21From 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...
22From 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...
23From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 14 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
Some of those publications, which in France, as you very well know, are called foreign Gazettes & journals, announced to the world in 1782 that the Congress of the United States of America had directed Dr Franklin, and Mr Adams to request the Abby de Mably to furnish them with a plan, or a code of laws for their future government. By whom so ridiculous a fiction was imagined, and how it found...
24From 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...
25From 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...
26From 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...
27From 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...
28From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 17 September 1816 (Adams Papers)
As in your favour of the fifth, you seem to regret “the Intermission of our Correspondence, your Renewall of it, may cost you more than you expected, namely a Surfeit of it. I wrote you on the 9th. a little Volume, upon a frivolous Anecdote of the voluminous Baron De Grimm, which he has himself corrected in a Subsequent Period of his own Correspondence. As I find this Mystery is circulating in...
29From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 7 December 1816 (Adams Papers)
Knowing as I do the importance of your office & the punctuality with which you fulfill the duties of it, your apology in your favour of the second was unnecessary for me, who have so long known your fidelity, and your friendship. You ask me to sketch the portrait of Mr Hutchinson. your pencil is more polished than mine; I will enter into contract with you; if you will paint Mr Washington and...
30From 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...