1Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 17 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 9 th and thank you for the excellent matter which it contained. Mr Shaw has not sent you any papers from hence, because the papers have not been worth transmitting, a torpor appears to have seized every person and the query what can be done? what will be done? what ought to be done? seems to be the questions, amongst the three parties, into which not only the...
2Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 21 November 1800 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here on Sunday last, and without meeting with any accident worth noticing, except losing ourselves when we left Baltimore, and going eight or nine miles on the Frederick road, by which means we were obliged to go the other eight through woods, where we wandered two hours without finding a guide, or the path. Fortunately a straggling black came up with us, and we engaged him as a...
3Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 12 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
Mr Smith called upon me a few moments this forenoon & brought me your letter of May 9 th: . I received the former in due order. General Marshall is nominated Secretary of State, Mr Dexter Secretary of War in lieu of General Marshall promoted, further I say not, sensations of various kinds will undoubtedly be felt and many reflections no doubt be cast, yet so it is. You know the resolution has...
4Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 11 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
This will be delivered to you, by our friend, Mrs. Smith, who will pass you, on her way to New-York; she is determined to call, and ask you how you are. Since I wrote you last, some changes have taken place. The Secretary of war has resigned, and General Marshal, is nominated in his place. I fear, however, that he will not be prevailed upon to accept the appointment; such times are approaching...
5Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 4 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written you for several days, you will easily suppose my time much occupied by having Mrs Johnson, & now our Boston friends here and making preparation to go away. Mrs Johnson will go tomorrow or Tuesday. Mrs Smith on Friday. Thursday will be my last public dinner. Mr & Mrs Stevens can tell you what a crow’d we had on friday evening. The rooms and entry were full, and so hot as to...
6Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 27 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have been so much engaged that I have not been able to get time to write you a line this week. I have paid four visits to the Secretarie’s ladies, and took tea with them, and one to Mrs Senator Read, all of which you know by experience takes up time. we had on thursday 14 couple of young ladies and gentlemen to dine, Bingham, Hares, Whites, Wilsons, Peter’s, Rush’s, Pinckney’s, Breck’s,...
7Abigail Adams to Abigail Adams Smith, 9 March 1800 (Adams Papers)
James got home safe though covered over with mud and dirt, horses and carriage up to their very ears. He got home about 4 oclock on friday. You were led into a sad mistake by Mr Bayard respecting the roads. I traveled them once in a similar state, and therefore have a greater dread of them. I told some members of Congress, that as they were not very usefully employed at present, in order to...
8William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 26 February 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter, by the Paymaster, of the 12th. I see your embarrassments, and if I were not prominent to relieve you from them, I should forfeit my charter— the roads are bad, the season is inclement, the Delaware is almost impassable — your mamma cannot bear to part with you, and the President does not know how to let C—— go. These are truths which nobody can deny. I will...
9William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 14 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
I am, my dear, here at General White’s in company with Mrs. and Judge Cushing, Mrs., Miss, and Judge Paterson, &c. I thank you for your letter, and am of course pleased with the dignified majority in the House of Representatives. Be it known, we are not building a dancing room; be it known I have not built an elegant hut. I should not have gratified my feelings relative to you had I not made...
10William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 23 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 19th this afternoon, and yesterday received orders from General Hamilton to prepare for the funeral rites of our departed General, on Thursday next. I have put every thing in the necessary train of execution, preparative to the reception of his final orders, which I expect to receive in the course of the night; and last night I determined to erect a monument to his...