 | Letters of Mrs. Adams, |  |
TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Your letter of July 22 was by some mistake in the
post-office at Boston sent back as far as New York,
so that it did not reach me until the eleventh of this
month. Candor requires of me a reply. Your statement
respecting Callender, and your motives for
liberating him wear a different aspect as explained
by you, from the impression which the act had
made, not only upon my mind, but upon the minds
of all those whom I have ever heard speak upon
the subject. With regard to the law under which
he was punished, different persons entertain different
opinions respecting it. It lies not with me to
determine its validity or constitutionality. That devolved
upon the Supreme Judges of the nation. I
have ever understood that the power which makes a
law is only competent to the repeal of it. If a
Chief Magistrate can by his will annul it, where is
the difference between a republican and a despotic
government?
That some restraint should be laid upon the
assassin who stabs reputation, all civilized nations
have assented to. In no country have calumny, falsehood
and reviling stalked abroad more licentiously
than in this. No political character has been secure
from its attacks; no reputation so fair as not to be
undistinguished heap. If there is no check to be
resorted to in the laws of the land, and no reparation
to be made to the injured, will not man become the
Judge and avenger of his own wrongs, and, as in a
late instance, the sword and pistol decide the contest?
All christian and social virtues will be banished
the land. All that makes life desirable and
softens the ferocious passions of man will assume
a savage deportment, and like Cain of old, every
man's hand will be against his neighbor. Party
spirit is blind, malevolent, uncandid, ungenerous,
unjust and unforgiving. It is equally so under federal
as under democratic banners, and it would be
difficult to decide which is the least guilty. Upon
both sides are characters who possess honest views
and act from honorable motives; who disdain to be led
blindfold, and who, though entertaining different sentiments,
have for their object the public welfare and
happiness. These are the characters who abhor calumny
and evil speaking, and who will never descend
to newspaper reviling. You have done Mr. Adams
justice in believing him incapable of such conduct.
He has never written a line in any newspaper to
which his signature has not been affixed since he
was first elected President of the United States. The
writers in the public papers and their employers are
altogether unknown to him.
I have seen and known that much of the conduct
of a public ruler is liable to be misunderstood and
misrepresented. Party hatred, by its deadly poison,
to the integrity of the moral character—it sees not
that wisdom dwells with moderation, and that firmness
of conduct is seldom united with outrageous
violence of sentiment. Thus blame is too often liberally
bestowed upon actions, which if fully understood
and candidly judged, would merit praise. And
it is only by the general issue of measures producing
baneful or beneficial effects, that they ought to be
tested. You exculpate yourself from any intentional
act of unkindness towards any one. I will, however,
freely state that which I considered as such. Soon
after my eldest son's return from Europe, he was
appointed by the District Judge to an office in which
no political concerns entered. Personally known to
you, and possessing all the qualifications, you yourself
being judge, which you had designated for office,
as soon as Congress gave the appointments to the
President, you removed him. This looked so particularly
pointed, that some of your best friends in
Boston at that time expressed their regret that you
had done so. I must do him the justice to say that
I never heard an expression from him of censure or
disrespect towards you in consequence of it. With
pleasure I say, that he is not a blind follower of any
party.
I have written to you with a freedom which only
former friendship would warrant: and to which I
would gladly return, could all causes but mere difference
of opinion be removed. I wish to lead a tranquil
and retired life under the administration of the
to cool the raging fury of party animosity,
to soften the rugged spirit of resentment, and desirous
of seeing my children and grandchildren heirs
to that freedom and independence which you and
your predecessor united your efforts to obtain.
With these sentiments, I reciprocate my sincere
wishes for your health and happiness.[1]
| Letters of Mrs. Adams, | |