Title: [October 1774]
From: Adams, John
To:

      1774. Saturday 1 October.

       Dined with Mr. Webster. Spent the Evening with Stephen Collins. Went to see the Election at the State House. Mr. Dickinson was chosen.

   As one of the representatives of Philadelphia co. to the Pennsylvania Assembly, which in turn, 15 Oct., elected him to the Continental Congress. In a letter to AA of 7 Oct. JA wrote at some length on the favorable turn of the Pennsylvania elections for the patriotic party (Adams Papers; printed in JA-AA, Familiar LettersFamiliar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams, during the Revolution. With a Memoir of Mrs. Adams, ed. Charles Francis Adams, New York, 1876., p. 44–45).

   In Congress this day JA was chosen to a committee to prepare “a loyal address to his majesty ... dutifully requesting the royal attention to the grievances that alarm and distress his majesty’s faithful subjects in North-America” (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:53; see also p. 102–104, 113, 3:115–122>, and entry of 11 Oct., below).

      1774. Sunday. Octr. 2.

       Went to Christ Church and heard Mr. Coombs upon “Judge not according to the Appearance, but judge righteous Judgment.” Went to Mr. Sprout’s in the Afternoon and heard Mr. Tenant Tennent.
       Spent the Evening at home with Mr. Macdougal, Mr. Cary of Charlestown, Mr. Reed and Coll. Floyd.

      1774 Monday Octr. 3. 1774.

       Breakfasted at home with Coll. Dagworthy of Maryland, Captn. Dagworthy his Brother, Major De Bois, Mr. Webb, Dr. Clopton &c. The hurry of Spirits I have been in, since my Arrival in this City, has prevented my making Remarks in my Journal as I wished to have done. The quick Succession of Objects, the Variety of Scenes and Characters, have rendered it impracticable. Major De Bois says he will drink Dispute this Morning. The Congress not come to Decision, yet.

       Dined at home. This Day Charles Thompson and Thos. Mifflin were chosen Burgesses for this City. The Change in the Elections for this City and County is no small Event. Mr. Dickinson and Mr. Thompson, now joined to Mr. Mifflin, will make a great Weight in favour of the American Cause.

      1774 Tuesday. Octr. 4.

       Dined with Mr. Alexander Wilcox, with all the Delegates from N. York, and several other Gentlemen.—This Evening General Lee came to my Lodgings and shewed me an Address from the Congress to the People of Canada which he had.

   It was not, however, until 21 Oct. that Congress resolved to prepare an address to the people of Quebec, which was brought in by a committee (on which JA did not serve) two days later, debated, and recommitted; a new draft was brought in, read, debated, amended, and approved on 26 Oct., the last day of the session (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:101, 103, 105–113).

      1774. Wednesday Octr. 5th.

       Dined with Dr. Cadwallador, in Company with Governor Hamilton, Gen. Lee, Mr. Henry, Mr. Pendleton, Mr. De Hart, and many others —Mr. Maese and others—Spent the Evening at Home with Mr. McDougal, and Mr. Sherman—in sad and solemn Consultation about the Miseries and Distresses of our dear Town of Boston.

      1774 Thursday. Octr. 6.

       Dined with Mr. Hodge, Father in Law to Mr. Bayard.

       Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress, 6? October 1774.

       Mr. Gadsden. There are Numbers of Men who will risque their all. I shudder at the thought of the Blood which will be spilled, and would be glad to avoid it.
       Mr. Pendleton. How is the Purchaser to know whether the Molosses, Sugar, or Coffee, has paid the Duty or not? It cant be known. Shant We by this hang out to all the World our Intentions to smuggle?
       Don’t We complain of these Acts as Grievances, and shant we insist on the Repeal.
       But this will give an Advantage to the West Indians and will make it their Interest to oppose our obtaining Redress.
       Coll. Dyer. This Subject as every Part of our Deliberations are important. The Question is how far to extend the Non Importation of dutiable Articles.
       Mr. Chace. I am against the Question before you.—What are the Ways and Means of obtaining Redress. In the manner it is penn’d it would not answer the End. How shall the Buyer know whether the Duties have been paid or not.
       Our Enemies will think that We mean to strike at the Right of Parliament to lay duties for the Regulation of Trade.
       I am one of those who hold the Position, that Parliament has a Right to make Laws for us in some Cases, to regulate the Trade—and in all Cases where the good of the whole Empire requires it.
       My Fears were up when We went into the Consideration of a Bill of Rights. I was afraid We should say too little or too much.
       It is said this is not a Non Importation Resolution. But it is, for there is no Importation of goods but according to the Law of the Land.
       Mr. Linch. I came here to get Redress of Grievances, and to adopt every Means for that End, which could be adopted with a good Conscience.
       In my Idea Parliament has no Power to regulate Trade. But these Duties are all for Revenue not for Regulation of Trade.
       Many Gentlemen in this Room know how to bring in Goods, sugars and others, without paying Duties.
       Will any Gentleman say he will never purchase any Goods untill he is sure, that they were not smuggled.
       Mr. Mifflin. We shall Agree I suppose, to a Non Exportation of Lumber to the West Indies. They cannot send their Sugars to England, nor to America. Therefore they cant be benefited.
       Mr. Low. Gentlemen have been transported by their Zeal, into Reflections upon an order of Men who deserve it the least of any Men in the Community.
       We ought not to deny the just Rights of our Mother Country. We have too much Reason in this Congress, to suspect that Independency is aimed at.
       I am for a Resolution against any Tea, Dutch as well as English.
       We ought to consider the Consequences possible as well as probable of every Resolution We take and provide ourselves with a Retreat or Resource.
       What would be the Consequence of an Adjournment of the Congress for 6 months? or a Recommendation of a new Election of another to meet at the End of 6 Months? Is not it possible they may make it criminal, as Treason, Misprision of Treason, or Felony or a Praemunire? Both in the Assemblies who choose and in the Members who shall accept the Trust.
       Would the assemblies or Members be intimidated? Would they regard such an Act?
       Will, Can the People bear a total Interruption of the West India Trade? Can they live without Rum, Sugar, and Molasses? Will not their Impatience, and Vexation defeat the Measure?
       This would cutt up the Revenue by the Roots—if Wine, Fruit, Molasses and Sugar, were discarded, as well as Tea.
       But, a Prohibition of all Exports to the West Indies, will annihilate the Fishery—because, that cannot afford to loose the West India Fish—and this would throw a Multitude of Families in our fishing Towns into the Arms of Famine.

