1From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 25 September 1780 (Adams Papers)
The People on your Side, Seem determined to revenge themselves for the Loss of their Power, on those who have done all they could to Save it. I should not Say, all they could. They have never made an opposition upon Any Principle or System. The Man who condemns a Minister in one Breath for the American War, and in the next condemns him for not doing more in it, and not succeeding in it, will...
2From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 6 – 7 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 26 ultimo is before me. That of 9th. have received. I have received the Box of Books &c—but nothing since. Pray drop all the Papers, I will get the Courant the Same way, that I have the General Advertiser and Morning post. I wish to have a Poem that is advertised, in which some American Characters are Said to be drawn —good or bad—let it come. I want also that Volume of the...
3From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 21 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Mr Adams will Stay, at home, for the Gentleman in No. 10, whom he will receive at ten o Clock, this Day, Sans Ceremonie, provided the Gentleman is content the Conversation Should pass in presence of Mr Thaxter, Mr Adams’s Secretary. But Such is the Situation of Things here and elsewhere, that it is impossible for Mr. A. to have any Conversation with any Gentleman from England, without Witness....
4From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 28 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 26 and 29 Ultimo I have received and another with the Court Gazette with the Capitulation of Charlestown and also that of 8th. instant. I have also received the Box of Books, and all the Bundles of Newspapers and Pamphlets. I thank you most Sincerely for your Care. I beg you Pardon, sir, for sending you, half of the Report of the Committee. I thought it entire when I sent it. It is...
5From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 27 March 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you, for the Trouble you have kindly taken in Sending me Gazettes, Pamplets, and Books, but the alteration of Circumstances, has rendered the Communication So difficult and expensive that I am obliged to desist. Two or three Packets which you mentioned in Letter not long Since have not arrived, nor have I heard any Thing of them. The Gazettes cost me by the Post, at a...
6From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 28 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Give me Leave to trouble you, to Send me two Newspapers, the General Advertiser and the Morning Post, Let them be sent constantly by the Post, to the Address of Mynheer Henry Schorn, Amsterdam. I have an opportunity already of Seeing Some other Papers. Let me beg the favour of your sending me also, General Burgoines and General Hows Narrative. When your Funds are near exhausted let me know. It...
7From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 14 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 6 and 10 are received. Upon what Principle is it, that they confine Mr. L. as a Prisoner of State? After So many Precedents as have been set. Sullivan, Sterling, Lee, Lovel, and many others have been exchanged as Prisoners of War. Mr. L. was in England when Hostilities commenced, I believe. He came into public, in America after the Declaration of Independence, after the Extinction of...
8From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 17 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I regularly recieve the Newspapers, but have not recieved the Books or Pamphlets of any kind. If a Majority of the People your Way think America still theirs, they are a Majority of Ideots. They might as sensibly think Gascoigne and Guienne still theirs —poor deluded Fools! how I pity them! Sir Jo. Y. is pelting the Dutch with Memorials, in the Stile of Bernard’s Speeches and Hillsboroughs...
9From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 27 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 17. with its Inclosure and that of the 22d.—and thank you for both. Things are coming to an Extremity, that Philanthropy would wish to avoid: but thus it ever was, in Similar Cases. A free Nation corrupted, becomes an Hell, a Society of Devils. Angells fallen, retain nothing but immortal Hate. Come out of her, my People! Says a good old Book. This Republick has...
10From John Adams to Thomas Digges, 7 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 24. 27 and 31. Ultimo came altogether last night. The Note in that of 27 is of much Use much Importance to me. I wrote, Sometime ago, to see if any Thing could be done by Way of Exchange. If a certain Sett, are governed wholly by Passion, it must be confessed they have as constant a gale of it, as a Tempest so furious, will in the ordinary course of Nature admit of. C’en est...