John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, February 14, 1791

Philadelphia February 14 th 1791—

Madam.

By the last post I received your letter of January 17 th , and was as much surprised at the information that my last
letter to you arrived unsealed, as you could be at the receipt of it. 1 It was most certainly no intention of mine that
it should have gone unsealed; nor can I account for the fact. 2 My conjecture is that the person, one of my sons
who copied into my letterbook, either inadvertently sent it, or suffered a servant to
take it off the table to the post office without putting a wafer into it according to
his usual practice. Neither “The ebullitions of party, nor political malice” have made
any impressions on me. The expressions you allude to, were the result of very sober
reflection upon facts proved to me, by the testimony of many witnesses of unquestionable
veracity among whom were not a few of the best friends General Warren ever had in his
life.—

A civil war Madam, is in my opinion a very serious thing. This
Country has once at least been within a hairs breadth of a very bloody one: nor is it
likely to be soon so secure against the probability of another, as I wish it. There is
more than one among those persons whom twenty years ago, I counted among my friends who
are not so explicit and decided as I presume to think they ought to be, in favor of
those principles and measures, which appear to me indispensable to
preserve the liberty, peace and safety of this people. As long as this indecission
remains, it is impossible there should be the same confidence between them and me, which
there was once.—The affection for them which I once had will never be forgotten, nor can
it ever be destroyed, but confidence can never be the same, without the same foundation
for it

With 3 much esteem I
am Madam / your most obedient servant

John Adams. 4