Transcript for the Piece Audio version of RN Documentary: Adams in Amsterdam Part 2 – Dearest of Friends

“Adams in Amsterdam: Dearest of Friends”

Second program in three-part series commemorating the 225th anniversary of John Adams arrival to Amsterdam in 1780 on behalf of the fledgling United States of America – focusing on the relationship between Adams and his wife Abigail through their letters.

Interviews: David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize biographer “John Adams”
Margaret Logan, Editor, Adams Papers, Mass. Historical Society
Pauline Maier, professor Amer. History, Mass. Inst. Technology

Readings from Letters of John & Abigail Adams
Music from 18th century Dutch & American composers

SCRIPT

VOICE: Radio Netherlands’ Vox Humana presents “Adams in Amsterdam” – a three part series commemorating the 225th anniversary of John Adams’ diplomatic mission to the United Provinces of the Dutch Republic on behalf of the United States of America. “Part Two: Dearest of Friends.” DUR: 20”

MUSIC: Kamermuziek (Adams in A’dam Theme) DUR: 1’53”

ABIGAIL QUOTE: “I received a Letter beginning ‘My dearest Friend.’
That one single expression dwelt upon my mind and played about my heart,
and was more valuable to me than any part of the Letter…” (DUR: 15)

MCCULOUGH: …We’re in Washington DC, right across from the White House… Well, you might like to know that’s the church Adams would’ve attended and, of course, the White House across Lafayette Square. He was the first President to occupy the White House. And Abigail was of course the first First Lady to occupy the White House. And he wrote her a letter. She was a little later arriving than he did and it’s the first letter written by a President from the White House to anyone, in which he said, “May the blessings of heaven be bestowed upon this house. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.” Well, he didn’t know… -Excuse me, look at this fantastic flight of birds out here… (DUR: +/-1’00”)

MUSIC UP

DAVID: John Adams’ journey to the White House included riding horseback from Boston to Philadelphia, sea voyages across the Atlantic, a mountainous trek through Spain, coach trips between Paris and Amsterdam. And from every destination, he wrote letters to his wife, Abigail. When David McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of “John Adams,” is asked if he’d consider writing Abigail’s story, he smiles and says, he’s already written it – that you can’t write the biography of one without the other. He also maintains Adams’ marriage to Abigail was the most important decision of his life.

MCCULLOUGH: I don’t think you can overestimate the influence of Abigail Adams on John Adams. I think that Abigail Adams was, as he said, his ballast – emotionally and in many other ways. But she was also a woman of very strong views and opinions, and perfectly willing to express them. They communicated with each other with absolute candor and at length. There are over 1500 letters between John and Abigail Adams that have survived. Neither one was capable of writing a dull letter or a short one. And the exchange of ideas in them, and the exchange of all of life of the times – the gossip, the worries, the heartaches, of what’s happening today in my life, all of that kind of thing – is rich beyond measure. We can know those two Americans better than we can almost any other Americans of their day. They bring us into their lives, bring us into their world in a fashion that none of the other American protagonists of the 18th century do.
DUR: 1’20”

HOGAN: Letter writing was very important in the 18th century. It was both a way of communicating with people (obviously) but it was also, particularly for younger people, a way of practicing your writing, courting one another, socializing; it was how you maintained relationships. And I think the thing about the Adams’s is, not only did they write a lot more but they also saved their letters and that’s part of why they seem to have written so much more is that more of them have survived. They were very good at keeping letters. DUR: 35”

DAVID: Today those letters are meticulously kept under the care of Margaret Hogan, Series Editor for the Adams Family Correspondence at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston. John and Abigail’s early courtship letters reveal the youthful exuberance of a more innocent time – or was it? In a curious exchange during the spring of 1764, the 28 year old lawyer composes a “catalogue” of her faults, everything from her card-playing to her posture, to which the 19 year old Reverend’s daughter responds, tit for tat…

MUSIC: Colonial DUR: 35”

