Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams
Volume 1, September 1755 – October 1773

Front Matter

Title Page

Copyright Page

Sponsors of Print Edition

Advisory Board

Contents

Descriptive List of Illustrations

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Guide to Editorial Apparatus

Documents

1 September 1755My Friend The Favour you granted me on aug. 12 was unluckily packeted with a number of Letters and carried to Leicester, but a certain kind Gentleman...

2 September 1755Dear Sir I promised to write you an account of the scituation of my mind. The natural strength of my facultys is quite insufficient for the task. Att...

12 October 175522 April 1807Dear sir All that part of Creation that lies within our observation is liable to Change. Even mighty States and kingdoms, are not exempted. If we loo...

1 January 175531 December 1756Harvard College(?) and Worcester, mainly compiled in , with some possibly earlier entries and one (not in 's hand) much later. This is a MS book (Adam...

1 January 175631 January 1756Dr. Sr. I receiv'd your favour of Decr. 29. about 3 or 4 Days after it was wrote. The bearer left it at the Tavern and proceeded on his journey, so t...

3 April 1756My Friend I had the Pleasure, a few Days since, of receiving your favour of February 4th. I am obliged to you for your advice, and for the manly and ...

29 August 1756My Friend I am set down with a Design of writing to you.—But the narrow Sphere I move in, and the lonely unsociable Life I lead, can furnish a Letter...

1 September 175630 September 1756Dr Sir I brought a few Ideas with me when I first came to this Town, that grew in the luxurious soil of Cambridge. These I have dispersd among my Fri...

18 October 1756Dear Sir In my last you remember I desired your sincere Opinion of the new Resolution I had taken, but as you have not yet been so kind as to send it...

19 October 1756My Friend I look upon myself obliged to give you the reasons that induced me to resolve upon the study and profession of the law, because you were so...

1 October 175631 October 1756My worthy Friend Tho' I acknowledge that one ought never to be asham'd to speak the truth; yet I find my self much inclin'd to it, when I'm about to ...

12 April 1758 Te Deum &c., I have resigned my school, I have almost recovered my Health, I have received a letter from my Friend, and am scarce able to say it is t...

1 October 175831 October 1758Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 91, with identifying note on the recipient at p. 92. ...

1 October 175831 October 1758Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 65–66. ...

1 October 175831 October 1758Old Friend I resume with Pleasure my long neglected Pen upon this opportunity by Mr. Belcher to inform you that I am still alive, and well; that I am...

1 October 175831 October 1758Braintree, October? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 64–65. It is difficult to believe that this draft or retained copy was copied off and sent t...

1 October 175830 November 1758Braintree, October–November? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 99. ...

1 October 175830 November 1758Braintree, October–November? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 66–67 ...

1 October 175831 December 1758Braintree October–December? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 70–72 ...

1 November 175831 December 1758Braintree October–December? 1758. Printed: JA, Earliest Diary, p. 69–70, from a draft, with the principal variations from text of (Adams Papers) reco...

5 December 175812 March 1761Braintree, 5 December 1758?, 12 March 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:61–62, 201–202. ...

17 May 1759Braintree, post 17 May 1759. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:113, from a draft of a letter perhaps not sent. On Col. Josiah Quincy (1710–1784)...

1 July 175931 July 1759Braintree, July? 1759. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:109. ...

29 September 1759Dear Sir My Absence from home for this Week past has occasioned my delaying an Answer to your very agreable Favor of the 14th. Instant. It gives me t...

1 October 175931 October 1759Braintree, October 1759. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:123–124. ...

6 December 1759Sir I was too much gratified with the Proposal you made me of writing to you, to neglect it long. For as Nature and Fortune have conspired to strip m...

8 January 176029 April 1774 In the Name of God Amen. The Eighth day of January in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty, and in the thirty third year of his ...

13 January 1760My Friend I am lately come from divine Service, if I may be allowed the Expression, performd by the Revd. Mr. Cushing, whom you're not unaquainted wi...

13 February 1760My Friend In my last, if I rightly remember, I joined with you in your panegyric on the superior Rewards which ancient Rome proposed to Application a...

1 February 176029 February 1760 I am very willing to join with you, in renouncing the Reasoning of some of our last Letters. There is but Little Pleasure, which Reason can approve t...

29 May 1760Braintree, 29 May 1760. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:128–129. For the context of this draft and its three sequels, Jan.?–May? 1761, none ap...

10 September 1760Sir You have perhaps expected from me (according to the Custom of the World) some Expressions of my Condolance, in your loss of Judge Sewal.—To be p...

