1William Smith to Richard Peters and Benjamin Franklin, [February 1754] (Franklin Papers)
Letter: ALS : American Philosophical Society; enclosure: draft: American Philosophical Society The attitudes and behavior of the Germans of Pennsylvania toward politics, defense, and war had concerned Franklin as far back as 1747, when he flattered them in Plain Truth , hoping to win their support for the Association (see above, III , 203). He did not succeed in detaching them from the...
2William Smith to Thomas Penn, [September? 1755] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania In June 1755 Franklin had written that he “liked neither the Governor’s Conduct, nor the Assembly’s; and having some Share in the Confidence of both, I have endeavour’d to reconcile ’em but in vain,” and that “Our Friend [William] Smith will be very serviceable here.” By November, however, Franklin thought Governor Morris “half a Madman” and a year...
3To George Washington from William Smith, 10 November 1757 (Washington Papers)
You’ll perceive your name in the list of those who ’tis hoped will encourage the enclosed Magazine, & I hope you’ll forgive the Liberty we have taken as you are placed in good Company & in a good design. Tis a work which may be rendered of very general Service to all the Colonies. We shall be under particular Obligations for every Subscriber you can procure, to give the work a general Run. I...
4William Smith: An Answer to Mr. Franklin’s Remarks, [7 December 1764] (Franklin Papers)
[William Smith], An Answer to Mr. Franklin’s Remarks, on a Late Protest. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by William Bradford, at his Book-Store, in Market-street, adjoining the London Coffee-House. 1764. (Yale University Library) On December 7, 1764, precisely one month after Franklin had left Philadelphia, the printer William Bradford published an anonymous pamphlet replying to Franklin’s...
5To Benjamin Franklin from William Smith, 3 May 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Agreeable to the Directions of our Philosophical Society, I have sent in a small Box by Faulkner, (directed to you) 11 Copies of the 1st. Vol. of the Transactions of the said Society; which they request you, as their President, to deliver as they are directed viz 1 Copy to the Royal Society; Do. Royal College of Physicians; Society of Arts &c. British...
6To Benjamin Franklin from William Smith, 16 May 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I was favoured with your obliging Letter, acknowleging the Receipt of sundry Copies of our Transactions for some learned Societies and Gentlemen in England, and informing us that you had delivered the Books accordingly. I was then preparing to embark for Carolina, where I was lucky enough to get One Thousand Guineas for our College, which is at present in...
7To Benjamin Franklin from John Lawrence and William Smith, 19 July 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society At the Request of Mrs. Mecum (who has been an Inhabitant of this City for some time past and behav’d with Prudence and Industry) We take the Liberty to Inform you that her husband’s Conduct is such, as to render her Scituation Disagreeable, and at times very Dangerous he being often Depriv’d of his Reason, and likely to become very Troublesome to the...
8To Alexander Hamilton from William Smith, 9 April 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
The Convention on having granted a Permission to Mr. Le Roy to repair to head Quarters in order to solicit leave to go to New York; And having omitted to take his Parole, they beg the favor of you to carry the enclosed Resolution into execution. I am Sir Your most Obedt. Servt. By Order. LS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Smith, a delegate from Suffolk, wrote in his capacity as...
9To George Washington from William Smith, 15 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from William Smith, 15 Aug. 1778. On 21 Aug., GW wrote Smith : “I received your letter of the 15th Inst. by Lieut. Colonel Burr.”
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Smith, 4 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With the greatest Submission I make Bould to Acquaiante you of my present Unhappey Situation. Sr: I am a Subject of Amaraca— Bowrn in Balltamoore in Mareyland; was tacken twice in Amaraca; and once by a Cutter Belonging to Mr: Doubray of Guransey have been Wondd: Twice in the Servise and when the Bonemme Ritchard Capt. Joans fitted out from Leorant I...
11To George Washington from William Smith, 1 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honor herewith to transmit to you the Certificate or Diploma of your Election into the American Philosophical Society; which ought to have been made out at the Time of its Date. As this Business, viz. the preparing the Draft (which was to be a special one) & getting it engross’d, lay upon the then acting Secretary, it is my Duty to make an apology for the Delay; and to assure your...
12To George Washington from William Smith, 8 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
By Order and in Behalf of the Visitors of Kent-County School, I have the Honor to enclose to your Excellency an Act of the General Assembly of Maryland "for erecting a College at Chester," for the Benefit of the Eastern Shore, or Peninsula between Chesopeake and Delaware Bays; which they have dignified with the auspicious Name of—"Washington College, in the State of Maryland, in honorable &...
13To George Washington from William Smith, 23 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I ought long since to have acknowleged the Receipt of your Excellency’s polite Letter of the 1 8th of August, as well as to have return’d the grateful Acknowlegments of the Visitors & Governors of Washington College , for your liberal Benefaction to that rising and already flourishing Seminary. Sensible of your disinterested Services to your Country, it was not our Wish that you should put...
14To George Washington from William Smith, 5 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
In the Name & Behalf of the Visitors & Governors of Washington College and by their Order, I beg Leave to acquaint you that their annual Visitation is to be held on Tuesday May 18th instant. At that Meeting they hope for the Presence of the Visitors in General, who are Gentlemen of the first Distinction from every County on the Eastern Shore of this State. As the General Assembly have...
15To George Washington from William Smith, 13 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
Being at this Place, on a Journey for the Purpose of collecting in the former Subscriptions, & raising some new Ones for our College, I met the Bearer, Mr David Arell, who lives at Alexandria, & gives me an Opportunity of enclosing & forwarding for your Perusal, the printed Account of Washington-College, the List of Subscribers & present State of the Seminary. The Design of the Publication is...
