Adams Papers

1774 Fryday [30 September].
[from the Diary of John Adams]

1774 Fryday [30 September].

Dined at Mr. Jonathan Smiths—Dr. Allison, Mr. Sprout and many other Gentlemen.1

1On this day Congress adopted, in principle, a nonexportation agreement, to go into effect on 10 Sept. 1775. (JCC description begins Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. description ends , 1:51–52). On the same day JA introduced a series of resolves in support of Massachusetts’ resistance to royal authority. Among them was one calling for an immediate cessation of exports if “Hostilities should be further pursued against that Province.” These resolves are not mentioned in the Journal, but some of their language was incorporated in similar resolves adopted on 7 and 8 Oct. (same, p. 57–58). The MS of JA’s motion, endorsed, apparently in the hand of Charles Thomson, “J. Adams’ Motion Sept. 30th,” is in the Adams Papers under that date. The text is printed in JA, Works description begins The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, ed. Charles Francis Adams, Boston, 1850–1856; 10 vols. description ends , 2:391, note, which, however, omits some important matter that is canceled in the MS but will be printed in Series III of the present work.

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