1From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 1 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
No Man could have written from Memory Mr Otis’s Argument of four or five hours against The Acts of Trade as Revenue Laws Writts of Assistants, as a tyrannical Engine to execute them the next day after it was spoken. How awkward then would be an attempt to do it after a lapse of fifty seven years? Nevertheless, Some of the heads of his discourse are So indellibly imprinted on my Mind, that I...
2From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 18 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I pretend not to preserve any order, in my Letters to you. I give you hints, as they accidently occur to me, which, an hundred years hence, may be considered as Memoires pour Servir a l’histoire des Etas Unis.—I am about to write to you the most melancholly Letter, I ever wrote in my Life. One, which the most deeply touches my Soul with Greif.—And now, I know not where to begin, nor how to...
3From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 8 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
“Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity!” The French have a distinction, between Eulogy and Apology. I know not under which of these heads to class, the following anecdote. Governor Hutchinson, in the plenitude of his Vanity and self sufficiency, thought he could convince all America and all Europe, that the Parliament of Great Britain had an authority supreme, sovereign, absolute and...
4From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 31 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have before mentioned the Instructions of the City of Boston to their Representatives, in May 1764, printed in an Appendix to Mr Otis’s “Rights of the Colonies” In Obedience to those Instructions, or at least in Consequence of them Mr Otis prepared a Memorial to The House of Representatives, which was by them voted to be transmitted to Jasper Mauduit Esqr Agent for the Province, only as a...
5From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 1 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
That Mr Hutchinson repented, as sincerely as Mr Hamilton did, I doubt not. I hope the Repentance of both has been accepted and their fault pardoned. And I hope I have repented, do repent and shall ever repent of mine and meet them both in an other World, where there will need no Repentance. Such vicissitudes of Fortune command, compassion; I pitty even Napolion. You never profoundly admired Mr...
6From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 27 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Another Author produced by Mr Otis was “The Trade and Navigation of Great Britain considered” by Joshua Gee. “A new Edition, with many interesting Notes and Additions by a Merchant” printed in 1767. This new Edition which was printed no doubt to justify the Ministry in the System they were then pursuing, could not be the Edition that Mr Otis produced in Feb.1761. The Advertisement of the...
7From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 7 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
No man could have written from memory Mr Otis’s Agument of four or five hours in length, against The Acts of Trade, considered as Revenue Laws, and against Writts of Assistance, as tyrannical Engines to carry them into execution, the next day after it was Spoken. How awkward then, is an Attempt to do it, after a Lapse of fifty Seven Years? Nevertheless, Some of the heads of his discourse, are...
8From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 17 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
The next Statute produced & commented by Mr Otis was the 15th. of Charles the Second, i.e. 1663, Chapter 7. “An Act for the Encouragement of Trade.” Section 5. “And in regard his Majesty’s Plantations beyond the Seas are inhabited and peopled by his Subjects of this his Kingdom of England.” for the maintaining a greater Correspondence and Kindness between them, and keeping them in a firmer...
9From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 30 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Another Passage, which Mr Otis read from Ashley gave Occasion, as I suppose, to another memorable and very curious Event, which your esteemed Pupil and my beloved Friend Judge Minot has recorded. The Passage is in the 42 page. “In fine, I would humbly propose that the duties, on foreign Sugar and Rum imposed by the before mentioned Act, of the 6th of King George the Second, remain as they are,...
10From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., September 1818 (Adams Papers)
The Charters were quoted or alluded to by Mr Otis frequently in the whole course of his Argument: but he made them, also a more distinct and more Solemn head of his discourse. And here, these Charters ought to be copied verbatim. But an immense Verbiage renders it impossible. Bishop Butler, some where complains of this enormous abuse of Words in publick Transactions and John Reed and...
11From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 15 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I HAVE received your obliging favour of the 8th, but cannot consent to your resolution to ask no more questions. Your questions revive my sluggish memory. Since our national legislature have established a national painter—a wise measure, for which I thank them, my imagination runs upon the art, and has already painted, I know not how many, historical pictures. I have sent you one, give me...
12From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 15 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
Do not expect to escape so, I have a hundred if not a thousand letters to write you. which however I shall never write, upon the restoration of the tories to this Country, and their subsequent Conduct towards me—of that host of Vagabond Foreigners who have tormented and deceived this Simple American people for four and forty years—for the secret Correspondences’s and Corruption—Civil political...
13From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 18 September 1818 (Adams Papers)
The English doctrine of Allegiance, is so mysterious, fabulous, & enigmatical, that it is difficult to decompose the Elements Of which it is compounded. The Priests under the Hebrew Economy, especially the Sovereign Pontiff were anointed with consecrated Oil, which was poured upon their heads in such profusion, that it ran down their beards, & they were thence called “The Lords Anointed” When...
14From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 23 September 1818 (Adams Papers)
If, in our Search of Principles We have not been able to investigate any moral phylosophical or rational foundation for any Claim of Dominion or Property in America, in the English Nation, their Parliament or even of their King; if the whole appears a mere Usurpation of Fution Fancy and Superstition: What was the Right to dominion or Property in the native Indians? Shall We Say that a few...
15From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 23 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have Seldom read so much good sense, in so few Words as in your Letter of the 5th. Your Judgment of Mr Wirts Biography of My Friend Mr Henry, is in exact Unison with my own. I have read it with more delight than Scotts Romances in Verse and Prose or Miss Porters Scottish Chiefs and other Novels. I am sorry you have introduced me. I could wish my own Name forgotten, if I could devellope, the...