16To John Adams from William Smith, 2 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you about 3 Weeks since by Col. Norton & inclos’d you some of our last papers. since which a Meeting of the Merchants & Traders of this Town has been held to consider what measures were necessary to be taken, to place the trade of the Continent, on a respectable footing. they have drawn up a petition to Congress, recommending a general system of Commerce thro’ the United-States, &...
17To John Adams from William Smith, 19 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
As the Revenue Act has past the House & it is probable may now be before the Senate, I will take the freedom to hint to you the uneasiness that prevails here respecting the duty of 5 Cents fixed on Molasses, without permitting a drawback on the Rum exported to foreign Markets. 6 to 7000 Hh ds of Rum are exported from this State annually to foreign ports, & the quantity is encreasing, as New...
18To George Washington from William Smith, 21 September 1789 (Washington Papers)
From an Acquaintance and an occasional Correspondence wch I had the Honor & Happiness to commence with You more than thirty years ago, & from the indulgent Notice which you have been pleased to take of me, both in my public & private Capacity, on various Occasions since that Time, I am induced to enclose to you my “Proposals for Printing a Body of Sermons upon the most important Branches of...
19To Alexander Hamilton from William Smith, 18 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Boston, November 18, 1789. “I have the honor to inclose you a Letter from the Boston Marine Society with a Letter for the President of the United States from the Merchants of Boston.…” ALS , RG 26, Lighthouse Letters Received, Vol. “B,” New Hampshire and Massachusetts, National Archives. Smith was secretary of the Boston Marine Society. Mungo Mackay to H, November 16, 1789 .
20To John Adams from William Smith, 14 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
By direction of the Boston Marine Society, I have the honor to forward you by the Hon ble. M r. Otis a Certificate of your admission as a Member of that Society the 6 th of November 1768.— I am with Respect / Y r H Ser t. RC ( Adams Papers ); internal address: “His Ex y. John Adams Esq r. ” Boston merchant William Smith’s enclosure has not been found. Established in June 1742 and incorporated...
21To John Adams from William Smith, 24 April 1790 (Adams Papers)
It is sometime since I had the pleasure of addressing you but as I know it will not be displeasing to know the sentiments of your countrymen, on the determination of Congress not to assume the State Debts, I wou’d mention them.— the State Creditors think they are equally entitl’d to the benefits of the Gen l. Government with the Continental Creditors. their property or services were advanc’d...
22To John Adams from William Smith, 12 June 1790 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowledge the Rec t. of your esteem’d favor of the 20 Ult o. Our Gen l. Assembly are now in Session. their Conduct thus farr has been perfectly Fœderal, how long it may continue is uncertain. I am sorry that the assuming the State Debts & funding the Continental Debt are so long delay’d. so long as we are kept in suspence we are a prey to Speculators as most of our circulating Cash...
23To Thomas Jefferson from William Smith, 22 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty to submit to your perusal the inclosed letter, which was transmitted to me, a few days past, from a merchant in Baltimore. The prohibition therein complained of, Strikes deep, at our East India trade. The article of cotton, from that country, is become a very considerable import, and together, with sundry other East India commodities, serve as good remittances to Europe. If...
24I. Address to the President, by Junius Americanus, 12 July [1790] (Jefferson Papers)
With esteem for your person, and the sincerest reverence for your high public and private character, I humbly request your candid perusal of the following observations: They have been occasioned by a serious attention to the Bill which has recently passed the two Houses of Congress, and now waits your sanction: they spring from an affection for the constitution, and an anxious solicitude to...
25IX. Response by Truth to the Foregoing, 11 August 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
A paltry attempt in yesterday’s paper to impose on the public requires some notice—the writer of it asserts that the bill of last session for continuing the seat of government at New-York was unconstitutional and the bill of this session for adjourning to Philadelphia, constitutional: the citizens of this country are too enlightened to be deceived by the flimsey reasoning which is employed to...
26To John Adams from William Smith, 16 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
By one of the last Posts, by direction of the Boston Marine Society, I forwarded you a number of Papers respecting a Marine Hospital. I now forward you by the Bearer M r Adams a Plan & Elevation of the Hospital that wou’d be erected by the Society cou’d they obtain permission you will please to make what use of it you may think proper. this Building on the place that is propos’d wou’d add...
27To John Adams from William Smith, 21 January 1791 (Adams Papers)
I take the freedom to introduce to your notice Major Kent. a Grandson of the late Cap Kent of Charlestown. he goes to Philadelphia, to procure from Congress the same compensation for his services as the other Officers of the late Army receiv’d.— He enter’d the Army as a private in Col. Henry Jackson’s Reg t. by his good conduct was soon promoted as an Officer and continued in the service ’till...
28To George Washington from William Smith, 19 February 1791 (Washington Papers)
Philadelphia, 19 February 1791. Presents an application to GW and offers to provide any further information respecting the applicant that GW may wish. ALS , DLC:GW . The writer was William Smith, a member of the House of Representatives from Maryland. Neither the enclosed application nor the name of the applicant has been identified.
29To John Adams from William Smith, 8 January 1792 (Adams Papers)
A few Years since, Congress made a Treaty with the Emperor of Morocco. the Emperor, with whom that Treaty was made is since dead. the present Emperor is as much inclin’d to be friendly to the United States, as his Predicessor. but from some inattention on the Part of the United States he has never been complimented on his accession to the Throne.—by some Letters from Cadiz as late as Novr. I...
30To George Washington from William Smith, 28 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
The American Revolution, in which you have sustained so glorious a Part, being one of the most important Events produced in the Annals of Time, and becoming every Day more important, with Respect to its Consequences in the Dissemination of the Principles of Liberty and Virtue among the Nations of the Earth, a faithful History of that Event, commencing from the Treaty of Paris in 1763,...