1301To John Adams from Samuel Swift, 13 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have Read a specimen of Nov Anglus as of this day and am not a little in Raptures with it, should have Rejoyced if Edes & Gill had began and finished this days paper with his masterly performance, which I hope in God may be continued for the Edification of the Good people for whose Good it was designed and as this is Something of a leasure time may we go on. God will prosper his endeavours....
1302To John Adams from Samuel Swift, 31 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
I was in hopes you would have just called as you went out of Town, more especially as I Asked the favor I wanted to have troubled you with the inclosed —but you forgot me. I Sent and got the Group it is Admirally well done as far as it go’s, but, pauca desunt , vizt. Act. II. Scene I. The persons are, Hateall, Hazlerod, Monsieur, Beau-Trumps, Simple, Humbug, Sr. Sparrow, yet the first part...
1303To John Adams from Samuel Swift, 20 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 30th. Ult. I Recd, by Mr. Revere. He shew me Also your Cautionary paper, which was needless with respect to Any thing containd in your favour. But I have forbore to read it to Any Enemies or Suspected friends. In Obedience to your injunctions and my own inclinations, I carry’d your friendly mention of Mr. Wheelwright to him who was glad to hear of you &c. When I read your Amusing...
1304To John Adams from Samuel Swift, 30 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
(a Memento for Tyrants as A man has it) Seting before a warm fire totus Solus with a Tankard of honest Cyder on my Rifles hand and as honest a dish of Clambs (taken out of Our pious Fore fathers powdering tub) on my left. “I lookd and blesst my Self, nor would I Change my State, For all the pompous Riches of the Great” or those who would be tho’t great, as is better Renderd. in the Original....
1305To John Adams from John Trumbull, 20 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
In the county of Worcester, the people, at a general meeting, have resolved that no court shall be held there, according to the new regulation of juries, and that judge Oliver shall not take his seat. Upon a report that a regiment would be sent to protect the court, they declared that they were ready to meet it. It is to be hoped, however, that no violent measures will be taken, till the sense...
1306To John Adams from John Tudor, 1 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Received your favor of the 23d. ult. but not til Satterday night as the man who promisd. to give it me forgot it. I am, Sir exceedingly oblidg’d to you for your thoughts and tender consern for my Son; the Carector you give him must be very agreeable to me and his Mother and all related. I hope and beleave it tis so except the prudent part, in that I think he is short, but perhaps a few Years...
1307To John Adams from William Tudor, 21 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
The great Obligations your Friendship has laid me under would render me inexcusable to neglect any Occasion of paying You my Acknowlegements; it is with real Pleasure, therefore, I find so early an Opportunity presenting to fulfill my Promise of writing You: Which should it contribute in the least to your Gratification will convince me the Time was not unusefully spent. The late Manoeuvres of...
1308To 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...
1309To John Adams from William Tudor, 3 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
This Week has been fruitfull of extraordinary Transactions. I will endeavour to give You some Account of them. Tuesday the Superior Court opened and Mr. Oliver took his Seat as chief Justice. When the grand Jury were called upon to be sworn they all to a Man refus’d taking the Oath, for Reasons committed to Paper, which they permitted the Court, after some Altercation, to read. The Petit Jury...
1310To John Adams from William Tudor, 17 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Nothing very material has taken Place here since Mr. Revere left Boston, by whom you will have particular Accounts. The Fortifications at the Entrance of the Town and Entrenchments &c. on the Neck advance rapidly, they have three hundred Soldiers constantly at Work there. Seven Regiments are already here with a Train of thirty Peices of Cannon, and two more Regiments from Quebec are every Week...
1311To John Adams from William Tudor, 22 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
On my Return from Salem this Afternoon I was gratified with the Receipt of your kind Letter dated at Prince-Town 28th. of last Month. I could have wish’d it a much longer one, though considering the public Character which You travel in that must occasion You many Invitations; and the important Business which you have engag’d to transact and which must very deeply employ your Time and Thoughts,...
1312To John Adams from William Tudor, 26 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Revere arriv’d late on friday Evening and brought Us your Letters. Each one communicated the animating Intelligence convey’d in them to his particular Circle, and by 11 o’Clock the next Morng. the Contents of your Letters had circulated through the Town. The Assurance you give us of the Unanimity that prevails in the Congress has banish’d the only Fear we had remaining—a Disunion of...
1313To John Adams from William Tudor, 4 April 1775 (Adams Papers)
The interesting Advices we rec’d here on Sunday, and which the Papers will acquaint You, have had almost as great an Effect on People in this Town, as the Arrival of the Port Bill produc’d. The Women are terrify’d by the Fears of Blood and Carnage. The Merchants are dispirited, by the Expectation of Lord North’s Bill for the Prevention of the Newfoundland Fishery; and the Trading to any Parts...
1314To John Adams from John Waite, 18 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
A sacred regard to the american association on the one hand and an earnest desire not to injure my fellow subjects in Great Britain on the other is the reason of my writing you at this time to request your advice for my future conduct and also to confirm or set me right in my judgment in a Late affair that has happened in this Port. The case is as follows a Vessell arived here from Bristol the...
1315To John Adams from James Warren, 3 January 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Received your last and am to Acknowledge that the Contents of it gave me great pleasure. I have for some time thought it necessary that the People should strike some Bold stroke and Try the Issue. They have long enough Submitted to Oppressions and Insults following one another in A rapid Succession without finding any Advantage. They have now Indeed passed the River and left no retreat and...
1316To John Adams from James Warren, 20 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
I need not tell you that I was greatly disappointed and Chagrin’d at not seeing you at Cambridge A Member of our Congress. If it was the Choice of your Town, I Know not how they can Excuse, or even Extenuate the fault, surely A small degree of Patriotism would have dictated a very different Conduct. My disappointment was Encreased by not haveing the pleasure of seeing you on my way there, or...
