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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO T. PICKERING, SECRETARY OF STATE. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 9.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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TO T. PICKERING, SECRETARY OF STATE.

Quincy, 19 September, 1799.

Sir,—

On the 17th, at night, I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 11th, and have given it that attention which the great importance of its contents deserves.3 On the subject of the rôle d’équipage, I feel a strong reluctance to any relaxation of the peremptory demand we agreed on before I left Philadelphia, and General Marshall’s observations are very just, yet it may be wiser to leave it to the discretion of the envoys, under the limitations suggested, and I shall acquiesce in the opinion of the heads of department. I am glad you have sent a copy to the chief justice. I had several long conversations with him last winter, on the whole subject. He appears to me to agree most perfectly in sentiment with me upon every point of our policy towards France and England, and this policy was founded only in perfect purity of moral sentiment, natural equity, and Christian faith towards both nations. I am, therefore, under no hesitation in the propriety of sending the draught to him, nor in consenting that, if want of time should prevent a second transmission of the instructions to me, the heads of department, in concert with him, may make alterations in the draught, within the limitations you propose. Indeed, Mr. Ellsworth is so great a master of business, and his colleagues are so intelligent, that I should not be afraid to allow them a greater latitude of discretion, if it were not unfair to lay upon them alone the burden and the dangerous responsibility that may accompany this business.

That portentous scenes are opened in France, is past a doubt. The directors, who sent us the assurances, are, for what we know, all removed. The new ones we know nothing of. Barras, we have no reason to believe very friendly to us. Sièyes, we have reason to fear, is unfriendly. The “threats by the military, of a king,” which Mr. Murray mentions, are to me no solid indications of a restoration. That every comet, which has appeared, will return, I have no doubt; but the period of its revolution is very difficult to calculate. The system of terror will revive, if the terrorists can find means to revive it. These means imply money to pay, clothe, feed, and arm soldiers, on one hand, and timidity and dejection enough in their domestic enemies to submit to their exactions and cruelties. These are all problems to us, to all Europe, and, probably, to the French themselves.

There is one observation which appears to me of great importance. The reign of terror has ever appeared the most disposed to accommodate with us. This is humiliating enough, but it is not our fault. It is not very clear to me what our inferences ought to be from this fact. Neither the royalists, nor the aristocrats, nor the priesthood, have ever discovered the least complaisance for us. It is an awful question to me what chance we should have, if our ambassadors should have to treat at a Congress for a general pacification. Should we not have more to fear from the secret jealousy of every power, than even from that of France and Spain? With great anxiety upon this whole subject, and with much respect for you, I remain

John Adams.

P. S. I return Mr. Murray’s letter, and I will soon write more directly concerning the draught.

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