51John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
This Morning I have your favour of the 3 d which raised my Spirits again after the mortification of passing the whole of last Week without one. Benjamin has grown very dull—No Abuse—No lies no Terrors no Panicks no Rant—in comparison of what he used to have— The Subject which you think will excite all their feelings is well known to every body in public Life, but is talked of by nobody: but in...
52John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have only time to inform you that Monday and Thursday have passed away without bringing me a Letter from you. It is the first Week that has failed me in the whole, tho sometimes the Letters have not arrived on the proper day. There is a D r Somebody here from Connecticutt, who pretends, with an Instrument made of some kind of Metal or Composition of Metals by a sort of Mesmerian, rubbing or...
53John Adams to Abigail Adams, 10 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Slip from Benjamins Paper of this Morning will Shew you that the Electioneering Campaign is opened already. The “good Patriot, Statesman and Philosopher” is held up as the Successor. I am determined to be a Silent Spectator of the silly and the wicked Game and to enjoy it as a Comedy a Farce or a Gymnastic Exhibition at Sadlers Wells or Astleys Amphitheatre. I will laugh let them...
54John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
It is monday, the Time to expect the Eastern mail other Men have Letters— I have none— humiliated and mortified and at the Same time irritated, I feel sometimes a disposition to abuse the Post offices, sometimes to make a rash Vow never to Spend another Winter seperated from my Small Family that remains to me, but never once harbour a Suspicion that Madam may have omitted to write. Upon the...
55John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
You Say you have no desire to be the first, and I cannot say that it is desirable: but according to all present appearances you will either be the first or among the last in another thirteen months. I would not distress myself to obtain the Priviledge of carrying an heavier Load than any of my fellow Labourers: but if the Fates destine one to attempt it it would be dastardly to Shrink if it...
56John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 February 1796 (Adams Papers)
I rec d yesterday yours of 21. and 25 Jan. The Senate and House of Massachusetts without any flights or flashes in their Answer to the Governors Spech have discovered a Gravity, Wisdom, Firmness and Dignity as much to their honour as it is to the Consolation of the Sober and impartial Part of the Community and the humiliation of all the corrupt and distracted. I See daily So many affecting...
57John Adams to Abigail Adams, 31 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have a secret to Communicate to Your Prudence. The Defence by Camillus was written in Concert between Hamilton King and Jay. The Writings on the first ten Articles of the Treaty were written by Hamilton The rest by King, till they came to the question of the Constitutionality of the Treaty, which was discussed by Hamilton— Jay was to have written a concluding Peroration: but being always a...
58John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday which was Post Day from the Eastward I was disappointed again of a Letter and went pesting all the day long against the Post office. But this morning has produced me yours of the 15 th which informs me that you meet with similar Dissappointments. There has not one Post parted from Philadelphia for Boston Since I have been here without a Letter from me to You. Wednesdays and Saturdays...
59John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I came to Senate as usual on a monday morning pleasing my Imagination and my heart with the hope and Expectation of a Letter from—my dearest Friend. No Letter for The Vice President Says Mathers! All Day in bad humour—dirty Weather—wet walking—nothing good—nothing right. The poor Post Offices did not escape—it was some blunder—some carlessness of theirs—in Philadelphia—New York or...
60John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
I have nothing to write you at this moment but Scandal, and that about one of our Connections and Acquaintances, in whose Character and Fortunes Several of our near Relations and kind Friends are deeply interested for which Reason I write in Confidence and pray that Calumny if it is such may not be propagated from me nor in my name. It is reported here in Company of senators and others of...
61John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
This is one of my red Letter Days. It is the Anniversary of the Signature of the Declaration of an Armistice between The U.S. and G. Britain, in 1783.— There are Several of these Days in my Calandar, which I recollect as they pass in review, but which nobody else remembers. And indeed it is no otherwise worth my while to remember them than to render an Ejaculation of Gratitude to Providence...
62John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
We have floods of rain but no frost nor Snow and very little news. The Democrats continue to pelt as you will See by the inclosed Political Chess. We go on as We always have done, for the three first months of the Session, distributing Business into the hands of Committees, meeting and adjourning. The Gallery finds little Entertainment in our Debates. We have Seldom more than 30 or 40 in it...
63John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is another Production of Porcupine, whose quils will Stick. The President appears great in Randolphs Vindication throughout excepting that he wavered about Signing the Treaty which he ought not to have done one moment. Happy is the Country to be rid of Randolph: but where shall be found good Men and true to fill the offices of Government. There seems to be a Necessity of distributing...
64John Adams to Abigail Adams, 5 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
There is a dead calm in the political Atmosphere, which furnishes no Event worth relating. The House of Reps is wholly taken up with two worthless Agents of Corruption. I have this day however heard News that is of some Importance. It must be kept a Secret wholly to yourself, One of the Ministry told me to day that the President was solemnly determined to serve no longer than the End of his...
65John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 January 1796 (Adams Papers)
The Weather here is as fine as it was the last Year. The Festival season of Christmas and the new Year, is enjoyed in Perfection by all, for what I know, but poor Cabot and me. He is as solitary and disconsolate as a lone Goose. He strives to keep up his Spirits and preserve his usual Gaiety but one plainly perceives it is all Exertion. There are Letters to the secretary of State upon public...
