Adams Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Adams, John" AND Period="Washington Presidency" AND Correspondent="Adams, John"
sorted by: relevance
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-20-02-0185

To John Adams from William Brown and John Hopkins, [ante 14 April 1790]

From William Brown and John Hopkins

[ante 14 April 1790]1

To the Honourable John Adams Vice President of the United States of America

The Petition of Wm: Brown & Jam̃. Hopkins with advice of the Honourable John Jay most humbly sheweth that they being now in Confinement in the new Goal of this City suffering under the greatest cruelty that can be inflicted on any human Person & from the Noble Character that Yr. Honour bears induces them to apply for redress hoping that if consistent Your Honour will free them from the Punishment inflicted on them. may the God of Mercy in whose hands are the hearts of Men dispose Your Honour to befriend them in granting them also their Release they having sailed out of this State. The Petition would also present to Your Honour that there is people who is well acquainted with the Captain & know him to be of an infamous Character. may the Great Sovereign whose unbounded Pity is towards the distressed make Your Honour the happy instrument in granting them Release & may every Blessing be shewed on Your Noble Character from the inhabitants of this City who advised us to apply for Redress. & as in Duty bound we shall ever pray &c.—

Willm. Brown
John Hopkins

RC (Adams Papers).

1William Brown and John (or James) Hopkins were accused of mutiny and attempted murder aboard the Morning Star, Capt. Henry Kermit, which sailed from Amsterdam to New York earlier in the spring. They were arrested upon their arrival on 20 March, tried before the New York State circuit court, and found guilty. On 14 April Brown and Hopkins were sentenced to stand one hour in the pillory, serve six months in jail, and receive 39 lashes. The dating of this letter is based on newspaper accounts of their trial. There is no indication that JA intervened in the case (Doc. Hist. Supreme Court description begins The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800, ed. Maeva Marcus, James R. Perry, and others, New York, 1985–2007; 8 vols. description ends , 2:22; Minutes, 13–14 April 1790, Circuit Court for the District of New York, RG 21, NjBaFAR; New-York Daily Gazette, 22 March; New-York Packet, 15 April).

Index Entries