John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, September 16, 1801

New York 16. Sept r: 1801.

My dear brother.

On Sunday morning, after a cold and somewhat tedious ride all the
preceding night I reached Newark— Pass’d the day and next night there, and on Monday,
your sister took me into town with her. I have bespoke my passage for Providence, and am
waiting only for a wind. Old M rs: Smith and her daughter
Nancy were very obliging, and the Col l: is friendly and
hospitable as usual.— He has introduced me into the republican circles—yesterday we
dined at M r: Brockholst Livingston’s— Tomorrow, if our
packet does not sail I am to dine at M r: Burr’s—and I have
exchanged visits with the Mayor — 1 So you see what good company I am getting into,
and may expect a proportionable improvement in my republican principles—

In the meantime the republican practices , are undergoing some of those severe lacerations , to which the man of the People so feelingly describes the necessity of submitting— A pamphlet, under the title of
an Examination of the answer to the New-Haven remonstrance has just appeared here— So
well written that it has been plausibly though erroneously attributed to Hamilton— He
disavows it—and there is such a flaming compliment to him in it, as he certainly would not have ventured under the risque of detection, to
pay himself— The writer however is of his sect , and affects
to pronounce a sentence of condemnation upon the policy of the late President, for the
sake of blazoning Hamilton’s just views and splendid talents. 2

It is an easy thing to find fault; and the Man of the People has
laid himself so bare to the shaft of censure, that a hand even of small dexterity cannot
miss hitting when he is the aim— But when the pamphleteer once departs from that point
he appears very deficient in address— Thus he calls upon all parties to unite in the same breath that he insults every party but
Hamilton’s— He calls upon the Senate at their meeting to reject the provisional
appointments— But he should have known that from the complection of the Senate, his
advice to reject could have no other influence upon them than to make them more staunch
to confirm.— He threatens repeatedly that the people will
resist otherwise than with the pen the system of the New Administration— Old Frederic
used to say that a man should never threaten untill prepared to strike— Threats of
insurrection for so small an affair as subaltern displacements and placements are absurd
and shew ignorance of the character of this people— As far as experience can lead to an
opinion there is every reason to suppose that these official revolutions, will for a time strengthen instead of weakening the President’s
party among the people— To talk of popular resistance therefore would be folly, even if
it were not jacobinism.

But I forbear political topics— If you find your dog Tartar
troublesome, Col l: Smith will be much obliged to you to send
him on to him— Either by M r: Wollstonecraft, or by any
officer of the army coming from Philadelphia here— 3 The Col l: has taken
such a fancy to Blanch, that he almost thought it unkind I did not keep one of her pups
for him— So I told him I believed you had taken yours more out of complaisance than from
inclination, and that you would probably thank him to take it off your hands.— You will
therefore keep or send it, as you find most agreeable.— If the latter, perhaps this will
come to you time enough to send it on by Whitcomb.

You remember the conversation I had with you a day or two before I
left Philadelphia, concerning my property, and the determination I express’d to change
what I have in the funds, for something more stable— Let me again recommend to your
vigilance to seize any good opportunity that occurs to you for that purpose; and
particularly with regard to the 8 per cents— They stand very well now, and now is the
time to make a good market for them— But every hour I spend, and
every step I proceed in this country, I feel the distrust of all former pledges in
support of the national faith growing upon me— Send me a little minute of the monies you
paid for me at Philadelphia while we were there and since— I came away without knowing
what M rs: Roberts’s bill , Start deletion, will , End, amounted to.

When my wife returns from Washington, if you have spare time, I
hope you will escort her on as far as this— I shall probably come on here to meet her
myself.

Your affectionate brother

J. Q. A.