Adams Family Correspondence, volume 15
th:May 1802
I received, at Norristown, while attending a County Court, your
favor of the 25th: ult: with an enclosure for Old-school,
which is already delivered to him.1 He is
thankful for it, as well as for the translation of Bülow, which you will perceive he has
begun to publish. The concluding sentence of the Editor’s introduction will excite your
smile, as being the first instance, wherein he has indulged, even a complacent
expression, in behalf of Republican freedom.
2 He is now fully convinced, that an Editor of a
public paper, in this Country, must learn to sooth, if not to flatter, the ruling
passions of the multitude; that he must sometimes coax & intreat opinion, even where
opposed to his own conviction; because mankind are very little disposed to hear their
foibles censured with the severity of a Cato, or their justice measured by the scale of
an Aristides.
Oliver threatens to epistolise you for goodfellowship’ sake, and I assure him, you are not tardy of reply. His patronage, this year, is not equal to that of the last, though, in my opinion, the merit of his paper is greater. Do you ever discuss the topic, in any of your meetings?
In those volumes of letters, which you found in Holland I recollect
many, which would bear publication; and Shaw can do nothing
better than copy such as you may designate. What a sly old fox, was that Monsieur
Franklin. I never read a more wary diplomatic document than the letter you sent.3
I lately received from Mr: Charles
Cushing Junr: of Boston, two notes of hand, drawn by the
house of Forrest & Stoddert in favor of 205 Mr: Charles House & endorsed by him. Mr: Cushing supposed, that the house of Forrest & Stoddert
was established in this City & therefore requests me to present the notes for
payment.
I have written to him on the subject & requested further
instructions, but have yet received no answer.4 I wish you would take the trouble to see him,
and ask what I am to do with the notes. I believe the house of Forrest & Stoddert
failed, and think it doubtful whether any thing can now be had from them. I should
nevertheless wish to know what disposition I am to make of the Copies of notes. Mr: Cushing informed me, in his
letter, that he had other documents in his possession, confessing the debt &
promising payment.
With best love to your wife & all friends / I am dear brother / Your’s
RC (Adams
Papers); internal address: “J Q Adams. Esqr:.”
Not found.
In his introduction to JQA’s translation of Baron
Dietrich Heinrich von Bülow’s Der Freistaat von Nordamerika in
seinem neusten zustand, 2 vols., Berlin, 1797, Joseph Dennie Jr. described
JQA as “a man of letters, whom Learning vindicates, as a favourite, and
whom the Editor is proud to call his friend.” Dennie also criticized Bülow, noting
that as a Prussian he struggled to “appreciate the blessings of republican freedom”
(Port Folio, 2:137–138 [8 May]). See also
JQA to TBA, 9
Jan., and note 5, above.
TBA in a 19 April letter to JQA (Adams Papers) asked his brother “to set Mr:
Shaw to work, upon those volumes of letters relative to American affairs, which you
found in Holland— If you will select some of the most interesting, he will copy them,
at his liesure, and you can send them to me, for Oliver.” While at The Hague
TBA and JQA came into possession of three volumes of C. W.
F. Dumas’ correspondence with several prominent Americans. The transcriptions had been
made by Dumas’ daughter, Anna Jacoba Dumas Veerman Senserff, and were later given to
the Adamses. The particular letter referenced by TBA here was likely
dated 9 Dec. 1775 from Benjamin Franklin to Dumas, in which Franklin discussed
possible foreign intervention in the American Revolution. The letter was partially
published in the Port Folio, 2:236–237 (31 July 1802)
(vols. 10:257; 11:46, 90–91, 352, 354; JA to François
Adriaan Van der Kemp, 30 April 1806, Adams
Papers; Franklin, Papers
, 22:287–291; JA, Papers
, 17:299).
For the publication of additional Dumas’ correspondence in the Port Folio; see
TBA to William Meredith, 8 Feb. 1804, and notes 4 and 5,
below.
No correspondence has been found between TBA and
Boston attorney Charles Cushing Jr. (1775–1849), Harvard 1796, a son of Charles
Cushing Sr. and Elizabeth Sumner and a nephew of William Cushing. Forrest &
Stoddert was a Georgetown, D.C., mercantile firm owned by Gen. Uriah Forrest and
Benjamin Stoddert. Forrest declared bankruptcy in July 1802 (James S. Cushing, The Genealogy of the Cushing Family, Montreal, 1905, p. 91,
94–95, 180;
Sibley’s Harvard Graduates
, 13:569;
Boston Directory, 1803, p. 38,
Shaw-Shoemaker, No. 3862; Washington, Diaries
, 6:105; New York Herald, 14
July).