Thomas Boylston Adams to John Adams, January 20, 1801

Philadelphia 20 th: January
1801

Dear Sir.

I have your favor of the 15 th: inst t: and am pleased to find in
it an interpretation of the 6 th: Article of the
Convention with France, which had escaped my reflection— 1 Viewing it as a provision only to
operate after the expiration of our treaty with G Britain, it may be both
natural & proper, but as the time when it was to operate was not
specified, many others, like myself, have supposed it to be quite
incompatible with our precedent engagements—

It has always appeared strange to me, that the same men
and the same families, who during the first paroxism, which the french
Revolution produced among all ranks of people in this Country, were led away
with the most extravagant admirers & partizans of revolutionary
doctrine, should have vibrated to the opposite extreme, without seeming to
be aware of the glaring inconsistency of their behavior. In the years 1791.
2. 3–4. yourself & family were obnoxious to the greater part of the now
high toned Oligarchiques, because you were firmly opposed, from conviction
of their evil tendency, to the principles of the french Revolution, and it
is remarkable, though not surprising, that a judicious and discriminating
foreigner, should be the only one to applaud & to notice your opinions
in this particular. I allude to the pamphlet of M r: Gentz and the note to page 56. where he speaks of a
conversation between M. , Start deletion, de , End, Brissot and
yourself, for the authenticity of which fact he appeals to Brissot’s tour itself. 2 I have a vivid recollection that
so early as the year 1789 when I was at New York, you drew my attention to
two french works of great merit & singular application to the Revolution
which had just then burst forth in France; and although I was then too young
and too much a tyro in the french language, or the science of politics, to
appreciate the records which those books contain—I have since read them with
delight and I hope with improvement. The Books were L’esprit de la ligue,
& L’esprit de la fronde. The Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz are of the
latter period, and not less instructive than either. 3 Our Countrymen, who affect to be
so learned, so wise, and to have attained such perfection in the Science of
government, are almost universally ignorant of all these repositories of
wisdom and experience; and they are obstinately bent upon going over the
same turbulent round of experiment, which must inevitably lead to the same
pitiful & deplorable results, and all for the love of liberty—

The adherents of M r: Hamilton
are men of violence; impetuous in their resentments and utterly regardless
of the ties of gratitude. They can discern no title to favor or support in
any but devoted partizans. In general they are hostile to our present
institutions, and therefore feel no obligation imposed upon them to promote
the success of them. They imagine that opposition is the only means to
effect a change more consonant to their wishes. The Democrats, who are a
vast majority when compared with this small band, profess that the design
& scope of their opposition is to restore the Government of the Country
to old, original principles. The plausibility of their doctrines is
irresistibly persuasive with the multitude, who have in all ages been gulled
out of their liberties by such gilded artifices. They yield to the syren
song of these base & profligate seducers, who no sooner have robbed them
of their chastity than they desert them, or impose heavier shackles than
they wore before.

The Judiciary Bill now labouring in the house of
Representatives, excites some attention. I, for one, think that the salaries
proposed for the Judges are too high. It is true that Two thousand dollars
per annum, is a small compensation to men of the first talents and repute in
their professions; but some discrimination proportioned to the different
prices of living, in the several Circuits, ought to be made. 4 The people of this Country are not
lightly taxed for the degree of liberty & security & protection they
enjoy— I will go as far as any individual in this Country, in contributing,
according to my means, towards the support of a permanent, respectable and
numerous Navy— It is all the defence we want against foreigners and the only gurantee we shall ever
obtain for our National growth. But in our domestic regulations, frugality
bordering on parsimony would be excusable in order to secure the other
object.

Should the judiciary Bill be enacted into a law, this
Session, there will be an host of officers to appoint, before the rising of
Congress, and numerous applications will doubtless be made for those places.
M r: Ingersoll, who will be at Washington in
February would be able, if consulted, to designate suitable characters in
this State, and I hope his advice will be asked.

I am with true respect & attachment / Your Son

T B Adams.