From John Adams to the Marquis of Carmarthen, 25 September 1787
To the Marquis of Carmarthen
Grosvr. sqr. Septr. 25th. 1787.
My Lord—
I am under the necessity of again troubleing your Lordship, with the Complaint here enclosed of Robert Cushing a Citizen of the United states of America—And Master of the American ship Non-pariel, that his People were taken from him on board his ship by a Press-gang last fryday morning and are now on Board the Colossus in Long-reach: that he cannot obtain their release without an order from the admiralty: that altho some of his People have been put on shore but that the following persons remain on board His Majesty’s
ship—vizt. Thomas Douglass & Joseph Gardiner both his Apprentices & also John Whitecombe, Richard Green & John Turner, Americans that he shall be detained to the great detriment of the Voyage, if his People are not immediately restored1
I do myself the honor, again to request your Lordships kind assistance, in procuring these Men their Liberty as Citizens of the United States of America
with great respect / &c—
J. A—
LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Lord Carmarthen / &c— &c—”; APM Reel 112.
1. Capt. Robert Cushing, who carried letters and goods for the Adamses, sailed from Boston in June and returned in October (, 7:index; 8:186; Boston Gazette, 4 June; London World and Fashionable Advertiser, 16 Oct.). For the 21 Sept. impressment mentioned here, see JA’s 22 Sept. letter to Carmarthen, and note 2, as well as JA’s first letter of the same day to John Jay, both above. JA informed Thomas Jefferson on 28 Oct., below, that the British Navy had been given general orders to “let American Vessells and seamen alone.”