Abigail Adams Quotes
I am less worried serving 100 people here at Montpelier than I am serving 25 people in Washington.
the Adams’ home in Massachusetts
Abigail Adams, 1744-1818, Writer and First Lady (John Adams), Quoted on C-SPAN, First Ladies, July 4, 2013
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
There was a social custom amongst the wealthy women of early American society where if they were moving to a new town, they would present their cards to the established female residents, who would then visit the newcomer at her home. Dolley Madison, anxious to bring some social civilization to Washington, still a rough swamp area, went out of her way to visit all comers and the Cabinet (Department) wives then did the same. However, as the government and Washington grew, this became more and more difficult, and subsequent first ladies wanted more of their privacy and time devoted to family. As America grew in importance, more counties sent ambassadors to Washington, and their wives all expected to be visited and invited. See {620648} for more on the “obligations” of a first lady and cabinet wives.
There was a social custom amongst the wealthy women of early American society where if they were moving to a new town, they would present their cards to the established female residents, who would then visit the newcomer at her home. Dolley Madison, anxious to bring some social civilization to Washington, still a rough swamp area, went out of her way to visit all comers and the Cabinet (Department) wives then did the same. However, as the government and Washington grew, this became more and more difficult, and subsequent first ladies wanted more of their privacy and time devoted to family. See {620647} for more.
Before assuming the presidency in 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife called on President and Mrs. Hoover in the White House. Social custom required that the call be returned, but Roosevelt told the outgoing President, "I realize, Mr. President, that you are extremely busy, so I will understand if you do not return the call." Hoover responded:
This quotation not only gives us a good insight into Dolley Madison’s character and popularity but illustrates the sad fact that until much later there were no provisions made for the retirement and the families of American Presidents. The fact that a former slave actually gave his own money to help support his ex-owner is a testament to her popularity and a poignant story of its own. Daniel Webster incidentally loaned Jennings the money with which to buy his freedom.
Luce was the publisher of Life and Time Magazines, the two most important and influential magazines in the country. Mrs. Truman was a plain woman who most of the time of her husband’s presidency did not even live in Washington DC and she did not participate in politics, and never campaigned. Harry Truman resented the fact that she was be criticized by Mrs. Luce and would not have the Luce’s at the White House thereafter.
This is a wonderful contemporaneous assessment of Abraham Lincoln in his second year of his Presidency by America’s then greatest writer. He had met with Lincoln in the midst of the war and his first few lines reflect on that interview, given Lincoln’s great responsibilities and burden.
Abigail Adams was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She is sometimes considered to have been a Founder of the United States, and is now designated as the first Second Lady and second First Lady of the United States, although these titles were not used at the time. She and Barbara Bush are the only two women to be married to one U.S. president and the mother of another.
