Great Seal of the United States, published
in every issue of the newspaper, and also changed the de facto U.S.
motto, “E pluribus unum,” or “Out of many, one,” to “Pluria e uno,”
meaning roughly, “Many out of one.” The election results were reported
above the image, stating of Thomas Jefferson, “May he discharge its
duties in such a manner as to merit and receive the blessings of all
good men, and without reddening the cheek of the American Patriot with
blushes for his country!!!” Stewart was quoting from a children’s
alphabet book that was designed to teach moral lessons (Bruce F.
Jamerson, Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia
House of Delegates 1776–2007, Richmond, Va., 2007, p. 33;
Thomas L. Purvis, Colonial America to 1763,
N.Y., 1999, p. 241).
The rumors relayed here by Shaw largely proved true.
James Madison, Albert Gallatin, and Henry Dearborn served, respectively,
as the secretaries of state, treasury, and war, and Levi Lincoln served
as attorney general. Jefferson struggled to find a successor to Benjamin
Stoddert as naval secretary, and Samuel Smith, who was twice offered the
post, temporarily filled the role between 31 March and 13 June (Jefferson, Papers
, 32:537, 583; 33:188–189,
234, 255–256, 260, 271–272, 339, 382, 438, 456; Madison, Papers,
Secretary of State Series
, 1:12, 13;
DAB
).
In a Dft of this letter, Shaw continued
here, “I have nothing new to tell you. The P——t has made all the appointments under the new judiciary act, which are already published
in the papers—the gentlemen are highly approved of” (DLC:Shaw Family
Papers).
For WSS’s appointment as surveyor and inspector of the port of New York and James Hillhouse’s involvement therein, see AA to JQA, 29 Jan., and note 6, above.
Not found, but see AA to Cotton Tufts, 15 Jan., above. Cotton Tufts wrote to JA on 9 Feb., commenting that a dozen years of government under JA and George Washington “has not only render’d us respectable in the Eyes of Nations abroad, but has been productive of incalculable Advantages at Home.” He also reported that AA was expected soon in Quincy (Adams Papers).