Adams Family Correspondence, volume 14

Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, 29 January 1801 Adams, Thomas Boylston Shaw, William Smith

Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw

Dear William Philadelphia 29th: Jany 1801.

I received the letter you enclosed me from my father on the 25th: instt: with a few names of members & others, for Dennie—1 I have sent you three or four setts already of the P— F— to be distributed and now enclose you another— The opinion, here is pretty general, that the journal of the Silesian tour is, by far, the most interesting of all the Contents— Indeed, whatever comes from the pen of that writer, is finished and instructive— I wish that my parents would furnish me with some of his private letters, written from Holland, England and Berlin—they would continue to adorn the literary vehicle, when the tour is exhausted— No 5— is a beautiful and elegant letter, which displays more Classical scholarship than is possessed by any man, that I know in this Country— You will see it in the next Number—2

Our Lawyers are gone off to day, for the City— Mr: Ingersoll will give in his resignation and I hope Mr: Wm: Tilghman will be his Successor.3

Lieutt: Parker of the Navy is going on tomorrow and I give him a line for you together with the bundle of Gentz—for which you must be sure to get the Cash—price 33 1/3 / 1004

Your’s

T B A—5

RC (MWA:Adams Family Letters); addressed: “W S Shaw”; endorsed: “Philadelp 27 Dec / T B Adams Esqr / rec 2d Feb / An 3 F”; docketed: “1801 / Jany 29.”

552 1.

JA to TBA, 24 Jan., above.

The second part of JQA’s letter to TBA of 28 July 1800, for which see A Tour of Silesia, 20 July 1800 – 17 March 1801, No. II, note 9, above, comprised the fifth installment of the “Journal of a Tour through Silesia” in the Port Folio, 1:33 (31 Jan. 1801).

See TBA to JA, 14 Dec. 1800, and note 2, above.

Probably Lt. Samuel Parker, whom JA recommended for a U.S. Navy commission in 1799 (JA to Benjamin Stoddert, 10, 27 April, LbC, APM Reel 119).

TBA also wrote to Shaw on 27 and 30 Jan. 1801 (both MWA:Adams Family Letters), and a second letter on the 29th (MHi:Misc. Bound Coll.). In the letters TBA discussed the ratification of the Convention of 1800, John Marshall’s and Lucius Horatio Stockton’s nominations as chief justice and secretary of war, and Joseph Dennie Jr.’s work as editor of the Port Folio.

John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 30 January 1801 Adams, John Adams, Thomas Boylston

John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams

Mon cher Fils— Washington January 30. 1801

On a lu, Tabius, avec beaucoup de plaisir. Il est tres Sage tres Scavant et tres elegant.—1 The Article he vindicates is now well understood here and is I believe universally allowed to be no Violation of our Engagements with any other power.— Even higher and Stronger ground is taken by Some of the ablest Lawyers and it is even contended that We had a right to go back to the Statu quo, and revive the old Treaties in toto without any Injury to England. of this I need not give any Opinion.

It is now generally understood and agreed, that there is nothing inconsistent with the most Scrupulous good faith, in the Convention. Our Honor is therefore untouched. The mutual restitution of ships is greatly in our favour. The Insurgente is the only one to be restored. She is but a Baggatelle, if she is any thing. There is too much reason to fear she is lost. The Berceau having been taken after the date of the Treaty must be restored by a Stipulation in it.2

The most mortifying thing and the only one painfull to me is the relinquishment of the demand for Compensation for Spoliations. To Strike out that Article would not mend this defect. it would make it worse.

The only Question is whether it is our Interest to ratify the Convention. I have no Scruple in saying I think it is, and that without Conditions. I See nothing in it, but what will be forever a salutary regulation with France and England too. It is a fundamental Principle of American Policy to place these two powers on a footing of perfect Equality. That is my opinion and I reco[mmend it] to you as a Maxim thro Life. Votre [Amie] [the far]mer of stony field.

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “T. B. Adams Esq”; endorsed: “The President of the U S. / 30th Jany 1801. / 4 Feby Recd:.”; notation by ECA: “To my Father / Thomas Boylston Adams” and “He call’d / his place / Stoney Field! / I am 553 sorry the / name is gone.” FC (Adams Papers); filmed at 27 Jan. 1801. Text lost where the seal was removed has been supplied from the FC.

We read Tabius with much pleasure. He is very wise, very learned, and very elegant. For TBA’s published response to the Manlius series using the pseudonym Fabius, see TBA to JA, 2 Feb., and note 1, below.

The French frigate L’Insurgente was taken by the U.S. frigate Constellation, Capt. Thomas Truxtun, on 9 Feb. 1799, for which see vol. 13:xiii–xiv. The vessel was placed in U.S. service but presumed sunk in a gale in Sept. 1800, after which the Jefferson administration refused to authorize compensation for it under the Convention of 1800 because it was lost before the signing of the agreement (Jefferson, Papers , 33:349). For the capture and repatriation of the French corvette Berceau, see AA to Cotton Tufts, 28 Nov., and note 4, above.