Adams Family Correspondence, volume 13
th.1798
It has not been from want of the most affectionate Respect that I
have suffer’d your kind letter by Mr. White to remain so
long unanswer’d.1 The sickness and death
of a late worthy friend of mine, Mr. James Cook of
Georgetown, and the business which has fallen into my hands in Consequence of that
Event, have occupied my whole attention and must be my apology. Mr. Cook was about my Age, and was the only native young man of this Country with
whom I had form’d any degree of friendship. He was Nephew to Mr. Joshua Johnson, and to the late Govr. Johnson, and of Course his Connexions were extensive and
respectable. His great industry fidelity and attention to Business, without any very
Briliant talents had thrown an uncommon share of business into his hands, & he was
in a fair way of making a rapid fortune. His fees for the last year could not have been
less than 3 or 4 thousand dollars. Two days after his Death I call’d on Mr. Johnson to pay my respects, which a variety of accidents
had obliged me to delay till that time— On mention of the death of Mr. Cook, Mr. Johnson said he did
not know, among all his acquaintance any suitable person to supply his place. Mr. Ray, who was present, mentioned my intention of immediately
taking an office in Georgetown, to which Mr. Johnson replied
that it was a very good opening, But that I must move into Georgetown, if I expected to
get any of the Business.2 Nothing more
pass’d at that time, but on the next day Mr. & Mrs. Johnson came to my house— Mr.
Johnson took me out to walk, and then told me he had come on purpose to ask me whether I
had determined to move into Georgetown. I told him I had, provided I should go with the
full approbation of Mr. Cooks friends, & that I had sent
an express to Govr. Johnson & Mr. Thos. Cook, with letters to them on the
subject.3 He then said he came to tell
me that no time was to be lost, but I must go into town instantly, & that if I did
so he would put all his business into my hands, which was
considerable—that he consider’d our families as connected, and that it was his wish to
see me succeed in my profession, and at the same time brought me an Account to be put in
suit upon immediately.— I mention these things to
shew how friendly Mr. Johnson has been & because it is
undoubtedly oweing to your friendly kind
representations, that he has taken an interest in my affairs. As soon as Mr. Thos. Cook came into town, I
found him very 21 well disposed to assist my views, and I instantly
agreed to take the office his Brother lately occupied and to purchase his Library and
office furniture, and he agreed to get me as much of his late Brothers Business as he
could, and that I should take the general Charge of all his unfinished Business. In
Consequence of this I took immediate possession of the office and wrote circular letters
to the principle Clients of Mr. Cook, informing them of his
death and assuring them that their Business should not be neglected and that if they
thought proper to continue it under my Care it should be attended to with diligence
& fidelity. By these means I have secured a considerable part of the Business, and
there will be a good deal more which will devolve to me in Consequence of the Clients
not employing any one else. As soon as I return from Court I shall move my family into
Georgetown.— Mr. Cooks Law-Library, consisting of 322
volumes mostly folio’s, is as good as any, if not the best, in the state. It was
collected by Govr. Johnson, and has been considerably
augmented by Mr. Cook. It cost me only $500, and is paid for, by Mr. Ray’s
notes, who owed me that sum, so that if Mr. Ray pay’s his
notes, which he is abundantly able to do, I shall be totally exonerated. I have taken an
Account of the first Cost of the Books in London 30 years ago, by a Catalogue in my
possession and find it to amount to upwards of $900. In consequence of my purchasing the
library entire, I have duplicates of several books, which I can easily dispose of.— This
with what I purchased in Philadelphia, will make a very complete Library, and put me on
an equality in that respect with my Brethren at the Bar. A few months ago Mr. Luther Martin the Attorney Genl. of this State, appointed Mr. Cook prosecutor for
the State in the County Courts of Montgomery and Frederick. The Emoluments of the office
were considerable, perhaps a thousand dollars per Annum. I have had some acquaintance
with Mr. Martin & he has discover’d a good Disposition
towards me;— One of my motives for wishing a letter from the President to Mr. Carroll, was, that it is possible through him my name might
be mentioned to Mr. Martin, in a general way; such as to say
he should be glad Mr. M, would give me such Countenance
& support at the Bar as he should find me to deserve; or something of that kind not
looking too particular.— and that Mr. M. may know something
of my Connexions Education & habits of life, & that he may know I have removed
out of Prince Georges County into Montgomery County, & have taken Mr. Cooks office & business &c.— As the President is
not personally acquainted with Mr. Martin, I am obliged to
try this roundabout way.—4
I am much obliged to you for the pamphlets you was so kind as to
send me by Mr. White.— Peter’s Judge afforded us a good deal
of Amusement.5 The promptness which the
President display’d in sending to Congress the Instructions and dispatches, & the
public disclosure of their Contents, have silenced the voice of faction, every where,
but in Congress, and have excited an Enthusiasm in favour of the measures of
Administration, and indignation against France.
