Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

William Smith to Abigail Adams, 1 October 1778 Smith, William (1755-1816) Codman, John Jr. Codman & Smith (business) AA

1778-10-01

William Smith to Abigail Adams, 1 October 1778 Smith, William (1755-1816) Codman, John Jr. Codman & Smith (business) Adams, Abigail
William Smith to Abigail Adams
Madam Boston 1st. Octr. 1778

I have received your Letter, respecting the Bill for £50.1 The way that you propose is as agreable to us as any. The Credit of the Bill no one can dispute. It will be proper to have the Bill drawn in the proper form. I have inclos'd 4 Bills of the same Tenor and Date for the £50 which you have only to sign. You mention some Bills that will become due in November if you have not engag'd them We shou'd be glad to have them and what other Bills you may receive.

Yr. affectionately, Wm. Smith
101

PS 3rd. October. We have left a Blank in the Bills for the Place where Mr. Adams resides, as also for the manner in which you may choose to subscribe, both which, you will let us know, that it may be filld up, by the same hand, or draw other setts, yourself if you should Incline, in which the Inclosed may be some guide. If you should choose the time of payment, twenty or thirty days after sight we have no Objection, & are Madam, with great Respect & Esteem Yr. Most Obedt. Hume. Servts.,

Codman & Smith2

Should be obliged by their Return as soon as Convenient, as intend writing by the Counts Express.

RC (Adams Papers). Postscripts are in an unidentified hand, possibly that of John Codman Jr.; see note 2. Enclosures not found.

1.

Letter not found, but see AA to JA, 29 Sept. 1778, above, and 2 Jan. 1779, below.

2.

This was a mercantile partnership that lasted some years between AA's cousin William Smith and John Codman Jr. (1755–1803). Codman had been “brought up to business in the counting house of Isaac Smith in Boston” and later formed a partnership with his brother Richard (Cora C. Wolcott, The Codmans of Charlestown and Boston, Brookline, 1930, p. 13–14).

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 October 1778 JA AA

1778-10-02

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 October 1778 Adams, John Adams, Abigail
John Adams to Abigail Adams
My dearest Friend Passi Octr. 2. 1778

This goes by Captn. McNeil, who is an Adventurous Cruiser.1 It is not safe to write much by him.

If Expressions of Tenderness, were necessary my Heart is full enough to write a great many. I send some Letters from Johnny, who intended to have written to his Brothers and indeed has written but there is not time to copy them.

I think, that the Distance of Place, and the present perfect security which I enjoy, has by no Means lessened my Anxiety. We have no News from America since the Comte D'Estaing left Sandy Hook. We expect News every Moment.—I have sent you by Captain Tucker all the Things you desired me to send, which I wish safe. I sent you ten Guineas worth of Linnen and Woolen by Captn. Barns, who I fear is taken. I have sent you a few Pounds of Tea by Captn. Niles and a few More by Mr. Austin. But the Risque is so great that I will send no more, but by Frigates or under Convoy.—Draw upon me for an hundred Pounds. This is the safest Way of supplying your Wants.

Yours forever.

RC (Adams Papers). Enclosed “Letters from Johnny” were presumably JQA's letters dated 27 Sept., 1 Oct., above, and 2 Oct., following.

102 1.

Daniel McNeill was captain of the privateer General Mifflin (MHS, Colls. , 77 [1927]: 148–149). He reached Boston on 8 Feb. 1779, bringing four letters from JA to AA (AA to JA, 13 Feb. 1779, below).