Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, August 30, 1799
Germantown 30 th August. [ 1799 ]
Dear William.
I enclose, as directed, under cover to you, the Summary statement
of services rendered at an important & critical period of our Country’s affairs,
by an intelligent, brave, & deserving Officer. 1 I think it an hardship that such merit &
such services are so soon obliterated from the recollection or so much out of the
knowledge of Gentlemen now in Office, that a statement under the hand of the Agent
himself should be deemed necessary to obtain for them the notice they merit.
We have in the papers of yesterday and the day before the letters
of the Secretary of the Navy & of Truxtun himself on the subject of his
resignation. The Secretary differs, I perceive, from the President as to the right of
this decision, and as I am ignorant of the principles which governed it, I can form no
other opinion of its propriety, than my confidence in the deciding authority would
inspire. Whether Talbot’s Commission is new, & subsequent to Truxtun’s, or whether
in consideration of Talbots former services, he is judged worthy of a rank above
Truxtun, is what I should like to know, for Truxtun says “every palpitation of his soul tells him that the
injury he has received is unaccountable.” 2
I have spent two days in preparing a statement for publication on
this subject, but my information & the means of obtaining it are so insufficient
that I wave the thoughts of sending any thing to the press— 3 Indeed the difficulty of sending to the
printing Office at this time operates as a restraint. I am loth to be suspected of
interference in deed on a question of this sort— The
proper authority has decided & I doubt not justly, between the disputants, and the
public will acquiesce. If Truxtun was not too proud, he might bear a Commission under
Talbot without despising himself— Even Dale would not serve under him
If none of my letters have miscarried, I ought to have a reply
from you very soon— I shall deliver your enclosure of last week shortly.
Present me kindly to Boylston & ca: & believe me / Yours in haste
TBA.
PS. The fever abates in town but little— The banks are not yet
removed.
September 2 d:
I am going this morning to attend the Supreme Court, which is to
meet at Frankfort— 4 I shall apply for
admission as a Counsellor during the term. I was in hopes to have got a letter last
evening, but did not. I am three or four in advance with you