I am delighted with the manners of Mrs.
Johnson. So much spirit and so much gentleness are rarely united. Mr. Johnson seems cool, collected, and decided—a most valuable
friend or a dreadful Enemy— I hope to know him only as the former.
Mrs. Cranch and her Children were well
this morning. Richd. was inoculated for the small pox about
4 days ago, and it seems to have taken well, but he is going to have more teeth, which I
am fearful may render the Disease troublesome.
I know not what to think of my father’s selling his farm.6 It seemd to be a comfort to him, and a kind of security from absolute want, the loss of which I am afraid will [. . .] him anxious.— I have not yet written [to my] Parents respecting my late movements [be]cause I wish’d in some measure to ascertain the degree of Influence they might be expected to have upon my Affairs. It will give them great pleasure to know that my prospects brighten, and that I have purchased & paid for so good a library.
I am sorry to hear that your son T. B. A, & Mrs. J. Q. A. have been ill. Mrs.
Johnson is very anxious to receive letters from her daughter.—
I am, Dear Madam, most respectfully and / affectionately your obliged Nephew
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs. A. Adams /
Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mr W Cranch / May 8th / 1798.”
Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
Alexander White was the likely carrier of AA’s letter to Cranch of 13 April, for a summary of which, see vol. 12:502.
Likely James Ray, an English merchant who arrived in New York in
1795 but resided mostly at Lamberton, N.J. Ray had entered into a mercantile
partnership in Philadelphia and the District of Columbia with William Mayne Duncanson
that ended in legal action in which he was represented by Cranch (Jefferson, Papers
, 36:106; Clark, Greenleaf and Law
, p. 272, 278). See also
AA to Catherine Nuth Johnson, 8
July 1798, and note 2, below.
For James Cook’s brother, Thomas (d. 1826), a longtime
Georgetown, D.C., resident, see LCA, D&A
, 2:531 (Washington, D.C., Daily National Intelligencer, 10 Aug. 1826).
Cranch sought the favor of Luther Martin (1748–1826), Princeton
1766, who was a prominent Maryland lawyer and the state’s attorney general from 1778
to 1805 and again from 1818 to 1822. To that same end, Cranch also wrote to
JA on 8 May 1798 (Adams
Papers) seeking the renewal of a 1794 letter of introduction to Charles
Carroll of Carrollton that Cranch had requested from JA because he
believed Carroll’s “confidence would introduce me to that of many other people.”
JA again complied with Cranch’s request, 23 although the letter was received too late to be
of use (
ANB
; JA to Carroll, 10 Dec. 1794, DLC:William Cranch Papers; Cranch to JA, 14 June 1798, Adams Papers).
AA sent Cranch two copies of the XYZ dispatches and
instructions and Peter Porcupine’s The Democratic Judge; or,
The Equal Liberty of the Press, as Exhibited, Explained, and Exposed, in the
Prosecution of William Cobbett, Phila., 1798, Evans, No. 33523.
