Adams Family Correspondence, volume 13
th1798 Sunday Evening.
I received your letter of Dec 9th,
with all that pleasure and satisfaction, which, the news of your better health, could
not but excite— I declare I wish you would have, Aunt, a wedding every night in the
week, for I plainly see that it gives you better spirits and consequently better
health, than all the medicine in the world. I have not seen the president so happy
this some time, as he was after reading your letters. We had not heard from you
before, for more than a week & then you did not appear to be so well and we began
to be very anxious.
I have made myself reconciled little more to my situation, nights than I was; but at first the watchmen crying the hour of the night— the oystermen crying oisters, & the teams & horses directly under my windows would not allow me to sleep scarcely ten minutes at a time. I used to wish them further.
Have you heard from Mrs Smith and how does my little Cousin do—dear little sensible girl—I loved her.
The printed letter which you sent to the president has been published in many newspaper and as it deserved has received great applause.—1 they cannot think what gentlemen should be in France, who could write such a letter as that.
We have had on every levy day the room very full, once crouded.
The order of the day is after asking the president how he does, to regret in a very
pathetick manner, the indisposition of Mrs Adams so as
to deprive them of the pleasure of her company. Many make the enquiry from a sincere
affection and esteem for you, but some do it I am afraid, merely as common place
conversation, which they have studied and conned by rote before they enter.
I went to congress the other day for the first time A gentlemen standing without the bar attracted my attention. Not thinking he was a member, I very innocently asked one, who stood by my side, what scape-gallows he could be pointing to the Gentlemen, he laughed and told me that was Gallatin.
Has the president ever told you that he has received an address from a volunteer light infantry company, of Hampshire county Massachusetts praying to be organized &c by the name of Lady Adams rangers?2
310I thank you for writing me respecting my mother. I am glad that B Palmer is to spend the winter with her I was afraid it would not be so. I have received not a single letter, I have written to my mother. Please to mention it, when you write.
I can find but very little time to read or write.— they will call me down sometimes twenty times in a forenoon. By the way, a man called the other day, with the Philadelphia magazine & said you owed him for a number.3 I forget how many. Please to write me what I shall do.
I am my dear Aunt / Your affectionate nephew
mS Shaw
If I did not send you such inaccurate, unconnected letters as I do, I should not find time to write any.
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed: “W S Shaw Decbr / 16 / 1798.”
JQA’s 14 Sept. letter to AA was widely
reprinted; see, for example, the Philadelphia Porcupine’s
Gazette, 15 Dec.; the Connecticut Courant, 17
Dec.; the New York Spectator, 19 Dec.; and the Baltimore
Federal Gazette, 20 December.
Shaw wrote “Lady Adams rangers” in a distinctive script, without the slant of his typical handwriting. On 30 Nov. 43 inhabitants of Warwick, Hampshire Co., Mass., submitted an address to JA requesting his permission to raise a voluntary infantry unit named “Lady Adams’ Rangers” and stating their willingness to defend Americans’ “invaluable Rights, against the hostile Attack of every Invader” (Adams Papers).
AA had likely subscribed to Thomas Condie’s The Philadelphia Monthly Magazine; or, Universal Repository of
Knowledge and Entertainment, which was published throughout 1798 (Scharf and Westcott, History of Philadelphia
, 3:1979).
With a great deal of snow upon the Ground it is now plentifully snowing. There must be an unusual Quantity upon the Earth. I suppose you have it very deep.
our Men and Teams must have had a terrible Jobb to get the Lumber home: but I hope it is all compleated e’er this.
To Day at two Dr Ewing & Mr snowden are to dine with me and tomorrow at four about 30
senators and Reps.—1 I have not had as
yet any Tuesdays or Saturdays Parties: and I believe I will not have any. There is too
much familiarity at them: they Sit too late.
The last Letter from you was dated the 9th.
2 I admire your taste for Weddings. I
hope you will marry Louisa & Betcy Howard and all the single ones, who are ripe.— I
am sorry for Louisa at Berlin: But I have Grand Children more than enough. I dont want
any more. Yet 311 I should like that John should have a son & a
Daughter. But I cannot bear the trouble of Children at my Age.
In short I have enough of Children as well as Grand Children. My Daughter and one son, will bring down my Grey Hairs with sorrow to the Grave, if I dont arrouse all my Phylosophy. The Daughter too without a fault. Unfortunate Daughter! Unhappy Child!
I begin to doubt whether I was in the Way of my Duty in ever engaging in public Life. With my Family of Children ought I not to have staid at home, minded their Education and sought their Advancement in Life! It is too late for this Casuistry now. The Die is cast and I am not far from the End of my Life. I have done all for my Children that I could: and meant all for the best. What have I not suffered? What have I ever enjoyed? All my Enjoyments have been upon my farm. Oh that my Children and Grand Children were all Farmers!
I am anxious and impatient to hear of the Arrival of Thomas.
Is Master Cleverly dead? And Mr Burrell? How is Mr Cranch and Boylston Adams?
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mrs A.”; endorsed: “J A decbr 19th / 1798.”
Likely Rev. John Ewing, for whom see vol. 10:261, and Isaac Snowden (1732–1809), a
founding member of Philadelphia’s Second Presbyterian Church (John W. Jordan, ed., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, 3
vols., N.Y., 1911, 3:1649–1650).
AA’s brief letter to JA of 9 Dec. reported family news and entreated JA to maintain a regular correspondence with her, even though she felt she was “but a half way politician” (Adams Papers).