5 November 1760Braintree 5 November 1760. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:167–168. See above, to Jonathan Sewall, post 10 Sept. 1760 and note there. ...

5 December 1760Sir I presume upon the Merits of a Brother, both in the Academical and legal family, to give you this Trouble and to ask the favour of your correspon...

1 January 176131 January 1761Braintree, January? 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:190–192 Unsigned, but the author introduces himself as “an old Man, seventy odd.” Se...

1 January 176131 January 1761Braintree, January? 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:193–196. The letter is of course pseudonymous; at this time had no nieces. ...

1 January 176131 January 1761Braintree, January? 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:196–197. On , see 's admiring characterization in same, p. 47, and note at p. 48. ...

1 March 176131 March 1761Braintree, March? 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:204–206. Third in the series of (unpublished) newspaper contributions on this subject....

22 April 1761Dr. Sir Since you claim a Promise I will perform as well as I can. The Letter so long talked of, is but a Mouse though the offspring of a pregnant Mo...

1 May 176131 May 1761Braintree, May 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:212–215. Fourth and last in the series of newspaper communications on this subject. See e...

9 October 1761 A true Inventory of the Estate whereof John Adams late of Braintree Gent. deceased died seized and Appraised according to the best skill and Judgment...

12 April 1762 The Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Braintree Qualifyed by Law to vote in Town affairs being assembled by adjournment from the Twent...

19 May 1762 The Committee appointed to Consider in what manner the Proceeds of the Sale of the South Commons may be Secured as a fund to the Town made their Repo...

1 February 176328 February 1763Braintree, February 1763. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:242–243. Incomplete and evidently not published contemporaneously, this satirical fr...

On Political Faction, Man's Nature, and the Law3 March – 5 September 1763

3 March 1763Lofing Sun Thes fue Lins cums to let you no, that I am very wel at prisent, thank God for it, hoping that you and the family are so too. I haf bin he...

1 January 176331 December 1763My Dear Friend For so I must call you, tho your late Behaviour, in Point of Ill Nature, and Jealousy, has savoured too much of the Instigations of th...

20 June 1763To the Publishers of the Boston Evening-Post. I Arnt book larnt enuff, to rite so polytly, as the great gentlefolks, that rite in the News-Papers, ab...

18 July 1763Messieurs Edes & Gill, Among the Votaries of Science, and the numerous Competitors for literary Fame, Choice and Judgment, about the Utility of their...

1 August 1763To the Printers. Man, is distinguished from other Animals, his Fellow-Inhabitants of this Planet, by a Capacity of acquiring Knowledge and Civility, ...

29 August 1763To the PRINTERS. My worthy and ingenious friend, Mr. J, having strutted and foamed his hour upon the stage and acquired as well as deserved a good re...

29 August 1763 My Brother J and my self have been very liberal of our Promises to the Publick and very Sparing of Performance: but I shall take the Liberty to suspe...

5 September 1763 It seems to be necessary for me, (notwithstanding the declaration in my last) once more to digress from the road of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts; an...

5 September 1763To the Publishers of theBoston Evening-Post. It is a pleasant Thing to see ones Works in print.—When I see the news, with my letter int about Hemp, I...

4 July 1763My Friend I hope you enjoy mens sana in Corpore Sano: My Body for more than six months past has been in some degree more than common tending to disso...

23 July 1763My old Friend Your kind Letter I received, and after an Interval occasioned by Commencement, am seated to return an Answer. I acknowledge the Justice...

2 January 1764Braintree2 January 1764. RC (MHi:Misc. Bound Coll.). John Adams requests “Brother Quincy” to enter some legal actions for him and promises to bring Qu...

15 February 1764Dear Brother John You may remember we had some Confab. together about having the Small Pox in Concert. I intend next week (Thursday) to be inoculated...

21 May 1764 The Committee appointed to Consider of Some Plan for Repairing the High ways having taken the Same into Consideration Report as follows (viz.) That t...

1 April 1765 The Committee who was directed to take a Plan and make Division of the North Commons (so called) at the Meeting of the Town in March last past having...

A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal LawMay – 21 October 1765

1 May 176531 August 1765 Liberty, that has been compelled to skulk about in Corners of the Earth, and been everlastingly persecuted by the great, the rich, the noble, the Rev...

1 August 176531 August 1765 “Ignorance and Inconsideration,” (says Dr. Tillotson) “are the two great Causes of the Ruin of Mankind.” This excellent observation, was made by that...

12 August 1765To the Printers. “IGNORANCE and inconsideration are the two great causes of the ruin of mankind.” This is an observation of Dr. Tillotson, with relat...

