3931June 23rd. 1760. Monday. (Adams Papers)
A long obstinate Tryal, before Majr. Crosby, of the most litigious, vexatious suit, I think that ever I heard. Such Disputes begin with ill humour and scurrilous language, and End in a Boxing Bout or a Law suit.
3932To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 23 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You who are no Stranger to the Feelings of Humanity will readily conceive the anxiety of my Mind while I thought my Friend in Danger: It is only such a Situation as I was then in that can make me neglect your Favours. Upon examining the Barometer after I receiv’d your Letter, I found a small Crevice where the piece of hollow wood which covers the Mercury is...
3933To George Washington from Andrew Burnaby, 23 June 1760 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here the 15th past, after an Agreable journey; and desire You will think me extremely Obliged to you for the favour you did me in sending me to Annapolis, and by the letters you gave me to recommend me. I had not an Opportunity of seeing Mr Sharp; but Dr Macleane has behaved with the greatest Politeness to me, introduced me to General Stanwix by Mr Doe his Aid de Camp, and contrived...
3934Tuesday. 24th. June. (Adams Papers)
Arose early, a very beautiful Morning. Zab. seems to make insufficient Distinctions between the Vowells. He seems to swallow his own Voice. He neither sounds the Vowells nor Articulates distinctly. The story of Yesterdays Tryal, spreads. Salisbury told my Uncle and my Uncle told Coll. Quincy. They say I was saucy, that I whipped the old Major, &c., that I ripped about the Law suits of this...
3935Board of Trade: Report on Pennsylvania Laws, 24 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office, Colonial Office Papers, 5/1295, pp. 296–413 Franklin’s efforts to settle the Assembly’s differences with the Proprietors by direct negotiations had ended in November 1758 with their reply to his Heads of Complaint and their refusal to deal further with him personally (above, VIII , 178–83, 193–4). Thereafter it became necessary to transfer the debate to more public...
3936Wednesday [25 June]. (Adams Papers)
Went out with the Coll., in his Canoe, after Tom Codd. Rowed down, in a still calm, and smooth Water, to Rainsford Island, round which we fished in several Places, but had no Bites. Then we went up the Island, and round the Hill. Upon the North Easterly side of the Hill, or Island, is a prodigious Bank or Head, which is perpetually washing away, with Rains and Tides. Heartley says it has been...
39371760. June 26. Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
Feel indifferently well after my yesterdays walk and sail. I have begun to read the Spirit of Laws, and have resolved to read that Work, thro, in order and with Attention. I have hit upon a Project that will secure my Attention to it, which is to write in the Margin, a sort of Index to every Paragraph. JA had at least sampled the Spirit of Laws earlier; see Summer 1759 , above, and note 19 there.
3938June 27th. Friday. (Adams Papers)
Read 100 Pages in the Spirit of Laws. Rambled away to a fine Spring in my Cozen Adam’s Land, which gushes thro a Crack in a large flat Rock and gurgles down in a pretty Rill. The Water is clear, sweet, and cool, and is supposed to have a very wholsome Quality, because it issues from a Mountain, and runs towards the North. What Physical Quality its northern Direction may give it, I know not. By...
3939From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 27 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Duplicate: American Philosophical Society I wrote a Line to you by the Pacquet, to let you know we were well, and I promis’d to write you fully per Capt. Budden, and answer all your Letters, which I accordingly now set down to do. I am concern’d that so much Trouble should be given you by idle Reports concerning me. Be satisfied, my dear, that while I have my Senses, and God vouchsafes me his...
3940From Benjamin Franklin to David Hall, 27 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Edward Laurence Doheny Memorial Library, St. John’s Seminary By the last Pacquet I sent you the Protests of two of your Bills, one for £200 the other for £100 drawn by Scot and McMichael on Messrs. Portis. My Banker informs me, that they now offer to pay the Money; and tho’ the Protests intitle us to 20 per Cent. from the Drawers, yet as I conceive from some Circumstances I have heard,...
3941To George Washington from Robert Cary & Co., 27 June 1760 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Robert Cary & Co., 27 June 1760. On 24 Oct. 1760 GW wrote to Robert Cary & Co. : “Your Letter of the 27th of June . . . is come to hand.”
3942To George Washington from John Carlyle, 28 June 1760 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Carlyle, Alexandria, 28 June 1760. The dealer’s catalog gives GW’s following endorsement on the letter: “Colo Carlyle’s Lettr. 28th June 1760 relatg. to my decd Br. Laur Estate.” Included with the letter was a page of accounts. ALS , sold by Anderson Auction Company, catalog no. 260, item 515, 21 Jan. 1904.
