Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, June 15, 1797

Philadelphia June 15 1797

my Dear Son,

I have not written a line to you for a long time; yet scarcly an
hour of the day passes in which you are not present to my mind; I fear my last Letters
were captured the ship, captain scott, was taken by the French. 1 you will think me more tardy than I have really
been.

by the date of this you will see where I am. it was not my
intention to have come here untill the Fall of the Year. I expected your Father would
have been able to have returnd to me, and to have relieved himself from the weight of
Buisness and care which has oppressed him; by a month or twos relaxation in the rural
occupations of his Farm, which are so necessary for his Health
of Body and vigor of mind.

But the critical state of our Country as it respects France, the
daily and increasing depredations made upon our commerce, and refusal to receive our
Minister, were Subjects of so allarming a Nature, as to induce the Executive to convene
Congress. This measure left me no alternative. I thought it my Duty to risk my Health,
and Life in a climate which has heretofore proved injurious to the one; and hazardous to
the other, for I could not permit your Father to be left Solitary, wanting my care or
aid, after he had commenced Housekeeping.

on the week I was to have sit out on my journey, I was suddenly
calld to pay the last sad office of respect to the Remains of your venerable
Grandmother. she died on the 21 of April, after a short illness. her wish was fulfilld
which was to be removed before I left her: she had lived to an advanced Age having
enterd her 89 th year.

But seldom comes a solitary woe. two days after her Death, I was
again arrested in my journey by the death of Mary Smith. She had been in a decline for
three Months. she had resided at your Uncle Cranchs for several years, and was a fine
girl, with a very improved mind. her death at the Age of 21, was severely felt by us
all. patient resignd and Submissive, she evinced to all the justice of the poets
sentiment That,

“Whatever farce the Boastfull Hero plays,

Virtue alone has Majesty in Death” 2

These melancholy harbingers following, so closely each other, cast
a Gloom over every object, and saddend the otherways Cheerfull Scenes of Nature, which
were just waking into Life, and putting on new verdure after a long and severe
winter.

I cannot Name to you the date of your last Letter to me, having
undesignedly left it at Quincy. I know the Month was March. 3 I find here a double pleasure and advantage
having the priviledge of reading all your Letters. Your
last publick Letter was March 27 th 4 those which I have seen to your Father since I
came here, were dated Feb’ ry 3 d 7 th & 16 th March 4 th and 18 th . 5 the originals and duplicats have all safely
arrived, tho not always in the order of Time, but they never come too late to
communicate authentick information, and have not been a little instrumental in disolving
the facination which had bewilderd too many of the well disposed of our Countrymen. 6

There are so many occurences of a publick nature which daily arise
that I cannot undertake to detail them to you. that which more particularly affects you
is the Change of your mission from the Court of Lisbon to Berlin. the reason which
opperated in affecting this Change will be obvious to you, that of being more usefull to
your Country at the present time, than you could be in Lisbon. it was necessary that the
Nomination should take place early in the session, that you might be prevented an
unnecessary voyage. the senate concured in the appointment, 19 to 9: those who were
opposed, said it was not to the person, but to the Mission; it was contended that the
constitution gave them no Right to judge of that, that the power lay wholy with the
Executive. The Jacobins endeavourd to make use of it, as tho it was an advancement from
the Residentship at the Hague, to a Plenipotentiaryship and being the first nomination,
was held up by communications in Baches papers, as a proof of the asspiring views of the
President, but this could only impose on a few. the subject was clearly stated, but Envy
is always Malignant. the Faction are not Idle, but their views are perfectly
understood.

The next nomination was of Envoys Extraordinary to France. Judge
Dana, and Gen ll Marshal of Virginna are joind with mr
Pinckny. these Gentlemen were also opposed by Some in senate, tho a very small Number, 4
against 22–2 were absent. the reason given was that they were voilently opposed to the
French; they would not have been chosen by the Executive if that had been the case. they
are true Americans, and as such, will be desirious of setling all differences amicably
upon just and equitable Terms, which is the sincere desire of every real Friend of both
Countries. War we deprecate with any power, and Peace will be cultivated by every means
consistant with our National honour and independence.

I presume you may have seen a Letter which has been the subject of
much conversation here, and was publishd just before the meeting of congress. The writer
may say with the poet,

“What sin to me unknown

dipd me in Ink” 7

Mazzei committed a breach upon a private correspondence when he
publishd it. from the stile of it, and the sentiments it contains, I presume it was
Written, about the period when the writer was anxious to convert all political Heriticks
to French Faith.— I believe it has been republishd
in every News paper throughout the united states and is thought, to be genuine, as the
writer has never denied it, tho publickly calld upon to do it; You may be sure it has
not escaped censure, and will never be forgotten by the Characters traduced. 8 my paper remind me that it will not contain more
/ than the affectionate Regard of your / Mother

A Adams