William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 25 May 1800
William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams
Philadelphia May 25th 1800
My dear Aunt
By Major Toussard, we had the pleasure to hear of your being at Scotch plains in health, and of your being escorted a few miles from thence by some of the officers. By a letter from Malcom, […] heard of your arrival at N York, & of your intention to leave that city on Saturday Morn.1 I presume by the time, this can reach Brookfield, you will be there— I shall direct it, under cover to Mr. Foster, as you desired
As the president contemplates setting out early in the Morning on his journey, he anticipated tomorrow’s mail, this evening, which brought him, your letter from N. York, for which he thanks you and would answer it, had he a moments time.2 To be sure, vulgar report circulated quite currently, that the President had appointed Col Burr Secretary of War—that both he & the V. Pt. had declined, being considered candidates for another election &c. &c. &c. I have reason for suspecting, that the report originated from W. M. S.—3 The same mail brought a letter from Dr. Tufts—he writes, that the house is covered—windows up—chimneys built—partitions made &c.—that the garden is put in very good order—that the flour & other articles which you sent from this city are all arrived—4 I received a letter from Mr. Smith, dated Boston 20th May—they arrived at [. . . .] day before all very well.—writes nothing new.5 Mr. T. B. A. has not y[et retur]ned nor have we heard a word from him since you left us.— Mrs Brisler has been very unwell but is much better.— Your likness has attracted much company to Stewarts and has as many admirers as spectators.6 Stewart says, he wishes to god, he could have taken Mrs. Adams when she was young, he believes he should have a perfect Venus—the P——t says, So She would.
With respect I am my dear Aunt, your affectionate nephew
W S. S.
Love to L.
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs. Adams.” Some loss of text where the seal was removed.
1. The letters have not been found, but on 23 May JA asked Samuel Bayard Malcom to inform him when AA passed through New York City (LbC, APM Reel 120).
2. AA to JA, 23 May, above.
3. Probably William Moore Smith (1759–1821), University of Pennsylvania 1775, a Philadelphia lawyer who served on the Anglo-American claims commission. JA later named Smith among those engaging in “subterranean intrigues” before the presidential election of 1800 (University of Pennsylvania: Biographical Catalogue of the Matriculates of the College, Phila., 1894, p. 19; Samuel Kettell, Specimens of American Poetry, 3 vols., Boston, 1829, 1:305–306; JA to William Cunningham Jr., 7 Nov. 1808, LbC, APM Reel 118).
4. Cotton Tufts to JA, 20 May 1800, above.
5. Not found.
6. For Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of AA, see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 6, above.