Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12

Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 April 1797 Adams, Abigail Adams, John

Abigail Adams to John Adams

My Dearest Friend Quincy April 17th 1797

Tho I have not heard from you since I wrote you last, and have nothing new to say, unless it be a resital of my own perplexities, out of which I must get by myself. Yet a few lines will assure you that I am getting forward as fast as possible with my affairs, and prepairing to sit out on my journey. the weather has been as uncommonly cold and stormy for the week past, as it was Hot for two days the week before. we have a snowstorm, of some inches Depth, which has lain for three days. it has retarded our Buisness on the farm and chilld our exertions. the sudden changes have confind Your Mother and brought on one of her old Lung complaints the good old Lady is sure she shall dye now her Physician & Nurse is about to leave her, but She judges with me, that all ought to be forsaken for the Husband. it is an additional care and anxiety for me. I shall provide for her comfort every thing necessary before I leave her. Mary Smith is yet living. of how uncertain a duration are all our worldly possessions, and Earthly comforts? if we could not look for brighter scenes and fairer prospects, who could wish to remain the victims of pain and sorrow? mr otis has lost his son George with a dropsy in his Head.1

I have just been reading chief Justice Elsworths Charge to the Grand jury at New York!2 did the good gentleman never write 80 before? can it be genuine? the language is stiffer than his person. I find it difficult to pick out his meaning in many sentences. I am sorry it was ever publishd— how I run on. the Federilist say there is but one blot in Your Character. the Chronical has undertaken to praise and the Jacobins to speak well.3 the snare will not hold action will soon break it— critical are the Times. may you get valiently through them.

yours for ever

A Adams—

RC (Adams Papers); addressed by Louisa Catharine Smith: “The President of the United / States / Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mrs A. Ap. 17. / ansd. 24. 1797.”

George Otis (b. 1777), son of Samuel Allyne Otis and his first wife, Elizabeth Gray, died in Newburyport on 13 April, having been “seized with a violent and painful disorder, which he sustained with exemplary patience; and retaining his reason until the moment of dissolution” (The Manifesto Church: Records of the Church in Brattle Square, Boston, 1902, p. 190; Boston Columbian Centinel, 15 April).

On 1 April Oliver Ellsworth addressed the federal grand jury of New York, charging its members: “PLACED as guardians of the laws, you have in trust the government itself.” The chief justice outlined some of the challenges to good government, all of which “a SPIRIT OF PARTY has not failed to cherish, to ripen, and to marshal,” thus allowing the government to become susceptible to “foreign influence” and demanding “vigilance and firmness in the execution of laws.” Ellsworth’s charge was published in the Boston Columbian Centinel, 15 April.

The Boston Independent Chronicle, 13 April, offering late commentary on JA’s inaugural address, extolled the speech as having “flowed, spontaneously from a heart enlightned by the rays of right reason” and praised his long career in service to his country. Celebrating “another champion of freedom,” Thomas Jefferson, and calling “every lover of our America” to “flock to this standard,” the writer further urged the nation to strive to “be in peace with all the world” but to “not forget that great people who were our best friends in the time, of our trouble; let us set FRANCE on our right hand.”

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1797 Adams, John Adams, Abigail

John Adams to Abigail Adams

My dearest Friend Phila. Ap. 19. 1797

as soon as your Letter informed Us that Mrs Brisler could not come without her husband I sent him off, in two hours, the day before Yesterday, i.e Monday. There has been Such a snow storm ever since that he must have had a bad Journey to N. York— Whether he will wait there for a Wind for Rhode Island or take the stage I know not but hope he will get home before you come away.

This days Post brought me Yours of the 12th. Your fatigues and perplexities must be great as well as mine— I am here at Mercy without Brisler. But We seem to go on well—

I am very willing you should let the Place and sell every Thing perishable as you thought of doing. Every Thing works against Us in 81 the Article of Expences and We shall find ourselves more Straitened than ever We were in our whole Lives.

Mr Murray Sailed last sunday was Sennight—so that the Papers you inclosed must remain here some time.1 Bring on the Portfeuill or Leave it with Dr Tufts. Bring my Seals too.2

I like the Plan of letting the Place, better than any other. We cannot be there this Year above a month or six Weeks if at all.— I shall be content however with Any disposition you may make.

I dont know but I shall send my Coachman and Horses to Paulus Hook for you, with a Man to ride on my little Horse.— James you will discharge I suppose; but as you please. James would ruin this family, I fear.3 Let me know when you shall be at N. York. I will Let you know whether you may wait for my Horses, or whether you must hire at N. York. Let me know whether you have Harness for four Horses. or whether I must send on Harness for two or more. Charles is here on a Visit to me. I am, most tenderly

J. A4

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs A.”

William Vans Murray sailed aboard the ship Good Friends, Capt. Smith, departing Philadelphia on 9 April and arriving at The Hague on 9 June. In a letter of 12 April (Adams Papers) AA enclosed coupons from the 1791 Dutch-American loan, to which JA was a subscriber, and asked that JA send them with Murray. Her letter also detailed the arrangements she had made to travel to Philadelphia (Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, 11 April 1797; D/JQA/24, APM Reel 27).

For JA’s seals, see JA, Papers , 15:xvii, 448, and Catalogue of JQA’s Books , p. 136–137.

James appears to have remained with the Adamses until at least April 1800 by which point he had accompanied the family to Philadelphia (AA to AA2, 9 March 1800, M/CFA/31, APM Reel 327; AA to Mary Smith Cranch, 17 April 1800, AA, New Letters , p. 246).

JA had also written to AA on 18 April 1797 stating much of the same information, reporting that he would send future letters by the more frequent Boston post, and complaining about the “prodigious” reading he was forced to do (Adams Papers).