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My Dearest Friend
I received by the last post your Letters of the 14th. [John to Abigail, 14 December 1796] , 16th. [John to Abigail, 16 December 1796] , 18th. [John to Abigail, 18 December 1796] , and 19th [John to Abigail, 19 December 1796] . The frequent and repeated fires in the various capitals of Savanna, Baltimore and N York are really shocking, but renderd vastly more allarming from the opinion that they are the effect of design, and not accident. I fear we shall America will be the harbour and assilum of the dissolute and abandoned of the Nations of Europe unless more vigilence is adopted with respect to foreigners.
I have had many congratulatory compliments in the week past upon the
supposed certainty of your Election. They have not however been unmixed with
the alloy which every person sees the station is subject to. Some of the
Jacobins in
Boston I was told, declared they were glad you were Elected, for
now they knew they should be governd by principles,
and not Names. They say It would be the President, and P. the puppet. With
respect to Mr. Jay you know that I believe him an upright
honest Man, not given to intrigue, and incapable of deserting an old and long
tried Friend, a Man of Honour, a Man of principle, a
Man of Religion. You may recollect, that I have often said to you, H. is a Man
ambitious as Julius Ceasar. A subtle intriguer, his abilities
would make him dangerous if he was to espouse a wrong side. His thirst for Fame
is
I received a Letter from an old Friend and correspondent this week who writes thus.
"The Election of our friend I hope is sure. The only adverse chance is that which favours Mr. Pinckney, and if has the North Carolina votes I think he will be Elected there being every reason to suppose that the other four southern and western states will give him their support. I was more apprehensive of danger from this quarter than from any other, and before we proceeded to vote, the matter was fully discussed, so that if by her own votes Massachusetts should bring into the Chair a South Carolinian, of respectable Character it is true, but with little or no experience in the domestic politicks of the Union, and exclude a Citizen of her own, whose experience, station and qualifications, give him the highest pretensions to the office, she will have acted with her Eyes open, and must blame herself for her impolicy.
The fact is as I am informd from high
Authority in
N York, that a plan was there laid by a quondam Secretary to
bring in Mr. Pinkney, and that it was confidentially extended
thro the Continent. That Letter was put into the
N York post office on the 30 Novbr.
and was deliverd to me at our post office on the
14th. instead of the 7th. of
You may judge from the statement here made, that the high Authority was
aware of the snare, and exerted himself to ward of the blow. H. is as much
suspected here as he is with you, and for the Reasons given by the Jacobins.
They say H. knows you will not be governd. I am
ready to think that enmity to Jefferson was the
prevailing Motive. Jefferson I hope will succeed. I
believe the Government would be more [illegible] conciliated, and
the bitterness of party allayd. The former
Friendship which subsisted between you would tend to harmonize, and moderation,
coolness and temperament would reconcile the present, faring interests to
concord. This is my hope, and I do not despair of seeing it effected. You know
my Friendship for that Gentleman has lived through his faults and his errors,
to which I have not been blind
My Letters are confidential. I wish you would burn those which might be injurious if by any accident exposed.
I inclose to you an extract of a Letter from Thomas to his Friend J Q dated october 9th. by a vessel from Amsterdam. I had not any Letters.
Weather yet very cold. Adieu, and a good Night for it is Bed Time.
[Endorsement -- see page image]
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