Agreable to your wish, expressed some months past, Mrs: Smith, accompanied by Miss Caroline and Our son William, pay you a visit, I lament that it is not in my power to accompany them, but agreable to the old tune, I cannot leave my post, as Besides the paper War is recommencing, and as We are threatned with a broad side, I must recive it, & proceed to action, against the Clintonian...
2From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 29 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I was much gratified by the receipt of a few lines from you under date of Feby. 11th. enclosing a Letter from my Son William whose improvement I notice with pleasure— my Son John attends his dear mother and Sister on a visit to you, I proposed to attend Mrs: S. the last fall, and again pressed her to visit you in the Winter being confident both you and herself would feel more at ease than...
I have received your affectionate and interesting Letter of the 23d. of July you have conversed with the Doctor, but omit to mention his name, you say it is his opinion “that no outward application should be made, and that mrs: Smith’s general state of health is so good as not to threaten any present danger , he does not pronounce it to be a cancer, tho he cannot say, but that it may terminate...
I received your very affectionate Letter (dated the 20th. of August, post mark 2d inst.) on Wednesday; in my Letter of August 12th. I may have expressed myself with too much Solicitude and given my opinion too decidedly in Opposition to that of professional men—they will have liberallity , enough, to excuse me—I fully agree with you that it would be best, having advised with Surgeon’s and...
I have received your Letter of the 5th. inst. with its enclosures, to and from the Secretary. I thank you for the interest you have taken in in the promotion of my wishes, relative to military command, but I at present think it is almost too late—If my profered Services had been accepted, in the first instance, I am conscious I could have rendered material Service, but as affairs are now...
I send you another paper with the second proclamation of Genera l Smyth, with observations on it—these proclamations produce a very great sensation thro’ the whole of this state—the allusion Scored in the paper came thus scored from Albany—I suppose by the Editor—But if the people at the election succeed in their votes for W:S.S. I think he had better go to Washington than to an ill arranged...
I have enclosed to the Pres. an Oxford paper printed 30 miles south of us, containing my answer to the people on the subject of an address they were about to dispatch to General German the Senator of the western district of this State in Congress,—I flatter myself that both The President and yourself will think I have done right in preventing the address being forwarded—It seems that it can’t...
Mrs Smith has been several days much incommoded by the Rheumatism and has deputed me to answer your letter of the 3d. inst. we think the congratulations on the issue of the election not amiss, if it is only upon this score, that, the Votes of the people in the Counties of Madison and Herkimer, for member of Congress and the wishes of the people in the southern and western Counties at the same...
9From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 9 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have perused the Letters from Russia which you were so good as to forward to me, I submitted them as you requested to The perusal of the Vice President, who when he returned them, he expressed his thanks for the confidential communication & observed “they develope the Character of the british administration, as well as the opinions of our friend Mr. J. Q. A. on the subject” I have a Letter...
10From William Stephens Smith to Abigail Smith Adams, 10 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
I was much instructed by the letters you were so good as to forward me from Russia, I wish the writer of them was nearer to us, our great men, however great they are, want aid, they want vigour and decission, the war has assumed a Character that they appear not to have calculated upon—here are laying 140 peices of heavy artillery and not a carriage to mount them upon—this place is totally void...