1317To John Adams from James Warren, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I Recd yours of the 18th Sepr with A pleasure and satisfaction that render my Negligence in not Answering it before almost Inexcusable. I shant trouble you at this Time with any Apologies, but leave your Candour to Excuse me till I have an Opportunity to do it on A Social Evening att Braintree or Plymouth and Improve the Short Time I now have in Another way. Great has been my Anxiety since you...
1318To John Adams from James Warren, 15 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Admire the Notes and Resolves of the Maryland Convention. They Breath a Spirit of Liberty and Union which does Honour to them and Indeed the whole Continent. I am greatly puzzled to determine what Consequences the United force of all these things will produce in Britain. They must be Infatuated to A degree I can hardly Conceive of, if these things make no Impression and yet in general I...
1319To John Adams from James Warren, 15 March 1775 (Adams Papers)
With some difficulty I have Obtained the Inclosed. Some scruples which you have not resolved, and some fears, and Apprehensions from Rumors Abroad have Occasioned the delay, and reluctance. The Copy I got last Night. Have had no time to read it over. You will please to Examine and Correct &c. and do with it as you think proper, haveing as I dare say you will, a proper regard to prudence under...
1320To John Adams from James Warren, 19 December 1774 (Adams Papers)
It always gives me pleasure to hear of the Existence and Health of my Friend and his Family and more especially to have it from his own hand. The partiality discovered in yours of the 13th Instant is a strong Evidence of Friendship. I am sorry it should give you any Uneasiness, if the Elections you refer to are not Just such as you and I should Approve. I am Inclined to think they would not...
1321To John Adams from James and Mercy Otis Warren, 14 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 25th. of last month never reached me, till yesterday. It would have given me great pleasure to have seen you when I returned from Salem, and I was really greatly disappointed to find you and Family gone, and more especially as I was Apprehensive I should have no Other Opportunity of seeing you, till the Time called for your Attendance at the Grand Council of America, An Assembly...
1322To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 4 April 1775 (Adams Papers)
At the same time that I make my Gratful Acknowledgment, for the instructive sentiments and Friendly hint, Contained in yours of the 15th March I must ask your indulgence so far as to Favour me with your opinion (by my son who will Call on you on Monday Next) of the present dark and Gloomy aspect of public affairs. Is there no hope that the Dread Calamity of Civil Convulsions may yet be...
1323To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 30 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
The very polite introduction to yours of Jan 3d I Consider not only as A Complement far beyond any Merit I can presume to Claim, but as Resulting in some Measure from that partial Byas which Ever Leads us to View through the most Favourable Medium whatever Regards those we Consider in the Light of Friendship. But when assure’d that I think myself both Honour’d and oblige’d whenever Mr. Adams...
1324Mercy Otis Warren to John and Abigail Adams, 17 May 1774 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Warren being prevented by many Avocations from writing this Morning, has put the pen into the hand of his substitute: who with him presents sincere Regards to Mr. and Mrs. Adams. Lets them know they have been Repeatedly disappointed in not seeing them at Plimouth. Shall not pretend to Deliniate the painful Ideas that arise on a survey of the Evils Brought on this much injure’d Country by...
1325To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 11 October 1773 (Adams Papers)
MS ( Adams Papers ) in the hand of Mercy (Otis) Warren. This unsigned poem was doubtless an enclosure in a letter which has since been lost. For Mrs. Warren’s relationship with the Adamses, see Adams Family Correspondence Adams Family Correspondence , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1963– . , 1:84 , note and references there. This reference is not to Gov. Hutchinson’s brother,...
1326To John Adams from William Whipple, 13 February 1772 (Adams Papers)
Portsmouth, 13 February 1772. RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “To John Adams Esqr. at Boston favoured P Mr. Cutts”; endorsed. Whipple gives directions for litigation in the admiralty cases involving himself and Cutt. See entry for 27 Jan. , above. RC ( Adams Papers ).
1327To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 28 June 1774 (Adams Papers)
We yesterday received your Letter directed to us, with those for Braintree, immediately on the Receipt of it, I went to Mr Cranch’s to seek a Conveyance for them but no Opportunity offered there or at the Markets. After my return to the Office, I thought it probable that we might send them from Edes and Gill’s Shop. Accordingly I run in, I very luckily met with Mr Allens Servant who promised...
1328To John Adams from Jonathan Williams, 25 July 1774 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter was this Day delivered to me in the office. Your obliging thanks for my duty gives me singular Pleasure. Mr. Hill return’d to Boston last Saturday. I very early in my Letter give you this Information because I hope it will afford you a share of consolation and happiness in proportion equal to your grief and concern you have had for his elopement. It seems his Father, as I presumed...
1329Adams Elected to Membership in Supporters of the Bill of Rights, 21 September 1773 (Adams Papers)
In pursuance of a Resolution of this Society, I am to signify to you that you have this Day been duly elected a Member thereof. N.B. Subscriptions are received by frederick bull , Esq; Treasurer to this society , at his House in Leadenhall-Street, No. 96. Printed form on folded sheet approx. 13 by 8 inches ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “John Adams Esqr. Boston”; endorsed on address leaf: “Jan’y...
1330To John Adams from William Woodfall, 12 March 1774 (Adams Papers)
As the Affairs of AMERICA are now agitating in both Houses of the English Parliament, and as it would be a matter of infinite satisfaction to those subjects of the British Crown, who are natives and residents of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to know the real state of political occurrences in America, I thought it would neither be unwelcome to the English nor American public, if a news-paper...