The Congress being Inform’d by a Letter from Genl. Washington, that two Thousand of the Continental Troops at Cambridge and Roxbury are deficient in Fire Arms, and that he has not been able to Purchase the Same from the Inhabitants or Obtain them from the Assemblies of the New England Colonies, have directed the General to make Returns to the Assemblies of the Numbers of men Inlisted from...
5 October 1770. MS not found. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting 5 October, composed of John Murray, Joseph Gerrish, JA , Jedediah Prebble, and Samuel Adams. Murray reported the same day. In his reply to the House Message of 4 October (see preceding calendar entry), Hutchinson claimed he was “not at Liberty” to communicate the order in council of 6 July to which he had referred...
13Address to Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson Requesting the Return of the General Court to Boston, 7 June 1770 (Adams Papers)
7 June 1770. MS ( M-Ar ), in an unidentified hand. Printed: Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for which reprints are not yet available, the original printings are cited, by year and session.) , 1770–1771, p. 22. Prepared by a committee appointed 6 June composed...
14Report Relative to Assuming Civil Government, 10 December 1774 (Adams Papers)
Cambridge,10 December 1774. printed : Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours. William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety , Boston, 1838. , p. 73–74. This, the second report on this date of the Committee on the State of the Province, was framed in the form of three resolutions: that the adjournment on 29 October had...
15Boston Town Committee Report on a Society to Promote the Arts, Agriculture, Manufactures, and Commerce, 29 September … (Adams Papers)
Boston, 29 September 1770. MS not found. At the Boston Town Meeting of 20 Sept., JA was named to a committee including John Hancock, Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Thomas Boylston, Joseph Warren, and William Dennie to consider the “Proposal of a number of Inhabitants for forming a Society in order to promote Arts, Agriculture, Manufactures and Commerce in this Province.” The town meeting...
16New England Delegates to George Washington, 2 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
As Congress have authorized your Excellency to send a proper Officer to take the Command in the northern Department; We take the Liberty to signifie to your Excellency that in our Opinion, no Man will be more likely; to restore, Harmony, Order and Discipline, and retrieve our Affairs in that Quarter, than Majr. Genll. Gates. He has on Experience acquired the Confidence, and stands high in the...
17Committee Report on the State of the Province, 16 November 1770 (Adams Papers)
16 November 1770. MS not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for which reprints are not yet available, the original printings are cited, by year and session.) , 1770–1771, p. 164. Prepared by a committee appointed 16 October composed of Thomas...
18Message to Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson on his Speech to the General Court, 4 October 1770 (Adams Papers)
4 October 1770. MS not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for which reprints are not yet available, the original printings are cited, by year and session.) , 1770–1771, p. 86–87. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day composed...
19Message to Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson on the Style of Enacting Laws, 6 November 1770 (Adams Papers)
6 November 1770. MS not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for which reprints are not yet available, the original printings are cited, by year and session.) , 1770–1771, p. 134–135. Prepared by a committee appointed 2 November composed of Daniel...
20The Massachusetts Delegates to George Washington, 22 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Complyance with your Request We have considered of what you proposed to us, and are obliged to give you our Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men; Such, whose Judgment and Integrity, may be most rely’d on; the Committee on the State...
21Message to Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson on the Command of Castle William, 23 October 1770 (Adams Papers)
23 October 1770. MS not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for which reprints are not yet available, the original printings are cited, by year and session.) , 1770–1771, p. 111. Prepared by a committee appointed 17 October composed of Samuel Adams,...
22Report of the Committee on Proposals for Boston’s Conduct under the Port Act., 18 May 1774 (Adams Papers)
18 May 1774. Report of the Committee on Proposals for Boston’s conduct under the Port Act. No Dft found. printed : Boston Record Commissioners, 18th Report City of Boston, Record Commissioners, Reports , Boston, 1876–1909; 39 vols. , p. 175. Prepared by a committee appointed 13 May composed of Samuel Adams, John Rowe, Thomas Boylston, William Phillips, Joseph Warren, John Adams, Josiah Quincy,...
23To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 30 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am much obligd to you for your two Letters of the 8th and 14th of this Month, which I receivd, together, by the last Post. The Caution given in the first of these Letters was well designd; and had it come to me as early as you had Reason to expect it would, I should have been relievd of a full fortnights Anxiety of Mind. I was indeed greatly “concernd” for the Event of the proposd...
24To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 10 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you several Times when I was at Boston, and receivd your Favor by the Marquis de la Fayette. Another, to which you referrd me, has not yet come to hand. This Letter will be deliverd to you by Mr. Searl, a Member of Congress for the State of Pennsylvania. He will be better able to inform you of the State of things here, than I can, who after twelve Months Absence from this City,...
25To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 16 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
The Governour of this Commonwealth will transmit to you Copies of Letters which lately passed between him and Capt Stanhope Commander of the British Ship of War Mercury. This is the same Person, as I am told, who, when a Prisoner here in the early time of the War, was not too delicate in Point of Honor to break his Parole. The Governor however had treated him from the Time of his Arrival with...
26To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 15 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Altho I have at present but little Leisure, I cannot omit writing you a few Lines by this Express. I have seen certain Instructions which were given by the Capital of the Colony of New Hampshire to its Delegates in their provincial Convention, the Spirit of which I am not altogether pleased with. There is one part of them at least, which I think discovers a Timidity which is unbecoming a...
