Abigail Adams to William Smith, March 2, 1798

[2 March 1798 ] 1

Dear sir

The President received your Letter this morning dated 5 Feb’ry. 2 the Rule of the former President not to
answer Letters of this nature, he has abided by. his Rule is to place all
Canditates for office upon a Book kept for that purpose, and to appoint to office such
persons as come best recommended for abilities integrity and industery. in your case he
would be particuliarly delicate, for as he has never removed a Man from office, but such
as have betrayd their trust by becomeing publick defaulters, or otherways misconducting
themselves, So would he be peculiarly cautious not to appoint to office any one who does
not produce very respectable Recommendations he therefore desires you to procure such
and forward to him. Mr Grove of the House is well known to you. you had better write to
him—and if you are at all acquainted with mr Bloodworth or Gov r Martin who are Senators from that state, an application to them might not be
amiss either from yourself or some Gentlemen who knows them, for tho Born & Educated
in N England, I do not know whether you are known to a single Gentleman now in senate
from that State. 3 All Nominations you
well know go from the President to the Senate, whose duty it is, before they advise
& consent to the same, to inquire who the Gentleman is & what is his
Character?

altho the President has not made it a rule as his predecessor did
never to appoint a Relation to office, Yet you must be sensible a more than ordinary
delicacy is necessary for him to observe on such occasions, and a faithfull discharge of
the trust will be expected and required on no other terms would he continue in office
the nearest and dearest Friend he has upon Earth—

Your sister Louissa is well she heard both from your mother and
sister last week who were both well.

My , Start deletion, Love , End, kind Regards to your
Brother whose life I hope as well as yours may be prolonged to serve Your Country, and
to be a comfort to your Relatives. The death both of your sister & Brother who have
been cut of in the morning of their days, has been a very melancholy event to me Who
loved and esteemed them highly. they were both deserving. Let not the Warning be in vain
to you my young Friends

[ ” ]That Life is long which answers lifes great End—

Virtue alone has majesty in Death” 4

I close my Letter rather seriously, but not more so than I hope a
subject of such concequence will be considerd buy you for there is no sure and certain
dependance to be placed upon any Man, however high and dignified his office, who has not
solid principles of Religion and Virtue for their basis— my affection
and Regard both for your Brother and you will be a sufficient appoligy I trust for the
freedom with which I have written. I am / Your affectionate / Aunt

Abigail Adams— 5