Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12

John Quincy Adams to Thomas Welsh, 24 January 1798 Adams, John Quincy Welsh, Thomas
John Quincy Adams to Thomas Welsh
My dear Sir. Berlin 24. January 1798.

I received some time ago, though not until after my arrival at this place your favour of 15. July last enclosing a statement of my affairs with which you have the goodness to charge yourself, and an account, coming down to the same month of July.—1 For all the trouble you have taken relative to my little concerns, I feel much obligated to you.— I am happy that you concluded to abandon for sale my share of the theatre; I shall be glad to get rid of it, at as little loss as possible.— With respect to the canal shares, although the expences and assessments become heavy, by continual disbursements with a distant prospect of any returns, yet as I hope the undertaking will eventually succeed, and as it is meant to be productive of public benefit, I do not regret the monies which are thus applied.— I hope however that in future there will be less of that absorption which swallows up all the produce of my little property in America, from year to year, and that upon my return I shall find some sort of income that may contribute to provide me a subsistence; an object infinitely more important since I have become a married man, than it ever was before.

I am desirous of acquiring in the town of Boston, a real property, which may render a profitable rent, and which also may serve me for an habitation when I shall return home.— If therefore you can purchase me an house upon such terms that while I remain absent I may depend upon its renting in such a manner as at least to give the legal interest of the money, and that when I come home I may take it if I find it expedient for my own use, I shall be obliged to you to purchase it for me.— To pay for it, you can draw bills upon Messrs: William & John Willink, merchants at Amsterdam, payable on my account, at 30 or 60 days sight, to an amount not exceeding twelve thousand five hundred current florins of Holland, which as you will be careful to take a favourable moment for the course of exchange, I suppose will give you something more than five thousand Dollars. As it is not equitable however that you should have this constant trouble for me without compensation, I would propose to you to make a charge of two per Cent for drawing the bills and transacting the business, and the same charge for the receipt and payment of any other sums that may in future pass through your hands on my account.— I need not recommend to you, if you should 364 make the purchase the most special caution with regard to the security of the title, as I well know your accuracy in that particular; nor to avoid the purchase of a wooden building which would be perpetually exposed to the dangers of fire.

My brother Charles has no doubt since the date of your letter made another remittance to you on my account, and my mother will pay you also 25 Guineas for me, according to a request in my last Letter to her.— If you should make for me the purchase above indicated you will in future receive annually sums on my behalf to the amount of from 800 to 1000 dollars, and I wish you in proportion as you receive them to place whatever you may have no occasion for, to provide the necessary disbursements, in the most advantageous public funds.2

It is possible that an opportunity may occur to you of making a beneficial purchase for me, but which would not answer as an house for my own residence. In that case I wish you still to make it, as my principal object is to possess a profitable and productive freehold within the town of Boston.— When you draw upon the Messrs: Willink, you will be so good as to give me immediate notice of it, and it would be best to send it by duplicates.— Any letter forwarded under cover to Mr: King in England, or to Messrs: Willink at Amsterdam, or to the American Consul at Hamburg, will reach me in due time.

I will not give you any further trouble to forward Russell’s Centinel, which in my present situation I could not easily receive even if it should constantly and expeditiously arrive in Europe.— You will if you please drop my subscription to that paper.

I say nothing of political affairs, and with my kindest regards to Mrs: Welsh, and your family, and also to that of Mr: Smith, I remain, Dear Sir, your faithful & obedt: hble: Servt:

John Q. Adams.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed by TBA: “Dr Thomas Welsh / Boston”; internal address: “Dr: T. Welsh.”; endorsed: “J Q Adams / Berlin ’98.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 130. FC-Pr (Adams Papers).

1.

Not found.

2.

Although Welsh sought a Boston property for JQA, he reported to AA in a letter of 13 June (Adams Papers) that he had “not heared of an House which would agree with the discription but if I had the Course of Exchange is so much against Holland, that I should not think of doing any thing at present.” Financial difficulties prevented Welsh from managing JQA’s investments in the United States, and after failing to hear from Welsh and learning of his financial situation, JQA instructed Wilhem & Jan Willink in July to hold any bills received on JQA’s account and to disregard previous instructions to pay drafts submitted by CA or Welsh. Ultimately, JQA turned his affairs over to TBA, who returned to the United States with a power of attorney for JQA and a schedule of the “papers and securities left in the hands of 365 Dr: Thomas Welsh.” Included on that list were his shares as an original subscriber in the Middlesex Canal, for which see CFA, Diary , 3:151, and his share in the Federal Street Theatre, in which he was an original proprietor, holding a 1/60 share dated 1 Dec. 1794 that was retained until 31 Oct. 1804. JQA’s instructions to TBA included authorization to purchase a residential property in Boston costing up to $10,000 (Mary Smith Cranch to AA, 25 May 1798; to JQA, 12 June, both Adams Papers; JQA to Wilhem & Jan Willink, 24 July; to Welsh, 1 Aug., both LbC’s, APM Reel 133; JQA to TBA, 2 Oct.; to Welsh, 2 Oct., both FC-Pr’s, APM Reel 131; share in Boston Theatre made out to JQA, 1 Dec. 1794, Item D 20; JQA to Elisha Sigourney, 7 Nov. 1804, Item D 51, both MB:Boston Theatre [Federal Street] Records, 1793–1852).

Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 28 January 1798 Peabody, Elizabeth Smith Shaw Adams, Abigail
Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams
My Dear Sister Atkinson Jan. 28th 1798

I have thought day after day, that another should not pass without writing to my much loved Sister; that tomorrow I should have time, & would devote it, to the effusions of Sisterly affection, but I find each day fraught with its cares, & now more peculiarly so by my dear Betsy Quincy’s being sick with a lung fever, in consequence (I suppose) of a sudden cold. She was voilently seized with a pain in her right-side, & in all her limbs, attended with a distressing stricture upon her Breast, & a constant desire to fetch a long breath— It is three weeks since she has been confined, but not to the bed one day, & has had no regular turn of the fever, but is greatly relieved as to pain, & breathing. I always feel an anxiety when my Friends have pulmonick complaints, & slow intermiting fevers, they often undermine the constitution, & like a worm in the bud destroy unseen— May heaven preserve both her, & me, from so severe a trial, & restore her to health, & usefulness, for at this Juncture she is wanted in the Family more particularly— William at home, & her Sister Mary making silent demands for her assistance, I do everything in my power to get her well, & to comfort them both— We cannot chuse a time to be sick, & we must be patient— though it greviously retards our buisness, & impedes our pursuits—1 But when I received a Letter from Mrs Smith, accompanied by one line from you, I was determined to break through hymeneal preparations, & every obstacle, to beg you would not make my frequent writing a criterion of my Love, no,—my Sister, rather let me be judged by the thoughts of my Heart, could you discern this, you would here see love, & gratitude ever rising, like an overflowing stream—

I have the pleasure to tell you, your grandsons behave exceeding well, & are become quite the favourites of the Family. Mr Vose says 366 William recites, & parsses nicely, rather better than John, he, little dear is seting in one of his Cousins Laps, or curling round Mr Peabody’s Legs half his time, & his Uncle & cousins say he is as “good hearted a Child as ever lived, not a spark of guile in his breast”— They are in fine health, & their Cheeks would vye, with the rose, to the lilly, boys should not have a claim, though I think ours would scarcely be thought too presuming—should they make some pretensions—

The circumstances of our Family, & its intended connection are peculiar, & were Betsy Quincy well, would afford a fertile subject for her wonted raillery. Sick as she is, it will break out, remarking to her Sister, that even friendship was punctual to the alloted time, but Love, was rapid in its course, had a thousand wings, crying, “O lash thy Steeds, post time away, & haste about my bridal Day”2 that nothing but fear could detain the Swain, & a dread of the matrimonial Noose—courage—courage my Lad—“all is well, that ends well”—

The truth is, I really suppose he has by business been necessarily prevented coming the last of November as he designed, & now has written to Mr Peabody that as the season is so far advanced, he hopes to complete his plans by One Journey, instead of two, as he expected when he left us the last of October—

However, I find to day that Hymens berated has proclaimed at the house of publick worship, Mr & Misses intentions of marriage— I desired to know of Mr Vose whether all, was to be transacted by proxy, like other great Folks, & if he was deputized to stand sponsor? if so, I was glad they had the superior priviledge of seeing each before, that Mr Webster should have no occasion to swear as Henry the 8th did, when Anne of Cleves was presented to this royal Glutton—3

I am sorry that you have been troubled with the Rheumatism, I was in hopes the warmer Climate would prevented it— But changing your dress frequently, & the ceremonies of your Station expose your health, equally with our northern air—

My William has been with me this vacation, he would have kept School at Lanchester if he had not felt rheumatic complaints, & in his right arm, so that he did not dare to undertake it— I gave him some Salts, & he has been quite free since he has been here, & of the head ake— I presume if he would use stated exercise, & be careful, he would enjoy good health— I find he is enveloped in politicks, & History— The latter is an excellent corner stone, upon which to build the Man, nobly, upon a large Scale, but the former is more 367 contracted, & moulds only in one shape, designed for a statesman— & as his profession must be determined upon, by circumstances, I cannot but feel concerned to see his eagerness after a newspaper— & his attention engrossed by politicks— I tell him the publick weal will be quite safe without his troubling himself—& this should be an after affair—

I have not time at present to write to Mrs Smith, if you please to let her know from this Letter how the Children do, you will oblige her, who is at all times, your obliged, & affectionate Sister

Elizabeth Peabody

PS— Mr Peabody, presents his respects to the president, & you— William, Betsy, & Abby their duty—

Mr Peabody received gratefully the attention you shewed him, by sending on the Bills specified in your letter, & likewise your

E Peabody—

I thank you for so kndly remembering William— He says he acknowledged the favour last week.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs Abigail Adams / Philadelphia”; endorsed: “Mrs Shaw / 28 Janry / 1798.”

1.

Elizabeth Quincy Shaw remained ill for the next several months and died on 4 Sept. (Peabody to AA, 22 Aug., Adams Papers; Boston Columbian Centinel, 15 Sept.; Joseph B. Felt, Memorials of William Smith Shaw, Boston, 1852, p. 30).

2.

Allan Ramsay, The Gentle Shepherd, Song XI, lines 23–24.

3.

Stephen Webster (d. 1841), Harvard 1792, who had his name legally changed to Stephen Peabody Webster in 1795, was a clerk of courts for Grafton County and a state politician in New Hampshire. He also taught at Atkinson Academy (William C. Todd, “Atkinson Academy,” NEHGR , 26:124 [April 1872]; Laws of New Hampshire Including Public and Private Acts, Resolves, Votes, Etc., 10 vols., Concord, N.H., 1904–1922, 6:269–270).