Abigail Adams to Catherine Nuth Johnson, May 8, 1801

Quincy May 8 th 1801—

my dear Madam

It is now near three Months Since I left the city of Washington; in
all which time I have not received a line from you; I do not mention this with the
spirit of accusation, for I have been equally culpable; that I
have written to you however, the letter which lies unsent, before me will testify; it is
now of too old a date to make a journey of 500 miles; and I reassume my pen to inquire
after your Health, and that of all your Family, who have frequently been the subjects of
my thoughts; tho I have not communicated with you for so long a period. I have felt an
unusual reluctance at taking up my pen to write a Letter to any one, but my Children.
Mrs otis who wrote me; soon after my arrival at Quincy, is the only person to whom I
have written, and Sent a Letter, for to Mrs dexter I wrote one, but like that to you; it
now lies in my draw; 1 The Weather has
been so rainy, so cloudy, and so cold, that my spirits have partaken of the gloomyness
of the Season; if you have not had your portion of the same Season; I Shall begin to
think less favorably of this climate; than of yours; yet the Beauties which my Garden
unfolds to my view from the window at which I now write; tempt me to forget the past,
and rejoice in the full Bloom of the pear the Apple, the plumb, and Peach, and the rich
luxurence of the Grass plats; intersperced with the cowslip the daffy & Callombine,
all unite to awaken the most pleasing Sensations, and to raise the mind from Nature, up
to Natures God; 2 The crown Imperial, tho
an early flower has not Yet found an assylum in my Garden; it bears too monarchical a
Name, to find admittance in the Catalogue of an humble citizen, whose future occupations
are destined to be; not amongst the Sons of Men, but the more innocent Productions of
Nature, the Groves the Garden & the feild’s these will gratefully return the labour
and toil bestowed upon their cultivation, by the fruits they will offer, the fragrance
they will yeald, and the coulours they will display. envy nips not their buds, calumny
destroys not their fruits, nor does ingratitude tarnish their coulours

“E’en luxery it self, when feasting here

Is guiltless, and esteemd a crime no more” 3

I quit my rural Subject for one still nearer my Heart; and inform
You that I have just read a Letter from Berlin dated the 7 th of Feb’ ry to Thomas. 4 our Children were then well, my son much
afflicted by the news he had just received of the Death of his Brother; which with the
circumstances attending it; would have been sufficient to have excited a train of
melancholy reflections; but to this was added the unfounded report, of his Fathers being
sick of a fever;—reports of this kind circulated wantonly, can create but a trancient unhappiness to those connections who can Soon
discover the truth; but to those who are far distant, the falshood; has all the power of
reality, and gives an equal portion of unhappiness; I think my dear Madam we may hope to
see our children in the course of the summer; God send them a safe passage, and a
joyfull meeting of their Friend’s— Mr Adams’s Letters all show that he has been an
attentive observer, of the conduct; measures and motives which have created the two
great parties in our Country; nor is he unmindfull of the concequences; if he had been a
personal spectator, during the Six years he has been absent; he could not have judged
with more accuracy— 5

Let me ask you my dear Madam, why Gov’r Johnson refused the Chief
Justiceship to which he was appointed? 6 Who should stand in the Gap? Who should strive to uphold the Government but those strong
pillars which are not to be shaken, or destroyed, but by the final dissolution of the
Building? 7 What a substitute in his
Room?! I had hoped better things! I had hoped that we should not have been tossed upon
the “tempestous Sea of Liberty” but he who runs may read 8

I inclose to you a printed Letter which I have detained a long
time, not knowing how to wound Your feelings by the base Calumny it contains; yet it is
proper that you should see what that party are capable off; the Letter had the name cut
out to avoid a prossecution I suppose. the Writer is said to be a mean wretch by the
name of Clay of Virgina, who I presume was not capable of Writing it himself; it was
undoubtedly pennd for him, as I suppose Lyons was for him— 9 the Morals and Manners of our Country, are
Prostituded in a most allarming manner— Crimes and Vices are rather a recommendation to
office than a bar to promotion— Under such circumstances, the “post of honour is a
private station” 10

When You see Mrs Stodart, present my Love to her, and to all the
Ladies of George Town who honourd me by their attentions, my gratefull remembrance— 11 To Mr Johnson and the Ladies of Your
Family present me affectionatly— neither Susan or I forget Mrs Henning; Susan talks of
her with the affection and regard which she feels for her; she also desires to be
rememberd to the miss Johnsons & the rest of her Schoolmates— 12

Louissa also request the Ladies to accept her friendly regards— I
wish most Sincerely the distance could be shortned between us that I might hope for the
pleasure of a visit from you, at our Rural residence of Quincy, where the free soul may
look down with pity, upon the rancourous
malice of Party Spirit; and the Greedy grasp for power and office;

With much Love regard and / Esteem, / I subscribe myself / Your
Friend

Abigail Adams