19 August 1765 THUS accomplished were many of the first Planters of these Colonies. It may be thought polite and fashionable, by many modern fine Gentlemen perhaps,...

30 September 1765 TO have holden their lands, allodially, or for every man to have been the sovereign lord and proprietor of the ground he occupied, would have constit...

21 October 1765 WE have been afraid to think. We have felt a reluctance to examining into the grounds of our privileges, and the extent in which we have an indisputa...

15 August 176515 Aug. 1765. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:259–261. Probably designed as a newspaper contribution. ...

Instructions to Braintree's Representative concerning the Stamp Actante 24 September – 10 October 1765

24 September 1765To Ebenezer Thayer Esqr Sir In all the Calamities, which have ever befallen this our dear native Country, within the Memory of the oldest of Us all...

24 September 1765 The Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Braintree Qualifyd to vote in Town affairs being assembled at the Meeting House in the Middle Pr...

10 October 1765 We hear from Braintree that the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of that Town, legally assembled on Tuesday the Twenty fourth of September last, una...

30 September 1765 The Committee appointed by the Town for the Sale of the North Commons offered their Report to the Town and therewith exhibited a number of Bonds paya...

5 October 1765Dear Bror: Adams The Bearers John Oliver and Michael Nagail are indicted of the ignominious narrow-Soul'd Crime of Sheep-stealing (at Taunton Superio...

14 October 1765MessieursEdes & Gill, I Han't rit nothing to be printed a great while: but I can't sleep a nights, one wink hardly, of late. I hear so much talk abou...

18 December 1765Boston, 18 December 1765. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:265–266. See Notes on the Opening of the Courts 19 Dec. 1765, and Argument before Go...

19 December 1765 Common Law is common Right, 1. Inst. 142.a. Cokes Proem to 2d Inst. The Law is the Subjects best Birthright. 2. Inst. 56. Want of Right and Want of R...

20 December 1765 Mr. Adams Innumerable are the Calamities which flow from an Interruption of Justice. Necessity requires that the Doors of Justice should ever be open...

26 December 176526 December 1765. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:277. Fragment of an unpublished newspaper letter warning Massachusetts freeholders to beware...

1 January 176531 December 1765Dr Sir My known fondness for Agriculture and Manufactures, has given many Opportunitys, which I have often embraced, for recommending the forming Soc...

Clarendon to William Pym13–27 January 1766

13 January 1766Sir, The revolution which one century has produced in your opinions and principles, is not quite so surprizing to me, as it seems to be to many other...

20 January 1766Sir, You and I have changed Sides. As I told you in my last, I can account for your Tergiversation, only on the Supposition of the Insincerity, Basen...

27 January 1766Sir, You are pleased to charge the Colonists with ignorance of the British constitution—But let me tell you there is not even a Son of Liberty among ...

5 February 1766Sr You doubtless and every American must be Sensible, that where there is a Union happily established we Should Endeavour to Support it by all possib...

15 February 1766Sir 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...

12 May 1766Messieurs PRINTERS, Seeing a Piece in the New Hampshire Gazette of last Friday, mentioning the Composition that was made by Mr. Cockle and the G––––r...

Replies to Philanthrop, Defender of Governor Bernardante 9 December 1766 – 16 February 1767

9 December 1766 I confess I was in Hopes, that after the Repeal of the ever memorable Stamp Act, The People of this Province would have had a little Respite from the...

5 January 1767 As It is my Design to write a good deal to you, before I have done, So I have gained favour in the Eyes of our School Master, to write out my Letters...

5 January 1767MessieursEdes & Gill, Please to insert the following. ...

19 January 1767To the PRINTERS. I Did flatter myself, as I had got so much Credit by my Writings upon Hemp, and Stamp-Act, &c. &c. that the learned Phylanthrop woul...

1 January 176731 January 1767 “'Tho I sincerely wish the Reformation of Paskalos and his Abettors and Assistants, yet I own from what I know of their Views and Principles, I am wi...

1 January 176731 January 1767 During a Course of twenty Years, it has been the constant Amusement of my Life, to examine, the Secret Springs, Motives and Principles of human Actio...

26 January 1767Messi'rsEdes and Gill Please to insert the following. ...

1 January 176731 January 1767 I am Sorry to find Phylanthrop, attempting to vindicate the high flying, Maxims, the arbitrary Precedents, and the Tyrannical Practices of that self ...

2 February 1767 Govr. W. to Govr. B. I promised you, another Letter, concerning the wicked Maxims, the delusive Arts, and the false Assertions, of that devoted Write...

9 February 1767Sir, You have my promise of another letter, concerning the maxims, arts, and positions of Philanthrop; whose performances of the last week I shall pr...

