It wasn't for lack of trying. After he'd spent years on and off in Philly getting the government established, he was home at last. He was off in another town doing a legal case when a letter came from someone official and Abigail opened it, as was usual. When she found out that they wanted to send him to FRANCE for years, she ripped the poor sender a new one. But John went, and she eventually joined him for a while.