Abigail Adams to Mary Smith Cranch, April 13, 1798

Philadelphia April 13 1798

my dear sister

I inclose a Letter to cousin Betsy who has been very frank with me
upon the subject of her approaching connection. I hope they will live to enjoy mutual
happiness— 1

I believe I have been deficient in not mentioning to you that mr
Greenleaf was liberated from Prison on saturday week. I have not seen him. mr Malcomb
was present at Court and heard the examination. he returnd quite charmed with mr
Greenleafs manners and deportment, tho not so with the counsel against him, who he said
used mr Greenleaf in a very ungenteel manner but still mr G——f did not forget what
belongd to himself—by which means he obtaind many advocates— 2

I know my dear sister you will rejoice that I can hear from my
Children publickly, that is officially, tho I have not received any Private Letters. mr
King writes that he has put on board a vessel bound to Liverpool Letters from mr Adams
to his Family. that vessel I presume waits to sail under the convoy granted The
secretary of state has received by the British packet duplicates of Letters from mr
Adams at Berlin dated 6 december—in which he writes that he was received by the New King
of Prussia on the 5 th of december, that the King had waved
the common ussage with respect to him, considering the distance of the united states,
and received him. upon presenting his Credentials, he assured the King that he had no
doubt that new ones would be sent him, and that he doubted not he should be warranted by
his Government in assureing him of the interest the united stats take in his welfare and
prosperity, and that he should but fulfill their wishes by reiterating to him the
Sentiments of Friendship and good will which he had in Charge to express to his Royal
Father and Predecessor—, to which his Majesty answerd, that he was much gratified by the
mark of attention which the united states had shown to the Government, and wished to
assure him of his recipriocal good will, and good wishes for their happiness and
prosperity. That the similarity of the commercial interests of the two Countries renderd
the connection between them important, and might be productive of mutual benifit. on the
same Evening mr Adams had an Audience of the Queen mother—

This is rather different from the treatment which our Envoys meet
with from the 5 Kings in France— The publick opinion is changeing here very fast, and
the people begin to see who have been their firm unshaken Friends, steady to their
interests and defenders of their Rights and Liberties. the Merchants of this city have
had a meeting to prepare an address of thanks to the President for his firm and steady
conduct as it respects their interests. 3 I am told that the French Cockade so frequent in the streets here, is not now to be
seen, and the Common People say if J——n had been our President, and Madison & Burr
our Negotiaters we should all have been sold to the French— 4 it is evident that the whole dependance of the
French is the devision amongst ourselves. their making such a Noise & pretending to
be very wroth at the Presidents speech, is designd only to effect a Change in the chief
Majestracy. they dare not openly avow it, but the declaration that all vessels should be
subject to capture which had passports on board signd, with the Presidents Signature is
one amongst the many personal insults offerd— 5 but they have sprung a mine now which will blow
them up. they have discoverd a greedy appetite to swallow us all up, to make us like the
Hollanders, to cut us up like a capon, and deal us out like true Gamesters—

I sent and bought Kings Pantheon as soon as I found myself foild in
my recollection 6

I shall write to your son tomorrow; I have not heard lately from
him 7

I dont care whether Mrs Pope puts me down any butter, if she will
only let me have fresh when I come home. I could never find any body who would take the
pains which she does, and make so good Butter in the heat of summer.

My Love to mrs Norton & Greenleaf. to each I have sent a
simplicity cap— Respects to mr Cranch & Mrs Welch from your truly affectionate /
Sister

Abigail Adams—