Adams Papers
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Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 17 January 1801

Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith

Washington Jan 17. 1801

My dear daughter

I received yours of the 9th and thank you for the excellent matter which it contained.1 Mr Shaw has not sent you any papers from hence, because the papers have not been worth transmitting, a torpor appears to have seized every person and the query what can be done? what will be done? what ought to be done? seems to be the questions, amongst the three parties, into which not only the Legislature but the Country is divided. Some are for Jefferson, some for Burr, others for making no choice, if the latter should be the case, the President will immediately refuse being considered as a candidate, the spirit of party has arisen to such a height, that it cannot be appeased by the wisest and best measures, which might however for a time have arrested the progress of it, but the devision of the federal party amongst themselves, produced the change in the administration. And from being united in support of the Government & the constitution, they became a faction in support of an individual, whom they have failed in carrying. Division has caused all the mischiefs which threaten us. Conscious that no part of this blame can justly be attached to the President, who has conducted the affairs of the nation without partiality, and without hopocricy, he retires, or rather is pushed off by a combination of circumstances as little honorary to the Country, he has so faithfully and successfully served, as I fear it will prove to their peace tranquility or happiness. For myself I have but a few more short years to remain, should my life be protracted to even three score years and ten, I cannot therefore for myself regret the change, but instead of calmness, and serenity in retirement I foresee strife and contention for my Country. Should ever that unfortunate period arrise, the President will have the satisfaction of knowing and feeling, that he did not leave his Country, for surely no obligation remains upon him to be again the mark for calumny (intrigue), and falshood, for the rage of party vengeance to shoot at, the Country and not he, must be responsible for all that is to follow. The more genious, industry, and spirit are employed to destroy, the harder the task of saving the Country becomes; those who go about to destroy, are animated from the first by ambition and avarice, the Love of power and of money, Fear often makes them desperate at last they must be opposed by a spirit able to cope with ambition, avarice and despair itself, where is this manly and disinterested spirit to arise. is the service of our Country rendered either honorable or pleasurable, is it rewarded by gratitude or respect? let the present annals declare.

I learn that General Hamilton is opposed to the election of Burr & has written several letters to that effect, he is also opposed to the ratification of the convention, and as he is assuredly dictator over a certain part both of house and Senate, his influence will pervade both.2 He may however find himself out Generaled as it respects the convention. he thinks if Jefferson is elected, he may more easily be hunted down than Burr, at least I conceive that is his motive, united to feelings that revolt at the idea of Burrs exaltation over him, thus does ambition often over shoot the mark. I readily believe that all the candid Demos, would readily compound to have things as they were. I have heard that said here. I do not chuse to express an opinion with respect to either candidate. I hope they are not sent in wrath to rule over us.

I inclose you a Boston News Boy, in return for your N. York, tell the Coln that I received last week his letter by General Armstrong.3 General Gunn has been sick ever since his return from Philadelphia, so that nothing has been done though I trust all is safe.

I shall let you know when I leave this place and I shall get on as far as New York, where I will rest a few days. Susanna has got the hooping cough, she has had it near a month, it pulls her down, but she will not I hope, have it very bad, my love to Caroline.

Be assured my dear daughter that I am ever / Your affectionate Mother.

A. Adams.

Tr in ABA’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “To Mrs W. S. Smith”; APM Reel 327.

1Not found.

2Once the tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr became accepted knowledge, Alexander Hamilton implored a handful of Federalists to support Jefferson rather than Burr. On 16 Dec. 1800 he wrote to Oliver Wolcott Jr., describing Burr as “bankrupt beyond redemption,” adding, “His public principles have no other spring or aim than his own aggrandisement.” Over the weeks that followed he wrote similar letters to Theodore Sedgwick, Harrison Gray Otis, and Gouverneur Morris, among others. Hamilton was a pragmatic supporter of the Convention of 1800, arguing that “the least evil is to ratify” it rather than to leave it to the Jefferson administration to renegotiate (Hamilton, Papers description begins The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Harold C. Syrett, Jacob E. Cooke, and others, New York, 1961–1987; 27 vols. description ends , 25:257–259, 271–273).

3The enclosed news carriers’ address, not found, appeared in the Boston Commercial Gazette, 1 Jan. 1801, and offered comment on JA: “In vain, a life, with patriot labors worn; / A people sav’d, a federate nation born; / In vain, pre-eminence mid Fame’s Compeers; / Or WISDOM, silver’d with illustrious years; / Have claim’d affection from a realm deprav’d, / To Faction’s ’one or twenty gods’ enslav’d; / And PATRIOT ADAMS, to a thankless state, / Resigns that power, which made his country great! / Illustrious Sage! whose firm, capacious mind, / Just to thy country, bland to human kind, / Could now from Faction’s storm, its lightning draw, / Now wield its thunders in the cause of law; / Lo! in the evening of thy glorious day, / Thy life’s horizon shows its brightest ray.” The poem also “forbid ‘Bad News’ to stir, / Or in suspense bang Jefferson and Burr.AA sent the article in return for one sent to her by WSS, which has not been found but was probably from the New-York Gazette, 1 Jan., and reflected with concern on the approaching presidential transition. “No lover of his country can look forward without anxiety” to Thomas Jefferson or Aaron Burr as president, the article claimed, and while JA’s loss was “deeply regretted by all Federal Republicans, they will steadily maintain the Constitution.” WSS’s letter with the enclosed article was likely carried by Senator John Armstrong Jr. (1758–1843) of New York (Biog. Dir. Cong. description begins Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–2005, Washington, D.C., 2005; rev. edn., bioguide.congress.gov. description ends ).

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