LETTERS: JA to AA, May 7th & AA to JA, May 9th 1764 DUR: 34”
JOHN… Another Fault, which seems to have been obstinately persisted in, after frequent Remonstrances, Advices and Admonitions of your Friends, is that of sitting with the Legs across. This ruins the figure and the Health…
ABIGAIL… I think that a gentleman has no business to concern himself about the Legs of a Lady; for my part I do not apprehend any bad effects from the practice; but as you desire it, and that it may not for the future Trouble yourself so much about it, will reform…

HOGAN: I think they were very racy courtship letters. They really are expressing a certain amount of physical passion for one another and I think its interesting to compare the courtship letters to later letters as their relationship matures. I think they don’t lose that sense of passion but it does deepen – having the children changes things. But I’m still so struck by how much passion they express in those letters to one another in those early days. Clearly they wanted to be together in all ways. DUR: 35”

DAVID: After a five year courtship, John and Abigail married. Living on the Adams family farm in Braintree, they soon had a family of their own. John was often away on business – and even if just a few miles away in Boston, they wrote each other. But when dark clouds of dissent began to form, as New England colonists talked of freedom from British tyranny, the tone of their letters began to change.

HOGAN: There’s a period between after they get married and before John really becomes involved in public life where John is riding the circuits – essentially going from court to court. So he’ll be up in Falmouth, Maine or over in Worchester and those letters have kind of a newsy quality to them - here’s what’s going on day to day. They’re still very affectionate but they’re not quite as urgent as the courtship letters. They’re apart and want to be together. And they don’t have the sense of tension that comes up later once John’s in Philadelphia, once the political situation is becoming increasingly dire, when it’s less clear when John is going to be coming home again. When Abigail sends him off to the Continental Congress, both the first one and the second Congress, it’s not clear how long these are going to last. It’s not clear what the British are going to do. The British are hovering around Boston and she’s right in the middle of the military conflict. But it’s not clear that all the congressmen aren’t going to be arrested and executed for treason. DUR: 1’18”

MUSIC: Colonial

LETTER: AA to JA Braintree August 19, 1774 DUR: 40”
“The great distance between us, makes the time appear very long to me. It already seems a month since you left me. The great anxiety I feel for my country, for you and for our family renders the day tedious, and the night unpleasant. The Rocks and quick Sands appear upon every side. What course you can or will take is all wrapt in the Bosom of futurity. Uncertainty and expectation leave the mind great Scope. Did ever any Kingdom or State regain their Liberty, when once it was invaded, without Blood shed? I cannot think of it without horror…”

LETTER: JA to AA Prince Town New Jersey Aug. 28th 1774 DUR: 25”
“…I am anxious for our perplexed, distressed Province – hope they will be directed into the right Path. Let me intreat you, my Dear, to make yourself as easy and quiet as possible. Resignation to the Will of Heaven is our only Resource in such dangerous Times. Prudence and Caution should be our Guides. I have the strongest Hopes, that We shall yet see a clearer Sky, and better Times…”

HOGAN: Abigail’s letters from Boston during the Congress when Boston is really under siege by the British provided John with a lot of important information… They didn’t send them by the public port riders because they were not very reliable. You wanted to send them in some way that you were pretty sure they were going to get there. But definitely what she had to say was very important and its one of the ways John kept as well informed as he did in Congress and I suspect that really influenced what he was saying in Congress and his ability to push for independence – somewhat really ahead of many other members of Congress. He was better informed about what was happening in Boston and that this was a very serious situation. DUR: 52”

MUSIC: Colonial

LETTER: JA to AA February 18, 1776 DUR: 40”
My dearest Friend,
I sent you from New York a Pamphlet intitled Common Sense, written in Vindication of Doctrines which there is Reason to expect that further Encroachments of Tyranny and Depredations of Oppression, will soon make the common Faith…
The News Papers here are full of free Speculations, the Tendency of which you will easily discover. (The Writers reason from Topics which have long been in Contemplation, and fully understood by the People at large in New England, but have been attended to in the southern Colonies only by Gentlemen of free Spirits and liberal Minds, who are very few.) I shall endeavour to inclose to you as many Papers and Pamphlets as I can, as long as I stay here…

