February 10th, 1796
He won! HE WON! By Heaven’s grace, my husband has won! He is now the President of the United States! I always knew that my John John – ahem, John, would be president someday. He was always grumbly about being Vice-president to Washington, and being second-in-command and all and all that other nonsense (he claims that he lost because unlike Washington, he has ne’ry a hair on his scalp, thus bearing resemblance to a shiny egg for a head). My, the excuses that men make! Anyways, as a victory celebration, I chose to forgo the usual, but still appetizing delight of meatloaf and garlic paste, and serve instead a grandeur meal of meatloaf, garlic paste, and a dash of liver onions! Oh, I can imagine his positively beaming face right now! At any rate, we are to move into the newly built President’s House in a few months’ time (not the White House, you know, which won’t be built until after the President’s House is burnt down by the British in 1814 as a result of British military provocations, thus bringing about a whole new war sure to ravage the American landscape and how am I supposed to know this?!?!?!) Heh Heh… please do discount that most disturbing thought. Still, I do expect a life of luxury at its peak; after all, we are the First Couple now, are we not? Heh, I’d love to see the looks of all the other gals at the parlour after having to address me as “Lady Adams”. But the more pressing matter at hand is the fact that Jefferson is now the vice-president – how on Earth are two political rivals supposed to work together? Oh well, seeing as how much I know both John and Tom, they can settle things over a cup of my homemade tea!
January 8th, 1798
Oh, things do seem most distasteful as of yet. My husband is now faced with the threat of war with France over our cancelling of the military alliance between us and declaring neutrality in the war between Britain and France. French ships are marauding American merchant vessels and plundering their cargo – their nerve! And to think that we just ended a similar confrontation with Britain, and that we had to make a secret treaty with the British so as to not anger the French! To make things worse my husband has passed a series of laws called The Alien and Sedition Acts. Though meant to target foreign enemies within the country and potential saboteurs, my husband is using it as a ploy to silence all critics of the Federalist party—his party—and as predicted, Jefferson branded the laws as unconstitutional and called John a stark-raving mad dog! Hard-lined resistance—even revolt—against these laws seem imminent, and if not removed, it may endanger my husband’s chances at re-election… oh my; if he loses the next election, that means no more of the presidential luxuries, which mean no more pride among the ladies, and that means self-ruin and degradation, and—NO! I would not have it! I’ll have him re-elected… even if it means circle around disparaging rumors, slit a few throats, poison a few drinks, and as a last resort, to*ahem* removing potential hostilities with said-graceful lady charms. Oh, how helpless a man is without a woman’s backing…
Abigail Adams
