121From John Adams to James Warren, 23 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to acquaint you that Yesterday, that eminent American, and most worthy Man The Honourable Peyton Randolph Esqr. our first venerable President, departed this Life in an Apoplectic Fit. He was seized at Table having but a few Moments before set down with a good deal of Company to dinner. He died in the Evening without ever recovering his senses after the first stroke. As this...
122From John Adams to James Warren, 30 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
Philadelphia, 30 September 1775. RC offered for sale by Parke-Bernet Gallery, N.Y., Gribbel sale, pt. 2, 22–24 Jan. 1941, lot 2. Addressed to James Warren as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, “favoured by Dr. Franklin.” After giving the names of the congressional committee members and explaining their function, JA proceeds, “I hope our Province, in every Part of it,...
123From John Adams to James Warren, 3 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment recd a Line from Mrs. Warren and will in close her Letter to Mrs. Maccaulay, by the first Opportunity. Be pleased to make my Compliments to Mrs. Warren. Yesterday I recd a Letter from Anapolis in Maryland from my Friend Mr. Chase, inclosing the Resolutions of their provincial Convention consisting of Eighty Members representing all their Counties. I wish I could inclose it...
124From John Adams to James Warren, 17 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have the melancholly Prospect before me, of a Congress continually changing, untill very few Faces remain, that I saw in the first Congress. Not one from South Carolina—not one from North Carolina only one from Virginia. Only two from Maryland, not one from Pensylvania. Not one from New Jersey. Not one from New York—only one from Connecticutt not one from Rhode Island—not one from New...
125From John Adams to James Warren, 24 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Confidence,—I am determined to write freely to you this Time. —A certain great Fortune and piddling Genius whose Fame has been trumpeted so loudly, has given a silly Cast to our whole Doings —We are between Hawk and Buzzard—We ought to have had in our Hands a Month ago, the whole Legislative, Executive and Judicial of the whole Continent, and have compleatly moddelled a Constitution, to...
126From John Adams to James Warren, 20 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I was in hopes that the Peace would have put Us at ease; but it has not as yet much diminished our Anxiety.— The long interval, in which we have not been able to obtain any Intelligence from America, either by the way of Spain, France, Holland or England—The unsettled State of Parties and Councils in London, whee there has been no responsible Minister this fortnight at least —The delay of the...
127From John Adams to James Warren, 3 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
As foreign Affairs become every day more interesting to Us no Pains should be spared to acquire a thorough Knowledge of them, and as the inclosed Extract contains some observations which are new to me, I thought it might not be uninteresting to you. Howe has put 3000 Troops on board of Transports, which lie or at least lay last saturday at Staten Island. Whether this is a Feint, or a Serious...
128From John Adams to James Warren, 9 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of July 11. and 19. are before me. They were received at Paris in my Absence and it is not long Since I received them. I have led Such a wandering Life that I have not had Time to answer them, till now. We expect every day, to receive the Lists of the new Administration, the Speech at opening the first General Court &c.—a high regale they will be. I am of your Mind concerning the...
129From John Adams to James Warren, 2 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I believe you will have a surfeit of Letters from me, for they will be as inane, as they are numerous. The Bearer of this is Major Bayard a Gentleman of this City of the Presbyterian Perswasion of the best Character and the clearest Affections for his Country. I have received so many Civilities from him, that I could not refuse myself the Pleasure of introducing him to you. Our obligations of...
130From John Adams to James Warren, 10 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have written a few Lines to Dr Warren to whom I refer you. It is of vast Importance that the officers of our Army should be impressed with the absolute Necessity of Cleanliness, to preserve the Health of their Men. Cleanness, is one of the three Cardinal Virtues of a soldier, as Activity and Sobriety are the other two. They should be encouraged to go into Water frequently, to keep their...
131From John Adams to James Warren, 18 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Copies, you will see must not be made public. You will communicate them in Confidence to such Friends as have Discretion. When you have made such prudent Use of them as you shall judge proper, be pleased to send them to the Foot of Pens Hill, because I have no other Copies and should be glad to preserve them. It is in vain for me to write any Thing of the Northern Department,...
132From John Adams to James Warren, 7 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Congress has been pleased to establish a War Office, and have done me the Honour to make me a Member of that Board, which lays me under obligation to write you upon the subject of Flints. Congress has impowered and directed the Board to employ a Number of Persons, wherever they can find them, to manufacture Flints, and also to enquire in the Several Colonies, for the proper Flint Stone. It...
133John Adams to James Warren, 30 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Your amiable Son, has done me the favour of his Company, here, for a Day or two, and this Morning goes to Amsterdam, intending to return to England at the End of the Week. From London He embarks Soon for Lisbon. My Son returned with him from London where I sent him to meet his Mother and Sister. But He was dissappointed as well as I.— I Still expect M rs Adams every day: but her last Letters,...
134From John Adams to James Warren, 17 December 1773 (Adams Papers)
The Dye is cast: The People have passed the River and cutt away the Bridge: last Night Three Cargoes of Tea, were emptied into the Harbour. This is the grandest, Event, which has ever yet happened Since, the Controversy, with Britain, opened! The Sublimity of it, charms me! For my own Part, I cannot express my own Sentiments of it, better than in the Words of Coll Doane to me, last...
135Massachusetts Delegates to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 21 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Gorham and Mr. Russel, Agents of the Town of Charlestown, have presented to Congress a Petition from the unfortunate Inhabitants of that Place, praying for a Compensation for their Losses. The Petition was drawn in very decent and handsome Terms, containing a lively Description of the Distresses to which the unhappy Petitioners are reduced, from a State of Ease and Affluence; and the...
136From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Method of collecting Salt Petre from the Air which is talked of here is this. Take of Lime and Ashes equal Quantities, and of horse dung a Quantity equal to both the Ashes and Lime, mix them together into a Mortar, with this Mortar and a Quantity of long Straw to keep it together build two Walls Eighteen Inches thick, and three feet high, about four feet asunder. Then make a Center and turn...