   From JA’s loose minutes of debates in the first Continental Congress (D/JA/22A). Though the principles of nonimportation and nonexportation had been agreed on by the end of September, the specific terms of what came to be called the Continental Association remained subject to debate until the adoption of that paper on 18 Oct. (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:75). From the language in a resolve of 6 Oct. (same, p. 57), it is likely though by no means certain that JA is here reporting the debates of that day.

   Missing words and parts of words, lost through the crumbling of the paper along one edge, have been supplied from CFA’s printed text (JA, WorksThe 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., 2:394).

   In the MS a substantial space follows this paragraph, which ordinarily indicates a shift from one speaker to another. The substance of the remarks that follow also suggests that a New Englander rather than a New Yorker was speaking, but the question cannot now be resolved.

   CFA silently but no doubt rightly altered this word to “market.”

      1774 Fryday Octr. 7.

       Dined with Mr. Thos. Smith, with a large Company, the Virginians and others.

      1774 Saturday Octr. 8.

       Dined with Mr. George Clymer—Mr. Dickinson and a large Company again.

      1774. Sunday 9 October.

       Went to hear Dr. Allison, an Aged Gentleman. It was Sacrament Day and he gave us a sacramental Discourse. This Dr. Allison is a Man of Abilities and Worth, but I hear no Preachers here like ours in Boston, excepting Mr. Duchè. Coombs indeed is a good Speaker, but not an original, but a Copy of Duchè.

       The Multiplicity of Business and Ceremonies, and Company that we are perpetually engaged in, prevents my Writing to my Friends in Mass, as I ought, and prevents my recording many Material Things in my Journal.
       Phyladelphia with all its Trade, and Wealth, and Regularity is not Boston. The Morals of our People are much better, their Manners are more polite, and agreable—they are purer English. Our Language is better, our Persons are handsomer, our Spirit is greater, our Laws are wiser, our Religion is superiour, our Education is better. We exceed them in every Thing, but in a Markett, and in charitable public foundations.
       Went in the Afternoon to the Romish Chappell and heard a good discourse upon the Duty of Parents to their Children, founded in Justice and Charity. The Scenery and the Musick is so callculated to take in Mankind that I wonder, the Reformation ever succeeded. The Paintings, the Bells, the Candles, the Gold and Silver. Our Saviour on the Cross, over the Altar, at full Length, and all his Wounds a bleeding. The Chanting is exquisitely soft and sweet.

   JA set down his reflections on this experience at greater length in a letter to AA of this date (Adams Papers; printed in JA-AA, Familiar LettersFamiliar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams, during the Revolution. With a Memoir of Mrs. Adams, ed. Charles Francis Adams, New York, 1876., p. 45–47).

      1774 Monday. Octr. 10th.

       The Deliberations of the Congress, are spun out to an immeasurable Length. There is so much Wit, Sense, Learning, Acuteness, Subtilty, Eloquence, &c. among fifty Gentlemen, each of whom has been habituated to lead and guide in his own Province, that an immensity of Time, is spent unnecessarily.
       Johnson of Maryland has a clear and a cool Head, an extensive Knowledge of Trade, as well as Law. He is a deliberating Man, but not a shining orator—His Passions and Imagination dont appear enough for an orator. His Reason and Penetration appear, but not his Rhetoric.
       Galloway, Duane, and Johnson, are sensible and learned but cold Speakers. Lee, Henry, and Hooper are the orators. Paca is a deliberater too. Chase speaks warmly. Mifflin is a sprightly and spirited Speaker. John Rutledge dont exceed in Learning or oratory, tho he is a rapid Speaker. Young Edward Rutledge is young, and zealous—a little unsteady, and injudicious, but very unnatural and affected as a Speaker. Dyer and Sherman speak often and long, but very heavily and clumsily.

   MS: “and.”

      1774 Tuesday Octr. 11.

       Dined with Mr. McKean in Markett Street, with Mr. Reed, Rodney, Chace, Johnson, Paca, Dr. Morgan, Mr. R. Penn, &c.
       Spent the Evening with Mr. Henry at his Lodgings consulting about a Petition to the King.
       Henry said he had no public Education. At fifteen he read Virgill and Livy, and has not looked into a Latin Book since. His father left him at that Age, and he has been struggling thro Life ever since. He has high Notions. Talks about exalted Minds, &c. He has a horrid Opinion of Galloway, Jay, and the Rutledges. Their System he says would ruin the Cause of America. He is very impatient to see such Fellows, and not be at Liberty to describe them in their true Colours.

