451Monday March 17th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Rain. A Piece in Even ing Post March 10th. Remarks and Observations on Hutch inson ’s History. The Writer seems concerned least his Country men should incur the Censure of hissing from the stage all Merit of their own Growth. But Q. Allowing Mr. Hutchinsons great Merit, what Disposition has his Country men discovered to hiss it from the Stage? Has not his Merit been sounded very high by his...
452Tuesday. 18th. (Adams Papers)
Went to Weymouth, found the Family mourning the Loss, and preparing for the Funeral of old Tom.—After my Return, rode to Mr. Halls, and in my Return stopped at Mr. Jo. Basses, for the Papers. Major Miller soon afterwards came in, and he and I looked on each other, without Wrath or shame or Guilt, at least without any great Degree of Either, ’tho I must own I did not feel exactly as I used to...
453Wednesday. March 19th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Home.
454Thursday March 20th. (Adams Papers)
At Mrs. Baxters Funeral.
455Fryday March 21st. (Adams Papers)
A fine Spring like Morning. The Birds of many Sorts, as sprightly and musical.
456Fryday, March 28th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
I have omitted writing a Week. Dr. Tufts lodged here last Night with Yesterdays Paper. The Jany. Packet, arrived at N. York, has brought the K ing ’s Speech, the Address of Lords and Commons, 14th. Jany., and many private Letters, which inform that Mr. Pitt was in the House of Commons and declared himself vs. Greenville Grenville , and for a Repeal of the Stamp Act, upon Principle. Called it,...
457[April 1766] (Adams Papers)
At Plymouth. Court open and Business proceeding. This was the Inferior Court of Common Pleas. Went to Boston. The Superior Court adjourned again, for a fortnight. Hutchinson, Cushing and Oliver, present. What Insolence And Impudence, and Chickanery is this? Fleet of Yesterday, gives us, a Piece from Lon don Gaz ette Jany. 8th. signed Vindex Patriae. The sole Q uestion he says is, if the...
458Fryday April 10th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Plymouth. Court open and Business proceeding. This was the Inferior Court of Common Pleas.
459Tuesday April 15th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Went to Boston. The Superior Court adjourned again, for a fortnight. Hutchinson, Cushing and Oliver, present. What Insolence And Impudence, and Chickanery is this? Fleet of Yesterday, gives us, a Piece from Lon don Gaz ette Jany. 8th. signed Vindex Patriae. The sole Q uestion he says is, if the Americans are represented in Parliament? Colonists by Charters shall have same Priviledges, as if...
460Saturday April 26th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
The last Thurdsdays Paper is full. The Resolves of the House of Commons, are the most interesting. The Bill which is to be brought in upon the first Resolve, and the Sixth has excited my Curiosity and Apprehensions the most. The Ist. Resolve is that K., Lds. and Commons have an undoubted Right to make Laws for the Colonies in all Cases, whatever.—I am solicitous to know whether they will lay a...
461Sunday April 27th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Heard Mr. Smith. In the Evening, I had a great deal of Conversation with Ezekiel Price, Yesterday about Politicks, &c. I provoked him to speak freely by calling him an Hutchinsonian.—I swear says he I think the Lieutenant Governor an honest Man, and I think he has been most damnably abused and slandered and bely’d, &c. I know all his violent Opposers—I know them and what they are after, and...
462Monday April 28th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Home.
463Tuesday April 29th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Boston. To this day the Superiour Court was adjourned: Hutchinson, Lynde and Cushing were present. Two of the Bar, agreed to continue an Action. Hutchinson leans over and orders Winthrop to minute an Agreement to continue. We will consider of it, says he. Another of the Bar, moved for a Continuance and no Opposition. Hutchinson orders the Clerk to enter it, a Motion for a Continuance, &c....
464[May 1766] (Adams Papers)
Returning from Meeting this Morning I saw for the first Time, a likely young Button Wood Tree, lately planted, on the Triangle made by the Three Roads, by the House of Mr. James Brackett. The Tree is well set, well guarded, and has on it, an Inscription “The Tree of Liberty,” and “cursed is he, who cutts this Tree.”—Q. What will be the Consequences of this Thought? I never heard an Hint of it,...
465Sunday. May 4th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Returning from Meeting this Morning I saw for the first Time, a likely young Button Wood Tree, lately planted, on the Triangle made by the Three Roads, by the House of Mr. James Brackett. The Tree is well set, well guarded, and has on it, an Inscription “The Tree of Liberty,” and “cursed is he, who cutts this Tree.”—Q. What will be the Consequences of this Thought? I never heard an Hint of it,...
466Sunday. May 18th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Mem. to write some Speculations, upon the Union of Legislative and Executive Powers—and upon the Knot, the Junto, the Combination.
467Monday May 26th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
I have been very unfortunate, in running the Gauntlet, thro all the Rejoicings, for the Repeal of the Stamp-Act. Monday last at 2 O Clock, was our Town Meeting, and the same Evening, were all the Rejoicings in Boston and in Plymouth. After Meeting I mounted for Plymouth, and reached Dr. Halls of Pembroke. The only Rejoicings, I heard or saw were at Hingham, where the Bells rung, Cannons were...
