Abigail Adams to William Smith, March 5, 1798

March 5 th 1798

Dear sir

I received your kind favour of Feb ry 25
this morning. 1 the badness of the roads I
suppose was the reason it did not reach me sooner. The Maderia I do not
want to be sent here. it is for Home consumption I have no occasion for it here. there
are some other articles I should wish you to secure for me immediatly half Hundred Coffe
and a Hunderd & half Brown sugar; which will immediaty rise, for I see not but war
is inevitable. This morning for the first time dispatches have arrived from our Envoys
the latest Letter is of the 8 Jan’ ry and is a joint one,
informing that they had not been received, nor was there the least Probability that they
should be. the other dispatches which are all in Cypher and pretty Volluminous are now
decyphering

In a private Letter from mr Pinckney to Mr Rutledge of Nov’ br 16 th he says the French papers
are full of abuse against them. in one of which they call mr Pinckney a “Wretch sold to
England” 2 every deception is made use
of to exasperate the Publick mind againt America & to prepare them for Hostilities.
every paper being under the despotism of the directory, not a line can be publishd to
undeceive them. they had not been formerly orderd a way, but knew not how soon it might
be the case. 3 there is a decree in
agitation in the counsel of 500 which the commissoners expect will be carried respecting
Commerce, the details of which I cannot give you as the secretary took the papers to
have them translated. they will however be immediatly sent to Congress, and as they are
of concequence to be known by our Merchants, they will no doubt be made publick— As the
dispatches came by way of Boston no doubt Private Letters have reachd mr Gerrys
Friends

I see by the last centinal as Sterns said on an other occasion—you
manage those things much better in Boston. 4 A publick Dinner was much wiser than a Publick Ball. I am delighted with some of the
volunteers Toasts. 5 but my dear sir, let
me whisper to you, and to you only, That untill the News respecting the fullfillment of
the Treaty with spain, on the part of spain, had been officially notified to our
Government, after the Rasscally treatment offerd to it by Don
cats Paw as Peter calls him “I think it would have been better for publick
Characters—to have declined accepting the invitation” to dine with the Consul. at
Present no invitation goes to his Majestys Representitive here, even to “Eat pork and
Beans” but the Natural good humour & sociability of our Countrymen given to
Hospitality do not always look at objects with a publick Eye, whilst the Agents of
foreign powers, do not take a single step without their views, and their representations
are made accordingly, thus at the last Levee, the don presented
himself, and said to the secretary of War, [ “ ]I hope sir I
shall soon smoak the calmut of Peace with you” Whilst the other Ministers are constant
in their attendance the don has made himself scarce. once only has he been at the
drawing Room; it is whisperd here that he is recalld. I do not report it as
Authentic 6

since I began this Letter I find in Browns paper under the Boston
Head of 26 Feb ry the extract of the Letter from mr Gerry, by
which you learn the purport of what I have already written. 7

I will write you all that may be known as soon as the dispatches
are decypherd

Inclosed is a Bill of some Grass seed which you will be so good as
to Let Dr Tufts know of as soon as it arrives, and what ever money you expend for us,
When you let us know, the P. will give an order on Gen ll Lincoln to pay you. we shall want some English porter. any thing You may suppose will
rise pray be so good as to secure some for us. my Love to mrs smith and Children— I am
Sorry to hear they have been unwell

I am dear Sir / affectionatly / yours

A Adams