For JA’s purchase of the Cranch farm, see vol. 12:32 and AA to William Cranch, 16 May, below.
th1798 Philadelphia
Rumour at a distance magnifies, and seldom reports truth. I have
not written you a word upon a subject which I know would have made you at least very
uneasy. about three weeks ago, a Letter was sent, or rather brought here of a sunday
Evening by two young women of the City, one of whom said passing the House a few day
before She took up a paper in a small alley which runs between our house & our
Neighbours. it was wet by lying at the Edge of a gutter which passes through the
passage. the Girl finding it in this way opend the Letter, and read it, but being
allarmd at the contents knew not what to do. her mother who was absent at the Time,
returning & finding what she had done, directed the Girl to bring it herself &
relate the circumstances. the purport of the Letters was to inform the President that
the French peeple who were in this city had formed a conspiracy, with some unsuspected
Americans, on the Evening of the day appointed for the fast to sit fire to the City in
various parts, and to Massacre the inhabitants intreating the President not to neglect
the information & the warning given, tho by an Annonimous Hand, signd a Real tho
heretofore a misguided American. the President conceived it to be an incendary Letter
written to allarm & distress the inhabitants. an other Letter of the same purport
was sent ten days after, thrust under the door of mr Otis’s office.1 these with some Rumours of combinations got
abroad, and the Mayor Aldermen &c kept some persons upon the watch through all
parts of the City, & the Govenour gave orders privately to have a troop of Horse
in case of need. the Young Men of the city as I wrote you, on Monday to the amount of
near Eleven Hundred came at 12. oclock in procession two and two. there were assembled
upon the occasion, it is said ten thousand Persons. this street as wide or wider than
state street in Boston, was full, as far as we could see up & down. one might have
walk’d upon their Heads—besides the houses window & even tops of Houses. in great
order & decorum the young 24 men with each a
black cockade marchd through the Multitude and all of them enterd the House preceeded
by their committe, when a young Gentleman by the Name of Hare, a Nephew of Mrs
Binghams read the address—2 the
President received them in his Levee Room drest in his uniform, and as usual upon such
occasions, read his answer to them, after which they all retired. the multitude gave
three Cheers, & followd them to the state House yard, where the answer to the
address was again read by the Chairman of the committe, with acclamations they then
closed the scene by singing the new song, which at, 12 oclock at night was sung by
them under our windows, they having dinned together or rather a part of them; this
scene burnt in the Hearts of some Jacobins and they determined eitheir, to terrify, or
Bully the young men out of their patriotism. Baches publishd some saussy pieces, the
young men resented and he would have felt the effects of their resentment, if some
cooler Heads had not interposed.3
yesterday was observed with much solemnity the Meeting Houses & churches were
fill’d. about four oclock as is usual the state House Yard which is used for a walk,
was very full of the inhabitants, when about 30 fellows, some with snow Balls in their
Hats, & some with tri coulourd cockades enterd and attempted to seize upon the
Hats of the young men to tear out their cockades a scuffel ensued when the young men
became Conquerors, and some of these tri coulourd cockades were trampled in the dust.
one fellow was taken, and committed to Jail, but this was sufficient to allarm the
inhabitants, and there were every where large collections of People. the light Horse
were call’d, out & patrold the streets all Night. a Gaurd was placed before this
House, tho through the whole of the Proceedings, and amidst all the collection, the
Presidents name was not once mentiond, nor any one grievence complaind of; but a
foreign attempt to try their strength & to stire the inhabitants if possible was
no doubt at the bottom. Congress are upon an Allien Bill.4 this Bache is cursing & abusing daily.5 if that fellow & his Agents
Chronical, and all is not surpressd, we shall come to a civil war I hope the Gen’ll Court of our state, will take the subject up & if
they have not a strong sedition Bill, make one—6 Before I close this I shall send to the post
office
Quincy address and a Letter from Brother Cranch News papers but not a line from my sister.7 well I trust the next post will bring me some;
I must now close my Letter or the post will be gone. the Nurse & childern and Nabby Hunt are all going on Board this morning. Nabby 25 holds me to my word that I would let her go home this Spring. no difficuly or uneasiness on either part. she is wrong for herself— I have given her a dollor pr week ever since she has been with me paid her doctor, and she is now going to ——— she will find the difference. I suppose she thinks she may get a Husband—at home. here there is no chance— your ever affectionate
mr Black was here & well to day—
RC (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters); addressed: “Mrs Mary Cranch / Quincy.”