16 February 1767 If we go back as far as the reign of Elizabeth, we find her, on one occasion, infringing on this priviledge, of the Commons, of judging solely, of th...

11 March 176711 March 1767. Enclosed in a letter from to Hezekiah Niles (5 Feb. 1819, , Adams Papers). Sewall's letter was “in answer to a letter I had written to...

23 May 1768 Not many Years ago, were transmitted to the Public, thro' the Channel of the Boston-Gazette, a few desultory Essays, on the Spirit of the Canon and F...

6 June 1768Illustrious Patriot The friends of Liberty, Wilkes, Peace and good order to the number of Forty five, assembled at the Whig Tavern Boston New England...

17 June 1768To the Hon.james otis, andthomas cushing, Esq'rs; Mr.samuel adams, andjohn hancock, Esqr.; gentlemen, After the repeal of the late American Stamp Act...

5 October 1768Sir Your very obliging favor we receiv'd by Capt. Bruce the 18th ultimo. The members were immediately assembled and inexpressible was the satisfactio...

4 April 1769Boston, 4 April 1769. not found. Printed Boston Gazette, 24 July 1769. At the town meeting of 13 March, the selectmen reported the “steps” they had t...

8 May 1769To the Honble. James Otis and Thomas Cushing Esqrs, Mr. Samuel Adams and John Hancock Esqr. Gentlemen. You have, once more received, the highest Test...

18 October 1769Boston, 18 October 1769. MS (MB). Printed: Boston Record Commissioners, 16th Report, p. 299–300, 303–325. On 4 Oct., was named to a committee “to Con...

23 October 1769Sir In pursuance of the directions of the Town of Boston we have the honor to transmit you a Pamphlet containing some observations upon diverse lette...

23 October 1769Printed: Franklin, Papers, 16:222–224. For the circumstances of the committee's appointment and its correspondence with Franklin, see the preceding do...

4 November 1769Sir Many unforeseen engagements, and unavoidable accidents, furnish us with our only apology for not transmitting a seasonable answer to your favour ...

3 January 177026 July 1774Boston,3 January 1770 – 26 July 1774. book containing 138 numbered pages (MHi). Printed: MHS, Procs., 1st ser., 19 (1881–1882): 147–179. The first 16...

1 January 177031 January 1770Boston, January? 1770. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:349. Apparently the fragment of an intended newspaper contribution; for 's earlier use ...

Calendar of John Adams' Service in the Massachusetts House of Representatives7 June 1770–16 April 1771

7 June 17707 June 1770. (M-Ar), in an unidentified hand. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 22. Prepared by a committee appointed 6 June composed of Sam...

12 June 177012 June 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 25–32. Prepared by a committee appointed 8 June composed of Joseph Hawley, Samuel...

15 June 177015 June 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 38. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day, composed of Tho...

31 July 177031 July 1770. , fair copy, in the hand of Samuel Adams (MB). Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 63–71. Prepared by a committee appointed 26 Ju...

28 September 177028 September 1770. not found. Prepared by a committee appointed 27 September, composed of Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, Jedediah Foster, Thomas Denny...

4 October 17704 October 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 86–87. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day composed of...

5 October 17705 October 1770. not found. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting 5 October, composed of John Murray, Joseph Gerrish, , Jedediah Prebble, an...

17 October 177017 October 1770. not found. Draft prepared by a committee appointed 16 October composed of , Timothy Danielson, and James Warren. The committee's rep...

23 October 177023 October 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 111. Prepared by a committee appointed 17 October composed of Samuel Adams, , ...

6 November 17706 November 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 134–135. Prepared by a committee appointed 2 November composed of Daniel Leona...

16 November 177016 November 1770. not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 164. Prepared by a committee appointed 16 October composed of Thomas Cushing,...

20 November 177020 November 1770. , engrossed copy, signed by Hutchinson (M-Ar). Printed: Mass., Province Laws, 5:109–111. Prepared by a committee appointed 16 Octobe...

20 November 1770 not found. Printed: Mass., House Jour., 1770–1771, p. 171–172. Prepared by the committee on the state of the province, appointed 16 October (see cale...

17 December 1770Boston, 17 December 1770. (MeHi). Printed: Franklin, Papers, 17:301–304. Prepared by a “Committee of Correspondence” appointed 7 November composed of...

10 April 177110 April 1771. not found. Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day, composed of , Samuel Batcheller, and John Noyes. Gyles Merril...

10 April 177110 April 1771. (P.R.O.: Colonial Office, 5:760). Prepared by a committee appointed and reporting the same day, composed of John Hancock, , and John G...

