Your obliging favour of December 28th, I received by the Hand of Dr. Welch. I thank you Sir, for your Congratulations, which receive their value from the Sincerity with which I believe them fraught.1 The elevated station in which the Suffrages of our Country have placed our Friend, is encompassed with so Many Dangers and difficulties, that it appears to Me a slipery Precipice, surrounded on all sides, with Rocks Shoals and quicksand.

There is not any Man, in whom again, can be united, such an assemblage of fortunate circumstances, to combine all Hearts in his favour, and every voice in unison, as has been the Singular Lot of the President of the United States. yet even he, with the full tide of favour, and affection, has tasted the bitter Cup of Calumny and abuse, an imported Cup, a foreign Mixture, a poison so subtle as to have infected even Native American. What must a successor expect who has near half the Country opposed to his Election? as well as all the Friends of the Rival Candidates mortified at their Defeat.

You Sir, have been too long conversant in publick Life, and full well know, “the pangs and Heart acks” to which it is subject, not personally to mix commisiration, with Your Congratulations

At my Time of Life, the desire and wish to shine in publick Life is wholy extinguishd.

Retirement to (Peace2 Feild, the Name which Mr. Adams has given to his Farm) is much more eligible to me, particularly as my Health has Severely Sufferd by my residence at Philadelphia. But personally I shall consider myself as the Small Dust of the balance, when compared to the interests of a Nation. To preserve Peace, to support order, and continue to the Country that system of Government under which it has become prosperous and happy, the sacrifice of an individual Life, important only to its near connextions, ought not to be taken into consideration.

I fully agree with you in sentiment as it respects the Election of Mr Jefferson. I have long known him, and entertain for him a personal Friendship, and tho I cannot accord with him in Some of his politicks, I do not believe him culpable to the extent he has been 476 represented. placed at the Head of the Senate, I trust his conduct will be wise and pruden[t, and] hope it will be a means of softning the animosity of Party, and of cementing & strengthining the bond of union.3

There never was any publick, or Private, animosity between Mr Adams & mr Jefferson. upon the subject of Pains Rights of Man, there was a dissagreement in sentiment. Mr Jefferson “does not look quite thro the Deeds of Men” Time has fully disclosed whose opinion was well founded.

The Gentleman you alluded to as an active Agent in the Election, has no Doubt his views and designs. there are some Characters, more supple, than others, more easily wrought upon, more accommodating, more complying Such a person might be considerd as the ostensible Engine which a Master Hand could work. To what other motive can be asscribed the Machiavelian policy of placeing at the Head of the Government a Gentleman not particularly distinguishd for any important Services to his Country, and scarcly heard of beyond the state which gave him Birth, untill sent upon a publick Embassy.

I feel Sir when addressing you the confidence of an old Friend, and that an apology is unnecessary for the freedom of communication.5

Be pleased to present My compliments to mrs Gerry. it would give Me pleasure to receive a Friendly visit from her and from you. I am Dear sir with sentiments / of Respect and Esteem / Your Friend and Humble Servant

Since my Letter of the 20th: I have not enjoyed the pleasure of receiving any from my friend, but I do not forget the mutual engagement of writing every week, and I cannot close the year in a better or more agreeable manner than in conversing with her— There are some particulars in your Letters of Novr: 29. and Decr: 6. which require a reply from me, which time did not allow me to give in my last.— You request me not to resign any situation on your account contrary to the wishes of my friends and family.— But it is neither my intention nor the wish of my friends and family that I should hold for a permanency any situation whatever in Europe. America is my Country; there all my hopes and all my intentions centre, and I know not of any misfortune that could befal myself personally, which I should consider as more severe than that of being condemned to a constant residence in any part of Europe. The inclinations of my friends are perfectly coincident with my own, and they have more than once intimated to me a wish to have me return home as speedily as possible. This is my own settled determination which I shall effect whenever my duty to the public, and to your interest will permit it. Nor will I disguise to the friend of my heart, that one of the consolations which I derive from reflection upon the necessity we are under of postponing our union, is that a different Event might have contributed to reconcile me to a European residence, and to lengthen it beyond the period assigned by my own duties, my own interests as well as those of the public.

Your anxiety least the application which is at present my diversion and employment should affect my health deserves my gratitude, as I behold in it an unquestionable token of your affection.— It will make me more anxious than perhaps I might otherwise be, to preserve that kind of temperance the want of which is the most excusable.— Yes; I will often retire from my books to the other delight of my heart, to the remembrance of you, as the only compensation for abstaining from a pardonable excess.

I do not however apprehend that the health can be affected materially by any ordinary degree of application, and I must not discard 478 the remembrance that it is the labour to which my life is destined, and which I therefore must not relinquish; that to abandon myself to habits of indolence for the sake of a robuster health, would be to sacrifice a jewel for a pebble, and prove in the end equally degrading to my character and ruinous to my affairs.

You will perhaps think that I have become very suddenly so rigorous in the estimation of my time, and will remember the time when I was much more indulgent to myself. I readily confess it, but former negligence only increases the necessity for future attention.— For a long interval of idleness my reason accepts the apology of my heart, but at the same time points out the necessity of repairing by present and future industry the losses of that period.— Do not therefore my lovely friend discourage me from the continuance of those pursuits which are suitable to my character and confer upon it its only value; and make yourself perfectly easy with regard to my health, with the assurance that I shall be particularly cautious to avoid any degree of application that will be likely to affect it.

I mentioned in my last Letter the grounds upon which our union before my own return to America will be impossible, and my opinion that it would not be advisable to propose to your father to come to this Country, in order to embark from hence for America. You may be perfectly sure that your intimations to me on this subject will be held by me in that special confidence which you recommend. Indeed I consider everything that passes between you and me concerning our mutual views and interests, in this light of intimate and exclusive confidence. I write and read every thing of this nature with the idea constantly impressed upon my mind, and persuade myself that you do the same.

Farewell, my best Friend: I am in hourly Hopes of your Letters, and remain with / constant affection, ever your’s