LETTER: AA to JA Braintree March 31, 1776 DUR: 1’22”
I feel very differently at the approach of spring to what I did a month ago… I think the Sun looks brighter, the Birds sing more melodiously, and Nature puts on a more cheerful countenance. We feel a temporary peace…
I long to hear that you have declared an independency – and by the way, in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or Representation… (1’00”)
(Men of Sense in all Ages abhor those customs which treat us only as vassals of your Sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your protection and in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that power only for our happiness.)

MUSIC UP

HOGAN: Abigail’s “Remember the Ladies” letter – it’s a tricky one to know what to make of it because I think she is serious but she’s also kidding a little bit. I don’t know that I call her a proto-feminist but she was interested in women’s issues. She certainly thought women needed to be listened to – that they were perfectly capable of running households and that’s what she did. She certainly ran her husband’s household very effectively for many years. On the other hand, she also thought her role was of wife and mother. I don’t think she was saying, I should be allowed to be in Congress. She wasn’t advocating the vote. But she did want to make sure women were treated fairly and that they weren’t left out and considered only chattel to their husbands. She wanted more than that for women. She wanted education for women. She wanted a recognition that women could make contributions in public life… DUR: 1’10”

MAIER: Politics weren’t considered part of the women’s sphere in the 18th century. But Abigail was very educated and interested and John Adams felt perfectly comfortable discussing almost everything with Abigail. She certainly was his firmest and most reliable supporter and a very good political advisor… Well, in the 1770’s - a lot of the responsibility for the family fell on Abigail. And what is interesting, in part, was how able she was at doing that. But John Adams’ willingness to resign those traditionally male roles to his wife – I think it takes a man peculiarly sure of himself – certainly in an 18th century context – to let his wife simply take over the management of the finances of the family. She was very good and it freed him for the political roles that he was playing on the national sphere once he went to the 2nd Continental Congress. DUR: 1’05”

DAVID: Pauline Maier is professor of American History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of “American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence.”

MAIER: Well, I think John Adams’ role was certainly central in independence. He was the most vocal supporter of independence in the 2nd Continental Congress. He brought in the critical resolutions in May which are little known, actually, within the United States but they are the first attacks on the King that the Congress endorsed. And to attack the King in the 18th century was equivalent to declare revolution. Those same resolutions called for the repression of all authority under the Crown and the establishing of new governments within the Colonies that would be founded on the authority of the people… And I think he was extremely articulate in arguing for independence whenever the Congress debated it… I think without the kind of grassroots organization I personally think John Adams was deeply involved it, independence would not have been adopted in July as unanimously as it was… Now, they didn’t leave a lot of tracks, but what tracks remain look like John Adams’ shoes to me. DUR: 1’12”

MUSIC: Colonial DUR: 1’15”

LETTER: JA to AA Philadelphia, July 3rd 1776 DUR: 57”
…The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. – I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding Generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. – I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. – Yet through all the Gloom, I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory…

MUSIC: Colonial DUR: 46”

LETTER: AA to JA Sunday July 14 DUR: 45”
By yesterday’s post I received two Letters dated 3 and 4 of July and though your Letters never fail to give me pleasure, be the subject what it will, yet it was greatly heightened by the prospect of the future happiness and glory of our Country; nor am I a little Gratified when I reflect that a person so nearly connected with me has had the Honour of being a principal actor, in laying a foundation for its future Greatness. May the foundation of our new constitution, be justice, Truth and Righteousness. Like the wise Mans house, may it be founded upon those Rocks and then neither storms or tempests will overthrow it…

DAVID: Declaring independence was one thing, gaining it quite another. The American patriots were sorely in need of funding for their struggle, so in December of 1777 John Adams embarked on the first of two diplomatic missions to seek political and financial support in Europe. His absence would test the strength of the couple’s bond more so than ever before.

