1From John Adams to Joseph Hawley, 25 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
It is So long Since I had the Pleasure of Writing to you, or the Honour of receiving a Letter from You, that I have forgotten, on which side the Ballance of the Account lies, at least which wrote the last letter. But Ceremonies of this Kind ought not to interrupt a free Communication of sentiments, in Times So critical and important as these. We have been apt to flatter ourselves, with gay...