Papers of John Adams, volume 21

353 Pierce Butler to John Adams, 25 December 1794 Butler, Pierce Adams, John

From Pierce Butler

Sir Charleston Decbr. the 25th. 1794

I had the honor on my arrival in this City the 22d. Inst, to recieve Your letter, Covering a desire of a Number of Gentlemen of Senate. The great respect I bear these Gentlemen woud induce a prompt compliance with their requisition, if my state of health, and the inclement season woud Admit of my traveling to Philadelphia— I observe by the Public Prints that there is a Quorum— I cannot then be missd—1

Wishing You the Compliments of the Season, and many happy returns of it / I have the honor to be with great / respect / sir / Yr. Most Obdt. Servt

P Butler

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excỹ / John Adams”; notation by JA: “read in Senate January 20. 1795.”

For JA’s efforts to achieve the Senate quorum, see his 17 Nov. letter to Caleb Strong, and note 1, above. JA read Butler’s letter in the Senate on 20 Jan. 1795; the South Carolinian did not attend the session (U.S. Senate, Jour. , 3d Cong., 2d. sess., p. 146).

John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 December 1794 Adams, John Van der Kemp, François Adriaan

To François Adriaan Van der Kemp

Dear Sir Philadelphia Decr. 30. 1794

I received this morning, your kind favour of the 9th. of this month dated at Kempwick at the Oneida Lake. your Letters always give me Pleasure, both as they contain interesting Reflections, upon public Affairs and as I take an interest in every Thing that relates to yourself and your family, believing as I do, your inflexible Integrity and wishing you every Prosperity.

I am very glad, the Council of Appointment, have made you a Judge and that you have accepted the Appointment. because I believe you will do honour to them and service to the state, and the United states.

I have not a Copy of the Discourses on Davila and I know not where to find one, except in a Volume of Fenno’s Gazette which he presented to the senate.—1 If I knew how to procure you the sight of them I would chearfully do it, because you discover a curiosity to see them.— They have never been thought of any Value. They never were taken any notice of, by the Public. They are forgotten except by you, and you had better not be singular.

354

If the History of All Ages and Nations coinciding with the known Constitution of human Nature, could bring “the Doctrine of The Defence to the greatest degree of moral Evidence,” the Example of France would not be necessary for that Purpose. Experience is lost upon Men. [“]Les sottises des Peres sont perdues pour leurs Enfans. Il faut que chaque generation fasse les siennes” so Said the late King of Prussia, and solomon in all his glory never wrote a more certain Truth.2

You have uttered an Awful Truth. I tremble when I transcribe it. “Three years longer continuance of this Anarchical Despotism and the hopes of enjoying civil and political Liberty, Will be lost forever for more than twenty Millions of Men.”

I say with you “rather the laborious Life of a forgotten Farmer, in the Town of Quincy, than all the Splendor of this World, whether at Paris or Philadelphia.”

you need not ask me Permission to grant me favours, for such are sincerely esteemed every Letter from you, by your / real Friend

John Adams

RC (PHi:John Adams’ Letters); internal address: “Mr Vanderkemp.”

John Fenno published 32 essays from JA’s Discourses on Davila in the New York and the Philadelphia Gazette of the United States between 28 April 1790 and 27 April 1791 (vol. 20:337).

“The follies of the father afford no useful lesson to the son; each generation must have its errors” (Frederick II, Posthumous Works of Frederic II, King of Prussia, transl. Thomas Holcroft, 13 vols., London, 1789, 3:375).