Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12
th.June. 1797.
I was not more fortunate in the weather on my return, than I was
in going to Philaa. 3 days out 5 on the road it constantly
rain’d.— before this you have seen the Speech of our New. Gov. & the answers of
the Senate & House. this Election is as popular as any for some Years. the Answer
from the House passd. as reported by the Comtee. without any debate or the least alteration.1 the Printers of the Chronicle expected to have
made interest sufficient to be appointed printer’s. in this they have been
disappointed the Senate appointed the same as the last Year & sent to the House
their appointment one Member mov’d, as usual, to assign a Day for the choice, another
Member, Dr Eustis mov’d to concur with the Senate, which
was immediately passd. without debate.2 this business for several Years past, has
taken up the House several Days. at present it appears to be the disposition of the
Court, not to enter into any trifling controversy but join & promote the best
interest of the Country— the Answer of the House to the President, we have just recd.
3 as the
Members have not deliver’d their long Speeches (many of which I presume were wrote
before they left home.) I hope they will now proceed upon business. people differ very
much in their opinion, in this place respecting the arming of Merchantemen I believe
from what I have heard, it is generally against it. it is fear’d that the imprudent
conduct of many, wou’d have a tendency to involve us in, rather than extricate us,
from, a contest with F[rance.] 157 from our last
accounts I think the […] greatest probability that a general peace will soon take
place. in Europe & that the Embassy from this Country will be well recd.
Mrs. S. & our Children are well
she joins me with Betsey in our best regards to you & the President.
I am Affecly.
m.Smith.
This will be handed you by Mr. Cutts.
brother to our Mr Cutts.
Portso.
4
RC (Adams
Papers); addressed: “Mrs. Adams / Philadelphia”;
endorsed: “Mr Smith June / 10th 1797”; notation: “Mr.
Cutts.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
The senate accepted “with lively satisfaction” Gov. Increase
Sumner’s 2 June inaugural address. Its reply offered praise of George Washington’s
service to the nation and approbation of JA as his successor, while at
the same time it lamented “those depredations on our commerce … and the evil effects”
of French privateers. The response concluded by noting the senate’s readiness “to
receive and attend to any communications which your Excellency may think proper to
make.” The house reply also praised Sumner’s address, which “excites the most pleasing
expectations from your administration.” It recognized JA as a “successor
… so eminently conspicuous for his talents and his virutes” and declared itself
prepared “to support the civil magistrate in the constitutional and legal discharge of
his duty” (Mass., Acts and Laws
, 1796–1797, p. 493–497).
Alexander Young and Thomas Minns, publishers of the Massachusetts Mercury, were once again chosen to be
printers to the Mass. General Court (Mass.,
Acts and Laws
, 1796–1797, p. 609; vol. 11:240).
The House of Representatives’ answer was published in the Boston
Columbian Centinel, 10 June.
Edward Cutts, for whom see vol. 11:300, was Smith’s
brother-in-law. Cutts had four brothers—Samuel, Charles, George, and Hampden (JQA, Diary
,
2:288; Cecil Hampden Cutts
Howard, comp., Genealogy of the Cutts Family in America,
Albany, N.Y., 1892, p. 42–43).