3943Cash Accounts, July 1760 (Washington Papers)
Contra July 1— By Cash advanc’d Jno. Askew £ 7.0.0 15— By Ditto Lusk of Alexandria for Blocks 0.6.0 17— By Ditto sent Christopher Hardwick by Vale Crawford 30.0.0 30— By Ditto at Cards 2/6 0.2.6 AD , General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 98
3944[July 1760] (Adams Papers)
Went to Town. Mr. Thatcher . You have read a great deal, Mr. Adams, in the Roman History, concerning the Modesty of Youth, and their Veneration of the Elders. Now I think these young Gentlemen had very little of that Modesty and Veneration, when they went in the face of Law and against the Remonstrances of all the Elders to act their Plays. Mr. Otis says there is no Limitation of Attachments....
3945Tuesday. July 1st. 1760. (Adams Papers)
Went to Town. Mr. Thatcher . You have read a great deal, Mr. Adams, in the Roman History, concerning the Modesty of Youth, and their Veneration of the Elders. Now I think these young Gentlemen had very little of that Modesty and Veneration, when they went in the face of Law and against the Remonstrances of all the Elders to act their Plays. Mr. Otis says there is no Limitation of Attachments....
3946To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 2 July 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society Yours, of the 28th of March, I received, owning the Receipt of a Bill for £200 Sterling, drawn by William Plumsted. The Brevier came safe to hand by Gibbon, looks very well, but sticks, when distributed, most intolerably. Believe it will turn out pretty perfect. By the Captains Falconer and Killner to London, I sent you the first and second...
3947Thurdsday July 3rd. 1760. (Adams Papers)
Read pretty diligently in the Spirit of Laws.—Hayden’s Consultation suggested the following Questions. Q. Is there any Method of compelling a Grantor to give a new Deed when the Deed he has executed before happens to be burned or lost?—Q. May an Agreement in Writing without seal, or by Parol only be given in Evidence against a Bond sealed and delivered? After Confession of the Forfeiture of...
39481760. Saturday July 5th. (Adams Papers)
Last Night Cranch explained to me, the Water Works in the River Thames which convey water, all round the City of London. There is first, a long water Wheel, like the Water Wheel of some saw Mills, which is carried round by the River. On the End of the Axis of this water Wheell are Coggs, which carry round a cogg Wheel. This Cogg wheel has upon the End of its Axis, a Number of Cranks and each...
3949July 6th. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Mayhew of Martha’s Vineyard.
3950July 9th. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Gould has got the story of White and Bowditch.
3951Saturday [12 or 19 July]. (Adams Papers)
I find upon Examination, that a Warrant of Attorney given by an Infant is void; so that, if you intend during your Apprentices Absence, to put the Note you mentioned to me in suit, or to sue for the Detention of the Province Note, or any other wise to prosecute your Right, the only Way I can think of is, for the Lad to elect your father for his Guardian and see to procure the Judge of Probates...
3952Sunday Morning [13 or 20] July 1760. (Adams Papers)
The week before last Salome Pope appeared before Coll. Quincy, to confess herself with Child, by Jos. Ryford. Her Intention was to complain against Jos. Ryford and charge him before the Justice with being the father of the Bastard Child with which she is now pregnant. Now what Occasion for taking her Examination upon Oath?—By the Province Law. Here a line is drawn across the page in the MS and...
3953From George Washington to Joseph Valentine, 24 July 1760 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Joseph Valentine, 24 July 1760. On 9 Aug. 1760 Valentine wrote to GW : “I Recd Yours dated July 24th.”
3954Fryday July 25th. (Adams Papers)
We contend that the Plaintiffs ought to recover nothing on this Bond, because according to the original Agreement it is paid. The Case was this. The Plaintiffs about 15 years ago conveyed to one Tower, a Tract of Land, containing with such and such Boundaries, 30 Acres. And the present Defendants became jointly bound with the Grantee for the Money, which was £750, for which they gave 8 or 10...
39551760. July 26. (Adams Papers)
This Bond has been at least once and an half, if not twice, paid. The Case is this. About 15 Years ago, the Plaintiffs sold a tract of Land, containing 30 Acres, within such and such Boundaries, to one Tower, for 750£, and He together with the present Defendants became jointly bound to the Plaintiffs, in 10 different Bonds, of which this is one, for the Payment of the Money. But in the Time of...
3956To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 28 July 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania It is some time since I wrote—my last being of the 15th April since which I have recd yours 9th January 19. 21. 29 Feb and 11 March with several Copies. The Proprietors endeavouring to repeal our late Laws is what we might expect from their Conduct towards us for some Years past. But the Confusion the dissallowance of our Mony Act, and...
3957From George Washington to Farell & Jones, 30 July 1760 (Washington Papers)
Captn Cawsey at the time he receivd my Tobo wrote me, that he shoud be in these parts before he Saild in order to give Bills of Lading and receive Letters for your House. But I suppose the Captns business renderd it inconvenient for him to do so, and my not seeing, nor hearing from him since, and getting no Bills of Lading at all, must plead an excuse for my silence till now. He has doubtless...
