Adams Papers

To John Adams from Anonymous, August 1812

[Aug. 1812]

Your communication in the late Chonacle has capt all your other transactions—not content with plunging the Provinces in a wicked and unjust Rebellion against the mother Country—not content with [hagging] with the vilest Nation on Earth, when Great Britain offerd every thing that we could wish, yet <by> the War was [. . .] in —Not content after you was forgiven by the Best of Kings & all the true friends of <[. . .]> this once happy land; & raisd to be the first majistrate, not because you desirvd to be—but to prevent a man capable of doing more injury from the election—Not content after your election in deserting the party who rais’d you—whin they were on the point of war with the vilest & Tyrants that ever disgraced the human form—a War which would forever have saperated us from that <[. . .]> abandund & hellish crew—you basely and wickedly sent an agent to submit, which is the cause of all our [troubles]—You now come forward with unexampled impudence and write the above communication—This communication is addrest to the patrions of an Ignorant peasentry. and is void of truth as well as sound sence—You say the war is necessary the merchants one and all—William Gray excepted whose education can not premit Him to judge, thinks different—for the trade to France is good for nothing—and no one will [. . .] <their> his property in the hands of barbarians—even if the mother Country would repeal all her orders & decrees—and suffer us to go unmolested to that sink of iniquity—You say that it will not injure the pesentry—never were a people happier than they were some years back—they knew little and were easily govern—they thought General Washington & you the greatest men in the world & if you had been true, those Ignorant People would now have been of the same opinion—Such men as I ever was content, provided they would sell cabbages—Now every [Country Boolie] thinks He has as much Knowledge as the first Merchant in Boston—are they Happier now then formerly, no Sir—to make such men happy they must be kept at hard labour & not suffered to talk about <[. . .]> things above their capacity—You say that War, will encourage manufactorys—never—it will ruin every One concernd—for as soon as a Peice is settled, and it must be settled in a few months, or else an internal War will insue. this country will be delugd with Wollens & Coottin goods, notwithstanding the high Dutys—the capital of the English Merchants is so great, that they can afford to sell them under the Sterling Cost, and will consign goods for that purpose to agents here—this will ruin those Ignorant people who embark their small fortunes in this business—and its best they should be ruined—they will then be obliged to work the ground—they will then discover your Ignorance & wickedness, and use you accordingly—Jefferson never say’d but one good thing—our work shops are & ought to be in England—by this mode you give a large capital to the Sea Ports—and acquire a Character & respectability abroad—[. . .] the other <[. . .]> mode & you become a Nation <of> like the Inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope—never was, nor never will be any free information among the people who work the ground—if they are happy & well fed, its all they can expect—This Country is not to be govirn by such men as you & the vile Party that you incourage—You have [deserded] from the character of a gentleman—a character you ought to have maintained from your conniction with the federilist—but you low education & base mind prevented you—you have returnd like a Dog to his vomit—to dine & spend the day with the lowest of mortals—Such men cannot direct the <[. . .]> dynesty’s of this country,—It must be the [. . .] & patriotick Strong the all accomplished Govr—the profound Pickering—the Eloquent Otis—the sagatious [Mason]—and the wealthy Thorndike —that will save us—these [names] well <[. . .]> govern this state, and other states will join them—Should Madison appose—they will rise in their strength & sweep Him from life—but if too well gaurded by his Southern Slaves—you & all your vile party may expect the same punishment for your manifold crimes for it would be better if you & they did not live—than live to do mischief—the least Blood shids the better—but should any one oppose the above Gentlemen—they live no longer—

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