To John Adams from James Lovell, 21 December 1777
From James Lovell
1777. 21st. [December]1
That you may excuse my vile manner of doing business, know that I [am] freezing in my little room this morning so that I can scarcely hold my pen, but, I am, here, in quiet.
The sealed packet sent before contained Triplicates of Octr. 31st Novr. 1 and 8 which last were only an Introduction of the Bearer Col: Ewen, and an Annunciation of Mr. Laurens’s Election as President so that his Draughts might be honoured.
I hope you will have copies made of what you have received in case several opportunities of sending offer. The distance from Boston and Portsmouth makes us lose many chances of sending from York.
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Honble John Adams Esqr. Braintree.” Filmed under date of 21 Nov. (Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 348).
1. At the time this letter was written, JA had obviously already been chosen a commissioner to France as a replacement for Silas Deane. The date, then, must be some time after 28 Nov. (, 9:975). The reference below to a “sealed packet sent before” suggests December, for on 8 Dec., Lovell made mention to JA of such a packet’s being carried to Baltimore by Richard Henry Lee (Lovell to JA, 8 Dec., above). Moreover, the present letter was written in the morning; that which follows was dated by Lovell in the afternoon, the month of December being supplied by JA’s docketing.