1From Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 24 April 1805 (Adams Papers)
I want the form of a petition to be presented to the Court of Sessions, praying for a Committee to be appointed to assess damages, in case of property damaged by the proprietors of the Middlesex Canal—If you can not find a form, this side of Cambridge, you must go there and obtain one from the Clerks Office of the Sessions, where I presume you will find some on file— Our Petition must be...
Next Monday (the 9th: currt) the Court of Sessions sit at Concord for the County of Middlesex—I have made a draft of a petition to be presented for a Committee to be appointed to appraise damages for the proprietors of Medford farm—Can you go there and present it—if not I will send it to my friend Danl. Adams of Hopkinton as I cannot go myself on account of its being so near last of service...
3From Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 3 August 1806 (Adams Papers)
I have received a letter from my friend Dr: Chapman, informing me of his intention to compile in a series of volumes the best of the modern Orations, both forensic and parliamentary with brief remarks illustrative of each case. He wishes to know if my father’s library contains the Speech of the late Lord Littleton on the Canada-bill, Charles Townshend’s on raising a Revenue in America, so...
4Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 30 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
I had not time to write before the departure of the post to day, to both you & my mother, and having received a letter from her she was best intitled to my earliest regards, though, if I rightly remember, you favor written at Suffield has not yet been acknowledged— Watsons Bill is enclosd as you desire— Dickins is not your debtor But you are his to the amount of four or five dollars, as I...
5Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 5 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 29 th: ult o: is just received. with the papers enclosed, for which I thank you— The address of the Legislature is friendly— Answer proper — The letter, which is published in the Commercial Gazette, as from the Washington federalist, I had read with great satisfaction, in manuscript— I hope to grasp the hand that wrote it in a few months— The gentleman will find it more...
6Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 31 August 1803 (Adams Papers)
Your favour of the 24 th: is before me, and I most ardently hope the information respecting the prospect of my mother’s recovery may not prove delusive. I expected a letter from my brother by this day’s mail, but am disappointed. My suspence & anxiety have been extreme for ten days past, and nothing but your letter, which assures me, that my mother was considerably better, has relieved my...
7Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 14 May 1801 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a paper, which contains the Sentence referred to in my last, passed upon the troopers who flogged Duane. You will be able to form from the perusal of it, a more accurate opinion of the merits, than you could from my statement. The Circuit Court of the United States, under the new organization, opened on Monday— Present the three Judges— I attended & heard the charge delivered by...
8Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 22 June 1801 (Adams Papers)
It falls to my lot to do things so repugnant to my inclination & so contrary to my sense of strict propriety, that I know not what apology to offer for complying, in opposition to both, with the absurd customs of the times, which so often impose a necessity of thus betraying my judgment. What answer can be given to a man who after living for a few months under the same roof with you, though in...
9Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 13 June 1802 (Adams Papers)
I received your short note, accompanying the Oration delivered by my brother, before the charitable fire Association, and thank you for the promptness of your attention in transmitting it. The perusal of it was a rich repast, and though its merit did not surpass, it fully equalled my expectations. I am yet to hear from you, in answer to some of my late communications. You have certainly lost...
10Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 20 September 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have your letter of the 14 th: with a paper for which I thank you. M r: Reed, has written to you, in consequence of the information respecting the demur, about delivering his trunk, and contrary to my advice, has sent money to pay Bills, which he says he had already, once discharged. I never will recommend any of my friends to that vile house so help me, truth! Since my return, I have been...
11Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 27 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have your letter of the 17 th: , which travelled, from Boston hither, in very agreeable company. I can readily conceive, the novelty of your situation in a lawyers office, joined to other novelties of quite as pleasant a nature, would tend to distract your thoughts, for some time. Without undertaking to advise you on the subject of your recent pursuit, I will barely say, that the Office of...