Boston, 17 December 1770. RC ( MeHi ). Printed: Franklin, Papers The Papers of Benjamin Franklin , ed. Leonard W. Labaree, William B. Willcox (from vol. 15), and others, New Haven, 1959– . , 17:301–304. Prepared by a “Committee of Correspondence” appointed 7 November composed of Thomas Cushing, John Hancock, Stephen Hall, Samuel Adams, and JA . Although “Boston” was used in the date line, the...
10 April 1771. MS ( P.R.O. : Colonial Office, 5:760). Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day, composed of John Hancock, JA , and John Gallison. The committee listed above was to prepare a bill for a grant of £506 to Hutchinson for his services as lieutenant governor. A second committee, of which JA was not a member, was appointed to draft a bill for Hutchinson’s support...
28 September 1770. MS not found. Prepared by a committee appointed 27 September, composed of Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Jedediah Foster, Thomas Denny, JA , John Hancock, George Godfrey, James Warren, and Humphrey Hobson Mass., House Jour. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts [1715–], Boston, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1919–. (For the years for...
4From John Adams to the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Towns and Districts of Massachusetts Bay, 10 December … (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. 69–72. Prepared by a committee appointed 12 October, originally composed of fifteen members: John Hancock, Joseph Hawley, Joseph Warren, Samuel Dexter, Artemas Ward, James...
5IV. John Hancock to George Washington, 2 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
It gives me the most sensible Pleasure to convey to you, by Order of Congress, the only Tribute, which a free People will ever consent to Pay; the Tribute of Thanks and Gratitude to their Friends and Benefactors. The disinterested and patriotic Principles which led you to the Field, have also led you to Glory: and it affords no little Consolation to your Countrymen to reflect, that, as a...
6Message to Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson on the Command of Castle William, 20 November 1770 (Adams Papers)
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. 171–172. Prepared by the committee on the state of the province, appointed 16 October (see...
Many unforeseen engagements, and unavoidable accidents, furnish us with our only apology for not transmitting a seasonable answer to your favour of March last. We flatter ourselves you will be so kind as yet to accept of our most sincere thanks, for all your noble and generous expressions of regard for the Colonies. We yet too sensibly feel the loss of every right, liberty and privilege, that...
Mr. Gorham and Mr. Russel, Agents of the Town of Charlestown, have presented to Congress a Petition from the unfortunate Inhabitants of that Place, praying for a Compensation for their Losses. The Petition was drawn in very decent and handsome Terms, containing a lively Description of the Distresses to which the unhappy Petitioners are reduced, from a State of Ease and Affluence; and the...
31 July 1770. MS , fair copy, in the hand of Samuel Adams ( MB ). 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. 63–71. Prepared by a committee appointed...
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...
11Address 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...
12Report 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...
13Boston 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...
14Committee 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...
15Message 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...
16The 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...
17Message 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,...
18To George Washington from John Hancock, 21 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honour to transmit the enclosed Resolves, in Obedience to the Commands of Congress. They are so explicit, that I shall only request your Attention to them. You will percieve from the Vote of Congress, the Sense of that Body with Regard to the Necessity of furnishing the Troops for the new Army, as soon as possible; a Copy of which, I have forwarded to the respective States agreeably...
19To George Washington from John Hancock, 28 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
This moment Dodd the Express from the State of Massachusetts, who Took your Dispatches to Congress on Saturday last, Arriv’d at my house, and informs me that this Day about 12 oClock he put up at one Bissinett’s a publick house in Bristol, where he open’d his Bundle to deliver a Letter to be forwarded over the Ferry to Mrs Reed, & leaving his Bundle in the Barr Room while he Stept out, on his...
20To George Washington from John Hancock, 24 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
You will perceive by the enclosed Resolves of Congress, which I have the Honour to forward, that they have come to a Determination to augment our Army, & to engage the Troops to serve during the Continuance of the War. As an Inducement to enlist on these Terms, the Congress have agreed to give, besides a Bounty of twenty Dollars, a Hundred Acres of Land to each Soldier; and in Case he should...
21To George Washington from John Hancock, 12 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am this Moment favoured with yours by the Express —I am sorry for the unfortunate Issue of the Day, but from the Troops keeping up their Spirits, I flatter myself it will still be in our Power to retrieve the Loss of yesterday. I have thought proper, in Consequence of the Intelligence received this Morning, to call the Congress together at six O’Clock. I have the Honour to be, with the...
22To George Washington from John Hancock, 19 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Congress have sent to you by Major William Coates, & Captain Joseph Copperthwait five hundred twenty seven thousand four hundred and eighty dollars continental money to be delivered to the paymaster & subject to your Order for the use of The Army under your Command. I have the honour to be, Sir Your most Obedt hum. servt The Cloathing is on the way. Your Letters are now under the...
I have had the honor of receiving your Letter of the 4 th . instant. The territory referred to has been quit-claimed to the Honorble M r . Gorham and others by the Legislature of this Commonwealth for a valuable consideration so that we having no interest therein, it is judged unnecessary that the Commonwealth should attend by their Agent at the running of the Line— M r . Gorham and others who...
24To George Washington from John Hancock, 1 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 30th Novr was duely received; in Consequence of which, as the Contents were of the utmost Importance, I thought proper to call the Congress together; whose Resolutions of this Day, I now do myself the Honour to enclose. Considering the very critical Situation of our Affairs, the Congress have agreed that you may order into the Jerseys, the Troops who are at present on the...
25To George Washington from John Hancock, 27 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed Resolves being of the utmost Importance, will naturally claim your Attention, without any particular Recommendation or Comment. They are ardently calculated to retrieve the Situation of our Affairs, and I trust will have the desired Effect. I have wrote to the Councils of Safety of Massachussetts Bay and Pennsylvania on the Subject of creating Magazines in their respective States...
26To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
I Arriv’d last Eveng at this place, where I was honour’d with your Letter of 23d Inst. which I shall lay before Congress as soon as the whole of the Members arrive here which I Expect will be this Day. The Inclos’d Letters for Commodore Hazelwood & Capt. Alexander, the Marine Committee judg’d best to forward, at least to induce them to Exert themselves to the last, they are left open for your...
27To George Washington from John Hancock, 15 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honour to enclose you sundry Resolves of Congress, accompanied with a Commission for Monsr Armand, which I am to request you will order to be delivered to him, as he is now at Head Quarters. Ever since the appointment of Brigadiers I have been waiting to be informed of the Dates of their respective Commissions in Order to settle their Rank in making out new ones. But as there...
28To George Washington from John Hancock, 15 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
My feelings as a private Friend, & the very great personal regard for Your Excellency with which I have been penetrated ever since I had the Honor of an Acquaintance with you, would by no means allow me to see you retiring from your important Employments without paying you my particular Attentions. But when as a Public Man, warmly attach’d to the Interest of my Country, I consider the nature...
29To George Washington from John Hancock, 16 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have only Time to forward the foregoing Resolves. By to morrow’s Post I hope to write you on the Subject of all your Letters which remain unanswer’d. I have the honr to be Your very hume sevt Your favr 14th just Rec’d. ALS , DLC:GW . This note is written at the end of the three resolutions of 15 July which were copied from the minutes of Congress and signed by its secretary Charles Thomson....
30To George Washington from John Hancock, 30 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since my departure from Philadelphia, I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favrs to 23d Inst.—I met the Congress on Saturday last at Lancaster, & upon consultation it was judged most prudent to adjourn to this place, where we now are, & where we can deliberate & prosecute business without interruption, & where your dispatches will meet us. I have just now receiv’d by general Gates’s Aid...