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Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 November 1794


My dearest Friend

Since the Certainty has arrived of the very honourable Re election of our Friend Mr. Smith of S. Carolina, the wiser Part of the Community have been the more anxious for that of Mr. Ames. The Orrery from Boston, which arrived yesterday has excited great Expectations, that the District in which Boston is placed, will not disgrace itself by disgracing Sound Principles and independent Conduct in that worthy Representative. Thursdays Post will relieve Us from all Uncertainty. Mr. Swanwick is announced to be elected instead of Mr. Fitsimmons, by a Small Majority, but it is said it will be a contested Election Still, and Swanwick may be, for any Thing that I know as federal as his Rival.

The President told me that Mr. Finlay Said to him, at their Interview, that the Opposition of the People in the rebellious Counties of Pennsylvania


was not a Resistance to the Excise, or any other particular Measure of Government, but it was an universal Opposition to all Law and all Government. and all Magistrary. And that rather than go through such another Scaene as he had witnessed among them he should wish to quit the Scaene of Life. This Declaration from Finlay is as important as it is curious.

If The French should be in Possession of The Hague and the United Provinces, our Minister will not go there. His Credentials are to their High Mightinesses and His most Serene Highness, but if their Authority is annulled, either by Conquest or by a Change of Government, Mr. Adams will wait in England for new Powers or further orders. I do not believe however that the French will be in Holland nor the Government changed.

The President and his Lady enquired kindly after your Health. Mr. Cranch I took with me on Sunday Evening and presented him to all the Family, where we drank Coffee and spent two Hours. He gave The President and Lady a par-


ticular Account of the present State of the City of Washington.

Miss Custis, Mr. Cranch says, is to be married to Mr. Peter of George Town son of a rich Proprietor in the Federal City.



[Endorsement -- see page image]



Cite web page as: Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 November 1794 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/
Original manuscript: Adams, John. Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 November 1794. 4 pages. Original manuscript from the Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Source of transcription: Adams Papers Editorial Project. Unverified transcription.
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