831From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 12 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
In my Letters to you, I regard no order. And I think, I ought to make you laugh Sometimes: otherwise my Letters would be too grave, if not too melancholly. To this End I Send you Jemmibellero “the Song of the Drunkard” which was published in Fleets “Boston Evening Post” on the 13th. of May 1765. It was universally agreed to have been written by Samuel Waterhouse, who had been the most...
832From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 24 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
As we have amused ourselves with looking at a few pictures, suppose we should add one more to the Gallery. The Artist makes the scene of his action that spacious Apartment that we very properly denominated Fanuel Hall. The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Judges, the Counsellors, the Representatives, the President and Professors & Students of the University; the Docters of Law, Physic, &...
833From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
In the Search for Something, in the History and Statutes of England, in any degree resembling this Monstrum horrondum ingens the Writt of Assistance, the following Examples were found. In the Statute of the first Year of King James the Second Chapter third “An Act for granting to his Majesty an imposition upon all Wines and Vinegar &c ” ; Section 8, it is enacted “That the Officers of his...
834From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 25 February 1818 (Adams Papers)
As Mr Wirt has filled my head with James Otis; and as I am well informed that The Honourable Mr Benjamin Austin alias Honestus alias Old South alias Old North alias Politicastor roundly asserts that Mr “Otis had no Patriotism”; and that “he acted only from Revenge of his Fathers disapointment of a Seat on the Superior Bench” I will tell you a Story which may make you laugh, if it should not...
835From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 21 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
Mr Otis quoted another Author “The political and Commercial Works of Charles D’Avenant, L.L.D. Vol 2. Discourse 3. On the Plantation Trade.” I cannot transcribe Seventy Six Pages, but wish that Americans of all Classes would read them: They are in the Same Strain with Downing; Childs, Gee, Ashley, Charles 2. James 2, William and Mary William The Third Ann, George The Second and George The...
836From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 11 March 1818 (Adams Papers)
Your Pupil Mr Minot was a young Gentleman of excellent character; pure, spotless in Morals and Manners, loving Truth above all things. Agreed. But can you accuse me of prejudice or Malignity when I perceive a Tang of the Old Cask of Toryism in his History? He Studies, he labours for impartiality; but does he always hit it? In page 142 of his Second Volume, he Says “There was a Pause in the...
837From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 31 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment received your favour of yesterday. In some future Letter I must write you an Apology for S. Adams and J. Hancock: which your inherent good nature will not reject. Please to give to your Son the inclosed Inquiston, with / Cordial regards of, We have this Moment the news of J Q A Acceptance, and hopes to embark in all May— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
838From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 26 July 1818 (Adams Papers)
Another Auther produced by Mr Otis was “The Trade and Navigation of Great Britain considered by Joshua Gee. A new Edition with many interesting Notes and Additions by a Merchant” printed in 1767. This new Edition which was printed no doubt to justify the Ministry in the System which was they were then pursuing, could not be the Edition that Mr Otis produced in February 1761. The Advertisement...
839From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
In your last letter you consider me in debt, I will not dispute it. You seem to wish me to write something to diminish the fame of Samuel Adams to show that he was not a man of profound learning, a great lawyer, a man of vast reading, a comprehensive statesman. In all this I shall not gratify you. Give me leave to tell you, my friend, that you have conceived prejudices against that great...
840From John Adams to William Tudor, Sr., 9 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
I have promised you, hints, of the heads of Mr Otis’s Oration, Argument Speech, call it which you please, again the Acts of Trade as Revennue Laws, and against Writts of Assistants as Tyrannical Instruments to carry them into Execution.— But I enter on the performance of my promise to you not without fear and trembling; because I am in the Situation of a Lady, Whom you know first as my Client,...