16From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 12 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
In my Letters to you, I regard no order. And I think, I ought to make you laugh Sometimes: otherwise my Letters would be too grave, if not too melancholly. To this End I Send you Jemmibellero “the Song of the Drunkard” which was published in Fleets “Boston Evening Post” on the 13th. of May 1765. It was universally agreed to have been written by Samuel Waterhouse, who had been the most...
17From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 24 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
As we have amused ourselves with looking at a few pictures, suppose we should add one more to the Gallery. The Artist makes the scene of his action that spacious Apartment that we very properly denominated Fanuel Hall. The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Judges, the Counsellors, the Representatives, the President and Professors & Students of the University; the Docters of Law, Physic, &...
18From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
In the Search for Something, in the History and Statutes of England, in any degree resembling this Monstrum horrondum ingens the Writt of Assistance, the following Examples were found. In the Statute of the first Year of King James the Second Chapter third “An Act for granting to his Majesty an imposition upon all Wines and Vinegar &c ” ; Section 8, it is enacted “That the Officers of his...
19From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 25 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
As Mr Wirt has filled my head with James Otis; and as I am well informed that The Honourable Mr Benjamin Austin alias Honestus alias Old South alias Old North alias Politicastor roundly asserts that Mr “Otis had no Patriotism”; and that “he acted only from Revenge of his Fathers disapointment of a Seat on the Superior Bench” I will tell you a Story which may make you laugh, if it should not...
20From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 21 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr Otis quoted another Author “The political and Commercial Works of Charles D’Avenant, L.L.D. Vol 2. Discourse 3. On the Plantation Trade.” I cannot transcribe Seventy Six Pages, but wish that Americans of all Classes would read them: They are in the Same Strain with Downing; Childs, Gee, Ashley, Charles 2. James 2, William and Mary William The Third Ann, George The Second and George The...
21From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 11 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Pupil Mr Minot was a young Gentleman of excellent character; pure, spotless in Morals and Manners, loving Truth above all things. Agreed. But can you accuse me of prejudice or Malignity when I perceive a Tang of the Old Cask of Toryism in his History? He Studies, he labours for impartiality; but does he always hit it? In page 142 of his Second Volume, he Says “There was a Pause in the...
22From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 31 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment received your favour of yesterday. In some future Letter I must write you an Apology for S. Adams and J. Hancock: which your inherent good nature will not reject. Please to give to your Son the inclosed Inquiston, with / Cordial regards of, We have this Moment the news of J Q A Acceptance, and hopes to embark in all May— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
23From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 26 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Another Auther produced by Mr Otis was “The Trade and Navigation of Great Britain considered by Joshua Gee. A new Edition with many interesting Notes and Additions by a Merchant” printed in 1767. This new Edition which was printed no doubt to justify the Ministry in the System which was they were then pursuing, could not be the Edition that Mr Otis produced in February 1761. The Advertisement...
24From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
In your last letter you consider me in debt, I will not dispute it. You seem to wish me to write something to diminish the fame of Samuel Adams to show that he was not a man of profound learning, a great lawyer, a man of vast reading, a comprehensive statesman. In all this I shall not gratify you. Give me leave to tell you, my friend, that you have conceived prejudices against that great...
25From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have promised you, hints, of the heads of Mr Otis’s Oration, Argument Speech, call it which you please, again the Acts of Trade as Revennue Laws, and against Writts of Assistants as Tyrannical Instruments to carry them into Execution.— But I enter on the performance of my promise to you not without fear and trembling; because I am in the Situation of a Lady, Whom you know first as my Client,...
26From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 5 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
In Mr Wirts elegant and eloquent Panegyrick on Mr Henry.—I beg your attention to page 56 to page 67. the end of the second section. Where you will read a curious specimen of the agonies of Patriotism in the early Stages of the Revolution—“When Mr Henry could carry his Resolutions but by one Vote, and that against the influence of Randolph, Bland, Pendelton Wythe and all the Old members whose...
27From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 5 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
You “never profoundly admired Mr. H.” I have suggested some hints in his favour. You “never profoundly admired Mr S A”! I have promised you an apology for him, you may think it a weak one, for I have no talent at Panegyric or Apology. “There are all sorts of men in the world.” This observation you may say is self evident & futile; yet Mr Locke, thought it not unworthy of him to make it and if...
28From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 6 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
“Mid the low murmurs of submissive fear and mingled rage my Hambden raised his Voice, & and to the Laws appealed.” Mr. Otis had reasoned like a Philosopher upon the Navigation Acts and upon all the tyranical Acts of Charles the Second but when he came to the Revenue Laws, the Orator blazed out Poor King William! If thy Spirit whether in Heaven of elswhere heard James Otis, it must have...
29From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 13 September 1818 (Adams Papers)
It is some consolation to find in the Paragraph of the Charter, next following the Court of Admiralty, that Nothing in it, “Shall in any manner enure, or be taken to a bridge, bar, or hinder any of our loving Subjects Whatsoever, to Use and exercise the Trade of Fishing upon the Coasts of New England, but that they and every of them Shall have full and free Power and Liberty to continue and...
30From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 29 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Is your daughter, Mrs Stewart, who I am credibly informed is one of the most accomplished Ladies, a Painter? Are you acquainted with Miss Lydia Smith, who I am also credibly informed is one of he most accomplished Ladies and a Painter? Do you know Mr. Sargent? Do you correspond with your old companion in Arms Colo. John Trumbull? Do you think Fisher will be an historical Painter? Whenever you...