The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-11-24

* ,rrrus or Mas. ADAMS, the aoic Of John 'aa-
81 ANS, ,oith an Introducing Memoir, 0y "e' "'@""
~ ,,~ CHARLES Francis Adams:
# 1yy ADAMS second President of the United
died at the age Of ninety one, at the ancient
o,t of his family in Quincy, Massachusetts, on the
An Of July 1896, haf century from the day on
.,h;ob be affixed his signature to the Declaration
IN American independence. Eight years before
s death, after n union Of fifty four years, he was
Moxo,ved Of his wife one of tho illusrious WON en-
M New Enand, in that great day of its heroes and
IA sroines The work before us is small selection
sSy,om her letters. Prefxed TO them is memoir,
which while it is q autifuhspecimen in that de-
Mortment of writing affords valuable illustration 10
a%be contents Of the volume.
Mrs Abigail Adams the secon daughter Of
Rev William Smith, the Congregational clergy
man of Weymouth village the coast OF Massa-
4thusetts Bay, bordering upon Quincy, and about
Twelve miles from Boston. Educated ut time
when there public provision IN the colonies
or the instruction Of females, her opportunities for
s,,ei,ectusl culture only such could be
o,nd in private reading, and The society Of her fe-
%.ls friends--"I was never sent to any school,
.hs soys to one Of her correspondence "and female
Education in tho best families went no farther shan
" critng and arithmetic; in some few and rare IN
sispces. music and dancing In her twentieth
Near in October, 1864, she was married TO John
adams He was n yonng lawyer Of rising reputa-
Aionbu, so far were her high des,inies in this union
rom being cpaied, ,hati. appears the disparity
m rank between the minister's daughter and the
1eral aspiraut, presented some interruption to the
eourse of that true love, which, for
Nano,her has never yet been known TO smooth
SM "The father of Mrs. Adams" we quote from the
Memoir, "was pious man, with something of that
NJ Elm of humor, not uncommon among the clergy of
New England, which ordinarily found such field
Nor exercise is displayed in the pages of Cotton
nj ather. He was the father of three daughters,
NIL Of them, women Of uncommon force ofintellect,
&shough the fortunes OF two ofthem confined ITS in
enuence sphere much more dim tied than that
w hich fell to the lot Of Mrs. Adams. II is an
ecdotc, told Of Mr.. Smith, that, upon the marriage
# his eldest daughter MARY he preached TO his
people from the text in the for,ysccond verse Of
"A the tenth chapter Of Luke.-'And Mary has cho-
sen that good part, which shall not be taken away
NJ from her. Two years elapsed, and his second
daughter, the subject of this notice, vas about to
"a marry John Adams, then n lawyer,n good practice,
when some Interpretation of the natch appears to
have manifested itself among portion of his pa
rIs'honers. The profession Of law was, for long
period in the Colonial 'hisoryoi Massachusetts, un
known; and after circumstances called It forth, the
prcjudicrs OF the inhabitants, who thought IL cal
ling hardly honest, were Traycd aganstthose who
adopted it.
There are many stirlivng, who can remember
how strong they rcmrned, even down to the time
ofthe adoption of tls present Federal Constitution;
and the records Of tie General Court, at its very
last session, in 1870, will show that they have not
quite disappeared, to this day. Besides this, the
family Of Mr. adams, the son OF n small farmer of
tho middle Gigs in Braintree, was thought scarcely
Agood euoughto match with the minister 8 daughter
\ descended som so many shining lights of the colo
my Ii is ,robable that Mr. Smith made aware
sof the options expressed among his people; for he
Il is said, Immediately after the marriage took place
30 hav| replied to them with sermon, the text OF
Which, in evident allusion to the objection against
&'awiers, was drawn from Luke vii. SO; 'For John
" e'ne neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and
say Flo hath deoi.' Memoir, PIP. xxxv, xxxv
a., Inc hvst ten years Of Mrs. Adams married
kn'' were passed in tranquil domestic happi
"e~' In August, l774 her husband, entering on
N ""'course of distinguished public service, which
NJ a Iop'ed MN for nearly thirty years. repaired
" 1'esale from Massachusetts, to The General Con-
M e'' while she remained ut home n witness and
oi the severe sufferings of Boston and
n "eghoorhood in the early period of the
u'onary struggle. In the winter of l777-S
;,s made in the interval few short Wis
Aa. "'s family during tho recess of Congress, MI
N a.. '"''ed Tor France, of the commission
n,a;. :" gonate treaty with that power, and re-
Of 'o'oad during the war, with the exception
In. ~, weeks in the autumn of the fol ow wing wear
a ,r.,,. ,."''hg been sent to London TO negotiate
md ', OF Commerce, Mrs.Adams joined him there
Introduced at court the frs: female repre-
NJ, " her country in the diplomatic circles
Aton .c naams returned from Europe on the adop-
elecoa VIC edera Constitution, and having been
for ~ wee PRESIDENT, fixed his winter residence
&,hen y. SESSIONS of Congress, first at New York. and
&of,h. /, nadelphia. When, with the downfall
The p,.a; aoa' party in 1901, he was superseded in
&ear,v L'"cy' he retired to finish hts days at his
ibis fsw w' me- The small property accumulated in
n ' o. professional practice, had been SO