Correspondence with John
from "American Reader"
(American Memory Collection, Library of Congress)
do not let their husbands in power so unlimited. Remember, all men will become tyrants whenever possible.
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Ai Biqi. Adams (1744-1818) was born in Massachusetts and read a lot of history books mainly through self-study. Married to John in 1764. Adams, he was a young Boston lawyer at the time. During the years when Adams was away from home and was busy with official duties, the couple kept communicating regularly. For many years-when John. When Adams attended the Continental Congress, or went abroad as a diplomat, or when he was vice president and president---Aibqi. Adams often writes to family and friends describing her own life. She not only defended the rights of women, but also opposed slavery.
On March 31, 1776, when the Continental Congress was seriously considering independence, Abigail. Adams wrote to her husband. After describing the arrival of spring in Massachusetts, she reminded her husband to "remember the ladies" when formulating the new code. In Adams' reply to his wife on April 14, 1776, he regarded her "special code" as a little joke for his beloved wife.
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Abiqi's letter to John
...I look forward to hearing your announcement of independence. By the way, I think you will need to establish a new code. In this new code, we hope you will remember the ladies and be more generous and better to them than your ancestors. Don't let husbands hold such unlimited power. Remember, all men will become tyrants whenever possible. If we do not give special care and attention to the ladies, we are determined to incite everyone to rebel, and we will not let those laws that we do not have a say or participate in to enact laws to bind us.
You men are inherently domineering, this is a certain fact, beyond dispute. However, people like you who wish to be happy are very willing to give up the harsh title of "master" and replace it with the more gentle and kind title of "friend". Then, why don’t you make those evil and lawless people unable to treat us with cruel methods and insults with impunity. In any age, reasonable people hate those customs that treat us only as your men's vases. Please treat us as beings under your protection by God, imitate God and use that power only for the benefit of us.
John's letter to Abigail
... As for your special code, I can only laugh it off. People have already told us that our struggle has loosened the government's control everywhere. Children and apprentices became disobedient, riots in elementary, middle schools and universities, Indians despised guardians, and black slaves were rude and rude to their masters. However, your letter officially declares for the first time that there is another ethnic group that breeds dissatisfaction, and this group has more people and greater strength than all other ethnic groups. You gave me a very tricky suggestion, but since you have proposed it so arrogantly, I will not forget it.
It can be said with certainty that apart from abolishing our male system, we know what to do better. Although these male systems are now fully implemented. But you know they are just theories. We dare not fully exercise our power. We must be fair and gentle, in fact you know that we are all common people. We only have the name of the master, and we would rather give up this status, so that we are fully subordinated to the tyranny of women. I hope that General Washington and all of our brave heroes will fight. I am sure that every good politician will plan for life against despotism, empire, monarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy or mob politics. This is indeed a beautiful story. I began to think that the cabinet was both far-sighted and evil. After inciting Torys, land speculators, wallists, fanatics, Canadians, Indians, blacks, Hanovers, Hessians, Russians, Irish Roman Catholics, Scottish apostates, In the end they provoked the ladies to demand new privileges and threatened to rebel.
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ABIGAIL to JOHN
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 perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.
That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute, but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of Master for the more lender and endearing one of Friend. Why then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the Lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity. Men of Sense in all Ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your Sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your protection and in immitation of the Supreem Being make use of that power only for our happiness.
JOHN to ABIGAIL
... As to your extraordinary Code of Laws, cannot but laugh. We have been told that our Struggle has loosened the bands of Government every where. That Children and Apprentices were disobedient--that schools and Colledges were grown turbulent--that Indians slighted Their Guardians and Negroes grew insolent to Their Masters. But your Letter was the first Intimation that another Tribe more numerous and powerfull than all the rest were grown discontented.--This is rather too coarse a Compliment but you are so saucy, I wont blot it out.
Depend upon it, We know better than to repeal our Masculine systems. Altho they are in full Force, you know they are little more than Theory. We dare not exert our Power in its full Latitude. We are obliged to go fair, and softly , and in Practice you know We are the subjects. We have only the Name of Masters, and rather than give up this, which would compleatly subject Us to the Despotism of the Peticoat, I hope General Washington, and all our brave Heroes would fight . I am sure every good Politician would plot, as long as he would against Despotism, Empire, Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, or Ochlocracy.--A fine Story indeed. I begin to think the Ministry as deep as they are wicked.
After stirring up Tories, Landjobbers, Trimmers , Bigots, Canadians, Indians, Negroes, Hanoverians, Hessians, Russians, Irish Roman Catholicks, Scotch Renegadoes, at last they have stimulated the [Ladies] to demand new Priviledges and threaten to rebell.
God gives I'm a wife like this.
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