Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, April 13, 1798

Philadelphia April 13 th 1798

my dear son

mr Thorntons stay has been protracted much beyond the time I
expected, and it gives me an other opportunity of adding to what I have already written,
and of sending you the Printed coppy of the instructions given to our Envoys. the
liberality of them has extorted acknowledgments from the minority, that they were eaquel
to their most sanguine wishes, and satisfied many who had been imposed upon that the
President has been Sincere in his desires for Peace, and an amicable adjustment of our
differences with the French Republic 1

the publishing the dispatches & instructions, tho a measure
which could not have been warranted, but by the peculiar situation of our Country, has
been the severest Death wound the Jacobins have ever received. it has laid open to the
People base and corrupt designs of the French Directory, and given them to know their
real Friends, and protectors from their pretended ones. the real Jacobins are for the
Present struck dumb.

Abash’d the devil stood, and saw virtue

in her own shape, how Lovely?

there is much more union and harmony in Congress, and they are
proceeding to the defence of the Country with a degree of Spirit which has not before
appeard. I hope in my next Letter to be more particular, to prove to you the great
alteration in the sentiments of the people in this city. the French have divested
themselves of the National Cockade, and scarcly one is to be seen— no native American is
willing to be sold indignation succeeds to affection, and the weaning will be compleat,
if we must have recourse to Arms. but we have a dreary prospect before us I hope however
that the virtuous spirit of the Fathers will descend to their Son’s and that the present
generation will not tamely yeald those Rights for which the former shed their Blood.

By the packet col Pickering received the duplicate of your Letter
of December the 6th. 2 mr King writes that
he had put on Board a vessel bound to N york from Liverpool Letters from you— this
vessel I presume waits a convoy I pray she may arrive safe. I most ardently long for
Letters from you. I have comfort in those which the secretary receives,
for in the duplicate is both your Brothers and Your Hand writing by which I presume you
are both well.

I cannot form any judgement when congress will rise. I hope before
the very Hot weather

Your Father is well and sustains the cares and fatigues of his
station to admiration.

My Love to Thomas and to mrs Adams. I never receive any
intelligence from you, or of you without communicating it to her Family.

not a word from our Envoys Since Jan ry 10 th why, why, do we not hear that they have left Paris,
shaking the dirt from their feet. 3

Mr Pinckney is here as member of Congress. his plain affable
Manners are agreable to every one. he is Esteemed and beloved. he is quite the
Gentleman

The spainard was married this week to miss sally mcKean. 4

But I must close or the post will go with mr Thornton.

I am my dear son / your ever affectionate

A Adams 5