The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-04
PRESIDENT .dDANS'S LITTER.
Office Of the .fnfi- Mona rcGiss.

Northampton, Massachusetts, in answer
to letter, dated March 5, 1909, which
they addressed to him, at the desire Of
the republicans Of this town, requesting
him to express his opinion respecting the
present circumstances OF the natio,., viii,
regard to foreign powers, and domestic
pa .ies.-Mr. Adams's letter was dated
Quincy. March Is, and has the post mark
: OF the Quincy post Office, and franked by
Mr.. Adams The original is left at the
post office, for the inspection of those who
may wish to see it. $3.50 80
QUINCY, March IS, 1909.
GENTLEmEN,
have received your very civil letter OF
the third of this month with emotions very
similar to those which felt many years ago
upon the following occasion.
Returning from Holland to Paris in 1854,
was invited to dine with my wife and
daughter by the Baron de Staci, Ambassa-
DOR from Sweden. AS was the first of the
corps diplomatic. who arrived. the Ambas-
sador was showing me a fine Portrait of the
hlnS OF Sweden, l,s master, when the couns
!; 'eodati, Ambassador from the Ecctor OF
Saxony came in. After compliments to tie
Staei, Deodati turned to me, whom he had
known several years before, and the follow
ing dialogue ensued.
Oeodati: Very we'll! Mr.. Adams, You
AiS a h>cPuOlCaH suppose. 49, - t3s,4s,
adams. You are in the right, Mr.. An
bassatlor, have the honor to be Republican.
Heodaff. And your countrymen are re-
pabhcans and your Government is repubIi-
can.
!. adams. Certainly. NV countrymen are
Republican & our government is republican,.
Oeodati. And you have made your coun-
trymen and your government Republican.
:. '1odms. Not at all, Sir. my country and
its government have been republican from
their origin, and long before was born
Deodati. Very well You at least have
made your Country very celebrated. You
have made it independent-You have made
an astonishing treaty with Holland-Yoa
nave made marvellous peace with Eng
land-fou have made her acknowledge YOUR
ind 'pendencc, &c. &C. &c.
adams. j beg your pardon, sir, you are too
polite You do me too much honor. / have
no pretensions to have performed all those
great achievements. Ihave acted part ia
some OF those affairs, but
DeodaH. But Very wnll 81 will nn.y t.l,
you the recompence you will receive for al,
that YOU have done.
adams. l shall be very glad to hear your
concerning my destiny
OeodaH. Your fortune will be that of all
the republicans. Of Arstdes of Phocion:
OF Miltiades of Scipio; &c. sc. &c.
adams. / believe it,
OeodoH. You believe it?
adams. Yes
oesaasi. YOU viii experience ali the in
gratitude, all the injustice of the ancient
adams. expect it and always have ex-
pected it.
Deodak. You will be ill-treated, hated
despised and prosecuted.
adams. have no doubt of all that. is
in the ordinary nature and course of things.
OeodaH. Your virtue must be very hero
ical or your philosophy very stoical to un-
dertake all these adventures, with your eyes
open, for such reward
SO much Tor Deodati and his warning voice:
and so much for my we'll grounded anticipa-
tons.
This is no fabulous dialogue of the dead
but strict historical truth.
A curious coalition of French and ENGLISH
emissaries with federal and republican Ii
bellers have so completely fulfilled the pro-
phecy OF Deodati and my own forebodings, SO
totally destroyed my reputation by their ca
dummies, that have neither power nor inf,u-
ence to do any thing for my country, to assist
her In her present dIstresses or guard her
against future calamities
Nothing remains to me but the right of
private judgment, and that exercise freely
and communicate my sentiments as freely
to those who wish to know them.
AM totis viri6us with my whole
strength against any dipision of the uni
ON, by the North River or by the Delaware
river or by the Potomac, or any other river
or by any chain of mountains. / am for
maintaining the indehendence of the nation,
at all events
1 am no advocate for Mr. Cores decla-
ration Of scar against France. Knowing,
as do, from personal experience, the na-
fuaAy friendly dishositions 6etgveen tic
feofte Of Trance and The heohie Of sfrneri-
ca, Bonaparte out OF the question, should
be very sorry to see them converted into ILL
will and our old English hrejudices reuiu-
ed. Lasting injuries and msfortunes would
arise to this country from such a change.
am aUerse also TO zvar 4pith ENGLAND.
and wish to maintain oug neutrality as long
as possible, without conceding important
principles. If either fthe belligerent pow
ers force us into a war, 1 am for fighting
mat power, which ever it may be.
l always consider the whole nation as nv
children but they have almost all been un-
dutiiul to me- You two gentlemen are all
most the only ones out of my own house,
who have for a long time, and thaI,k you
for 1T, expressed filial affection for
JOHN ADAMS.
Mr.. Daniel Hright aJ
Mr. EraskuS Lyman