1William Tudor to Abigail Adams, 3 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
You may depend on my giving your Letter to Capt. Marston who sets out for Philadelphia on Monday. A safer Hand it could not go by. Pray let your Fears subside about Tumults—there have been none. There was an Assembly of 4000 Patriots at Cambridge yesterday—where the utmost Regularity was observ’d, and after finishing their Business they all repair’d to their homes in Quiet. They procur’d a...
2To John Adams from William Tudor, 21 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I arriv’d in this City last Monday 15th. Instant. I left Boston with much Regret, not so much because I was coming to this unfriendly Town, as because I left that defenceless, or next to it. Nothing had been done towards securing the Harbour except building a Fort on Fort Hill. The 5 Regiments left there are neither of them full, and the General Officer who commands the little Army is but...
3To Thomas Jefferson from William Tudor, 24 January 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of sending with this letter, a volume which I have just had published. Perhaps you may recollect my having addressed a letter to you on the subject asking some information, two or three years since, and to which I shall never forget that you favored me with a prompt & kind reply. I can hardly presume that in the midst of your numerous engagements that you will be willing to...
4To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you 21st. Inst. which I hope you have receiv’d. The publick Prints of to Day, Which you will doubtless see, have been so satisfactory in their Accounts of the Proceedings of People in different Parts of the Province, as to render it unnecessary for me to write them. Every thing here is driving fast to an important Crisis. The Governor, if Report says true, is determined at all Hazards...
5To John Adams from William Tudor, 30 September 1789 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of 18 th. I received last Evening & it was particularly acceptable as I had experienced much Uneasiness from the Time which had intervened since your last Favour. Notwithstanding your kind Hint at the Close of it, I was chagrined, greatly so, by reading the Paper of this Morning. Not, because I was not named as a Judge, for I think the Judges from this State are well selected & I...
6To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
We have Nothing here sufficiently important to communicate, As it is hardly worthwhile to tell you that a Vessel was last Sunday taken by one of our Privateers loaded with coals and Potatoes; or that a Night or two ago we had one or more Deserters, from the Enemy. Preparations have been for some Time silently making for an important Manoevre, and from the Contents of General Orders for several...
7To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I have never known more Pleasure discovered amongst all Ranks of Citizens, than what appeared here, on the news of our Two Presidents safe Arrival, the same Week, at New York. And this Satisfaction was not lessened by reading your Address to the most honorable Senate. This Speech has greatly tended to confirm what the zealous Federalists prognosticated, & the considerate & patriotic Part of...
8William Tudor to Abigail Adams, 9 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
It was with great Pleasure that I recognized the well known Hand writing, which it is so many years since I have seen. It was impossible not to avail myself of the Contents of the Note I found in the President’s Letter, in some prefatory Remarks which you will read in the Gazette, I have taken the Liberty to send you. Chagrined as I am with a late Event which has furnished so noble a Triumph...
9To John Adams from William Tudor, 27 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
Our Citizens here disapprobate the Compensations, as they are called, which have passed the lower House of Congress. They generally think that the Salary of the Vice President should have been Ten thousand Dollars, A Guinea Per Diem for the Representatives, & six Dollars for a Senator. As it now stands, the first Sum is a Disgrace to the Government; & is here considered as arising from Party...
10To John Adams from William Tudor, 9 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
However you & I may have been taught by Civilians, & however History confirms the Maxim, that an Imperium in Imperio is a Solecism, this Country will continue to learn from its own limited School, & by the most expensive Experiments, those Truths which Statesmen, Legislators & enlightened Politicians have in vain pointed out to them.— Our present Confederacy is not very unlike the Monster of...
11To John Adams from William Tudor, 5 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of your Letter by Monsieur Jean Baptiste Petry about six Weeks since, and should before this Time have acknowleged the Receipt of it, had a favourable Opportunity presented but so many of our merchant Ships are captured that a Letter goes subjected to too much Hazard which is transmitted by a private Vessel; This goes by The Alliance and I hope will arrive safe, for the Loss...
12To John Adams from William Tudor, 19 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I set down to give you Part of the Information you ask. The Brigade you mention are new Levies wholly from the Massachusetts Bay. They are posted at Greenwich on the North River about 2 Miles out of Town. What the Men are or how they look I can’t tell not having seen them. The Brigadier Mr. Fellows, was a Colonel in the Continental Service last Campaign, his Regiment was at Roxbury. He lives...
13To John Adams from William Tudor, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the Post 3 Weeks ago but have not been honour’d with a Line since your Returnto Philadelphia. I should write oftener but every Thing of Importance is communicated in the Prints, and I am in no Secrets at Head Quarters, and I hate to set down to write when I can’t tell You something worth reading. About 10 Days ago two floating Batteries were ordered down Cambridge River to fire...
14To John Adams from William Tudor, 7 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter from Baltimore of 25th. Feby. I got to Day and was not a little pleased with its Receipt, as it convinc’d me You was not averse to renewing a Correspondence which is the most pleasing and honorary I can boast of. There was not sufficient Evidence to satisfy the Court Martial that Buckner ought to suffer capittally. With me there was not the least Doubt. I am sure the Man is a...
15To John Adams from William Tudor, 16 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since the Return of one half their Troops from Rhode Island I think the Enemy must be full 10,000 Men. They have only two out Posts Bonam Town and Piscatuqua which are too near their main Body to be surpriz’d, were the Detachments at those Posts less vigilant than they are. The Enemy never sleep with their Cloaths off, and are always prepared for an Attack. They have been continually harrassed...