3958From George Washington to Thomas Knox, 30 July 1760 (Washington Papers)
Please to call upon Mr Farrel, and he will discharge the Balle of my Account with you—viz. £51.5s.11d. —I am Sir, Yr Most Obedt Hble Servt By the Nugent Only, Captn Copithorn. Copy, By the Hero, Captn Littledale. LB , in GW’s hand, DLC:GW . See GW to Farell & Jones, this date .
3959To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, [August 1760 ?] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society Since you are pleas’d to say you shall be glad of a Line from me I will find Leisure. In my Letter to my Mother, I mention’d I had a Question to ask you. It is this, What is the reason the Water at this place becomes warm by pumping tho it is not so at the spring? Pardon my Impertinence. Goodnatur’d persons have always more impos’d on them than others; yet...
3960Cash Accounts, August 1760 (Washington Papers)
Contra Augt 1— By Ditto [cash] pd Thos Hardin (Mrs Steptoes Overr) for 34 Barl Corn £19.11. 0 2— By Do pd Messrs Digges & Addison—their Costs in Cliftons Suit besides Tobo 2.10. 0 By Do paid Levies Taxes &ca to John West besides Tobo 12. 0. 0 6— By Do paid Doctr McCarmick on acct of Jno. Adams 1. 1. 9 By Ditto paid Mr Richd Stephen—in Acct 2.10. 0 7— By Ditto paid Mr Danl Payne—store Acct...
3961To George Washington from Christopher Hardwick, 1 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
you wrot to me a bout Beaves[.] Catle Sels Considerable dearer then ever I knew them & are scase to be had at any rate I am told Beafe at winshester Sels at Forpence pr pound so that I dont know as yet whethr there is any to be bought as small Common Cows pricess beteen three & four pounds each I dont know what quntety you may want we have five stears & two Charmen baron Cows which one of them...
3962[August 1760] (Adams Papers)
Hollis has appealed. If he prosecutes his Appeal, he shall be paid. I believe there never was an Action in this Court where more Instances of Ignorance, Negligence and Inattention appeared on one side, and of Artifice, Secresy and Guile I must say Guile on the other, since it was erected. Let me draw a Picture of the Defendants stupidity, and of Plaintiffs Knavery. Neglect to acknowledge the...
3963August 3d. 1760. (Adams Papers)
Hollis has appealed. If he prosecutes his Appeal, he shall be paid. I believe there never was an Action in this Court where more Instances of Ignorance, Negligence and Inattention appeared on one side, and of Artifice, Secresy and Guile I must say Guile on the other, since it was erected. Let me draw a Picture of the Defendants stupidity, and of Plaintiffs Knavery. Neglect to acknowledge the...
39641760. Aug. 9th. (Adams Papers)
Drank Tea at Coll. Quincys, with Coll. Gooch and Dr. Gardiner. I see Gooch’s fiery Spirit, his unguarded Temper. He Swears freely, boldly. He is a Widower, and delights to dwell, in his Conversation, upon Courtship and Marriage. Has a violent aversion to long Courtship. He’s a fool, that spends more than a Week, &c. A malignant Witt. A fiery, fierce outragious Enemy. He quarrells with all Men....
3965To George Washington from Joseph Valentine, 9 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
I Recd Yours dated July 24th and I am very sorrey to give you such a disagreeable ⟨account⟩ of the Crop of tobaco ass I am oblagd to do we have had five weeks of Continual Rain and But few fair days in the time that a great deel of the tobo is drownded in the Low places and most of the Rest so sokd with the wet that it will never Come to its grouth nor make it self ass it wod have done if the...
3966From George Washington to Capel & Osgood Hanbury, 10 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
By my friend Mr Fairfax I take the oppertunity of acknowledging the receipt of your favour pr Captn Wa[l]ker & once since of later date by Captn Chew—I am very sorry for the Account (given in the latter) of the Deliverance being lost. All the Tobacco I had on board her was JC and I dare say woud have disgracd no Market whatever—but accidents of this Nature are common & ought not to be repind...
3967From George Washington to Robert Cary & Company, 10 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
By my Friend Mr Fairfax I take the oppertunity of acknowledging the Receipts of your several favours that have come to hand since mine of the 30th of November last, and observe in one of them of the 14 Feby by Crawford that you refer to another by the same Ship, but this has never yet appeard. Inclosd you are presented with the Memm for receiving the Interest of the Bank-Stock signd as...
3968From George Washington to Richard Washington, 10 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Fairfax’s departure for England in a Ship for London affords me the best oppertunity imaginable to acknowledge the Receipt of your favours of the 22 Novr 12th Decr & 26 March which are all the Letters I have receivd from you since those taken notice of in mine of the 20th of Septr last. I must confess that my disappointment in the Sales of my Tobo pr Couzens was a very sensible one,...
