Adams Family Correspondence, volume 10
I have all along flattered myself with hopes that I might with Propriety have taken Leave of the Senate and returned home, as soon as the Roads might be settled: But such is the critical State of our public Affairs, and I daily hear Such Doctrines Advanced, and Supported by almost and sometimes quite one half of the Senate, that I shall not prevail on myself to abandon my Post. This Day the senators were equally divided upon a Question, which seemed to me to involve nothing less than Peace and War, and I was obliged to decide it, to the no small Chagrin of a Number.1 If this Country is involved in War, it shall not be by my fault. But if it comes either from the Malice of our Ennemies or the Imprudence of our own People it 112 may perhaps be found, that I shall not shrink from its Difficulties, sooner than some who now seek it in disguise. Business is now carried on with rapidity in both Houses, and I shall have a month of Severe Duty. I have not been Absent a Day. It is to be sure a Punishment to hear other Men talk five hours every day, and not be at Liberty to talk at all myself: especially as more than half I hear appears to me very young inconsiderate and inexperienced.
The Boston Town Meeting as it terminated did a Service to the Public. If Government must be affronted or intimidated by popular Clubbs and partial Meetings of the People, it is a Pity that our Cities are not all as capable as Boston of discussing great questions. But in New York and Philadelphia there is Meeting against Meeting and Clubb against Clubb, to the Utter Confusion of the public opinion.
It is rumoured that We are to loose two Ministers of state by resignation, but I would not have the report propagated from me.2
I Suffer many Melancholly hours on Account of my dear Mother, and as many on your Account. Your Tryal must be severe, and I often wish I were with you to chear up your Spirits and share a Part of your Cares.
The Spring opens: The Birds sing; the Weather is fine, and all Things chearful but my thoughts about my home, and our public Prospects. Adieu my dear Partner, ever / your
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs Adams”; endorsed: “March 12th / 1794.”
On 12 March the Senate debated what became “An Act in Addition to the Act for the Punishment of Certain Crimes against the United States,” and JA cast a number of tie-breaking votes on various proposed amendments. The following day, he cast the deciding vote in favor of the bill, which, after further revision, was eventually enacted on 5 June. The act prohibited U.S. citizens from engaging in any military activities on behalf of foreign powers during wartime (
Annals of Congress,
3d Cong., 1st sess., p. 66–68, 1461–1464).
For the resignations of Gouverneur Morris as U.S. minister to France and William Short as U.S. minister to the Netherlands, see JA to AA, 5 May, and note 1, below.
This morning I had the Pleasure of your Letter of the 2d of this month. The Town meeting did itself honour by its judicious Result. But there has not been the Same Wisdom in New York nor
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Philadelphia: nor is there equal Wisdom and Decision in either house of Congress. All that has been done has been to restrain and moderate the constant disposition to rashness Intemperance and Madness.
Mr Fauchet is a very different Man from Genet and is pursuing a different system.
I am glad to hear you have been busy and wish you may be more so. Your Letters always give me Pleasure but I can easily Admit your Apology for Writing so seldom as I well remember when I was of your Age and standing at the Bar. A few Lines however now and then would not cost you much time and would give me great Comfort.
Proteus will never merit your Friendship and is not worth your Enmity. Do him Justice but court neither his Ill Will or Good Will. You have made him feel your Superiority to him, and it may not be amiss, and you will have Opportunities enough for it, to put him now and then in mind of it, by making him see his own Ignorance and Absurdity.
The Decline of my beloved Mother is a sourse of Melancholly to me, which I cannot and ought not to dissipate. My You and I my dear son fulfill our Duties in Life as well as she has done. We can never be too sensible of the Obligations We are under to this worthy Woman. She is about to leave a World on fire for Abodes of Innocence Peace and Bliss. Such is my Faith, and without it I should be in despair.
The Defection of certain New England Characters from what I think the line of their Duty and the true Interest of their Country, will oblige me to remain here I fear till the End of the session.1 This however in Confidence. I have a great Aversion to a War by Implication and Construction. We may be too soon compelled into it very expressly. But I am determined to do all that may depend on me to keep it off as long as possible. I am my Dear son / Your Affectionate Father
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “J. Q Adams Esqr”; endorsed: “My Father / March 13. 1794.” and “My Father. 13. March 1794.”
Three New England senators—John Langdon of New Hampshire and Moses Robinson and Stephen Row Bradley of Vermont—had come to align themselves with the Democratic-Republicans by this time (
Biog. Dir. Cong.
). All three, for instance, voted against the “Act in Addition to the Act for the Punishment of Certain Crimes against the United States,” for which see
JA to AA, 12 March, note 1, above.