Abigail Adams to James Lovell, July 20, 1781
[ Braintree, 20 July–6 August
1781 ] 1
Your two Letters of june 26 and july 2d came safe to hand together with the resolves which
would gratify me if there was a sufficient stability in the Body which confer’d it to render
it truly honorary, but the Letter of Janry. 10th strikes me very dissagreably and is highly
tinctured with parissian influence. 2 It bears a
striking likeness of a servility to a court that ought not to have so undue an influence upon
an Independant Nation. < Are we not throwing ourselves into hands and rendering ourselves
subject > If ever America stood in need of wise Heads and virtuous Hearts it is at this
juncture. The ship wants skilfull hands, your old sea men are chiefly retired, your Hands are
new and inexperienced. Sylla is on one Side and Caribdis on the other—how will you Stear
between them? In avoiding the rocks you are in danger of being swallowed up in the sands. I am
greatly agitated at your movements. I see nothing but dishonour and disgrace in the union
of——with——. 3 I wish I had sooner been apprized of
the design. You most assuredly have a party who do not mean the best welfare of their country by this movement. You or Rivington will have
my mind upon the Subject before this reaches you. If the union is still undecided let me beg
you to oppose it with all your influence. I wish your Friend G [err] y was with
you. He is I hear unwilling to continue to be one of you. I will
try persuasion upon him, and see if Female influence has any force with him. 4
Three post days have passed since I received a line from you. You will see by the date of
this Letter that I designed you a speedy reply to your favours but I really felt so unhappy
and my mind was so intent upon consequences that I threw down my pen. I deliberated some time
then took it up and wrote to our Friend G [err] y. He very obligeingly replied
to me, and assured me that he would not decline a publick station whilst there was any
prospect of rendering Service to his country. He informed me that by a Late Letter from Mr.
L [ovell] he expected him soon in B [osto] n and that we
should then be better able to judge from his information of the late measures of
C [ongress] . 5 This has been the
true reason why I did not write by the two last posts as I had no inclination my Letters
should fall into other Hands than those for which they were designed, but hearing nothing
further I shall venture to forward this, requesting you to communicate to me the whole
Fraternity to whom our Friend is joined, for what reason the comercial part of his commission
is taken from him. Is it because he has enterd into no private contracts nor laid any plan for
a fortune for himself and others who wish to be connected with those who will? I will tell you
Sir the consequence of the late movements. If British Ships and old Neptune are not more
intent upon dissapointing me than C [ongres] s I shall in the course of six
months embrace my Dear Friend in his own native land. He will have no part in executing orders
dishonorary to his country. One path is plain before him. He can and he will resign his
commission. This his Enemies know and they will effect their purpose. I could (said he to a
Friend upon an occasion not unlike the present) return to my practise at the Bar and make
fortunes for my children and be happier and be really more respected than I can in the
hazardous tormenting employments into which C [ongress] have always put me. I
can be easy even under the marks of disgrace they put upon me, but they may depend upon it,
they either mistake their own Interest in putting me into these employments, or in putting
these Brands upon me—one or the other. 6 Time Sir
will determine which of these predictions are true.
“All humane virtue to its latest Breath
Finds envy never conquer’d but by death.”
I hope you received all my late Letters. Yet I know not how to account for not hearing from
you unless you are realy returning to your Family and Friends, and in that Number I flatter
myself you will ever consider
Portia