Abigail Adams to William Smith Shaw, 14 January 1799
Abigail Adams to William Smith Shaw
Quincy Jan’ry 14 1799
Dear William
your Aunt Cranch received a Letter from your Mother of Janry 1st in which she makes mention of having received a Letter from you: I wrote to her soon after she returnd Home, and sent the Letter to Boston. it was given to some private hand, and never has reachd her.1 I have since written to her by the post. She and your sister were well, and Abbes Arm much better for the application of Hughes ointment.
I have read Logans Letter what reliance to place upon his statement, time must devolope. I believe his Letter does not agree with his professions abroad, for it was confidently asserted and that from an Authority who seldom writes at Random, that Logan did give himself out, as a person sent in a public Character, by individuals—2
The Jacobins make a great Bluster about the conduct of Capt Loring. one would suppose that our whole Navy had been captured. I agree with them that an insult ought not to be submitted to from any Nation, but I cannot see the propriety of Legislative inteference I may however be wrong in my opinion.—3 There are some Members of the House of Reps, who ought never to be admitted to the table of the President again—Findley, New, Clay, Clopton, these infamous Letter writers, ought to be singled out.4 you will ask me, why then should the Matzzie Letter writer be invited. I really do not know how to answer that Question, but by repliing that he is invited as vice President,—as an officer of the Government. o I forgot Blair the
Irishman he too ought to be excluded, and if I was there not a Liar wretch of them all should come:5
I request you to present my Love to Mrs otis.
From your affectionate
Aunt A Adams
Louissa request her uncle to Frank the Letter for her Brother the one not addrest is for you to superscribe for col smith and forward as soon as you can—getting it Frankd first6
RC (DLC:Shaw Family Papers); addressed: “Mr William S Shaw / Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mrs Adams / Jan 14th recd 23d. 99. / Answered 24th Jan”; docketed: “1799 Jany 14 / 14.”
1. In her 1 Jan. letter to Mary Smith Cranch, Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody noted her pleasure at the improved health of Richard Cranch and AA and commented on Elizabeth Palmer’s efforts to adjust to life in Atkinson, N.H. (DLC:Shaw Family Papers). The letter AA wrote to Peabody in the fall has not been found.
2. AA was likely referring to JQA’s characterization of Dr. George Logan’s unauthorized mission to France in his letter to her of 14 Sept. 1798, above.
3. In search of British subjects hiding on American vessels, Capt. John Loring (d. 1808) of the British ship of the line Carnatic stopped the American sloop Baltimore, Capt. Isaac Phillips, on 16 Nov. off the coast of Havana and impressed five sailors. Democratic-Republicans emphasized this breach of Anglo-American relations to counter Federalist discussion of French depredations on American shipping. After some debate, the House of Representatives resolved on 2 Jan. 1799 to request that JA present to Congress any information he had on the matter. JA complied on 8 Jan., sending pertinent correspondence and the circular orders sent to naval captains instructing them not to permit their detention by foreign vessels and permitting the use of necessary force to avoid such detention. The orders made clear that sailors were never to be given up unless the ship itself was being surrendered. JA also dismissed Captain Phillips (, p. 425–426; , p. 202–203; , 5th Cong., 3d sess., p. 2546, 2554–2556, 2574–2577).
4. For these circular letters, see AA to William Cranch, 16 May 1798, and note 2, above.
5. Shaw had reported to AA on 9 Jan. 1799 (Adams Papers) that Thomas Jefferson would be among the company dining with JA that day. For Jefferson’s letter to Philip Mazzei, in which he criticized George Washington and other Federalists, and for Blair McClenachan’s attacks on Washington and JA, see vols. 10:312, 313; 11:451; 12:164–165.
6. Not found.