1From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 28 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
your kind Letter of July 4th. ought to have been answered sooner. my apology would be long and tedious.— I highly applaud your design of Writing the Life of Mr Otis, a man whom none who ever knew him, can ever forget.— In what I have written of Mr Otis, I have not written to Sagadahock and the Provence of Maine; to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucked; to Hampshire and Birkshire; to Barnstable...
2From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 9 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 destinct 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 Theophilus...
3From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 28 April 1819 (Adams Papers)
In answer to your favour of the 25th. I must refer you to one of those letters—I wrote to your Father—in which I have given a particular account—of the trial of Michal Corbett and three other sailors—an accusation of Murder and Piracy on the high Seas—by killing Lieunt—Parton—of the British Frigate the Rose—before a special Court of Vice Admiralty—I have some where amongst my old manuscript...
4From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 12 August 1819 (Adams Papers)
you have my full consent to publish all my letters. I only wish request that you would print them, verbatim, literatim and punctuation—They were written at a time when I had not yet learned the necessity of keeping Copies of my letters, These have burst upon me, therefore, with real surprise. I had totally forgotten them, but my own hand writing I never can deny. The essence of them is as...
5From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 5 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your congratulations and kind wishes, the accomplishment of them is on high where I rejoice that it is— Dennis de Brett was a Merchant in London and a dessenter Esteemed among the Protestant Dessenters for which reason I suppose he was appointed Agent - he never gave any proofs of talents or influence - indeed he had none of the latter at Court, nor with the public, nor any...
6From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 17 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Judge Sewall-and an anecdote of your Hero—He had intervals of Sound reason, and strong memory—his Paroxysm’s of Insanity appeared principally at the full, and change of the Moon—at least so it appeared to me and many others—and if we were not deceived by a Book of Dr Mead’s upon the Influence of those luminary’s upon the human mind and body which were then...
7From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 20 November 1819 (Adams Papers)
I Shall not pause to consider whether my Opinion will be popular or unpopular with the Slave Holders, or Slave Traders, in the Northern the Middle, the Southern, or the Western, States—I respect all those who are necessarily subjected to this Evil.—But Negro Slavery is an evil of Colossal Magnitude.—Mr Walsh in his late Scourge of the British Reviewers, has given such a picture of the Guilt,...
8From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 1 December 1819 (Adams Papers)
Why should my little twine worn out as it is to a single thread, be woven into all the Political hanks and snarles?—It is not fair, and therefore I hope you will by no means publish my letter—besides it would only irritate and injure the Cause.— As to the Life of Otis, I would not advise you to use the Words Whig, and Tory—they are cant words of Party, and although I have used them myself,...
9From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 25 July 1820 (Adams Papers)
Liberty Tree in Boston, was a very aged and a very large Elm—in the front yard of Deacon Elliot at the South End—he lived at the Corner of between the Maine Street—and the street that lead down to John Rowes House—It was very near to the Mansion of the Ancient and Honble. Samuell Wells—which was the spot on which the Boylston Market now stands—The Tree stood directly opposite to the House of...
10From John Adams to William Tudor, Jr., 23 May 1822 (Adams Papers)
I neither know any thing of the name or character of Paul Allen. What he means by Mr Otis’s being on the point of leaving the meeting without signing as Ruggles did I know not: But one thing I know that if Otis ever uttered or thought of leaving without signing it was because he thought the result of that Congress was not strong enough: and it must be acknowledged that it was rather tame even...