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Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 9 March 1800

Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith

March 9th 1800 Philadelphia

My dear Mrs Smith—

James got home safe though covered over with mud and dirt, horses and carriage up to their very ears. He got home about 4 oclock on friday. You were led into a sad mistake by Mr Bayard respecting the roads. I traveled them once in a similar state, and therefore have a greater dread of them. I told some members of Congress, that as they were not very usefully employed at present, in order to keep out of mischief they had better think of mending their ways, and I know not of any that called more for their attention than those which lie between this City and N. York. We had a full, rather than a crowded Drawing room on friday. Many inquiries were made after you. Several ladies said they should certainly have called upon you previous to your leaving Town if they had known of your going, amongst the number, were Mrs Read, Mrs Lee, and Mrs Lystone, and I should add Mrs Hamilton Harrison.1 on thursday Mr Bayard made a very excellent speech upon Livingstones resolutions, and on friday Mr Marshall a most masterly one, both of which I hope will be published. Yesterday Congress met to decide upon the resolutions. Nicolas spoke half an hour in support of the resolutions. Some federal members not expecting the vote to be taken until a late hour, were out amongst them Dana, Champlin, Huger, Brace, but the resolutions were negatived by 61. to 35. tomorrow I suppose we shall have the names in the papers which I will send you.2 It is said by those who heard Mr Marshall, that his speech was a full and decided eulogium upon the administration of the government, and the purity of its measures, that he also proved himself a great Lawyer in the Discussion. I am at a loss, to conjecture what the next popular topic will be, the Bankrupt Bill I suppose will be used as one engine as soon as the Presidents approbation of it sanctions the Law, then the Taxation and Judiciary Bills will afford food for Faction3 Last night and this forenoon we have had the greatest fall of snow which has come this season, not much wind so that it is level, but I cannot say I am glad to see it. I shall be anxious until I learn that you got safe to the plains. How does Caroline bear her confinement for such it must be to her, having been accustomed to a wide range. You and I think much more than we say. It is the duty of every one to strive to be content, in whatever state they may be placed, and to be useful as far as their abilities extend, we see but a little way before us the curtain is draped between us and the future, “or who could suffer being here below”4

Love to the Col / Your truly affectionate / Mother.

A. A

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

1. In addition to Henrietta Marchant Liston and Sophia Francis Harrison, AA’s drawing room was attended by Catherine Van Horne Read (d. 1822), the wife of Senator Jacob Read of South Carolina, and Temperance Hedge Lee (1769–1845), the wife of Maine representative Silas Lee (DAB description begins Allen Johnson, Dumas Malone, and others, eds., Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1928–1936; repr. New York, 1955–1980; 10 vols. plus index and supplements. description ends ; Newport Mercury, 8 June 1822; American Portraits (1645–1850) Found in the State of Maine, Boston, 1941, p. 34; 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 ).

2. The members of the House of Representatives who missed the vote on Edward Livingston’s resolution to censure JA included Federalists Samuel Whittlesey Dana and Jonathan Brace (1754–1837) of Connecticut, Christopher Grant Champlin (1768–1840) of Rhode Island, and Benjamin Huger (1768–1823) of South Carolina. The Philadelphia Gazette, 10 March 1800, published the roll call of the vote (Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States [1789–1824], Washington, D.C., 1834–1856; 42 vols. description ends , 6th Cong., 1st sess., p. 619; 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 ).

3. On 11 Dec. 1799 Robert Goodloe Harper introduced a House bill to amend the direct tax to allow compensation for assessors to be included in rates for unimproved land. The bill was signed into law by JA on 10 May 1800 (Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States [1789–1824], Washington, D.C., 1834–1856; 42 vols. description ends , 6th Cong., 1st sess., p. 199; U.S. Statutes at Large description begins The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, 1789– , Boston and Washington, D.C., 1845– . description ends , 2:71–72).

4. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man, Epistle I, line 80.

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    Adams Papers
    Title
    Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 9 March 1800
    Author
    Adams, Abigail
    Recipient
    Adams, Abigail (daughter of JA and AA)
    Date
    9 March 1800

    Reference

    Cite as
    “Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 9 March 1800,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-14-02-0094. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 14, October 1799 – February 1801, ed. Hobson Woodward, Sara Martin, Christopher F. Minty, Amanda M. Norton, Neal E. Millikan, Gwen Fries, and Sara Georgini. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2019, pp. 167–168.]

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