Hannah Phillips Cushing to Abigail Adams, October 8, 1798

Hendricksons October the 8 th. 1798.

My Dear Madam

By letters received from Boston I was grieved to learn that you had
been very ill. It would give me great pleasure to hear, that your health is perfectly
restored. We have been roving to & from, since we had the pleasure of meeting you.
We reached Philadelphia the 5 th. of August & left it the
9 th. ; Court sitting only three days as the alarm of the
prevailing fever had in that time become general. We returned to Middletown & passed
the time with our Friends till the 22 nd. of Sep r. when we departed for Trenton, where M r Cushings Circuit begins; as the middle one falls to his lott. 1 To avoid N York we crossed White plains to
Dobb’s ferry, which is 26 miles above the City; & after staying there two nights
without being able to cross, the wind continuing very high we went up 20 miles further
to Kings ferry at Verplanks point where the river is not so wide & the boats better
& after waiting there also two nights we safely passed the ferry, rejoicing as
though we had been released from prison. 2 Here we were reminded of some of the scenes of our revolution. On this side was Stony
point where we landed, where Waine exhibited some traits of his boldness; on the other,
a Mountain, on which Gen l. Washington made his head
quarters, with a natural Sofa on the top, which was shewn me by M rs Verplank; 12 miles above is West point where Arnold turned traitor & a
mile or two below, lay the Frigate which took him off—to his reward. 3 The inhabitants on the other side appear’d to be as ignorant of the Country on this, as I am of that beyond the
Atlantick. Four miles from the ferry we came through the Clove, a notch of a small
Mountain, & then had a good road through a fine cultivated country inhabited by
Dutch people residing in stone houses one story high. They ride in open waggons. We met
19, containing whole families, going to meeting at Tappawn a small village 18 miles
below Kings ferry. Thirteen miles further down is Hackensack, a hansome town near the
head of the river of the same name. Thirteen more carry us in a straight, level,
pleasant way, bordering on the extensive meadow of the Hackensack, to Newark. From
Middletown here the inhabitants of N York were scattered & we some times found it
difficult to be accommodated. Trenton is crouded with the Citizens of Philadelphia so
much that we have taken up our residence here for some days. I have been in town once to
see M rs Pickering who was solicitous of my spending a few
days there; & Mr Furman a neighbour offering us a room we intend to accept of
it. 4 Court sat only two days. The Grand
Jury found three inditements for seditious words. One person only was taken who pleaded
guilty, for saying somewhat like this—that if the French came he would join them &
fight for a shilling a day, & would deliver up any that were inimical to them—&
for D——g the P— &C. For which he was fined but forty dollars, being very poor. 5 Judge Paterson is on the Eastern Circuit
& is now at Vermont. What will become of the Southern I know not, as that was
assigned to poor Judge Wilson. We hope however that Judge Iredel will attend the Court
in N Carolina at least. 6 The death of
M r Anthony (as also many others) is very much regreted. He
discovered a nobleness of soul in declining to stand a candidate for Congress, when the
Federal intrest would be divided by it. 7 We expect to leave Trenton by the 19th. for Dover in the State of Deleware, where the
Court is to sit the 27 th. . From thence to Baltimore &
lastly to Richmond; pleasing ourselves with the idea of passing a day or two with our
good Gen l. & M rs Washington
on our way. 8 We hope the President enjoys
good health. Please to present M r Cushings respects with
mine to him. My love to M rs Smith & tell her that we had
the pleasure of breakfasting with Co l. Smith, the morning
after we saw her & also of dining with him on our return from Philadelphia. I wish
to be remember’d affectionately to M rs Cranch M rs Otis & Miss Smith.—

To hear of your health & happiness my dear Madam next to that
of seeing you will always give pleasure to your friend—

After so long a time we hear that M r Gerry is safely landed in England. 9