   See entry of 1 Oct., note, above. The committee to prepare an address or petition to the King brought in its report on 21 Oct., but after debate it was recommitted and John Dickinson, who had come into Congress as recently as 17 Oct., was added to the committee (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:102; Burnett, ed., Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:lix). A revised draft was reported on 24 Oct. and approved the next day (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:103–104). There is good reason to believe that JA was very dissatisfied with the version adopted, though he signed it with the other delegates on the 26th, the last day of the session (same, p. 113, 115–122). Dickinson later claimed the authorship of the approved text wholly for himself, saying that “the draft brought in by the original committee was written in language of asperity very little according with the conciliatory disposition of Congress” (Stillé, DickinsonCharles J. Stillé, The Life and Times of John Dickinson, 1732–1808, Philadelphia, 1891., p. 140–148). See also JA to Jefferson, 12 Nov. 1813, where the original, rejected draft is said to have been composed by R. H. Lee (DLC: Jefferson Papers; printed from LbC, Adams Papers, in JA, WorksThe 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., 10:78–80).

      1774. Wednesday. Octr. 12.

       Dined with Captn. Richards with Dr. Coombs.

      1774 Thursday. Octr. 13.

       Dined with Mr. Dickenson with Chase, Paca, Low, Mifflin, Mr. Penn and General Lee, at six O Clock.
       From 10 O Clock untill half after four, We were debating, about the Parliamentary Power of regulating Trade. 5 Colonies were for allowing it, 5. against it, and two divided among themselves, i.e. Mass, and Rhode Island.
       Mr. Duane has had his Heart sett upon asserting in our Bill of Rights, the Authority of Parliament to regulate the Trade of the Colonies. He is for grounding it on Compact, Acquiescence, Necessity, Protection, not merely on our Consent.

   This vote does not appear in the Journal of Congress. The fullest account of the debates of 12–13 Oct., mainly concerned with what came to be called the Declaration of Rights, is in Duane’s Notes, printed in Burnett, ed., Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:72–74, 75.

      1774. Fryday. Octr. 14.

       Went in the Morning to see Dr. Chevott Chovet and his Skelletons and Wax Work—most admirable, exquisite Representations of the whole Animal Aeconomy.
       Four compleat Skelletons. A Leg with all the Nerves, Veins and Arteries injected with Wax. Two compleat Bodies in Wax, full grown. Waxen Representations of all the Muscles, Tendons &c., of the Head, Brain, Heart, Lungs, Liver, Stomack, Gutts, Cawl-Bladder, Testicles. This Exhibition is much more exquisite than that of Dr. Shippen, at the Hospital. The Doctor reads Lectures, for 2 half Jos. a Course, which takes up Four Months. These Wax Works are all of the Drs. own Hands.
       Dined with Dr. Morgan, an ingenious Physician and an honest Patriot. He shewed us some curious Paintings upon Silk which he brought from Italy which are Singular in this Country, and some Bonesof an Animal of enormous Size, found upon the Banks of the River Ohio. Mr. Middleton, the two Rutledges, Mr. Mifflin and Mr. Wm. Barrell dined with Us. Mrs. Morgan is a sprightly, pretty lady.
       In the Evening We were invited to an Interview at Carpenters Hall, with the Quakers and Anabaptists. Mr. Bacchus is come here from Middleborough, with a design to apply to the Congress, for a Redress of the Grievances of the Antipaedobaptists in our Province. The Cases from Chelmsford, the Case of Mr. White of Haverhill, the Case of Ashfield and Warwick, were mentioned by Mr. Bacchus.
       Old Israel Pemberton was quite rude, and his Rudeness was resented. But the Conference which held till 11 O Clock, I hope will produce good.

   On Abraham Chovet (1704–1790) see DABAllen Johnson and Dumas Malone, eds., Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1928–1936; 20 vols. plus index and supplements.; also Peter Stephen Du Ponceau’s reminiscences of Chovet and his anatomical waxworks PMHBPennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography., 63:323–329 (July 1939).

   On this day Congress adopted a Declaration of Rights, one of the ultimate products of the committee “to State the rights of the Colonies in general,” appointed 7 Sept. (see entry of 8 Sept., above), and of the discussions in Congress, beginning 24 Sept., of “the means most proper to be pursued for a restoration of our rights” (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:42). An undated committee (or subcommittee) draft of this declaration, with a caption reading “Heads of Grievances and Rights,” is in the Adams Papers under the assigned date of

           [ante 9 September? 1774]

         ; it was correctly identified by CFA and printed in JA, WorksThe 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., 2:535–542; but the usual attribution of it to John Sullivan (same, p. 377 and note; JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:63) cannot be corroborated. The paper is not in Sullivan’s hand, though neither has the hand so far been identified as that of any other member of the committee on rights. The report as submitted, or at any rate as approved by Congress, varies widely from the so called Sullivan draft, containing among other alterations a new and important paragraph written by JA, denying Parliament any authority over the Colonies except, “from the necessity of the case, ... the regulation of our external commerce” (JA, WorksThe 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., 2:538–539). This paragraph, numbered “4,” was the subject of long and vigorous debate; see same, 2:374–375; JA to Edward Biddle?, 12 Dec. 1774 (Dft, Adams Papers, printed in WorksThe 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., 9:350); JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:63–73; Burnett, ed., Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:72–75. Writing from memory in his Autobiography, JA said that “When Congress had gone through the Articles, I was appointed to put them into form and report a fair Draught for their final Acceptance.” This may very well have been so, but there is no contemporary evidence to verify JA’s statement unless his mention of staying home on Sunday to put “the Proceedings of the Congress into Order” (entry of 16 Oct., below) alludes to this assignment.

