Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 8

Chevalier de La Luzerne to John Adams: A Translation

To James Lovell
121 John Adams’ Credentials to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention, 10 August 1779 Braintree, town of Thayer, Ebenezer Jr.

1779-08-10

 John Adams’ Credentials to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention, 10 August 1779 Braintree, town of Thayer, Ebenezer Jr.
John Adams' Credentials to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention
Braintree Augst. 10th, 1779

The Inhabitants of the Town of Braintree, being Legally Assembled on the Ninth day of August instant, pursuant to Legall Warrants, made choice of the Honble. John Adams Esqr. to Represent them in a State Convention, appointed to be convened and held at Cambridge on the first day of September next, for the purpose of Framing a New Constitution.1

Attest Ebenr. Thayer junr Town Clerk

MS (M-Ar: vol. 160, p. 190); docketed: “Braintree.”

1.

This attestation of JA's election to the forthcoming state constitutional convention is on the verso of the broadside of 15 June calling for the election of convention delegates from each of the towns entitled to representation in the General Court. Elected by freemen 21 years and over who were inhabitants of a town, the delegates could equal in number the representatives proportioned to each town according to a formula adopted in 1776 (Mass., Province Laws , 5:502–503).