1Argument before Governor Bernard and the Council in Favor of Opening the Courts, 20 December 1765 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams Innumerable are the Calamities which flow from an Interruption of Justice. Necessity requires that the Doors of Justice should ever be open to hear the Complaints of the Injured and Oppressed. The Stamp-Act, I take it, is utterly void, and of no Binding force upon Us; for it is against our Rights as Men, and our Priviledges as Englishmen. An Act made in Defiance of the first...
2From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 29 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Quarter Master General of the Army has represented to me that notwithstanding he has offered 2/ ⅌ Foot for Fire Wood—2/1½ ⅌ Bushel for Oats—3/4 ⅌ Ct for Hay he cannot procure those Articles for the Use of the Army. From the Information I have received I have great Reason to believe that this is an artificial Scarcity partly created by some Persons who are monopolizing those Articles in...
3From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 4 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
Col. Sergeant has applied to me for his Commission in the Continental Army, & I have no Objection to comply with his Request but his not having received one under the Legislature of this Province. But as I do not mean to confine myself to Forms, if he has been considered by this Governmt as an Officer authorized to raise a Regiment, & would have received a Commission on the Provincial...
4From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 10 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
In the confused & distordered state of this Army, occasioned by such Capital changes as have taken place of late, I have found it almost impossible to come at exact returns of the strength of our Lines—Not till last night was I able to get in the whole, Since the dissolution of the old Army; by these I find myself weaker than I had any Idea of, and under the necessity of requesting an exertion...
5From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 26 February 1776 (Washington Papers)
As I am making all possible preparation to take possession of the heights of Dorchester (which I expect I shall be able to accomplish by the last of this Week) it is expected that this, if any thing can, will bring the Enemy out of Boston to oppose, as at Charles-town, our erecting any Works there. To weaken our Lines on the North side of Cambridge River too much, with a view to strengthen...
The Congress being Inform’d by a Letter from Genl. Washington, that two Thousand of the Continental Troops at Cambridge and Roxbury are deficient in Fire Arms, and that he has not been able to Purchase the Same from the Inhabitants or Obtain them from the Assemblies of the New England Colonies, have directed the General to make Returns to the Assemblies of the Numbers of men Inlisted from...
7From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was a few days ago honoured with your favs. of the 4th and 17th last Month: I cannot but think, that altho your Inducements for granting an additional Bounty to the Troops to be furnished by your State, were certainly meant to serve the Cause, that you will find them most prejudicial in the End. One reason will be that by your departing from the Bounty prescribed by Congress, the Troops in...
To the Honourable the Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay. May it please your Honours I find myself under a Necessity of resigning my Appointment to a Seat in the Superior Court; and I do accordingly hereby resign it, and request that Some other Gentleman may be forthwith appointed to that most honourable and important Station. I am your Honours most obliged and obedient humble Servant...
9From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 25 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I took the liberty in a Letter of the 11th of February, to inform your Honble Board of the augmentation Congress had resolved to make to the Army they voted to be raised in September, and to sollicit your attention and good Offices in promoting the raising of your proportion of these latter Levies. I trusted, that I then urged such reasons for the measure and so clearly shewed the Quota...
10The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 20 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library We are much obliged by your Favour of the 24th. October which brought us the first Intelligence of the Defeat and Surrender of Bourgoyne’s Army, which gave great Joy not only to us but to this whole friendly Nation. In return we can only tell you at present, that our Affairs hear wear the most promising Appearance, and that we have little Doubt of seeing...
11The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 16 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, July 16, 1778: We enclose a request from M. de Sartine, which we promised to send you. Americans will doubtless be inclined to supply the islanders, and the northern states be able to do so in the absence of, or perhaps even despite, British warships. We hope the attempt will be made; it will fetch a good price...
12The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 29 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have received the Honour of your Letter of June 9, by Captain Corbin Barnes of the Schooner Dispatch together with three Packetts, directed to Us. We shall leave the Captain to his own Discretion concerning the Port he may return to. It is at present a Time of Scarcity of News, but We expect hourly important...