   In his Autobiography JA elaborates from memory on this conference of the Massachusetts delegates with certain Baptist leaders from New England and several prominent Philadelphia Quakers. But the fullest account is in Alvah Hovey, A Memoir of the Life and Times of the Rev. Isaac Backus, A.M., Boston, 1859, chs. 15–16. James Manning, president of the newly established Rhode Island College (now Brown University), and Isaac Backus (somewhat quaintly spelled “Bacchus” by JA), Baptist minister at Middleborough, Mass., had been sent to Philadelphia by an association of their churches to see what could be done for the relief of Baptists who under Massachusetts law were obliged to pay taxes for the support of “established” ministers not of their own choosing—or who at any rate had great difficulty obtaining exemption from such taxation. On the advice of conservative Quakers, who were not disinclined to embarrass the radical Massachusetts delegates, Manning and Backus requested the conference JA describes. Backus’ Diary (quoted by Hovey) gives the names of many who attended and reports the proceedings in full. The discussion was warm and lasted four hours. Backus and Manning pointed out that in a number of instances the Baptists in Massachusetts had been victims of taxation without representation, and Backus recorded that at one point Robert Treat Paine remarked, “There was nothing of conscience in the matter; it was only a contending about paying a little money” (Hovey, Backus, p. 211). Paine’s Diary (MHi) is, as usual, laconic on the incident, but on his way home later this month Paine told Ezra Stiles about it, and from this and other evidence Stiles concluded that the Baptists, and Manning especially, were in alliance with the Anglicans and hostile to the patriotic cause (Stiles, Literary DiaryThe Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles, D.D., LL.D., President of Yale College, ed. Franklin Bowditch Dexter, New York, 1901; 3 vols., 1:168–170, 472–475, 491, 528; 2:23, 51).

   The most protracted of the cases of religious scruple mentioned by JA, all of which can be traced in the histories of the towns concerned, was that of Ashfield. In 1767 certain Baptists of that “new plantation” refused to contribute to the building of a Congregational meetinghouse where they had settled first and had their own place of worship. When property of theirs was distrained to satisfy the tax requirement, they petitioned the General Court and ultimately carried their case to the King in Council. A mass of petitions, legislative acts and resolves, and other documents concerning the troubles in Ashfield from 1767 to 1774 will be found in Mass., Province LawsThe Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Boston, 1869–1922; 21 vols., 4:1015–1016, 1035–1046; 5:111–113, 143, 228–230, 278–279, 331–334, 371–375; 18:333–334, 450–451. Despite his lack of sympathy with the Baptists’ position, Ezra Stiles acknowledged in a long and informative letter of 20 Nov. 1772 that injustice had been done at Ashfield (Literary DiaryThe Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles, D.D., LL.D., President of Yale College, ed. Franklin Bowditch Dexter, New York, 1901; 3 vols., 1:472, note). Backus’ account of the Ashfield case was published in an anonymous pamphlet entitled An Appeal to the Public for Religious Liberty, Boston, 1773, p. 33 ff., and copies of this tract were handed out to those who attended the conference at Carpenters’ Hall. Chagrined as they were by the surprise sprung upon them by the Baptist and Quaker lobbyists, the Massachusetts delegates promised to do what they could to redress the grievances complained of, but on their own ground, i.e. in Massachusetts. Accordingly, in Nov. 1774, Backus submitted a memorial of grievances to the Provincial Congress sitting in Cambridge. A Baptist leader who obtained his information from one of the members reported: “It was generally agreed not to do anything about it, but throw it out; when Mr. Adams got up and said, he was apprehensive, if they threw it out, it might cause a division among the provinces; and it was his advice to do something with it” (Hezekiah Smith to James Manning, 20 Jan. 1775, Hovey, Backus, P. 222). The action taken, however, consisted only of a resolution, 9 Dec. approving of religious liberty for all denominations and advising the petitioners to lay their complaints before the next “general assembly [when it] shall be convened in this colony” (Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours.William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety, Boston, 1838., p. 65, 67).

      1774 Saturday. Octr. 15.

       Dined at Mr. Wests with the Rutledges and Mr. Middleton. An elegant House, rich furniture, and a splendid Dinner.

      1774 Sunday. Octr. 16.

       Staid at Home all day. Very busy in the necessary Business of putting the Proceedings of the Congress into Order.

   That is, the final version of the Declaration of Rights? See entry of 14 Oct., note 2, above. So far as the Journal shows, the Declaration had been approved on 14 Oct., but there is evidence to show that some points relative to it were debated in Congress as late as the 17th; see Duane’s Notes in Burnett, ed., Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:77–79; and JA’s Notes on the “Canada Bill,” under 17? Oct., below.

      1774. Monday Octr. 17.

       Dined at Home.

       Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress, 17? October 1774.

       CANADA BILL.
       Proof of Depth of Abilities, and Wickedness of Heart.
       Precedent. Lords refusal of perpetual Imprisonment.
       Prerogative to give any Government to a conquered People.
       Romish Religion.
       Feudal Government.
       Union of feudal Law and Romish Superstition.
       Knights of Malta. Orders of military Monks.
       Goths and Vandals—overthrew the roman Empire.
       Danger to us all. An House on fire.

