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

TO MRS. WARREN. - 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 MRS. WARREN.

Passy, 15 December, 1778.

Madam,—

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of your obliging letter of the 15th of October. It came by the post, and single, not a line from any other person, so that I knew not by what means it reached Lorient. It was not, however, the less welcome to me. Its intrinsic excellence would have recommended it, whoever had written it. The merit of the writer would have made it dear to me, if the letter itself had been indifferent, a supposition not very easy to make in this case.

I am sorry, very sorry, for our common country, that the unshaken patriot you mention should think of retiring;1 but I cannot blame him, because my own thoughts are constantly running in the same way, and I am determined, with submission, to do the same thing.

I hope, however, Madam, that there is not so total a change of manners, as some appearances may indicate. A paper currency, fluctuating in its value, will ever produce appearances in the political, commercial, and even the moral world, that are very shocking at first sight; but, upon examination, they will not be found to proceed from a total want of principle, but, for the most part, from necessity.

Who will take the helm, Madam, and, indeed, who will build the ship, I know not. But of one thing I am well convinced, that a great part of the evils you mention arise from the neglect to model the Constitution and fix the Government. These things must be finished, and the dispute, who shall be the head, is much less important than whether we shall have any.

I am happy to learn, Madam, that so many of the most respectable strangers have had an opportunity to visit you. I am pleased with this, because it has given you an opportunity of speculating upon these illustrious characters, and because it has given them an opportunity of observing that their new ally can boast of female characters equal to any in Europe.

I have not the honor to know Mrs. Holker. She lives at Rouen, at a distance. However, I have gratified Mr. H.’s father with a sight of his son’s portrait drawn by a lady, which he could not read without the tears gushing from both his eyes.

As to portraits, Madam, I dare not try my hand as yet. But my design is to retire, like my friend, and spend all my leisure hours in writing a history of this revolution, and, with a hand as severe as Tacitus, I wish to God it was as eloquent, draw the portrait of every character that has figured in the business. But, when it is done, I will dig a vault, and bury the manuscript, with a positive injunction that it shall not be opened till a hundred years after my death.

What shall I say, Madam, to your question, whether I am as much in the good graces of the ladies as my venerable colleague? Ah, no! Alas, alas, no! The ladies of this country, Madam, have an unaccountable passion for old age, whereas our countrywomen, you know, Madam, have rather a complaisance for youth, if I remember right. This is rather unlucky for me, because here I have nothing to do but wish that I was seventy years old, and, when I get back to America, I shall be obliged to wish myself back again to five-and-twenty.

I will take the liberty to mention an anecdote or two, Madam, among a multitude, to show you how unfortunate I am in being so young. A gentleman introduced me, the other day, to a lady. “Voilà, Madame,” said he, “Monsieur Adams, notre ami, le collègue de Monsieur Franklin.” “Je suis enchanté de voir Monsieur Adams,” answered the lady. “Embrassez le donc,” replied the gentleman. “Ah, non, Monsieur,” said the lady, “il est trop jeune.

So that you see I must wait patiently full thirty years longer before I can be so great a favorite.

Madam, I can give you no news. The Lords and Commons have refused to censure the manifesto of the commissioners. That unhappy nation are going on in their frenzy; but there is an awful gloom and melancholy among them, and with reason.

TO JAMES LOVELL.

Passy, 20 February, 1779.

. . . . . . . . . . .

I cannot lay aside my pen without saying, that the accusations before Congress against the Messrs. Lee and, I know not who besides, distress me beyond measure. I fear they will perpetuate altercation, without bringing any great truths to light for the benefit of the public. I have sighed, and mourned, and wept, for that intemperance of passions, which I very early discovered here, without being able to soften or to cool it in the least degree. I wish I could draw the portrait of every character here, as it appears in my eyes; but this would be imprudent, and, if it should be known, would do public mischief, full enough of which has been done already by indiscretion.

Our old incidental agent is an honest man, faithful and zealous in our cause. But there is an acrimony in his temper, there is a jealousy, there is an obstinacy, and a want of candor at times, and an affectation of secrecy, the fruit of jealousy, which renders him disagreeable often to his friends, makes him enemies, and gives them infinite advantages over him. That he has had great provocations here, I never doubted, and since the appearance of the address less than ever.1

There is another character here, exceedingly respectable in fortune, education, travel, honor, integrity, love of his country, and zeal in its cause; but Tacitus would say his passions are always strong, often violent; and he has not experience in public life.2 These two gentlemen have been very intimate, and have encouraged, no doubt, and often irritated each other. Another thing, I think that other gentleman ought not to have been here; he should have been in Italy or in America; or, being here, I really think he ought not to have interfered so much. This is simply my opinion. I may be wrong. That that gentleman thought he was doing his duty, I am clear. But of this I am persuaded, that if he had been in Italy, things would never have gone to the lengths they have.

On the other hand, most of the old connections of the Dr. and Mr. Deane were filled with prejudices against those two gentlemen. One party was striving to get the better of the other, to lower its reputation and diminish its authority.

In this chaos I found things, and have been tossed in it. On the other hand, there was a monopoly of reputation here, and an indecency in displaying it, which did great injustice to the real merit of others, that I do not wonder was resented. There was an indolence there was a dissipation, which gave just occasion of complaint, and there was a complaisance to interested adventurers. There was an intimacy with stockjobbers; there was an acquaintance with persons from England, which gave just occasion of jealousy, however innocent the intentions were. I have learned that total silence is enough to procure a character for prudence, whatever indiscretions a man may commit.

In this state of things, Congress have had the wisdom and the fortitude to do the only thing which could be done for putting matters on a better footing; but this will last a very little while, if money matters are not separated from political. Some other thing must be done; some resolution must be passed, forbidding every man, in the most positive terms, who has any connection with your minister here, from having any connection with English stocks, insurances, &c., and forbidding all correspondence with them. There is in England a practice of making insurances on political events, which has interested the whole alley in American politics, and has thrown all into distraction.

I have been wholly without information of what was passing in Congress and, indeed, in America, especially in Philadelphia. My friends, I know, have been engaged in doing the public business, not in strengthening the hands of individuals or parties here. But bushels of letters have come to adventurers here, containing information more exact in some things, and not so true in others as they ought to be.

[1 ]General Warren.

[1 ]Arthur Lee. The Address referred to is Silas Deane’s.

[2 ]Ralph Izard.