Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Adams, December 18, 1801

Washington December the 18 th. 1801.

My Dear Madam

We came to the City on the 4 th. The
weather & roads were as favorable as could be expected for the season. At New-York
we had the pleasure to hear from M rs Smith, that your
health was much better than when we were at Quincey. Judge Cranch was so good as to
engage us lodgings; they are as agreeable as any here, although not so pleasant to us
as the last winter. I have been twice to see M rs Cranch
She looks exceeding well & also the children, except the infant. Her heart is set
much upon going to New England the coming summer, I hope she will not be
disappointed.

M r Tracy is a lodger here. He had
been confined to the house three months prior to leaving home. We think he has been on
the mending hand since he arrived, & I have great hopes of his recovery, although his cough is yet troublesome. He has
found the greatest relief from letting blood about once a week, 12 oz at a time, but
the necessity becomes less frequent. We have 13 members here, all good Fed ts , 1 M r Griswold is one, who by the way pleaded a cause in Court
with so much weight & argument that M r C was highly
pleased with him. It might be the more so as it was in support of an opion which my
Friend had given at Heartford. 2 In the
next house adjoining us where the Vice President lodged last winter are gentlemen of
another sect The Att’ Gen l. &c D r Eustis whom I always have had hopes of; 3 whether they were founded in reason or
not is with them; but I have hea[rd] it whispered that he is not satisfied with his
company nor with the majority. I fear that we shall leave the City without my having
seen the President. The day that M r C dined with him when
the carriage come to the door for us it was raining so violently that my timidity
overpowerd my inclination & I let him go without me. When my respects were offered
to the President He pleasantly said that he had rather that I had presented them
myself. I went with M rs Maddison to hear the Speech read
as She called it I have heard but little said upon the Message. 4 However between you & me The C J observed,
that it reduced the strength of the Government to the old Confederation. About 20
Members waited on the P on Tue y , supposing that of all the
days in the week would be the least acceptable. M r Dana
purposed keeping it up. His dinner parties are small 8 or 10 Persons at a time. 5 On the 11 th. we dined at the Secre y of State’s where we had the
pleasure of meeting M r & M rs Murray, who arrived a few days before, after a tedious passage of 11 weeks.
The Ship put back to England twice, & had almost constant gales. 6 M r & Madam
Pichon was of the party. She has a sweet interesting countenance but 21 years old. 7 The Court have this day passed a rule
upon the Secr y. of State to shew cause next term, why
certain commissions for Justices of Peace for Columbia duly authanticated under the
late Admõn, but which remained in the Office, should not be deliverd to the Person
appointed. 8 Before this M r Gi. had given them the appellation of the six Directory I
do not know what he will call them now. 9

Congress have done but little except to cut out work; it is said
enough of that has been done to keep them imployed till April. The Speaker has
conducted to the approbation of the Fed ts. hitherto. The
Senate have enough to employ them six months, The appointments, will take up much
time, M r Greens Com n. will be
largely dwelt upon, & also The S y of The T—— 10 But what will all that avail if the
Jud y. system is destroyed. M r Griswold is confident it will be attemped, but some of the An s reject the idea. 11 D r E went “to the
other side of the house & asked M r Dana why they did
not take a part in debate, & not sit laughing at hearing us dispute but you will
not be silent any longer than it is for your intrest”

Monday the 21 st.

Court has finished to day 12 On the morrow we intend to set our faces to
the North. Judge & M rs Cranch called on us this
morning their little Girl is better. M r Dex s. grand cause comes on the 28 th. 13 He has just been in to
see us & confidently said “that he is more & more convinced that nothing
effectual will be done this session; there are three parties in the Ma y & they must crumble to pieces; the Fed ts. have little to do but to keep silent.” My own conscience
would condemn me in writing thus freely to any other Friend. I was lately told that
the Fed ts. had agreed not to write any thing of a
political nature to their friends. If they for the two years prior to the last had
conducted with so much judgment & prudence the Newhaven Remonstrance &C would
have been unnecessary. 14 Since the best
part of the community have got into limboe they must unite heart & hand in geting
out again.

Vanhorns the 23 rd.

The weather & roads were fine yesterday & to day we are
stoped here by a N-E storm. 15 We left
M rs Otis & family well also M rs Dalton & family They moved last week upon Cap l. hill. 16

Philadelphia Jan y the 4 th .

We arrived here on the 31 st. the
roads were much injured by the rain at the same time they were uncommonly good for the
season. M r Rutledge arrived at Was n. from R I the day before our leaving it. 17 He said he never knew the travelling finer at
any time Mar t. Street appear’d to great advantage when we
entered it about sunset. The houses have progressed much further from the Presidents
house than I had apprehended & all of them elegant; But the beauty of the street
must always appear greater to a person, coming from the southward, than from the
Northward. I was highly diverted an evening or two prior to our leaving Was n. M r Upham was reading the
Message paragraph by paragraph, & M r Tracy criticising
upon them. 18 He said that he had not
read it, nor heard it read, since in the Senate, & it then put him in a fever,
which lasted 48 hours, & now he should have to be bled. We dined yesterday at M r Boudinots Each individual
enquired affec y. after you & yours & wished me to
remember them to you. In a day or two we intend to proceed to Mid n. but are undetermined whether to remain there till the
first of , Start deletion, June , End, May or return to Scituate. M r Cushing unites with me in affectionate regards to our
friends in Quincy. A letter informing of their welfare will be gratefully received by
your Friend

H Cushing