   From JA’s loose sheets of minutes of debates (D/JA/22A). In the MS these undated notes follow minutes of debates on Galloway’s plea for a plan of union (Debates, 28 Sept., above), but their physical location is a very doubtful clue to their date. The question of including the “Canada Bill” (Quebec Act) among the colonists’ grievances was repeatedly debated, but the parallels in substance and even in phrasing between the present rough notes and Duane’s Notes tentatively assigned by Burnett to 17 Oct. strongly suggest that both pertain to the same day’s debate. See JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:66; Burnett, ed., Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:77–79. It seems likely that JA’s notes are the heads of his own arguments exclusively, but Duane’s summary of JA’s speech is too meager and cryptic to make this conjecture certain.

      1774 Tuesday. Oct. 18.

       Dined at Stephen Collins’s.

      1774 Wednesday. Octr. 19.

       Dined at Home.

      1774 Thursday Octr. 20.

       Dined with the whole Congress at the City Tavern, at the Invitation of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pensylvania, the whole House dined with Us, making near 100 Guests in the whole—a most elegant Entertainment. A Sentiment was given, “May the Sword of the Parent never be Stain’d with the Blood of her Children.” Two or 3 broadbrims, over against me at Table—one of em said this is not a Toast but a Prayer, come let us join in it—and they took their Glasses accordingly.

   Quakers.

   On this day the Association of the Colonies, or nonimportation and nonexportation agreement, was read in Congress and signed by the members, including JA (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:75–81, 127–128 [Nos. 2–5], and facsimile of the Association as signed, in pocket of back cover of that volume).

      1774 Fryday. Oct. 21.

       Dined at the Library Tavern with Messrs. Marcoo’s Markoes and a dozen Gentlemen from the W. Indies and N. Carolina. A fine bowling Green here—fine Turtle, and admirable Wine.

   On this day Congress approved an “address to the people of Great-Britain” and a “memorial to the inhabitants of the British Colonies”; and Galloway, McKean, JA, and Hooper were named “a committee to revise the minutes of the Congress” (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:81–101). The committee to prepare an address to the King also reported, but its report was recommitted; see entry of 11 Oct. and note, above.

      1774. Saturday. Octr. 22.

       Dined in the Country, with Mr. Dickinson, with all the Delegates from N. England. Mr. Duane, Mr. Reed, Mr. Livingstone &c.

      1774. Sunday. Octr. 23.

       Heard Mr. Piercy, at Mr. Sprouts. He is Chaplain to the Countess of Huntingdon. Comes recommended to Mr. Cary of Charlestown, from her, as a faithful servant of the Lord. No Genius—no Orator.
       In the Afternoon I went to the Baptist Church and heard a trans Alleganian—a Preacher, from the back Parts of Virginia, behind the Allegany Mountains. He preached an hour and an half. No Learning—No Grace of Action or Utterance—but an honest Zeal. He told us several good Stories. One was, that he was once preaching in Virginia and said that those Ministers who taught the People that Salvation was to be obtained by good Works, or Obedience, were leading them to ruin. Next Day, he was apprehended, by a Warrant from a Magistrate, for reviling the Clergy of the Church of England. He asked for a Prayer Book and had it. Turned to the 18 or 20th. Article, where the same sentiment is strongly expressed. He read it to the Magistrate. The Magistrate as soon as he heard it, dash’d the Warrant out of his Hand, and said sir you are discharged.
       In the Evening I went to the Methodist Meeting and heard Mr. Webb, the old soldier, who first came to America, in the Character of Quarter Master under Gen. Braddock. He is one of the most fluent, eloquent Men I ever heard. He reaches the Imagination and touches the Passions, very well, and expresses himself with great Propriety. The Singing here is very sweet and soft indeed. The first Musick I have heard in any Society, except the Moravians, and once at Church with the organ.
       Supped and spent the Remainder of the Evening, at Mr. Jo. Reeds with Coll. Lee, Dr. Shippen, Mr. Cary, Dr. Loring &c.

   His name is given in R. T. Paine’s Diary (MHi) as “Fristo”; probably William Fristoe, a self-taught Baptist preacher of western Virginia, of whom there is a brief account in Sprague, Annals Amer. PulpitWilliam B. Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit; or Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of Various Denominations, New York, 1857–1869; 9 vols., 6:125, note.

      1774. Monday. Octr. 24.

       In Congress, nibbling and quibbling—as usual.
       There is no greater Mortification than to sit with half a dozen Witts, deliberating upon a Petition, Address, or Memorial. These great Witts, these subtle Criticks, these refined Genius’s, these learned Lawyers, these wise Statesmen, are so fond of shewing their Parts and Powers, as to make their Consultations very tedius.
       Young Ned Rutledge is a perfect Bob o’ Lincoln—a Swallow—a Sparrow—a Peacock—excessively vain, excessively weak, and excessively variable and unsteady—jejune, inane, and puerile.

       Mr. Dickinson is very modest, delicate, and timid.
       Spent the Evening at home. Coll. Dyer, Judge Sherman and Coll. Floyd came in and spent the Evening with Mr. Adams and me. Mr. Mifflin and General Lee came in. Lee’s Head is running upon his new Plan of a Battallion.

   On this day Congress heard, debated, and recommitted the proposed address to the people of Quebec, and heard a revised draft of the address to the King, which was agreed to next day (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:103–104).