66John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have just rec d from the P. Office your Letter of the 20 th. by Brisler who went to carry one for you— I write by every Post i.e by Mondays and Thursdays which are the only ones on which Mails are made up for any Place beyond N. York, and the only ones on which Letters arrive here from any Place beyond that City. M rs Adams your new Daughter behaves prettily in her new Sphere— I dined with...
67John Adams to Abigail Adams, 24 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you this morning inclosing a Post note for 600 and went to Senate with full Expectation of receiving a Letter from you. The Door Keeper had the Letters for others but none for me— What a Disappointment! I went mourning and moaping about for Some time, grumbling at my Stars and almost blaming my best Friend: but it was not long before the Letter of the 15 was brought me from the...
68John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
My old Acquaintance M r Walton, who Served in Congress, with me in 1776 and 1777 is returned a Senator from Georgia in the room of General Jackson who has resigned. He is or has lately been Chief Justice. As old Acquaintances are easily Sociable We soon fell into Conversation about Affairs old and new. I asked him whether The Negative of M r Rutledge would have any ill Effects at the...
69John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
I went to Senate this morning with Expectations highly raised of receiving my first Letter from you: and happily was not disappointed. I began to entertain fears for your health. I know not how to account for it, but your Short Accounts of the Progress of Business upon the farm Serves as a Substitute for the Pleasure of Seeing it as it goes on: and every Word of it is a cordial drop. The...
70John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Newspapers will inform you before this Letter reaches you that the Ratifications of the Treaty have been exchanged by M r Deas the Chargé d’Affairs under M r Pinkney. The President told me the orders were that if M r Adams did not arrive by a certain day this Business was to be done by another. Whether our Son will go over at all or not is to me uncertain. If he has lost a White Feather,...
71John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
We have been favoured with fine Weather and tolerable Roads in such a manner that We reached Kingsbridge on Fryday night and came into N. York by Nine o Clock on Yesterday morning. If it had not been for the Desire of seeing my Children I should have gone immediately on with the other Passengers. The stage House was so near C. Smiths and I knew not where my Son lived: so that I put up at...
72John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Senate is to meet at Ten, this morning and I hope will finish: but it is still uncertain. I shall Sett out this Afternoon, provided the senate rises— But I shall not be able to reach New York by tomorrow night— if I am not restrained from riding on sunday I may arrive on that day: But on Sunday or Monday I think, barring accidents, you may expect me. I have been detained so long, the hot...
73John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
Some Senators are confident We shall rise tomorrow or next day. if so, I shall be with you on Sunday— But these Conjectures are always uncertain. I shall write you every day so that you will be apprized of the time when you may expect me. Both the public Dispatches and private Letters of our dear Boys are the delight of all who read them— No public Minister has ever given greater Satisfaction,...
74John Adams to Abigail Adams, 21 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Sun is so bright and augurs Such heat that I am doubtful whether I shall go out to Landsdowne to dinner. I dined Yesterday at M r Wolcotts the Secretary of The Treasury with King Elsworth Cabot and a few others. The Conversation turn’d upon old times. One of the Company expressed such Inveteracy against my old Friend Gerry that I could not help taking up his Vindication. The future...
75John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I received yesterday two Letters from each of our Sons at the Hague, who were very well and in good Spirits on the 25 th of April: but the Letters contain So much Information, that I have been obliged to lend them to The Secretary of the Treasury: I shall inclose them to you however on Monday All the next Week will be taken up, I Suppose in further Investigations of the Subject before Senate,...
76John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
Last Night the Consul General De la Tombe made me a Visit with your kind Letter of the 18 th. He looks older than When I last saw him and he is indeed a fortunate Man: He gave me many details of affairs in France: a gloomy Picture of the Reign of Terror and a Smiling one of the present Reign of Moderation: but he is not without Inquietude on the subject of a Constitution. By the Turn which the...
77John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
M r Adet was presented to The President on Tuesday and accompanied by The Secretary of State made me a Visit immediately after his Audience. I was not at Home but in Senate. On Wednesday Morning I returned his Visit at Oellers Hotel. He is about the Size of M r shaw, Charitys Husband and looks a little like him: not quite so rosy coloured. He is not a Friend to Clubbs—announced to The...
78John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
It is painfull to feel an Impulse to write when there is nothing to Say. I write merely to let you know that I am alive and not Sick.— The Weather has been cold for several days which is more tolerable at least to me, than the heat which We Suffered for a day or two the Beginning of the Week past. The new French Minister is arrived. Whether he has any Budget to disclose has not yet appeared. M...
79John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
If I could take a Walk or a Ride to N. Y. in the Evening and come here again in the Morning how clever it would be!— I am Somewhat disappointed in not having rec d a Line from you Since I left you—You are not sick I hope— M r Jay Spent last Evening with me and let me into the History of the Treaty and Negotiation, explaining his Views of its intent and operation— I can Say nothing upon it at...
80John Adams to Abigail Adams, 11 June 1795 (Adams Papers)
I have rec d yours of the 10 th and a Cordial it was, for I began to be fearful for your health. Louisa is a good Girl for writing Such comfortable Accounts from home— I believe the Farm looks well.— I am grieved for my Dear Johnny. He must go home with Us for northern Air. My Love to all. When I shall get away from this City is uncertain: but I have no hopes of being excused before the End of...