Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12

Abigail Adams to William Smith, 16 November 1797 Adams, Abigail Smith, William

Abigail Adams to William Smith

my dear sir Philadelphia Novbr 16 1797

I wrote you from East Chester and inclosed you 90 dollors to pay a Note in mr Frothinghams hands. I have not received a line in acknowledgment of the letter, which makes me a little anxious for its fate.1 you was so good as to Say you would send me Some salt fish. I should like a couple of kental to treat our good Massachusetts Friends. I will thank you to send it by one of the first vessels, and 6 Gallons of neats foot oil from Hughs—Brislr says he used to buy it there at half a dollor pr Gallon—2

we reachd here on the tenth, and found our Family all well. from the Mobility who appeard in the Streets on the Day of our arrival, no one could have imagined that there had been either sickness or deaths in this place. in short it is like the wave of the sea, when it is past no vestage remains, I am affraid not even in their Hearts. You cannot affront a Philadelphian more than by intimating that the fever originated with them.

No congress yet a House was made yesterday but no senate, nor are they like to make one this week the Vice President is detaind by a Law suit, which is still on trial, and will not be here this fortnight.3 mr Tazewell is sick. no loss neither—4 no certain accounts of the arrival of our Envoys, and poor souls what can they do when they get there. what but voilence is to be seen in that devoted Nation, honour & justice, Religion & virtue are fled from the land, or so abashed that their voice is not heard. I have not the smallest hope remaining that any thing durable can be effected with a people or Government, which to day is and tomorrow is not.

I hope Mrs smith and your little flock are well. give my Love to them. Mrs Cranch wrote me that mrs Welch was unwell. I hope she is better pray let me know, and acquaint me if mrs Gill is like to recover—5

I am dear sir affectionatly / Your

A Adams

your sister otis and Family are well Love to cousin Betsy

RC (MHi:Smith-Townsend Family Papers); addressed by JA: “William Smith Esqr / Merchant / Boston”; endorsed: “Philaa. Mrs. Adams / Novr. 16. 97. / Ansd”; notation by JA: “J. Adams.”

AA to William Smith, 23 Oct., above.

Robert Hewes, for whom see vol. 9:231, sold neatsfoot oil, as well as soap, glue, rosin, and varnish, from his Boston shop (Boston Columbian Centinel, 7 May 1796; Boston Directory , 1798, p. 62).

295 3.

Thomas Jefferson, as an executor of his father-in-law John Wayles’ estate, was involved in a legal dispute regarding payment owed to an English firm for a consigned cargo of slaves delivered to Virginia in 1772, on which Wayles’ business partner had been unable to collect bonds from the slave owners. In Nov. 1790 a suit was brought against the executors of the estate; the case did not go to trial until 1797, and on 28 Nov. the jury found in favor of the defendants. Jefferson took his seat as president of the Senate on 13 Dec. (Jefferson, Papers , 15:642–644, 647–649; Annals of Congress , 5th Cong., 2d sess., p. 477).

Henry Tazewell (1753–1799), William and Mary 1770, represented Virginia in the Senate from Dec. 1794 until his death in Jan. 1799. He took his seat for the 5th Congress on 27 Nov. 1797 ( Biog. Dir. Cong. ; Annals of Congress , 5th Cong., 2d sess., p. 472).

Rev. William Walter wrote to AA on 22 Dec. with an update on Rebecca Boylston Gill’s health. He reported that although Gill continued to regain her strength and that Moses Gill intended for her to travel to Boston, he feared “the undertaking will be too much for her, for she has never been out of her Warm room, & sets up but about 20 minutes in the Forenoon & as much in the Afternoon” (Adams Papers).

Abigail Adams to John Fenno, 18 November 1797 Adams, Abigail Fenno, John

Abigail Adams to John Fenno

Editorial Note

On 16 November 1797 the Philadelphia Aurora General Advertiser printed the following squib: “His serene highness of Braintree made an anti-climax on his journey from his dukedom. Boston made the cap of the climax, Philadelphia its tail. On another occasion it would be safer and wiser to make no further attempts at forcing respect; for it sits aukwardly upon men, that from respect it degenerates into farce. In future, it would be better for him to travel to and from Braintree as he did before his exaltation, like Darby and Joan.” The latest in a series of Aurora articles lambasting John Adams for the public honors shown him during his travels between Philadelphia and Quincy, for which see Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, 15 November, and note 7, above, this article appears to have prompted a direct response from the Adamses.