   This comment was probably evoked by Dickinson’s diluted revision of the address to the King; see entry of 11 Oct. and note, above.

      1774 Tuesday 25 October.

       Dined with Mr. Clymer. General Lee &c. there.

      1774. Wednesday 26 October.

       Dined at Home. This Day the Congress finished. Spent the Evening together at the City Tavern—all the Congress and several Gentlemen of the Town.

   Among other things Congress this day debated and approved the address to the people of Quebec, signed the address to the King, voted a resolution of thanks to the Pennsylvania Assembly “for their politeness to this Congress,” and “then dissolved itself” (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 1:104–114). It had already, on 22 Oct., arranged for the printing of its Journal and resolved “that another Congress should be held on the tenth day of May next, unless the redress of grievances, which we have desired, be obtained before that time,” recommending Philadelphia as the best meeting place (same, p. 102).

      1774. Thursday. Octr. 27.

       Went this Morning with Mr. Tudor to see the Carpenters Hall, and the Library, and to Mr. Barrells and Bradfords, and then to the State House to see the Supream Court sitting. Heard Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Reed argue a Point of Law concerning the Construction of a Will. Three Judges, Chew, Willing and Moreton.

      1774. Fryday. Octr. 28.

       Took our Departure in a very great Rain, from the happy, the peacefull, the elegant, the hospitable, and polite City of Phyladelphia.—It is not very likely that I shall ever see this Part of the World again, but I shall ever retain a most greatefull, pleasing Sense, of the many Civilities I have received, in it. And shall think myself happy to have an opportunity of returning them.—Dined at Andersons, and reached Priestly’s of Bristol at Night, twenty miles from Phyladelphia, where We are as happy as We can wish.

   The Red Lion, in the rural community then called Byberry, now part of Philadelphia City. See R.T. Paine, Diary (MHi), under this date.

      1774. Saturday. Octr. 29.

       Rode to Prince Town, where We dine, at the sign of Hudibrass.— Vacation at Nassau Hall. Dr. Witherspoon out of Town. Paine recollected the Story of Mr. Keiths Joke upon him at Howlands of Plymouth, the Time of the Stamp Act. Paine said he would go to making brass Buckles. Keith said he might do that to great Advantage for his Stock would cost him nothing.
       Lodged at Farmers in Brunswick.

      1774. Sunday. Octr. 30.

       My Birthday. I am 39 Years of Age.—Rode to Elizabeth Town in New Jersey, where We are to dine. Rode down to Elizabeth Town Point, and put our Carriage and all our Horses into two Ferry Boats. Sail’d or rather rowed, Six Miles to a Point on Staten Island where We stoped and went into a Tavern. Got to Hulls in New York, about 10 O Clock, at night.

      1774 Monday. Oct. 31.

       Mr. McDougall, Mr. Scott, Captn. Sears, Mr. Platt, Mr. Hewes came to see us. All but the last dined with us. Walked to see the new Hospital, a grand Building. Went to the Coffee House. Mr. Cary and Dr. Loring dined with us.
       The Sons of Liberty are in the Horrors here. They think they have lost ground since We passed thro this City. Their Delegates have agreed with the Congress, which I suppose they imagine, has given additional Importance to their Antagonists.

   CFA provides a useful interpretive note on this paragraph, too long to quote here (JA, WorksThe 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., 2:402).


Title: 1774. Tuesday. Novr. 1.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Left Brother Paine at New York to go by the Packett to New Port. Rode to Cocks at Kings bridge to break fast, to Havilands at Rye to Dinner, and to Knaps at Horse Neck in Greenwich to lodge.


Title: 1774. Thursday. Novr. 3.
From: Adams, John
To:

       We design to Great Swamp to day. 42 miles.
       At Newhaven, Coll. Dyer, Deane and Sherman, Mr. Parsons, the new Speaker Williams, Mr. Trumbull and many other Gentlemen came to see us at Beers’s as soon as we got in. Coll. Dyer presented the Compliments of the Governor and Council to the Massachusetts Delegates and asked our Company, to spend the Evening. I begged Coll. Dyer to present my Duty to the Governor and Council, and my Gratitude for the high Honour they did us, but that We had been so long from home and our affairs were so critical, We hoped they would excuse us if we passed thro the Town as fast as possible.
       Mr. Sherman invited us to dine, but Mr. Babcock claimed a Promise, so we dined with him.
       2 or 3 Carriages accompanied us, a few Miles out of Town in the Afternoon.
       We had the most pressing Invitations from many Gentlemen to return thro N. London, Windham &c. &c. &c., but excused ourselves. The People had sent a Courier to N. Haven on Purpose to wait for our Arrival and return to inform the People we were coming.
       Twenty miles from Middletown We met two Gentlemen from thence who came on Purpose to meet us and invite us to dine tomorrow at Middletown. We excused ourselves with great Earnestness.


Title: 1774. Fryday. Novr. 4.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Dined at Hartford, at Bulls, where we had the Pleasure of seeing Mr. Adams’s Minister Mr. How, who is supposed to be courting here. Lodged at Dr. Chafy’s Chaffee’s in Windsor. Very cordially entertained.


Title: 1774 Saturday. Novr. 5.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Break fasted at Austins of Suffield. Went to see a Company of Men exercising upon the Hill, under the Command of a green coated Man, lately a Regular. A Company of very likely stout men.
       Dined at Parsons’s of Springfield. Captn. Pynchon and another Pynchon, and Mr. Bliss, came in to see Us, and at last Coll. Worthington. Worthington behaved decently and politely. Said he was in Hopes we should have staid the Sabbath in Town and he should have had the Pleasure of waiting on us, &c.
       Captn. Pynchon was of the late provincial Congress and gave us some Account of their Proceedings.