468Wednesday. May 28th. (Adams Papers)
General Election. At Boston. After Lecture, dined at Mr. Austins, the Wine Cooper, with the Revd. Messrs. Prentice of Charlestown and Amos Adams of Roxbury. Adams and Austin were the Disputants in Politicks, Prentice a Moderator. This Morning Samuel Adams was chosen Clerk, and Otis Speaker. Govr. Bernard negatived him. Cushing was chosen. In the Afternoon they proceeded to choose Councillors,...
469Thurdsday, May 29th. (Adams Papers)
The Governor negatived Otis, Sparhawk, Dexter, Saunders, Gerrish and Bowers, and made the two Houses a most nitrous, sulphureous Speech. What will be the Consequence? This morning in Hatch’s Office, Mr. Paxton came in. “This is the lazyest Town upon the Globe—poor, proud and lazy is the Character of this Town. They wont work. If the Neutrals were gone, there would be no body to throw the Water...
470[June 1766] (Adams Papers)
Mem. to search the Books, with the Regard to the following Clause in the late Mr. Borlands Will, vizt. “Item, to my Son Francis Lindall Borland, who hath been long absent, and I fear is not now in Life, to him, if now living, I give all my Lands in Billerica, all my Lands in Sturbridge, my Messuage in Milk Street in Boston wherein Joseph Calef now lives, all the said Lands and Messuage to my...
471June 20th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Mem. to search the Books, with the Regard to the following Clause in the late Mr. Borlands Will, vizt. “Item, to my Son Francis Lindall Borland, who hath been long absent, and I fear is not now in Life, to him, if now living, I give all my Lands in Billerica, all my Lands in Sturbridge, my Messuage in Milk Street in Boston wherein Joseph Calef now lives, all the said Lands and Messuage to my...
472[July 1766] (Adams Papers)
Monday after Commencement. Last Saturday, I accidentally found a curious Volume, which Oaks Angier found in a Chest of Books be longing to an Uncle of his who died 45 Years ago. The Title Page and all the rest is gone till you come to the 18th. Page. It seems to be a Collection of Pamphlets, published in the memorable Year 1640, bound up together, in one Quarto Volume. Lord Digbies Speech. 9....
473[21] July 1766. (Adams Papers)
Monday after Commencement. Last Saturday, I accidentally found a curious Volume, which Oaks Angier found in a Chest of Books be longing to an Uncle of his who died 45 Years ago. The Title Page and all the rest is gone till you come to the 18th. Page. It seems to be a Collection of Pamphlets, published in the memorable Year 1640, bound up together, in one Quarto Volume. Lord Digbies Speech. 9....
474July 24th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
Thanksgiving for the Repeal of the Stamp-Act. Mr. Smiths Text was “The Lord reigneth, let the Earth rejoice, and the Multitude of the Isles be glad thereof.” Mr. Wibirts was Genesis 50th. 20th.—“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but god meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this Day, to save much People alive.”—America is Joseph, the King Lords and Commons—Josephs Father and...
475Monday July 28th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Boston. A Meeting of the Bar at the Coffee House, for the Admission of Three young Gentlemen, Mr. Oliver, Mr. Quincy and Mr. Blowers, and another Meeting appointed next Fryday sennight, to consider of some Measures for Limitation, making a Pause, &c. They swarm and multiply. Sed, The Country grows amazingly, and the Time will not be long e’re, many who are now upon the Stage will be in...
476Tuesday July 29th. 1766. (Adams Papers)
At Boston—bought Gilberts Law of Evidence. Heard some Cases of Bastardy in the Sessions. William Douglass was charged by a Dutch Girl with being the father of a Bastard Child born of her Body. Auchmuty is employed, in sessions, and every where. The same heavy, dull, insipid Way of arguing every where—as many Repetitions as a presbyterian Parson in his Prayer—tedious as Applin. Volubility,...
477Wednesday [30 July]. (Adams Papers)
At Boston. The Weather cloudy. Going to the Common Pleas to day. Let me take Minutes. Let me remark the Speakers, their Action, their Pronunciation, there Learning, their Reasoning, their Art and skill. Let me remark the Causes, the remarkable Circumstances, &c. and report sentence unfinished?
478Suffolk Sessions July 1766. (Adams Papers)
D omin us Rex vs. Francis Keen, for stealing Cask Molosses. Dus. Rex vs. Mary Gardiner, for a common Scold, Quarreller and Disturber of the Peace. Sewal . Hawkins—a common Scold is punishable by putting into the Ducking Stool. Prosecutions rare, ’tho the offence frequent. Other Crimes, not prosecuted here, as forestalling, Regrating &c. W escan . She gets drunk sometimes, and then curses and...
479[August 1766] (Adams Papers)
Satt out with my Wife for Salem—dined at Boston—drank Tea at Dr. Simons Tufts’s at Medford —lodg’d at Mr. Bishops. Simon Tufts (1727–1786), Harvard 1744 , an older brother of AA ’s uncle by marriage, Dr. Cotton Tufts ( Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford , Boston, 1855 , p. 305–306). Satt out from Mr. Bishops, oated, at Norwoods alias Martins, and reached Brother Cranches at 12 o...
480Tuesday Aug. [5 or 12] 1766. (Adams Papers)
Satt out with my Wife for Salem—dined at Boston—drank Tea at Dr. Simons Tufts’s at Medford —lodg’d at Mr. Bishops. Simon Tufts (1727–1786), Harvard 1744 , an older brother of AA ’s uncle by marriage, Dr. Cotton Tufts ( Charles Brooks, History of the Town of Medford , Boston, 1855 , p. 305–306).