Adams Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-14-02-0065

William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 14 January 1800

William Stephens Smith to Abigail Adams Smith

Brunswick, January 14th, 1800.

I am, my dear, here at General White’s in company with Mrs. and Judge Cushing, Mrs., Miss, and Judge Paterson, &c.1 I thank you for your letter, and am of course pleased with the dignified majority in the House of Representatives.2 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 it comfortable. The carpenters leave it the day after to-morrrow. The sooner of course you pay it a visit, the more agreeable to its builder. You must not permit Mr. Dayton’s description to lead you astray. My hut is water tight; seven feet and one inch high, with two rooms and a kitchen. Rain cannot incommode those who are in it, and cold will not effect you. When you have arranged to move towards me, let me know; I will, of course, meet you at Brunswick, Kingston, Princeton, or Trenton, in proportion to the time I receive your letter pointing out the moment of your departure. I will, on the receipt of it, go to Brunswick; if you are not there, I will proceed on the road until we meet.

I am my dear, / Your’s affectionately,

W. S. Smith.3

MS not found. Printed from AA2, Jour. and Corr. description begins Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, Daughter of John Adams, … Edited by Her Daughter [Caroline Amelia (Smith) de Windt], New York and London, 1841–[1849]; 3 vols. Note: Vol. [1], unnumbered, has title and date: Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, 1841; vol. 2 has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842; vol. [3] has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842, i.e., same as vol. 2, but preface is signed “April 3d, 1849,” and the volume contains as “Part II” a complete reprinting, from same type and with same pagination, of vol. 2, above, originally issued in 1842. description ends , 2:172–173.

1Brig. Gen. Anthony Walton White (1750–1803), a Revolutionary War veteran of New Brunswick, N.J., was a brother of Euphemia White Paterson (1746–1832), the second wife of William Paterson. Cornelia Paterson (1780–1844) was the eldest daughter of William and his first wife, Cornelia Bell Paterson (U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour. description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., 1789– . description ends , 5th Cong., 2d sess., p. 292, 293; Washington, Papers, Revolutionary War Series description begins The Papers of George Washington: Revolutionary War Series, ed. Philander D. Chase, Frank E. Grizzard Jr., Edward G. Lengel, David R. Hoth, and others, Charlottesville, Va., 1985– . description ends , 1:59; Doc. Hist. Supreme Court description begins The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800, ed. Maeva Marcus, James R. Perry, and others, New York, 1985–2007; 8 vols. description ends , 2:358).

2Not found.

3WSS also wrote to AA2 on 10 Jan., commenting on Maj. Gen. Henry Lee’s oration on George Washington and copying a paragraph of a 7 Jan. letter from Alexander Hamilton on army personnel assignments (AA2, Jour. and Corr. description begins Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, Daughter of John Adams, … Edited by Her Daughter [Caroline Amelia (Smith) de Windt], New York and London, 1841–[1849]; 3 vols. Note: Vol. [1], unnumbered, has title and date: Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, 1841; vol. 2 has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842; vol. [3] has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842, i.e., same as vol. 2, but preface is signed “April 3d, 1849,” and the volume contains as “Part II” a complete reprinting, from same type and with same pagination, of vol. 2, above, originally issued in 1842. description ends , 2:165).

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