Thomas Boylston Adams to John Quincy Adams, October 12, 1800

Philadelphia 12 th: October
1800.

Since the date of my last letter, I have received your
several favors of the 10 th: June Dup: 15 th: July Dup: 10 th: & 16 th: July, with enclosures for some of
your Louisa’s family; the last of which to her brother, was accompanied by a
few lines from herself to me; for which I thank her. The enclosures have all
been forwarded, but I have not heard directly from her friends for many
weeks— I presume they are well however. I know not precisely, whether the
balance of letters between your wife & me, is for or against me, but in
either case I am willing to acknowledge myself her debtor, & to promise
a speedy discharge of the debt;—at present, I can scarcely find time to
acknowledge the receipt of your valuable & interesting
communications. 1 Qur
annual elections are at hand, and all good folks are exerting their utmost,
to keep things in order, & as they should be; which is a very difficult
and laborious task. The darling priviledge of Election, is so constantly
recurring in this Country, that the people are kept in a continual political
ferment, and from every repetition of the exercise, they become more
bewitched and infatuated with it. The 14 th: curr t: is the day for chusing members of
Congress & of the State Legislature here; Electors for President will
not be chosen, on account of the disagreement of the last Legislature upon
the mode of election; so that Pennsylvania will probably have no vote in the
College of Elector’s. 2 We are
so completely democratised, that I have no confidence in the success of any
men or measures, which are advocated by the friends to the federal
Government.

You may possibly be ready to suppose, that a pretty
correct judgment might, at this moment, be formed, as to the probable result
of the ensuing election, for chief Magistrate of the Union. I have as much
information upon this subject, perhaps, as can be collected from the public
prints; private, I have none, or very little; and I can very honestly
declare, from the documents I have, that no positive or confident opinion can be drawn
from them. The Southern States are uncertain; the middle States, suspicious
or decidedly wrong ; and the Nothern, though, in
some degree, to be calculated upon for consistency of behavior, on this
occasion, are, in some respects, less stedfast than heretofore. I need not
explain to you what an Essex junto, is capable of attempting, when it has
any particular object in view, which is thwarted or opposed in the
execution. Like the chief of the rebel angels described by Milton, it would
assail the Almighty ruler of the Skies, to drag him from his throne, though
sure to fall, by failing in the attempt. 3 The grievances, which have
alienated their affections from the chief Magistrate of the Union, so far as
I have been able to trace them, are first; the appointment of M r: Gerry to go to France; his conduct on that
occasion, and the non-renunciation of him after his return. This
circumstance, they say, had nearly made him Governor of Massachusetts in
opposition to M r: Strong. Secondly—The third
mission to France; contrary to the wishes & opinions of all the federal
party; by which the strength of the democratic party, has been encreased and
the hopes of the federalists totally blasted. Thirdly, the pardon of Fries,
the traitor and two others who were convicted of the like treason. Fourthly
& lastly—The dissmission of the two Secretaries. I might add to the
catalogue; the disbanding of the provisional army, which the junto attribute
to the President, notwithstanding the law of Congress, which prescribed it.
You may judge for yourself from these data, whether sufficient offence has
been given to justify, personal abuse and deadly animosity against the
President, from men, who have known him, in public & in private life,
for thirty or forty years; who have acted with him in a variety of public
capacities, and with some of whom he has been for many years in habits of
friendship. Not only, have they abandoned his acquaintance but vilified his
character; opposed the measures of his administration; and so far as their
influence extends, exerted it to prevent his re-election to the Presidential
chair. Such is the patriotic devotion of this combination of characters
& personages, whose names have hitherto added weight &
respectability to the cause of good government; but whose rancorous and
illjudged accrimony will at this time, do singular injury to their
Country.

I am vexed to hear how stupidly M r: Treat behaved in the management of the letters & ca: committed to his care. As to the
circumstance of the french Officer’s inspecting my letter, it gives me no
concern; but all the other part of the charge was quite as awkwardly
managed. private hands are sometimes trustworthy, but general experience would most recommend
public conveyances— I am glad you got the pamphlets at any rate. 4 Your comments & observations
upon some of them arrived here so seasonably that I took the liberty to lay
them before the public, being the first communication, for many months, from
your pen. Tom Cooper was released from Jail, the very day on which the
extract from your letter appeared in print; several other squibs were fired
off against him about the same time, which have already provoked an
insulting & threatening letter from him to the Editor of the Gazette of
the United States; which was delivered into his hands by one of Coopers
friends, who has since attacked the Editor, in his own house, for some
observations made on this occasion in his paper. The Assailant was
overpowered in a little time and in his turn received a drubbing; but the
business will not stop here— 5 Cooper cannot live in smooth water, nor indeed do I think him entitled to go
at large; he is now under a recognizance to keep the peace & be of good
behaviour, and yet he has manifestly provoked this riot. I have an Office in
a very convenient part of the City, but having the front room only, the
house has lately been taken by one of the United Irishmen who has hitherto
kept a tippling house, where the whole fraternity of renegadoes &
outcasts rendezvous every day— Cooper lodges in the house— D r Reynolds, Lloyd & others diet here, and a
sett of the vilest blackguards haunt the house, that ever I beheld— 6 They treat me with respect
however, hitherto, and I am unwilling to forego the benefit of my station,
for the sake of being out of sight and hearing of these people—

In my last letter I informed you, that I had sold your
Bill upon England at 3 ⅓ per c t: above par, and
advised him of my draught. I have already taken measures to invest the
proceeds in 8 per cent stock although I was obliged to give 8 per c t: advance— Should my arrangements necessitate a
sale some months hence, I have little doubt of obtaining the same or a
better price.

I shall pay due attention to the authority given me to
draw for £500 s t more, by your letter of July
15 th: — 7 I only wait a few days for a
better market than the present.

If upon consultation & calculation, I should conclude
to purchase an house for you, in Boston, I shall probably make a jaunt
thither towards the Spring; mean time I will do the best I can with your
funds.

With best love to M rs: Adams
and all my former friends at Berlin; for some of whom, I entertain much affectionate remembrance / I remain Your’s