       Arrived, about 7 O Clock at Scotts of Palmer alias Kingston, where We are to lodge. Scott and his Wife are at this instant, great Patriots. Zealous Americans. Scotts faith is very strong that they will repeal all the Acts, this very winter. Dr. Dana told Us all America, and G. Britain and Europe ow’d us Thanks and that the Ministry would lay hold of our Consent that they should regulate Trade, and our Petition and grant us Relief this Winter.—But neither the Doctors nor Scotts Faith are my Faith.


Title: 1774. Sunday. Novr. 6.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Went all day to hear Mr. Baldwin a Presbyterian Minister at Kingston. We put up at Scotts. Mr. Baldwin came in the Evening to see us.
       Hor. B. 3. O. 2. Pueros ab ineunte AEtate assuefaciendos esse rei militari et Vitae laboriosae.
       We walked to Meeting above 2 Miles at Noon. We walked 1/4 of a Mile and staid at one Quintouns an old Irishman, and a friendly cordial Reception we had. The old Man was so rejoiced to see us he could hardly speak—more glad to see Us he said than he should to see Gage and all his Train.—I saw a Gun. The young Man said that Gun marched 8 Miles towards Boston on the late Alarm. Almost the whole Parish marched off, and the People seemed really disappointed, when the News was contradicted.


Title: 1774. Monday. Novr. 7.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Dined at Rice’s of Brookfield. Major Foster came to see us, and gave us an Account of the Proceedings of the Provincial Congress.
       Lodged at Hunts in Spencer.


Title: 1774. Tuesday. Novr. 8.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Breakfasted at Coll. Henshaws of Leicester. Dined at Woodburns of Worcester. Furnival made the two young Ladies come in and sing Us the New Liberty Song.
       Lodged at Coll. Buckminsters of Framingham.


Title: 1774. Wednesday. Novr. 9.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Breakfasted at Reeve’s of Sudbury.


Title: [November 1774]
From: Adams, John
To:

      1774. Tuesday. Novr. 1.

       Left Brother Paine at New York to go by the Packett to New Port. Rode to Cocks at Kings bridge to break fast, to Havilands at Rye to Dinner, and to Knaps at Horse Neck in Greenwich to lodge.

      1774. Wednesday. Novr. 2.

       Rode to Bulkleys at Fairfield to dinner, and to Captn. Benjamins of Stratford to lodge.

      1774. Thursday. Novr. 3.

       We design to Great Swamp to day. 42 miles.
       At Newhaven, Coll. Dyer, Deane and Sherman, Mr. Parsons, the new Speaker Williams, Mr. Trumbull and many other Gentlemen came to see us at Beers’s as soon as we got in. Coll. Dyer presented the Compliments of the Governor and Council to the Massachusetts Delegates and asked our Company, to spend the Evening. I begged Coll. Dyer to present my Duty to the Governor and Council, and my Gratitude for the high Honour they did us, but that We had been so long from home and our affairs were so critical, We hoped they would excuse us if we passed thro the Town as fast as possible.
       Mr. Sherman invited us to dine, but Mr. Babcock claimed a Promise, so we dined with him.
       2 or 3 Carriages accompanied us, a few Miles out of Town in the Afternoon.
       We had the most pressing Invitations from many Gentlemen to return thro N. London, Windham &c. &c. &c., but excused ourselves. The People had sent a Courier to N. Haven on Purpose to wait for our Arrival and return to inform the People we were coming.
       Twenty miles from Middletown We met two Gentlemen from thence who came on Purpose to meet us and invite us to dine tomorrow at Middletown. We excused ourselves with great Earnestness.

      1774. Fryday. Novr. 4.

       Dined at Hartford, at Bulls, where we had the Pleasure of seeing Mr. Adams’s Minister Mr. How, who is supposed to be courting here. Lodged at Dr. Chafy’s Chaffee’s in Windsor. Very cordially entertained.

      1774 Saturday. Novr. 5.

       Break fasted at Austins of Suffield. Went to see a Company of Men exercising upon the Hill, under the Command of a green coated Man, lately a Regular. A Company of very likely stout men.
       Dined at Parsons’s of Springfield. Captn. Pynchon and another Pynchon, and Mr. Bliss, came in to see Us, and at last Coll. Worthington. Worthington behaved decently and politely. Said he was in Hopes we should have staid the Sabbath in Town and he should have had the Pleasure of waiting on us, &c.
       Captn. Pynchon was of the late provincial Congress and gave us some Account of their Proceedings.

       Arrived, about 7 O Clock at Scotts of Palmer alias Kingston, where We are to lodge. Scott and his Wife are at this instant, great Patriots. Zealous Americans. Scotts faith is very strong that they will repeal all the Acts, this very winter. Dr. Dana told Us all America, and G. Britain and Europe ow’d us Thanks and that the Ministry would lay hold of our Consent that they should regulate Trade, and our Petition and grant us Relief this Winter.—But neither the Doctors nor Scotts Faith are my Faith.