MUSIC: Colonial DUR: 1’45”

LETTER AA to JA December 27 1778 DUR: 1’33”
How lonely are my days? How solitary are my nights?… Can the {dearest}of Friends recollect that for 14 years past, I have not spent a whole winter alone…
How insupportable the Idea that 3000 leagues, and the vast ocean now devide us – but devide only our persons for the Heart of my Friend is in the Bosom of his partner. More than half a score years has so riveted it there, that the Fabrick which contains it must crumble into Dust, e’er the particles can be separated.
“For in one fate, our Hearts our Fortunes
And our Beings blend.”
I cannot describe to you How much I was affected the other day with a Scotch song which was sung to me by a young Lady in order to divert a Melancholy hour… It has beauties in it to me, which an indifferent person would not feel perhaps –
His very foot has Musick in’t,
As he comes up the stairs.
How oft has my Heart danced to the sound of that Musick?
And shall I see his face again?
And shall I hear him speak?
…I am sometimes quite discouraged from writing. So many vessels are taken, that there is Little chance of a Letter reaching your Hands. That I meet with so few returns is a circumstance that lies heavy at my Heart…

MUSIC: Kamermuziek

LETTER - JA to AA Amsterdam, September 4, 1780 DUR: 40”
My dear Portia
…We are all Impatience to hear from North America...
I have been here three or four Weeks, and have spent my time very agreeably here. I am very much pleased with Holland. It is a singular Country. It is like no other. It is all Effect of Industry, and the Work of Art…

(INSERT NEXT ABIGAIL LETTER, and continue…)

The Frugality, Industry, Cleanliness, &c. here, deserve the Imitation of my Countrymen. The Fruits of these Virtues has been immense wealth, and great Prosperity. They are not Ambitious, and therefore happy. They are very sociable, however, in their peculiar Fashion.
Adieu, yours forever.

LETTER – AA to JA November 24 DUR: 30”
When Captain Davis arrived… the News of your being in Amsterdam soon reached me, but judge of my disappointment when I learnt that he had thrown over all his Letters, being chased by an American privateer, who foolishly kept up British colors till she came along side of him. One only was saved by some accident and reached me after hearing that the whole were lost. This, though short, was a cordial to my Heart…

HOGAN: Abigail definitely does write more to John, particularly when he’s in the Netherlands and in France as well prior to that. I think it’s a little unfair to John to say he wasn’t writing as much. He wasn’t writing as much to Abigail because he had all of his public letters to be writing. He had a lot of business that was going on, whereas Abigail could really make John her primary correspondent. And I think that frustrated Abigail. She wanted more letters from him and she wanted more personal letters from him. One of the things she complained about when John was in France and a little bit when he was in the Netherlands was that John wrote very formal, polite, but not loving letters. He used to write very intimate letters when he was down in Philadelphia, for instance. And Abigail was still pouring her heart out to him and wanted to have some kind of reciprocity. She missed him a great deal and John was being very formal. He was concerned that his letters would be captured and that this would cause some kind of scandal. He didn’t want too much of his personal life to be fodder for the British press. But Abigail felt, like, Do you still love me? Do you still remember me? You’ve been gone for so many years. You think these other places are so wonderful and you talk about how beautiful they are and how beautiful the women are there. And I think she gets jealous. DUR: 1’30”

MUSIC: Kamermuziek

LETTER – JA to AA Amsterdam April 28 1781 DUR: 38”
My dearest Friend
Congress have been pleased to give me so much other business to do, that I have not time to write either to Congress, or to private Friends so often as I used.
…I am now fixed to this Country, until I shall be called away to Conferences for Peace, or recalled by Congress. I have accordingly taken a House in Amsterdam upon the Keysers Gragt i.e. the Emperors Canal, near the Spiegel Straat i.e. the Looking Glass street, so you may Address your Letters to me, there…” (33”)
(I don’t expect to stay long in Europe. – I really hope I shall not. – Things don’t go to my mind…)