An unsigned letter to the editor of the Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, John Fenno, was published in the newspaper on 18 November. Printed below, the article defends John Adams by providing examples of similar marks of respect shown him both during his tenure in the Continental Congress and at the start of his vice presidency. The level of detail included in the argument suggests the author was someone close to the president. But it is the curious document labeled “Communication” that further suggests the author was Abigail. Enclosed in a letter to Abigail’s sister Mary Smith Cranch, the document in Abigail’s hand is a near match to the printed article. Other than spelling and punctuation variations common to Abigail, there exist only two substantive differences, both of which were canceled by Abigail in favor of the word used in the printed version. Coupled with the fact that it seems unlikely Abigail would copy by hand the text of a newspaper article when she regularly enclosed printed extracts in her letters to Cranch, this leads the editors to believe that Abigail authored the piece.

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The document fits within the broader spectrum of Abigail’s public letters. As the wife of the president, Abigail frequently used her networks of correspondence to influence public perceptions of the Adams administration, but it is in countering direct attacks by Democratic-Republicans that she moved beyond her established private networks to directly engage public figures. Here, it is John she champions, but she was no less attentive in her defense of John Quincy, which she demonstrated in letters to Benjamin Franklin Bache, 17 March [1798], and to Robert Goodloe Harper, [13 April 1798], both below.

Mr. Fenno, 18 November 1797

Mr. Bache, and his correspondents appear to be in great distress, least the respect shewn to the President of the United States, by the people of every city and town thro’ which he passed, on his journey to his own home, and on his return to the seat of government, should be construed into satisfaction with the government, and an approbation of its administration.

As Mr. Bache is but a youth of yesterday, when compared with the old patriots, who first stood forth in defence of the invaded rights of their injured country, against the usurpation of Great-Britain, I who am grown grey with years, and was witness to what I relate can tell him, that the testimonials of respect which have recently been offered to the President of the United States are no novelties to him.

Previous to the meeting of the first Congress in the year 1774, the members from Massachusetts (our venerable President was one) were met, escorted and feasted (if you please) in all the principal towns and cities through which they passed; the same public marks of respect were again manifested with increased splendour, at the meeting of Congress in the year 1775, and in the year 1789, when the President was first elected Vice-President, a troop of horse waited upon him at his seat in Braintree, and escorted him from thence, to the Governor’s in Boston, accompanied by numbers of citizens; from thence he was attended to Cambridge, by a large, and respectable concourse of people, where he was again met by an other troop of horse.

Throughout the state of Connecticut he received the same marked attention; the citizens of New-York were not less zealous on that occasion, than they have been to do honor to him as President; troops of horse and respectable citizens went as far as Kingsbride and escorted him into the city of New-York.1

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Every person who is acquainted with the republican manners and habits of the President, can witness for him that every kind of show and parade are contrary to his taste and inclination, and that they can be agreeable on no other ground,2 than as the will of the people, manifesting their determined resolution to support the government3 and the administrators of it, so long as the administration is conformable to the constitution.— As to Mr. Bache’s polite allusion to Darby and Joan, I consider that as highly honorary to the domestic and conjugal character of the President, who has never given his children or grandchildren cause to blush for any illegitimate offspring.4

MS not found. Printed from the Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, 18 November.

For these marks of respect, see vol. 1:195–196, 8:331, and JA, D&A , 2:97–98, 161.

In a MS AA labeled “Communication” and sent to Mary Smith Cranch, possibly with her letter of 28 Nov., AA first wrote “footing” before canceling it and writing “ground” instead (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters).

Here, AA used and canceled “constitution” before interlining “Government.”

“Darby and Joan” was a common appellation for a devoted couple, often advanced in years and of meager finances ( OED ).