Adams Family Correspondence, volume 13

Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams, 16 February 1799 Peabody, Elizabeth Smith Shaw Adams, Abigail

Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Adams

My Dear Sister— Atkinson February 16 1799

My little Abby—has been sick with a slow intermitting fever, occasioned by a cold—which has thrown many round us into fevers— The Dr has just been here, & says that disorders opperate strangely, many whom he thought out of danger, are seized again—Some in their heads, lungs, & several have died with repeated voilent billious cholicks—but we have not lost any one in the Town as yet— It has been remarkably healthy in this town, for eighteen months past— I think there has been but four that have died here in this time— While many others places have been greatly distressed; here we have been blessed with the cheerful voice of health, & I hope our hearts have sent forth an hymn of Joy & gratitude—

I hope Abby is really better, but a fever will hang on, all we can do, & it is now almost twenty days since she was seized— I was frighted about John, & sent for the Dr— I thought he had the Quincy, but he got better soon— William is finely—& the Group are well, except colds—

I think William & John had better have two or three cotton shirts a peice that which is really strong— They are certainly better for them in the winter— linnen goes like the dew— they like Cotton, they wore them all the spring but have mended them, till they will not hold the needle—now any longer— If you chuse to get it for them, you will have an Opportunity next week I suppose to send by Mr Poor, from 409 Mr Fosters at Boston—1 If you would prefer my geting Cloth at Haverhill, I suppose I can—but I do not know what they have in there Shops—for I have not been in them for twelve months— Miss Betsy Palmer can Make them if you like to have her do them—

I wish you would send some peices of the Childrens darkest woolen cloaths— I have some peices of all the others I believe—

I thank you for your kind letter hope your Son has reached you before this, give my love to him— my letter dated this month I hope you have gotten— William has some reason to complain but I have so much often to say, that I say nothing—not knowing where to begin— I have written largely to him, the beginning of January.2 I hope in favour it is not lost—

I am thankful you are good enough to keep up a correspondence with him— you know how to be of service to him, better than I—& where to throw in your cautions, & encouragements—

I send the measure of ribbands as you desired— With the tenderest Affection I am your Sister

E P—

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs Abigail Adams / Quincy”; endorsed: “Mrs Peabody / Febry 16 1799”; notation: “favoured by / Mr Pratt.”

Probably Jonathan Poor (1742–1822) or his brother Capt. Jeremiah Poor (1747–1811), both of Atkinson, N.H. (William Richard Cutter, ed., Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, 4 vols., N.Y., 1908, 2:1090–1091; Haverhill, Mass., Merrimack Intelligencer., 7 Dec. 1811).

AA to Peabody, 30 Dec. 1798, and Peabody to AA, 29 Jan. 1799, both above. In Peabody’s 10 Jan. letter to William Smith Shaw (DLC:Shaw Family Papers) she reported on the events immediately following Shaw’s November departure from Quincy, commenting in particular on AA2’s decision to return to New York. She “knew there had been for several days a struggle in her breast, between filial, & conjugal affection,” and although “the indisposition of the best of Mothers … was a weight in the scale of filial love,” AA2 “invoked the aid of Reason, who sent her Fortitude, & she called up Prudence, and this meeked eyed Matron gave in her verdict that she must return immediately— In this Mrs Smith wisely consulted the happiness of her Husband, of consequence, the interest, & honour of her Family.” Peabody also wrote of her hopes for Shaw and reported the arrival of Elizabeth Palmer in Atkinson, N.H.

William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams, 16 February 1799 Shaw, William Smith Adams, Abigail

William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams

My dear Aunt Philadelphia Feb 16th. 99

I have just received your letter of the 8th of Feb. and feel grieved to find you in so low spirits and so unwell, but flatter myself that the sight of your son (whom I hope has long before this happily arrived,) & his excellent company will revive your spirits and restore your health.1 The snow has almost entirely left us and we have had some days of the past week as pleasant and warm as we have at the 410 eastward in April, but the change of weather here is enough to kill one— yesterday and to day have been as cold as we have had almost any time this winter.

You will see by the papers that Mr King is appointed to negotiate a commercial treaty in London, with The Emperor of all the Russias & that Mr Smith is sent to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with the Sublime Ottoman Porte—this last nomination excited considerable debate in the ~~house~~ Senate & was finally caried by a majority of two only, fourteen & twelve.2

Sam. Smith made a motion in the house for augmenting the salaries of the Executive officers, but the motion was lost by a majority of two or three votes only.3 I hardly know what to make of a great majority of Congress.

Have you read Gen. Heaths memoirs? If I can judge of them by the extracts which I have seen in the newspapers and I presume I may— they must be foolish indeed. Parson Gardner I presume must be the author of the Agawam Critick, published in the Centinel.

Love to L & affectionate remembrance to / Mr. Adams / your

Wm. S. S—

Monday Morn. Saturday night & yesterday we had so much snow as to make it good slaying.

RC (Adams Papers); docketed: “Wm S Shaw.”

In her letter to Shaw of 8 Feb., AA reported having insomnia and relayed news from Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody, including the speculation that Stephen Peabody Webster had been “unfortunate in buisness” (DLC:Shaw Family Papers).

After overtures from Count Simon Romanovitch Woronzow Semon Romanovich Vorontsov , Russian minister to Britain, and Yusuf Agah Efendi, Ottoman minister to Britain, JA pursued treaty negotiations with both powers. JA nominated on 6 and 9 Feb., and the Senate confirmed on the 7th and 11th, respectively, the appointments of Rufus King to negotiate with Russia and William Loughton Smith to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire, the latter confirmation coming on a vote of 16 to 12. Neither appointment resulted in a treaty, and Smith’s mission never proceeded. The appointments were reported in the Philadelphia Gazette, 14 Feb. (Hamilton, Papers , 22:500–502; U.S. Senate, Exec. Jour. , 5th Cong., 3d sess., p. 310–312; Walther Kirchner, Studies in Russian-American Commerce, 1820–1860, Leyden, Netherlands, 1975, p. 15; Albert Matthews, “Journal of William Loughton Smith, 1790–1791,” MHS, Procs. , 51:27 [Oct. 1917]).

On 23 Jan. Maryland Democratic-Republican Samuel Smith introduced in the House of Representatives a resolution to increase the salaries of executive officers of the federal government. Debate of the bill on 16 Feb. centered on the inclusion of particular officers and the size and duration of salary increases. At the close of the day the bill failed by a vote of 45 to 42. A resolution proposed the next day calling for smaller increases of three years’ duration was passed on 26 Feb. and signed into law on 2 March ( Annals of Congress , 5th Cong., 3d sess., p. 2754, 2792, 2821, 2920–2927, 3019–3020; U.S. Statutes at Large , 1:729–730).