31William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 18 December 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have long been wishing to find time to give my aunt a history of the visit of Dr. Logan to the president, the monday after we arrived in the city. He began by saying that he was extremely sorry that we are not to have the pleasure of Mrs Adams company this winter in this city. The president thanked him. He then said, that he had just come from France and that he had the pleasure to inform...
32William 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...
33William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 28 October 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 24th, this day, the after part of which has been taken up in the reception of the 13th regiment into our camp. The scene was brilliant, and attended by the whole of the inhabitants of the adjacent country. It is now over; and after giving a welcome in my tent to the officers and respectable inhabitants, and it being 10 o’clock at night, I compose myself to...
34William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 24 November 1799 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure, my dear, of receiving your favour of the 20th yesterday. * * * * * * * * You say you often think of me, enduring, as I must, many hardships and inconveniences; they are, however, hardships and inconveniences which scarce deserve regard, relating only to the person; the pains which really incommode, are in the mind, occasioned by delays in the supply of the necessary...
35William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 22 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that I struck my marquée on the 19th, and took shelter in my hut, which is yet without doors to it, but much more comfortable than the tent. The last night I slept in the tent, a bottle of wine, standing on the table, froze through, but still I was not uncomfortable. It will be some time before I can have the pleasure to announce to you, that the hut is...
36William 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...
37William 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...
38From William Smith Shaw to Abigail Smith Adams, 24 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
Received of Abigail Adams in trust for my sister Abbe A Shaw thirty four dollars, which with three dollars 50 cents, paid by mrs Adams to mrs Foster, is in full for a quarters Rent of the Medford Farm, due in April MHi : Adams Papers.
39William Smith Shaw to John Adams, 6 April 1801 (Adams Papers)
After living uninteruptedly in your family, for almost three years, and uniformly receiving, both from you and my Aunt, all the affection and tenderness of the most indulgent parents, I should do injustice to all the honorable feelings [of a gr]ateful heart, were I to omit this opportunity and leave you, Sir, without [ex]pressing to you my warmest acknowledgments, for the innumerable favors I...
40To John Adams from William Smith Shaw, 19 December 1814 (Adams Papers)
I had promised my friend George Ticknor Esqr who will hand this letter to you, that I would accompany him to Quincy and have the pleasure to introduce him to you but unhappily I am prevented in consequence of my official duties. He is the son of Deacon Ticknor of this town, whom you may probably know. He has been regularly educated and admitted at the bar. He is an uncommonly industrious and...
41From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 5 November 1804 (Adams Papers)
I hope by this time, you have safely arrived at Washington and found Mrs. Adams family and friends in good health—I send by the same mail with this three of Parks of papers containing four numbers with the signature of Publius Valerius and will send the others as they appear. You will see in these papers that Dr Eustace’s brother has made an assault on Park for in consequence of a publication...
42From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 9 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour to receive your letter to Mr Otis on Thursday evening last, and have attended to its publication, with as much expedition as possible—The printers have published an edition of a thousand copies and the sale of them commenced this morning and the whole are now disposed of. Oliver & Munroe are now printing a second edition of a thousand more on their own account and have...
43From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 28 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
In consequence of a Letter from my Agent at L”pool I declined going to that place for a passage to South Carolina—I will Sail from the port of London, in the course of a few days, but will wait upon your Excellency personally to take leave, & to be the Carrier of any Dispatches your Excellency may confide to my care prior to my Sailing—Lord Viscount Lowther Arrived at his House 25 Pall Mall...
44William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 7 January 1804 (Adams Papers)
On my return last evening from Atkinson where I have passed the last eight days in company with your brother Thomas I had the pleasure to receive your letters of the 23 & 24 ul t: with Mr. Tracy’s speech for which I am much obliged to you At present I have only time to say that Mr Stedman was the writer of the letter alluded to in mine of the 13 th — Russel when he shew me the letter did not...
45From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 19 October 1815 (Adams Papers)
Actions of little import, can demonstrate the Man of Magnanimity. I exult Sir, as an American Citizen, and it is with Pride, pleasure, & honorable Ambition, that I announce, the fact to have been demonstrated, in your Excellencys deportment in a late Transaction. Permit me Sir to make my acknowledgments with Sentiments, and in a manner, far above ordinary respect, and to assure Your Excellency...