JA appears to have received three anonymous letters
ostensibly warning him of planned violence in Philadelphia in retaliation for the 9
May fast day. Of the two letters mentioned by AA here (both Adams Papers), the first was dated
April 18 from “an unfortunate mislead Man, but a real friend to America” and claimed
that “nefarious perpetrators” intended to set fire to the city and to attack citizens
observing the fast day. A second letter of [ca. 28 April]
from “A Friend to America & Truth” raised a similar warning to the president: “Do
not sleep in fearless security: the hour of danger is near at hand & You have the
power of retribution” (Philadelphia Gazette, 30
April).
Robert Hare (1781–1858), the son of Robert and Margaret Willing
Hare, was a cousin of Anne Willing Bingham (Charles P. Keith, The Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania, Phila., 1883, p. 90, 93, 129,
131–132).
On the evening of 7 May the home of Benjamin Franklin Bache was
attacked by a small group of youths who had been part of the day’s deputation to
JA, leading Bache to claim: “It has been wrong, from the beginning, to
encourage young men, not of age, to meddle in politics, especially at times as
critical as these. They have not discretion sufficient to ballast their zeal”
(Philadelphia Aurora General Advertiser, 9 May).
The legislation commonly referred to as the Alien Act was in fact
three separate bills. The Naturalization Act, passed on 18 June, increased the length
of U.S. residency required to gain citizenship from five to fourteen years. The Alien
Act, of 25 June, authorized the president to expel without a hearing any unnaturalized
person deemed “dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States.” The Alien
Enemies Act, passed 6 July, was a wartime measure allowing the removal of aliens from
enemy nations with procedures to be defined by law. Introduced in the wake of the XYZ
Affair, these bills sought to minimize immigrant influence in the United States and to
undermine the Democratic-Republican Party, which often received the support of recent
immigrants. The bills were ultimately weakened after opposition was raised not only by
Albert Gallatin and other Democratic-Republicans but also by some within the
Federalist Party (Elkins and
McKitrick, Age of Federalism
, p. 590–592).
The Philadelphia Aurora General
Advertiser, 8 May, printed the text of the alien bill as it then stood, and the
following day mocked it as “a memorable specimen of the knowledge and liberality of
the wisest and most
enlightened Senate in the world.”
While the Mass. General Court did not pass a state sedition bill, in Feb. 1799 its members formally noted their approbation of the federal law, for which see TBA to JA, 14 Feb., and note 3, below.
On 4 May 1798 Richard Cranch sent JA an address from
the town of Quincy accompanied by a letter explaining that Capt. Benjamin Beale Jr.
had drafted the address and hoped that JA would take pleasure in the
“freewill Offering of your old Friends and Acquaintace and of their Children who now
chiefly fill the Stage” (Adams
Papers). The short address thanked JA for his previous public
service, especially his “early publications” which “presaged … the greatness of your
future abilities.” The signers offered their approbation of the “pacific measures”
taken by the executive and pledged their support in defense of American freedom (
Patriotic
Addresses
, p. 76–78).
AA again wrote to Mary Smith Cranch on 18 May, reporting that Moses Black was on his return to Quincy and carried with him JA’s reply to the Quincy address. She also sent copies of the latest dispatches and stated her approval of the many addresses submitted to JA, but she noted, “They load the President 26 with constant application to his pen, as he answers all of them and by this means has an opportunity of diffusing his own Sentiments, more extensively & probably where they will be more read and attended to than they would have been through any other channel” (MWA:Abigail Adams Letters).