Letters of John Adams, Addressed to His Wife

Letter CCLIX. 20 February. Electioneering. His mind

Letter CCLX. 27 February. Dinner at Mr. Madison's.
Mrs. Madison. Jefferson will not do. He can live
without a carriage. Remark of Hamilton.
Letter CCLXI. 1 March. Visits the theatre with the
President's family. Conjectures as to the Presidency.
Shall he retire? His dislike of forms.
Letter CCLXII. 12 March. Dines with Mr. Burr. Ap-
prehensions expressed for the Union.
upon the death of Mrs. H.
Letter CCLXIII. 13 March. Covets the harp of Am-
phion. What use he would make of it. Course of the
House of Representatives. Dr. Priestley's dedication.
Inclines to become a member of the House.

Letter CCLXIV. 19 March. Motion to ask of the Pres-
ident papers respecting the British treaty. Progress
of business in both Houses of Congress.
Letter CCLXV. 25 March. Dines with Mr. Russell.
Effect of the receipt of letters at table. Dines with the
President. Conversation with him. Business in the
House of Representatives. Rancor of party. Conse-
quences to be apprehended.
Letter CCLXVI. 9 April. State of affairs with Great
Britain. Has read his son's despatches. His own sit-
uation and prospects. He will not remain in public
life in certain contingencies specified
Letter CCLXVII. 13 April. Dines with the President
Young Lafayette and his tutor. Asks them to break-
fast, and excuses them. Operations of the government
very slow.

Letter CCLXVIII. 16 April. The House of Represent-
atives will go all lengths. Party spirit. Cherished by
the constitution of our government.
Scramble for

Letter CCLXIX. 19 April. The sensations of 1775 and
of this day similar. Reflections upon the position as-
sumed by the House of Representatives.
Letter CCLXX. 24 April. The wagon is mired. Or-
ders the purchase of land. No prospect of adjourn-
ment. Obstinacy must be resisted.
Letter CCLXXI. 30 April. Town meetings upon Jay's
treaty. The House of Representatives have voted to
make the appropriations. Speech of Mr. Ames, and
effect of it.

Letter CCLXXII. 3 May. He can now return home.
Is national faith binding? Time wasted upon this
question. Others that will succeed it.
Letter CCLXXIII. 27 November. Gives an account
of his journey. Mr. Adet's note. Effect of it upon
him. The American people may be roused.
Letter CCLXXIV. 4 December. Dines at the Presi-
Ident's with the Cherokees. Letter of T. Paine to
Washington. Extract from it given. Remarks upon
the French character.

Letter CCLXXV. 8 December. Pamphlet by T. Paine.
Presidential election. Effect of politics upon friend-
ship. Is in a very happy temper of mind.
Letter CCLXXVI. 30 December. Prospect before him.
Washington. Retirement from public life. Difficulty
of his own position.

Page.

999

222

224

225

227

229

. 231

233

235

1797.

Letter CCLXXVII. 5 January. Dines with Mr. Rush. Mr. Regal. German philosophy of Kant. Result of the election.

Letter CCLXXVIII. 11 January. Levee at the President's. Mrs. Washington's congratulations. Kidd the steward. Dines with Major Jackson. Farming. Letter CCLXXIX. 14 January. Washington's character in France. Political plants grow in the shade.

. 237

238

Message to Mr. Cabot. Is anxious for news from his sons in Europe.

Page.

240

241

243

Letter CCLXXX. 26 January. Dr. Priestley breakfasts with him. The Dr.'s opinion upon French affairs. Reason why it cannot be trusted. Letter CCLXXXI. 4 February. Gloomy prospects. Arrangements for his new situation. He cannot go back. 242 Letter CCLXXXII. 9 February. The die is cast. The Prisoners from Algiers. A woman picks out her husband. Letter CCLXXXIII. 5 March. Yesterday a trying day. Contrast between Washington's position and his own. The former congratulates him. Account of his speech. 244 Letter CCLXXXIV. 9 March. Reserve in judging his inaugural address. Washington's departure. Weeping at his inauguration and causes of it. Motives of his speech.

246

Letter CCLXXXV. 11 March. Domestic affairs Death of his aunt. Birth night ball. His objections to such

festivals.

248

Letter CCLXXXVI. 13 March. Engaged in business.
News is not pleasant. Regrets his farm.
Letter CCLXXXVII. 17 March. Will keep bachelor's
hall. No news from Europe. His son must return.
Silence respecting his inaugural address. Prospect in
another election..

250

251

Letter CCLXXXVIII. 24 April. Their perplexities.
His mother. They should think of his condition. Her
criticism of Judge Ellsworth. Is a man of business. . 253
Letter CCLXXXIX. 4 May. Has received her letters.
Death of his mother and niece. He is entering on a

new scene.

254

1798.

Letter CCXC. 28 November. Her company much desired. Anxious for her health. She must renounce public places. All are well.

255

Page.

Letter CCXCI. 13 December. Her low spirits. Gives her an account of his occupations. Cannot encourage her coming on.

256

1799.

Letter CCXCII. 1 January. Company upon new year's
day. Wants his talkative_wife.
The people grow
brave as danger recedes. Naval glory the birthright
of America.

Letter CCXCIII. 25 January. Is as solitary as Fred-
erick the Great. Dislikes his idolatry of Voltaire and
his materialism. He early renounced such studies.
Letter CCXCIV. 4 February. Departure of his son.
Effect of time upon them. Women should be made
ambassadors sometimes. Wishes she could come to
him as such.

258

. 259

Letter CCXCV. 23 February. The birth-night ball. Effect of cold. His trials. Has planned out much work.

Letter CCXCVI. 25 October. Accession day. Horses.
The last winter at Philadelphia. The approaching
election.

Letter CCXCVII. 27 October. At Trenton, N. J.
Government about to remove to Philadelphia. Has at-
tended church. Episcopalianism and Presbyterianism.
His own creed.

260

261

262

264

1800.

Letter CCXCVIII. 13 June. At Washington. Has seen many fine places. Mount Vernon. Likes the seat of government. Is pleased with Alexandria. Mr.

Lee.

Letter CCXCIX. 2 November. Announces his arrival.