LETTER – AA to JA Sept 29 1781 DUR: 14”
So you have set down at Amsterdam in the House keeping way. What if I should take a trip across the Atlantick? I tell Mrs. Dana we should pass very well for natives…

LETTER – JA to AA Dec 2 1781 DUR: 33”
I am keeping House, but I want an Housekeeper. What a fine Affair it would be if We could flit across the Atlantic as they say the Angels do from Planet to Planet. I would dart to Pens hill and bring you over on my Wings. But alas We must keep house separately for some time.
But one thing I am determined on. If God should please to restore me once more to your fireside, I will never again leave it without your Ladyships Company… I would give a Million sterling that you were here…

HOGAN: I think he definitely was missing her more and more as he was away from home. I think when he first went over to Europe on his second trip over, he had hopes that this would not be four or five years. And, I think, in France initially he was with other Americans, the novelty of being over there – by the time he’s in the Netherlands and then back in France, it’s starting to drag on. And I also think there’s a little bit of anticipation – the more they realize this isn’t going to end any time soon and maybe Abigail needs to come over to Europe – I think the idea that she’s going to be here soon means he feels all the more isolated while waiting for her or trying to convince her to come over. But every delay means it’s that much further away and I think he does feel increasingly alone. DUR: 52”

DAVID: The Revolution had ended but John was still in Europe. Abigail finally overcame her fear of sea voyages to meet him in London. What we know of their long-awaited reunion, are a few lines in another letter…

MUSIC: Kamermuziek

LETTER – AA to Mary Cranch DUR: 20”
You will chide me… but you know my dear Sister, that poets and painters wisely draw a veil over those Scenes which surpass the pen of one and the pencil of the other; we were indeed a very very happy family once more met together after a separation of four years.

HOGAN: She doesn’t say much about their meeting. She thinks that that is between the two of them. And I think that’s very appropriate. It must’ve been a wonderful reunion and one best left to the imagination. DUR: 15”

DAVID: Once on the other side of the Atlantic, Abigail accompanied her “dearest of Friends” on visits to the Continent. She was dismayed by the decadence and frivolity of Paris… but most impressed with the cleanliness and “spirit of liberty” in Holland.

MUSIC: Kamermuziek DUR: 1’37”

LETTER – AA to Daughter/Sister DUR: 1’27”
“If politeness and attention could render a place agreeable, I have had more reason to be pleased with this Country, than any other that I have visited… The respect which we received, where ever we went, was striking proof not only of their personal esteem, but of the Ideas they entertain with respect to the Revolution which gave birth to the connection with us…
As to the Country, I do not wonder that Swift gave it the name of Nick Frog, tho I do not carry the Idea so far as some, who insist that the people resemble the frog in the shape of their faces and form of their Bodies. They appear to be a well fed, well Clothed contented happy people, very few objects of wretchedness present themselves to your view, even amidst the immense Concourse of people in the city of Amsterdam…
Since their intercourse with America, the English Language is considered an essential part of education. I would not omit to mention that I visited the Church in Leyden in which our forefathers worshipped when they fled from hierarchical tyranny and persecution. I felt a respect and veneration upon entering the Doors, like what the ancients paid to their Druids…
Adieu Papa calls to tea again, and you know, that I must hasten. Adieu you cannot want more to see us, than we do to return again to you…

MUSIC UP TO END

MUSIC: Adams Theme DUR: 54”

OUTRO: “Dearest of Friends” featured Adams biographer David McCullough, Margaret Hogan of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and Pauline Maier, M.I.T. professor of American History. The letters were read by Robert Chesal and Michele Ernsting. Special thanks to University of Amsterdam professor Herman Belien, and Monique Knapen of the John Adams Institute. The program was produced & presented by David Swatling, with sound engineer Robert Geisselbach. Vox Humana is a Radio Netherlands presentation.

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