Thomas Boylston Adams to Joseph Pitcairn, March 27, 1801

Philadelphia 27 th: March
1801.

Dear Sir.

A ship called the Cleopatra sailed from this port a few weeks since
without bearing any thing for you from me, which I desire may be attributed to my want
of notice, that she was about to depart— I now enclose you the sequel of the Port Folio,
and at the same time have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the
8 th: December, which came to hand on the 5 th: inst t: . 1

In return for your European intelligence, I can only announce to
you the commencement of a new era in our political history; one which my letters to you,
more than a twelvemonth ago anticipated, and to which my mind has been familiarized by
the frequency of my contemplations respecting it. 2 A change of men has yet produced no visible
change of measures, nor would it be fair or reasonable to predict as to the future
conduct of administration, evil consequences, as the result of error or design— The
depravity of heart, which exists among what is called the Democratic Republicans, is
indicative of little respect for moral obligations, nor have we good reason to expect,
that their craving appetites for place, power & profit, will be satisfied with
occasional vacancies being supplied, or a few obnoxious officers removed for the sake of
filling them from their number—

One real benefit is already felt as a consequence of the new order of men. The clamors of the vulgar herd, which without
ceasing have disturbed the peace & quiet of the Country for a series of years, are
now no more They have been so swallowed up in the enjoyment of the fancied triumph of
Democracy or Republicanism over, their opposites, that it has to them operated like a
reality— The streams, whence the vilest slanders used to flow, in such abundance,
threatening to inundate & overwhelm the brightest fame of our most estimable
people—are become fountains of fulsome flattery to the rulers of the day— The gall of
Jacobinism is become sweet as honey, and an aspiring, giddy & depraved faction, (to
whom might rightly have been applied two lines of a great poet—

“Ne’er didst thou hear, more sweet than sweetest song,

charming the soul, thou ne’er didst hear thy
praise. )

is now rioting & reveling & wallowing in the luxury of “soft
music, warbling voice, & melting lay’s:” 3

You will not learn first from me, the
distribution which has been made of public honors & offices, since the new men came
in— Chancellor Livingston of NewYork, is Commissioned, as Minister, to the french
Nation, and he will probably sail in May or June— meantime, Beau Dawson has just
emba[rked] as messenger ; with the Convention. 4

M r: Madison is Secretary of State;
Gen l: Dearborne of War—the o[ther] Departments are yet
vacant— 5 Sundry inferior officers have
been removed & creatures put in their places— 6 This I expected—it could not be otherwise and
the federalists, who expect, that the President will be able, if disposed to persevere
in a system of moderation & forbearance with respect to app[oint]ments, will be
disapointed— It begins to be well understood by both or all parties a[nd] us, that success in obtaining a Candidate of their own, at the head of gov[ern]ment, is sufficient to authorize a system of proscription with regard
to t[heir] opponents— This is Republicanism—

Dear Sir, I am very sincerely / Your’s

T B Ada[ms]