Papers of John Adams, volume 21
y25. 1796
I do not take the Chronicle, but as it contains the
Answer of the two houses to the Governors speech I thought I would enclose
it to you. Mr Sprague was the Chairman of the
Committee and would have 441 rad it
but [. . .]ing leave of Absence it devolved on Dr Jarvis to read it the Governor made a very submissive short and
extremporaneous reply “that he did mean to be understood to intend to
dictate to The House upon the Subject of The Treaty and that he only spake
in his private Capacity.”1
upon the whole the Governor appears to have lost his Reason his Health and
almost his public Influence. I am Sr with
respect your Humble St
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “The Vice President of The / United States / Philadelphia”; internal address: “The Vice President of the United States”; endorsed: “D [. . . .] / 2 F[. . . .].” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
The enclosure has not been found. In his speech to
the Mass. General Court on 19 Jan., Samuel Adams again voiced his
opposition to the Jay Treaty. He challenged lawmakers to reconsider the
constitutional machinery of treaty-making and ratification. Both houses
concurred with Adams’ sentiments on the Jay Treaty but also maintained
that such diplomatic power should remain vested with the U.S. Congress
and not with the people (
AFC
, 11:144).
D’Ivernois continues to send Us his Speculations, which I value the more for giving me an Opportunity to congratulate you, upon the Durability and impenetrability of the Anvil, while so many hammers are wearing themselves out by their Strokes upon it. The Treaty is not arrived and Congress will do nothing with spirit till they have vented themselves upon that. But all their Hammers will be as brittle as the multitude which We have already seen fly to pieces.
I envy you the society of your Family and nothing else. If I did not consider the whole Universe as one Family, I should envy you still more. I am, near sir / very sincerely and faithfully, / yours
RC (NNC:John Jay Papers); internal address: “His
Excellency / Governor Jay”; endorsed: “John Adams Esqr / ansd 31
Jany / 2 Feb / 1796.”
I have received from our old Acquaintance D’Ivernois the inclosed Volume for you in the Course of the last Week.1
I consider all Reasoning upon French affairs of little moment. The Fates must determine hereafter as they have done heretofore. 442 Reasoning has been all lost—Passion, Prejudice, Interest, Necessity has governed and will govern; and a Century must roll away before any permanent and quiet system will be established. An Amelioration of human affairs I hope and believe will be the Result, but you and I must look down from the Battlements of Heaven if We ever have the Pleasure of seeing it
The Treaty is not arrived and Congress seems averse to engage in Business with spirit till that is considered.
I envy you the society of your Family but another Year and one Month may make me the object of Envy.2 Mean time / I am, with Esteem & Affection / your
RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address:
“Mr Jefferson.”; endorsed: “Adams John.
Phila. Jan. 31. 96. / recd. Feb. 20.”
JA sent a copy of Francois d’Ivernois’
La Révolution Française à Genève . . .
depuis le mois d’Octobre 1792, jusqu’au mois de Juillet 1795,
3d edn., London, 1795.
By the first week of January, JA and the
Adams family circle knew of George Washington’s secret intention to
retire at the end of his second term, but JA’s comments
here regarding his own political prospects—addressed to his future
presidential rival—are notably benign. While JA hinted that
rural retirement was on his mind, privately he perceived of his
candidacy as a way to keep Federalist ideology afloat. “Either We must
enter upon Ardours more trying than any ever yet experienced; or retire
to Quincy Farmers for Life. I am at least as determined not to serve
under Jefferson. . . . I will not be frightened out of the public
service nor will I be disgraced in it,” JA wrote to
AA three weeks earlier, as rumors of Washington’s exit
hardened into fact. Modern campaigning was not yet the political mode,
but by late spring, four men led in the race to succeed Washington:
JA, Jefferson, Thomas Pinckney, and Aaron Burr (
AFC
, 11:122–123).