Papers of John Adams, volume 20
It was not till the last evening that I had the pleasure of your favor, with the pamphlets. They were sent to New-York, but had not arrived when I left it. Mrs. A. has sent the letter back to me.1 Accept of my thanks for the kindness.
This town has been wholly employed in civilities to the president for some days, and greater demonstrations of confidence and affection are not, cannot be given, in your quarter of the globe to their adored crowned heads.2
I wrote to you, my dear friend, a year ago, by a vessel which was lost at sea, and have been much mortified that I have not been able to write to you oftener.3 But we are men of business here, whether we will or no; and so many things that give us only troble crowd in upon us, that we have little time left for those which would afford us pleasure.
My country has assigned me a station, which requires constant attention and painful labor: but I shall go through it with cheerfulness, provided my health can be preserved in it. There is a satisfaction in living with our beloved chief, and so many of our venerable patriots, that no other country, and no other office in this country, could afford me.
What is your opinion of the struggle in France? Will it terminate happily? Will they be able to form a constitution? You know that in my political creed, the word liberty is not the thing; nor is resentment, revenge, and rage, a constitution, nor the means of obtaining one. Revolutions perhaps can never be effected without them: but 179 men should always be careful to distinguish an unfortunate concomitant of the means from the means themselves: and especially not to mistake the means for the end.
My most cordial regards to all our friends, and believe me to be ever yours,
MS not found. Printed from Disney, Memoirs
, p.
35–36; internal address: “Thomas Brand-Hollis, esq.”
Hollis’ letter
was of 6 June, above, which AA forwarded on 20 October.
JA visited Braintree from 12 Oct. to late November, returning to New
York by 1 Dec. (
AFC
, 8:427, 464; Washington, Diaries
, 5:503).
George Washington’s intent was to tour New England and thereby “acquire knowledge of the face of the Country the growth and Agriculture there of and the temper and disposition of the Inhabitants towards the new government.” He left New York on 15 Oct. and reached Boston nine days later. A large procession—comprising Massachusetts officials, merchants, and clergy—greeted the president. Newpapers described in detail the banners, cheering, and singing that accompanied the city’s welcome reception for Washington. JA declined an invitation to travel with the president, but he joined Washington’s party in Boston, where they dined in a large company and visited Harvard College. JA reported that the “charming” Virginian enjoyed a “cordial and Splendid reception,” and that he believed the tour would “do much public good.” Pausing at Newburyport, Washington heard JQA’s 4 Nov. address, which hailed the president as “the friend, the benefactor, the father of his Country.”
Washington’s first public tour took in nearly sixty towns and
stretched to Maine. Notably, he omitted Rhode Island, which had yet to join the union.
In his diary, Washington recorded his impressions of people, agriculture, and
manufacturing. Looking over the houses and farms that dotted Massachusetts, Mount
Vernon’s owner observed that there was “a great equality in the People of this
State—Few or no oppulent Men and no poor.” Suffering from a cold and an inflammation
in his left eye, Washington moved quickly through New Hampshire and Maine, drawing his
first excursion to New England to a close by early November. He turned south at
Portsmouth, N.H., and headed for New York, reaching the city on 13 November. For a map
of his tour, see Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
, 4:200–201 (Washington, Diaries
, 5:453, 460–497;
AFC
, 8:421, 425, 432, 445–446, 447; Boston Herald of
Freedom, 27 Oct.; Newburyport Essex Journal, 4
Nov.; Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
, 4:163).
Not found.
The Letter you did me the honour to write me, on the thirtieth of September, has been to New York; and from thence transmitted to this Place; but it never reached my hand, till the night before last.1 The Sentiments of Esteem for my private Character, expressed by Gentlemen who are probably Strangers to me, are very obliging: and the approbation of my public Conduct abroad, lays me under Still greater Obligations.
The Fisheries, are So essential to the Commerce and naval Power of this Nation, that it is astonishing that any one Citizen Should ever have been found, indifferent about them. But it is certain that, 180 at a Time, when there were Reasons to expect that more than one foreign nation would endeavour to deprive Us of them, there were many Americans indifferent, and not a few even disposed to give them away.— A Knowledge of this was the first and Strongest motive with me to embark for Europe a first and a Second time.— after all however, the final Preservation of the Fisheries was owing to Causes so Providential that I can never look back upon them without Reverence and Emotion. Your Approbation, sir and that of your Friends of the Part I acted in that Negotiation, give me great Pleasure.
The Present of four Boxes of Fish, has been received in my Absence by my Family; and is in every point of View very acceptable to me. As an Amateur I shall regale myself and my Friends: as a Well wisher to the Trade I shall endeavour to make the Dish fashionable at New York: I pray You and your Companions to accept of my Sincere Thanks, for the favour, and my best Wishes for their Pleasure Profit and Prosperity, in the Prosecution of the Fisheries. May You and they live to see a Commerce and a naval Power growing out of your Occupations, which shall render this, the first and most respectable of maritime Nations. I am, sir, with my best Comple / ments to your Friends and much Esteem for / yourself your most obedient and most / humble servant
RC (WHi:Signers of the Declaration of Independence Autograph Coll.); internal
address: “Marston Watson Esqr / Marblehead”; notation:
“Copy of a letter of John Adams / to Marston Watson Marble Head / Fisheries.”
FC (Adams
Papers).
For Watson’s letter of 30 Sept. (Adams Papers) and gift of “very fine” fish from the residents of Marblehead, Mass., see vol. 19:400.