46From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, October 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 7 April last, I never had the pleasure to receive untill the 30 June. At that time, I was most severely afflicted by a violent attack of the rheumatism which confined me for nearly three months afterwards and of which I have not even now perfectly recovered. Since my convalescence from the last attack of the session of the District Court for Sept term & that of the Circuit...
47From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 15 April 1808 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honour to send you with this Parson Gardners sermon—also a few more copies of your letter—There have been five thousand of them published here for circulation and five thousand more ordered from Salem— Mr. Atherton formerly of the house Cram Poor Atherton has requested me to mention his name to you for a n commission in the army if the selection should be left to the Senate as...
48From William Smith Shaw to John Quincy Adams, 14 December 1805 (Adams Papers)
I hope before this reaches Washington you will have arrived there and found your friends well and happy. I have received of Delisle & Dexter the rents which were due amounting to three hundred and seventy dollars and have paid Mr. Thayer as you will see by the inclosed receipt three hundred & fifty adding to which twenty dollars received as the dividend leave in my possession forty dollars for...
49William Smith Shaw to Thomas Boylston Adams, 25 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Yourss of the 20 th & 21 st are received. I also received this morning a compleat sett of the Port folio without any letter or direction respecting them. Presuming they were sent to be at my disposal, I shall send them by tomorrow’s mail, to Anapolis where I expect to get many subscribers. I some time since sent a sett to Boston and another to young Chace at Baltimore, and if I had a number...
50William Smith Shaw to Thomas Boylston Adams, 8 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
Your several favors are before me. The letter for ——— I sent by the first mail, after receiving it. I delayed sending your brothers letter, expecting that you would comply with your promise, and send me the whole series—then I should have returned them altogether. For the pamphlet of Gentz, please to receive my best thanks. I have been highly delighted and instructed by the perusal, and doubt...
51William Smith Shaw to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Agreeable to my promise in my last, I now inclose to you Mr Jeffersons letter, which I consider to be the counterpart of the letter to Mazzei and which, you must have more philosophy, than I think you possess, to read without bitter indignation—without execrating the author, in the most unqualified terms. The whole letter is in the canting style of the vilest demagogue of our Country.—...
52William Smith Shaw to Thomas Boylston Adams, 19 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
I gave you the earliest information of Mr. Jeffersons election. Last night a mob of about fifty collected about the houses near to the capitol and compelled the inhabitants to illuminate them in honor to Mr. J. This passive submission of the federalists to the will of a rascally mob is in my opinion degrading in the lowest degree. I never would have submitted I would have died first. No...
53From William Smith Shaw to Abigal Adams Shaw Felt, 28 October 1818 (Adams Papers)
You will see by the papers the death of my Aunt Adams—The funeral to be on Saturday two Oclock—I wish by all means that both of you will be present—If you come to Boston, you can in company with Mr. & Mrs. Foster, come out to Quincy in one of the carriages which I have already engaged at the request of the P——t. & which would otherwise come out & return empty. In great haste your brother DLC :...
54From William Smith Shaw to Abigal Adams Shaw Felt, 27 January 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 3 Jan and should have written you an answer before but thinking that it would be more satisfactory to both of us to converse together respecting the important subject of the letter I have delayed writing, constantly flattering myself that it would be in my power to visit Atkinson but this has not been in my power. Indeed I had prepared myself to have gone on...
55From William Smith Shaw to Joseph Barlow Felt, 28 October 1818 (Adams Papers)
I had proposed to come & see you on Saturday last but hearing of the dangerous sickness of my Aunt Adams I was induced to visit Quincy. She has been afflicted with a violent bilious fever, which has left her almost prostrate. I came to town last evening. This morning Dr Welsh who stayed there yesterday came to town & informed me that the symptoms were little more favorable but I fear the...
56From William Smith Shaw to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to enclose to you, by the direction of the President, a letter from General Lincoln with a certificate signed by a number of the most respectable merchants of Boston, recommending Captain Silas Dagget of Martha’s Vineyard, to be keeper of the light house, to be erected on that Island. The president desires me to add that he has seen the man—was pleased with his civility and...