Thomas Boylston Adams to William Smith Shaw, August 8, 1800

Philadelphia 8 th: August
1800

Dear William

I received in due course your favor of the 25 th: ult o: together
with the volume of Debates, Catalogue & ca: for all which I return you thanks— 1 I have been but a negligent
correspondent this Summer, compared with the last, for the plain reason that
I have had more pressing claims upon my attention— You shall eventually lose
nothing, however, by continuing your regular communications.

The favorable state of health enjoyed this Season, by the
Citizens of this place, has made the City residence quite pleasant, and—I
have, for the most part, been satisfied with taking a ride once or twice a
week into the Country for the benefit of fresh air— Sometimes I go to
Germantown—sometimes to Merian—Belmont—the Bishops & M r: Breck’s—this range is wide enough &
satisfies all my propensities for rambleing—

Your letter to T White—was delivered—not a word of the
enclosures. An acknowledgment may be looked for—

The Sup: Court are waiting for the Hon ble: Judge Chase, who is said to be too much
engaged in Electioneering , to be able to
attend. He is the only man in Maryland perhaps, able to cope with Mercer at,
what they call, a Canvass. These are always held, in different parts of the
State of Maryland, and generally, in the Southern States, as I am told, when
there is known to be a great concourse of people—at a horse race a
cock-fight—or a Methodist quarterly meeting— Here, the Candidates for
political honors or preferment, assemble with their partizans—they mount the
Rostrum, made out of an empty barrel or hogshead, Harrangue the Sovereign
people—praise & recommend themselves at the expence of their adversary’s
character & pretentions— Such was the mode pursued lately at Anapolis—Elk Ridge, &
elsewhere— Col: Mercer, who is a sovereign Demagogue—a fluent &
audacious speaker & a deadly Jacobin—is running as a member of Assembly—
M r: Key, whose talents & acquisitions
are surpassed by few men in this Country & whose reputation as an Orator
is very eminent—is [. . . .] Candidate, but in a different district— These
Gentlemen met upon [the] same ground at Anapolis, and Canvassed for votes—
Key was at home, Mercer was in some measure a stranger, but the contrast
between the effect of the two Speakers on the Audience, was very striking—
Key triumphed & Mercer slunk away— But at the next place of
meeting—Mercer played the perfect Buffoon to the singular entertainment of
the sovereign assembly— He laughed—he cryed—he stormed by turns—by turns he
was placid, “as the smooth surface of a Summers Sea”— 2 He abused & vilified President
Adams’s administration & extolled the virtues of Gen l Washington & M r: Jefferson— Hear him—“We are told by the friends of M r: Adams—(M r: Key,
who asserts it) that Gen l Washington approved of
all the measures of M r: Adams— Yes! the sacred
shade of that venerable hero, is now conjured from the silent tomb to
sanction the measures of those, who have aimed at
the subversion of your liberties. ” 3

Now, mark the moral— Mercer during the life of Washington
was his personal, avowed, active & rancorous enemy—there was not in
creation the man whom he hated so much—the breach was notorious & always
reflected disgrace, contempt & detestation upon Mercer— Yet, look at the
dastardly hypocrite— Who, but a Southern Maniac could be guilty of such
duplicity? 4

Our friend Edw: Coale, who was present at both these
meetings, gave me the outlines of the above narration— I send you the […]rd
account, which when read, please to return— 5

Judge Peters has this day given a Decree in the case of
Salvage in which I was concerned in the Admiralty Court— He allows us only a
fourth part of the property saved, or the value, which is something more
than four thousand Dolls’ to be divided, among three— We calculated upon a
third or half—but a fourth, must do—

Present me kindly to all friends— I presumed Quincy would
Summer with you & therefore took the liberty to consider him as part of
our family, by introducing several of my friends to whom I had given
letters, for them—to him— I hope he will excuse the freedom—

Adieu / Your’s

T. B. Adams— 6