Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 1

From the Sons of Liberty

Clarendon to the Boston Gazette

From Thomas Crafts Jr., 15 February 1766 Crafts, Thomas Jr. JA

1766-02-15

 From Thomas Crafts Jr., 15 February 1766 Crafts, Thomas Jr. Adams, John
From Thomas Crafts Jr.
Sir Boston Feby 15th 1766 Friday1 Night 10 OClock

Yesterday I wrote you a few Lines by Docr. Tuffts informing you the Sons of Liberty Desired your Company at Boston Next Wensday and Mentioned for What Occation.2 I would now Desire it as a favour if you Can spare the time to Come on Monday Next Because they want you to Write those Incriptions that I mentiond to you when Last at 172Boston, one in favour of Liberty Not forgiting the Tru Born Sons and Another with Encomiums on King George Expressive of our Loyalty—which if you Can Do by wensday we will Excuse your Coming Sooner.3 Pray Lett them be as Short and as Expressive as Possable, the stamp Paper I Informd you of in my Last was found Stragling About this town but on Thursday at 11 O Clock shall Commit it to its proper Eliment with no small parade.

I am with Great Respect your frind Tho Crafts Junr.

Destroy this after Reading it. Mr. Saml. Adams sends his Complements and Desire you would Come.

Ps we Expect the News of the Repeal of thet Act Commonly Called the stamp Act in three weeks from this by the News we have had by the Last Ships from London which I dobt not you have heard of.4 NB an Answer to Letter Sent by the sons of Liberty Last Saterdy will be Exceptable.5

I had Wrote this Letter before I Received yours6 and hope you Will be here on thursday Next.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “To John Adams Esqr At Brantree”; endorsed: “T. Crafts. Feby 15th. 1766”; MS slightly torn at several places, resulting in the partial defacement of three words.

1.

Friday was the 14th.

 2.

No letter from Crafts of this date has been found. Crafts, a painter, was a member of the Loyal Nine, which grew into the Sons of Liberty (Morgan, Stamp Act , p. 121). By 1772 JA thought that Crafts was cooling toward the whig cause ( Diary and Autobiography , 2:72).

 3.

The “Inscriptions” which Crafts wanted from JA were probably intended for use at the ceremonial burning of stamped paper, which took place in Boston, 20 Feb. 1766 (Boston Gazette, 24 Feb. 1766). It is not known whether JA complied with Crafts' request.

 4.

Probably a reference to a certain Capt. Disney, who arrived in Boston, 10 Feb., carrying among other things extracts from private letters written in London hinting that the Stamp Act would soon be repealed ( Massachusetts Gazette , 13 Feb. 1766).

 5.

No letter from the Sons of Liberty to JA dated 8 Feb. has been found. Since Crafts says “sent” rather than “written” last Saturday, he may be referring to the letter of 5 Feb., above.

 6.

Not found.