39691760. Aug. 12th. (Adams Papers)
Remonstrated at the sessions vers. Licensing Lambard, because the select Men had refused to approbate him, because he never was approbated by the select men, to keep a Tavern in the House he now lives in, because there are already 3 and his would make 4 Taverns besides Retailers, within 3/4 of a Mile, and because he obtained a License from that Court, at April sessions, by artfully concealing...
3970To George Washington from Robert McKenzie, 12 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
Though I have as small a Title as any Person whatever to the least Share of your Esteem, yet, by often observing with what Pleasure you seize all Opportunities of using your good Offices for the Assistance of others, I dare to address you and to sollicit your Interest in an Affair of the greatest Importance to me, which from your Benevolence alone I hope to obtain. My Relations in Europe have...
39711760 Aug. 19th. (Adams Papers)
I began Popes Homer, last Saturday Night was a Week, and last Night, which was Monday night I finished it. Thus I found that in seven days I could have easily read the 6 Volumes, Notes, Preface, Essays, that on Homer, and that on Homers Battles and that on the funeral Games of Homer and Virgil &c. Therefore I will be bound that in 6 months I would conquer him in Greek, and make myself able to...
3972From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 23 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Letters by Mr. Keene, and some others, which I shall answer fully by Capt. Faulkner, who sails in a few Days. By him I send the Eider Down Cover lid, and Bag for the Feet, which cost 12 Guineas; also the Camlet a second time for Sister Peter, to supply what was lost in Capt. House: with some other little things that I shall mention...
3973To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 24 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania It is some Time since I wrote last, which I perceive by Your last, was come to hand, being Dated on the 15th April past, Your Several Dates of 9th January, 19th, 21st 29th february and 11th March With Several Copies, got to me in Due Time, and a few Days Ago the 14th June by the Packet, it will be Needless to Say, That all the Letters by...
3974To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 26 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society I received yours, of the 14th of June, with two Protests inclosed for £300 Bills of Exchange, which I immediately presented to the Gentlemen they were drawn by, who seemed a good Deal surprised that they should have come back protested, and shewed me a Letter from the Portis’s telling them they had paid all their Draughts that had been presented...
3975William Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 26 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The Mail was made up and sent for Falmouth on Saturday last, so that whether this may reach you by that Conveyance is uncertain. But as I imagine you must all be extremely anxious about the Fate of your very important Acts, and glad to know of every Thing relative to them from time to time, I have scribbled over as fast as possibly I could, two Papers which have...
3976To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 27 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Above is Copy of my Last by Captain Friend. This incloses a second Bill of Exchange for £100—Sterl N 1876 drawn by Colonel J. Hunter on Messrs. Thomlinson &c. as it is uncertain whether our late Governor Denny will call and I do not certainly know when Capt. Hamet (by whom I purpose to send this) will sail) I shall send it to Town to be...
3977To George Washington from George Mason, 27 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed You have my Survey of G. Brent’s Pattent: when I came to look over my papers, I found I had sent the platt to Mr Geo: Brent some years ago, & the only one I had left was a rough platt of that & the adjacent Lands on both Sides the Creek; from part of which what I send You is copyed; but as the original was so much worn out that it cou’d not be copyed wth any Truth, I thought it best...
3978The Laws of King’s College in Force during Dr. Johnson’s Presidency, 29 August 1760 (Jay Papers)
1 st None shall be admitted (unless by a particular Act of the Governors) but such as can read the first three of Tully’s Oration, and the six first Books of Virgils Æneids into English; and the ten first Chapters of S t . John’s Gospel, into Latin; and such as are well versed in all the Rules of Clark’s introduction, so as to make true grammatical Latin; and are expert in Arithmatick so far...
3979Cash Accounts, September 1760 (Washington Papers)
Contra Septr 3— By Joseph Ransom in part £ 0.15.0 8— By Gerrard Bowling Inspecting Tobo 0.15.0 By Cards 2/6—Exps. at Colemans 7/ 0. 9.6 9— By Israel Thompson for 29 Bushls hair 1. 1.9 By Joshua Baker Dressing Hats 0. 6.3 By Captn Hardin Add[itiona]l Publick Levies 0.14.0 12— By Patrick Rice for Warr[an]t recd before 0.18.9 13—
3980Order in Council, 2 September 1760 (Franklin Papers)
DS (two) and copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission On July 4, 1760, Francis Eyre, Robert Charles and Franklin’s solicitor, drew up and presented on behalf of his clients a petition to the King in Council asking to be heard in opposition to the Board of Trade report on the nineteen Pennsylvania acts. Then Eyre prepared “long Observations on the Report being 8 close Brief Sheets,...