Passy, 9 September 1778. RC in Adams’ hand PPAmP . printed (with enclosure): Magazine of American History, 12:462–463 (Nov. 1884). Franklin and Adams sent the Council a letter of 10 Aug. from Thomas Hutchinson to Dr. James Lloyd of Boston, concerning land owned by Hutchinson’s sister, Grizell Sanford, and enclosing his and his sister’s powers of attorney. Franklin and Adams had opened the...
14The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 9 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society The inclosed Letter was delivered to Us by the Person intrusted with it for Inspection. We did not think it proper that a Letter should go through our Hands to America, from Mr. Hutchinson, without Examination. We accordingly broke the seal and found the two Powers of Attorney, and the Letter inclosed, of which Letter We have taken a Copy. We think...
15The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 22 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives Mr. Jonathan Loring Austin who was dispatched the last year by your Honours with the glorious News of the Convention of Saratoga, being about to return home We think it proper to inform your Honours that his Behaviour since his arrival here has been entirely to our Satisfaction and to recommend him as a Gentleman of...
16From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 12 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honor of transmitting you a Copy of an Act of Congress of the 1st Instant. The defenceless condition of the very important and interesting posts on Hudson’s river for the want of Cannon—and the impracticability of procuring ’em elsewhere, were the motives to it’s adoption. And I have directed General Heath to have the few heavy pieces belonging to the United States, which are...
17From Benjamin Franklin to the Massachusetts Council, 4 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Archives; copy: Library of Congress The Commissioners at this Court received the Letter you did them the Honour of writing to them, recommending the Marquis de la Fayette. I immediately sent it to be perused by the Minister, who desired to have a Copy of it. He was very favourably received by his Majesty, and has had given him a Regiment of Dragoons. He retains the warmest...
18George Washington to Jeremiah Powell and the Massachusetts Council, 3 August 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
[ West Point ] August 3, 1779 . Reports sailing of British ships of war. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. Powell was president of the Massachusetts Council.
19From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 3 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
Having received intelligence some time since that the Romulus Daphne and Delaware were preparing to leave New York on a Cruise (as was reported) for Boston-Bay in conversation with General Heath I mentioned to him my Intention to transmit the intelligence I had received to the Council, which I was induced to decline from his having assured me he had already done it—By the inclosed extract of a...
20From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 4 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to address you Yesterday—and to transmit you some intelligence from New York. I have since reciev’d a letter to my Lord Stirling from an Officer at Newark of which a copy is inclosed. I have the Honor to be with the greatest respect & Esteem Gentlemen, Your Most Obedt Servt P.S. I have accts through another Channel to the above effect. Copy, M-Ar ; Df , DLC:GW ; Varick...
21From John Adams to the Massachusetts Council, 13 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
While I resided at Paris, I had an opportunity of procuring from London, exact Information, concerning the British Whale Fishery on the Coast of Brazil, which I beg Leave to communicate to your Honours, that if any Advantage can be made of it, the Opportunity may not be lost. The English, the last Year and the Year before, carried on, this Fishery to very great Advantage, off of the River...
22From George Washington to Jeremiah Powell and the Massachusetts Council, 3 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your favs. of the 12th and 16th ulto in answer to mine of the 4th and 7th You have my warmest thanks for your ready attention to the several requisitions contained in them. I am particularly obliged by the loan of 100 Barrels of Gun powder, which I would not wish to be removed from Boston, untill we are under a certainty of operating. I have heard nothing from the...
23From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 19 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
It unfortunately happens on a minute examination of our ordnance & Stores at the different Deposits, that we are by no means in so respectable a condition as to these, as it might be wished. A number of Heavy Cannon & Shot—Howitzers & Shells will be essential in addition to those we have, for carrying on our operations with vigor & energy; and also a further quantity of powder. After...
24From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 28 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your letter of the 16th. I am much obliged to the Council for the loan of the Arms, and am persuaded they have spared all that were in their power. I believe they have been misinformed about the number of Arms at Springfield—By the last return there were two thousand muskets capable of repair, and about sixteen thousand Gun barrels, which being mounted would be...