Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1884 — Mercy Warren. [ARTICLE]

Mercy Warren.

One of the very best bits of reading left to us from the early days of the American republic is the correspondence carried on in 1807 between J ohn Adams and Mercy Warren, and first published in the centennial volume of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Mercy Warren was a woman of rare ability and character, the sister of James Otis, the wife of General James Warren, and the author of a history of the American Revolution. John Adams, reading this book after his retirement from office, took offense at certain phrases, and corresponded with her at great length about them, showing in advancing years an undiminished keenness of mind and only an increase of touchy egotism. He makes it, for instance, a subject of sincere indignation when the lady in one case speaks of Franklin and Adams instead of Adains and Franklin. Mrs. Warren, on her side, shows to the greatest advantage, keeps her temper, and gives some keen home thrusts. She shows clearly in this how strongly and even justly a portion of the most intelligent people of Mr. Adams’ own State dreaded what she calls his “marked and uniform preference.to monarchic usagesshe brings him to the admission that he hates “democratic” government, and is satisfied with such republicanism as that of Holland —a nation, which, as he himself says, “has no idea of any republic but an aristocracy”— and that he counts even England a republic, since a republic is merely “a government of more than one.” She even quotes against him his own words, in moments of excited impulse, recognizing monarchy as the probable destiny of the United States. But the most striking fact, after all, is that she, a refined and cultivated woman, accustomed to the best New England society of her time, is found dissenting wholly from the Federalist view of Jefferson. “I never knew,” she bravely says, in answer to a sneer from Mr. Adams, “that ‘my philosophical friend,’ Mr. Jefferson, was afraid to do his duty in any instance. But this I know—he has dared to do many things for his country for which posterity will probably bless his memory; and 1 hope, he will yet, by his wisdom, justice, moderation, and energy, long continue the blessings of peace in our country, and strengthen the republican system to which he has uniformly adhered. ” Such a tribute from a woman like Mercy Warren—a woman then nearly 80 years old, but still showing unimpaired those mental powers of which John Adams had before spoken in terms of almost extravagant praise—is entitled to count for something against the bitterness of contemporary politicians.— T. IK. JHgginson, in Harper’s Magazine.