27To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 18 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
The Marquis de la Fayette is so obliging as to take the Care of this Letter, which, for the Sake of him, the Count de Noailles and others our french Friends, who take Passage with him in the Alliance, I hope will arrive safely. In the same Conveyance, there is a Packett intended for you from Congress, by which you will doubtless be informd of what has been doing there. It is six Months since I...
28To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 13 January 1780 (Adams Papers)
I gladly embrace the first opportunity I have had of writing to you since you left this Country. Mr. Jona. Loring Austin is the Bearer of this Letter. He is appoint ed by the General Assembly to negociate an Affair in Europe which will be communicated to you by a Letter written to you by the President of the Council and signd in their Name. The Measure is the favorite offspring of the House of...
29To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 9 January 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have every Day for a Month past been anxiously expecting the Pleasure of seeing you here, but now begin to suspect you do not intend to give us your Assistance in Person. I shall therefore do all that lies in my Power to engage your epistolary Aid. You will by every Opportunity receive my Letters, and, I dare say, you will be so civil to me as to answer at least some of them. I have given...
30To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 25 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Favor of the 24th of May did not reach my hand till yesterday. The Gentleman who brought it, Mr. Archer, tells me he had a Passage of Eleven Weeks. I will show him the Respect due to the Character you give him, and properly regard such future Recommendations as may come from you. I suppose you have been fully and officially informd of the State of our military Affairs since the Enemy...
31To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Adams, 11 December [1799] (Jefferson Papers)
I am very loth to trespass upon your precious time; but shall be happy with your leave to introduce to your notice the young Gentleman who takes the charge of this letter. It is his own request. He descended from that illustrious man Governor Winthrop the leader of our first rennoned ancestors; leaving what was called in those days a handsome fortune that he might plant the seeds of religion...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Adams, 24 April 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter of the 29th. of March came duly to my hand. I sincerely congratulate our Country on the arrival of the day of Glory, which has called you to the first office in the administration of our federal Government. Your warm feelings of friendship must certainly have carried you to a higher tone of expression, than my utmost merrits will bear: If I have at any time been avoided, or frowned...
33To George Washington from Samuel Adams, 26 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys Letter of the 25th instant to this Committee together with an extract from another of the 17th instant to the President of Congress has been duely considered by the Committee. Unfortunately the situation of our Frigates is such, as to afford no reason to expect that they can possibly be collected in Season to execute the plan proposed. The Providence of 32 Guns & the Ranger of...
34Samuel Adams to John Adams, 2 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received several of your Letters with Pleasure, particularly that of May, which I will answer at a Time of more Leisure— Capt n Dashwood of this Town is going to London, to sollicit Payment of the British Crown, for Goods taken from him when the Troops left the Town, not as forfeited, but under the Apprehension that they would be of Use to our Army, & with an Express Promise that they should...
35To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 21 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
There are two great Objects which I think should engage the Attention of Patriots here, & which appear to me to involve every thing else—to preserve entire our political Liberties, & to support our National Faith. To effect either of these Capital Ends, we must counterwork the Designs of Great Britan, who to say the least does not appear to be our most cordial Friend, by her Emissaries amongst...
36To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 13 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Before this reaches you, you will have heard of the Arrival of near an hundred more of the Enemies ships. There are too many Soldiers now in Philadelphia waiting for Arms. Is it not of the utmost Importance that they should march even without Arms, especially as they may be furnished with the Arms of those who are sick at N York. Would it not be doing great Service to the Cause at this time if...
37II. Samuel Adams to John Adams, 22 February 1773 (Adams Papers)
If you have had Leisure to commit your Thoughts to writing agreable to my Request I shall be oblig’d if you will send them by the Bearer. The Govr says the House have incautiously applied a Rule of the Common Law (see the 4th Coll. of his Speech). The Assertion is mine , upon your Authority as I thought. If it be vindicable, pray give me your Aid in that as briefly as you please. I am sorry to...
38Samuel Adams to John Adams, 16 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have not receivd a Letter from you of a later Date than the 10 th of Sept r. last. Extracts of yours to D G of the same Date have been handed about, with a View, as I conceivd, of giving the Sanction of your opinion to that of others respecting the Tories. It is often inconvenient, perhaps unsafe, to trust ones Confidential Letters to indiscrete, however honest, Friends. Detachd Parts of...
39To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 4 November 1783 (Adams Papers)
Col o John Trumbull, the Son of the worthy Governor of Connecticutt is the Bearer of this Letter. I give the Governor this Epithet, because I think his faithful Services to our Country intitle him to it. Yet even he has undergone the Suspicions of some, unsupported by any solid Reasons that I have heard of. We live in an Age of Jealousy, and it is well enough. I was led to beleive in early...
40To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 22 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
My Concern for your Welfare induced me carefully to watch the Weather till I conjectured you had got to the End of your Journey, and I have the Pleasure of believing it has been more agreable than one might have expected at this Season. I hope you found Mrs. Adams and Family in a confirmd State of Health. I will not envy you, but I earnestly wish to enjoy, at least for a few Weeks, domestick...