16To John Adams from William Tudor, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this Minute your Favour of 23d. July. We have had, Saturday Night and last Night much skirmishing between the ministerial and continental Troops. The Regulars attempted entrenching on Charlestown Neck Saturday Night, which produc’d a Brush Sunday Morning. They were obliged to desist by the Fire of our ranging Parties. It is said they lost seven and we two Men. There has been a...
17To John Adams from William Tudor, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
It was with no small Degree of Pleasure, on my Return here, I observed the Cheerfulness which brightened the Countenance of every Soldier I met. The whole Army are in most excellent Spirits and shew an Impatience for Action. And the Spade and Pick Ax have been so well employ’d, that there is scarce a Spot upon the whole Island, where a Redoubt or Breast Work could be of service, but what has...
18To John Adams from William Tudor, 6 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
That I was right in my Position “that a considerable Time must elapse before the united States can arise to Greatness” I find confirmed by your last Letter. That our Situation, Resources and Population may & ought to rank Us high on the Scale of Nations is indisputably true. But the heterogeneous Materials which compose our extensive federal Republic; the Jealousies, the Ignorances, & the...
19To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 12th. Instant by Mr. Tracy. But the One you mention to have sent me some Time before I never got. I am much oblig’d by your Exertions to get my Pay augmented, which is now made fully equivalent to the Office. The Concern which you have shewn for the Advancement of my Honor and Interest in a thousand Instances, demands something more than bare Acknowlegements. If...
20To George Washington from William Tudor, 26 July 1788 (Washington Papers)
The strong Attachment which I know you have always felt, & in a Variety of Instances demonstrated, for the State of Massachusetts, induces me to send you, what is here considered, an interesting Pamphlet; which, with great Impartiality, states the rise, causes, & happy Termination of the late most alarming Insurrections in the Commonwealth. The Author is a young Lawyer, & Clerk to our lower...
21To John Adams from William Tudor, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday ask’d Permission to resign my Post of J.A.G. and to retire from the Army, but met with a Refusal, which, though softened by a Compliment from the General, gave me some Chagrine. A Person at my Time of Life ought to be, if possible in the Road to Wealth or Fame, or both, my Office will never intitle me to either. For the Pay annexed to it, from the Depreciation of the Currency and...
22To John Adams from William Tudor, 22 April 1789 (Adams Papers)
I had not the Pleasure of bidding You a personal Adieu on the Monday of your leaving this Town, because I could not have done it without being at a House, which I never will enter. And to the same Cause was it, as I have been requested to tell you, that you did not Meet so many of your Friends & the Friends to dignified Government as would otherwise have crowded about you to have paid that...
23To John Adams from William Tudor, August 1775 (Adams Papers)
You was inquiring the other Day into the Office of Judge Advocate. I will now acquaint you with some Particulars in that Department which will give you an Idea of that Officer’s Duty in the Continental Army. As Judge Advocate, I have his Excellency’s (the Commander in chief) Orders, in writing, “to attend every General Court Martial, not only those of the Line but of each Brigade throughout...
24William Tudor to Abigail Adams, 26 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I inclose £23:3:10—Twenty Pounds, seventeen Shillings being the Amount of the Account against Mr. Hancock—and two Pounds six Shillings & ten Pence the Difference in favour of Mr. Adams on Settlement With Mrs. Turell. Turells Account as You will see by the Account and Receipt herewith sent being £6 10s. 6d. His Note with Interest was £8 17s. 4d. Be pleased to credit Mr. Hancock in the Books for...
25To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had a Warrant on Sunday Morning last, from Head Quarters, for the Trial of Lieut. Col. Harman Zeidwitz Commanding Officer of Brigadier McDougal’s late Regiment, charged with “holding a treacherous Correspondence with, and giving Intelligence to the Enemies of the united American States.” The Prisoner was arraign’d, but beg’d Time till next Morning to plead, and prepare for Trial. Monday...
26To John Adams from William Tudor, 6 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your very kind Letter last Evening and this Morning had the Honour of being introduc’d to Genl. Washington by Majr. Mifflin, and through Your Reccommendation was very genteely notic’d. I had an Invitation from the General to dine with him tomorrow, when I shall attempt making a proper Use of your Hints. I have been intirely idle ever since the Communication with the Town of Boston...
27To John Adams from William Tudor, 21 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for correcting my careless Appellation of federal Republic as applied to the National Government. We are so used to Absurdities & indefinite Terms when speaking of the great Constitution, that I am now to ask your Indulgence in future for sometimes hastily adopting Expressions which are so often improperly used by our Massachusetts Politicians. And yet notwithstanding your just...
28To John Adams from William Tudor, 6 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am exceedingly concerned to find that the New Articles of War, though passed, are not to take Place yet. The infamous Desertions, the Shameless Ravages, and seditious Speeches and mutinous Behaviour which prevail throughout your Army, call in the loudest Language for a Reform. With the present Articles, the military Government, without making Soldiers, is breeding Highwaymen and Robbers. As...
29To John Adams from William Tudor, 30 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
The manoeuvers of the Camp have afforded Nothing important for a month past. The Works at Plough’d Hill are finish’d, but are useless, because we have not Powder to annoy the Enemy and if we had, it would be an idle Expence of it to expend it in Cannonading at such a Distance. The Enemy have fir’d from their different Works 2000 Cannon Balls and 300 Bombs, without killing ten men of ours. When...
30To John Adams from William Tudor, 4 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I was much oblig’d by the little Essay you sent me and more so by the Letter which accompanied it. The Plan proposed is an exceeding good System for the Government of the young and as yet uncorrupted States of America, and approaches so near the Form of the N. England late Constitutions, stript of their Inconveniences and monarchical Appendages, that I think it must be approved and soon...