9 August 1770Boston9 August 1770. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:360–361. For Mrs. Macaulay's reply, see 19 July 1771, below. ...

1 August 177031 August 1770August? 1770. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 1:364–365. ...

29 September 1770Boston, 29 September 1770. not found. At the Boston Town Meeting of 20 Sept., was named to a committee including John Hancock, Thomas Cushing, Samue...

15 December 1770Dr sir Being generally Speaking a son of Liberty, notwithstanding the Cloud of Toryism that has lately, you know, passed over me, a Number of Gentlem...

22 April 1771 Notifies the Removal of his Office to a Room in Queen-Street, in the House of Mr. John Gill, within a few Steps of the New Court-House, but on the op...

19 July 1771Sr A very laborious attention to the finishing the fifth vol of my history of England with a severe fever of five months duration the consequence of ...

27 January 1772Boston, 27 January 1772. Printed: Letters by Washington . . . and Others ... to John Langdon, Philadelphia, 1880, p. 12. 's reply to Whipple's letter ...

9 February 17729 February 1772. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 2:53–54 ...

9 February 17729 February 1772. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 2:54–56. ...

13 February 1772Portsmouth, 13 February 1772. (Adams Papers); addressed: “To John Adams Esqr. at Boston favoured P Mr. Cutts”; endorsed. Whipple gives directions for...

2 March 177218 May 1772Braintree, 2 March – 18 May 1772.. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 2:56–61. ...

4 October 1772Sandwich, 4 October 1772. (MiU-C); addressed to John Adams in Boston; endorsed. Freeman notifies Adams that he is appealing a case to the Superior Co...

31 December 1772Boston31 December 1772. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 2:75–76. ...

On the Independence of the Judges11 January – 22 February 1773

11 January 1773To the PRINTERS. GENERAL BRATTLE, by his rank, station and character, is intituled to politeness and respect, even when he condescends to harrangue i...

18 January 1773To the PRINTERS, It has been said already, that the common law of England has not determined the judges to have an estate for life in their offices p...

18 January 1773To the PRINTERS, As the lines of mens minds are as various as the features of their faces, they can no more upon every subject think alike than they ...

25 January 1773To the PRINTERS. Another observation which occurred to me upon reading General Brattle's first publication, was upon these words, “That by the charte...

1 February 1773To the PRINTERS, The question is, in the present state of the controversy, according to my apprehension of it, whether, by the common law of England,...

8 February 1773To the PRINTERS. Two or three anecdotes, were omitted in my last, for want of room, which may be here inserted, in order to shew that General Brattle...

15 February 1773To the PRINTERS. We are now upon the commissions of our own Judges, and we ought to examine well the tenure by which they are holden. It may be depen...

22 February 1773To the PRINTERS, In all General Brattle's researches hitherto, aided and assisted as he has been by mine, we have not been able to discover, either t...

The Constitutional Debate Between Thomas Hutchinson and the House of Representatives26 January – 2 March 1773

26 January 1773May it please your Excellency, Your Excellency's Speech to the General Assembly at the Opening of this Session, has been read with great Attention in...

22 February 1773My dear Sir If you have had Leisure to commit your Thoughts to writing agreable to my Request I shall be oblig'd if you will send them by the Bearer....

2 March 1773May it please your Excellency, In your Speech at the Opening of the present Session, your Excellency express'd your Displeasure at some late Proceedi...

5 February 1773 To his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson Esqr. the Honorable his Majesty's Council and the honble. House of Representatives in General Court assembled Feb...

5 May 1773Boston, ante 5 May 1773. (MB). John Adams was among the 52 signers who sought to have Pleasant Street “Accepted of and recorded as a Town street as i...

26 May 1773Boston, 26 May 1773. (M-Ar:vol. 50:449–450. Of the 24 elected by joint ballot of the House of Representatives and outgoing Council, John Adams was on...

30 June 1773Dear Sir The letter inclosed herewith contains My Answer to the young Gentn. you was pleased recommend Me to as an Assistant in his Study of the Law ...

19 July 177326 July 1773Boston, 19 or 26 July 1773. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography, 2:84–85. Unpublished newspaper contribution. ...

7 August 1773 Mr Henry Adams before the year 1640, I cant Say how long before, came from Bristol in England, with Eight Sons, and fixed himself at Braintree, in an...

1 August 177331 August 1773Sr I was very sorry to find by your favor of the 19 of Aprill that you had so many good reasons to allege for the Depriveing me thus long of the plea...

21 September 1773Sir In pursuance of a Resolution of this Society, I am to signify to you that you have this Day been duly elected a Member thereof. ...

11 October 1773 ...

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