      1774. Sunday. Novr. 6.

       Went all day to hear Mr. Baldwin a Presbyterian Minister at Kingston. We put up at Scotts. Mr. Baldwin came in the Evening to see us.
       Hor. B. 3. O. 2. Pueros ab ineunte AEtate assuefaciendos esse rei militari et Vitae laboriosae.
       We walked to Meeting above 2 Miles at Noon. We walked 1/4 of a Mile and staid at one Quintouns an old Irishman, and a friendly cordial Reception we had. The old Man was so rejoiced to see us he could hardly speak—more glad to see Us he said than he should to see Gage and all his Train.—I saw a Gun. The young Man said that Gun marched 8 Miles towards Boston on the late Alarm. Almost the whole Parish marched off, and the People seemed really disappointed, when the News was contradicted.

   Not a quotation from Horace’s Book III, Ode ii, but a comment on it. In effect: “Horace says that boys from an early age should be accustomed to military activity and a strenuous life.”

   See entry of 6 Sept. and note, above.

      1774. Monday. Novr. 7.

       Dined at Rice’s of Brookfield. Major Foster came to see us, and gave us an Account of the Proceedings of the Provincial Congress.
       Lodged at Hunts in Spencer.

      1774. Tuesday. Novr. 8.

       Breakfasted at Coll. Henshaws of Leicester. Dined at Woodburns of Worcester. Furnival made the two young Ladies come in and sing Us the New Liberty Song.
       Lodged at Coll. Buckminsters of Framingham.

      1774. Wednesday. Novr. 9.

       Breakfasted at Reeve’s of Sudbury.


Title: [April 1775]
From: Adams, John
To:

       1775. April 30th. Sunday.

       Heard Mr. Strong all Day. At Night, a Man came in and inform’d us of the Death of Josa. Quincy.—Proh Dolor!

   First diary entry in a stitched booklet with marbled paper covers labeled by JA: “Account. 1775.” Not numbered by CFA in the sequence of JA’s MS Diaries, this booklet has been assigned the number D/JA/22B by the present editors. It contains only two diary entries (30 April, 3 Sept. 1775) among numerous account entries, mostly for travel expenses during the period May–Dec. 1775, with two detached pages of travel expenses for Jan.–Feb. 1777 laid in.

   No diary entries survive for the period 10 Nov. 1774–29 April 1775. On 23 Nov. 1774 JA was “desired to favor” the Provincial Congress, then sitting in the Cambridge meetinghouse, “with his presence, as soon as may be” (Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours.William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety, Boston, 1838., p. 49). Five days later he was elected as an additional delegate from Braintree to that body (Braintree Town RecordsSamuel A. Bates, ed., Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793, Randolph, Mass., 1886., p. 453). Presumably he attended from that time until the Congress dissolved itself, 10 December. JA was not a member of the second Provincial Congress, which convened at Cambridge on 1 Feb., but on 6 March he was elected a selectman of Braintree and named on a committee to “prepare a covenant similar to the association of the Continental Congress,” to be adopted by the town “if they think proper” (same, p. 455); for the “covenant” as adopted, 15 March, see same, p. 457–461.

   JA’s principal activity during the early months of 1775 was the composition of his newspaper essays signed “Novanglus” in reply to the loyalist essays of “Massachusettensis,” who JA long believed was Jonathan Sewall but who was actually Daniel Leonard of Taunton. Leonard’s first essay appeared in Mills and Hicks’ Boston Post Boy (at the time called the Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Post Boy), 12 Dec. 1774. Sixteen more numbers followed, the last being published on 3 April 1775. Several collected editions were published later. JA’s answers were printed in Edes and Gill’s Boston Gazette, 23 Jan.—17 April, and were discontinued then only because the outbreak of hostilities caused the Gazette to suspend publication for a time. Only fragments of the “Novanglus” papers survive in MS and are published in JA, Papers, (vol. 2:216-387). The history of the collected editions, the last of which appeared in 1819, is complex. See JA’s account in his Autobiography, his preface to Novanglus and Massachusettensis.... (Boston, 1819), and CFA’s note preceding the “Novanglus” essays as reprinted in JA, WorksThe 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., 4:4.

   On 2 Dec. 1774 the Provincial Congress, sitting in Cambridge, had reelected JA and his three colleagues in the first Continental Congress (Samuel Adams, Thomas Cushing, and R. T. Paine) to the next Congress, and had added John Hancock to the delegation in the place of James Bowdoin, who had never attended (Mass. Provincial Congress, Jours.William Lincoln, ed., The Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of Safety, Boston, 1838., p. 55; see also 86). JA probably set off from Braintree on 26 April; he traveled with one servant and arrived in Hartford on the 29th, where the present entry was written and where he joined the other Massachusetts delegates, who then traveled together the rest of the way. Paine’s Diary (MHi) has the following entry under 10 May:

            “Proceeded [from Bristol] to Philadelphia, met 5 Miles out of Town by a Great No. of Gentlemen and military Companys, one of Rifle Men escorted by Music to City Tavern, dind at Mrs. Yards where we put up. PM met in Congress at the State House, Chief of the Members arrived. Chose a President Mr. Randolph, and Secr[etar]y.”

          The Salem tory Samuel Curwen, who was about to sail from Philadelphia for England, left a much fuller account of the arrival of the Massachusetts delegates in the city (Curwen, Journal and Letters, 4th edn., 1864The Journal and Letters of Samuel Curwen, ... from 1775 to 1783; with an Appendix of Biographical Sketches, ed. George Atkinson Ward, 4th edn., Boston, 1864., p. 29).

   It is extremely unfortunate that JA appears to have kept neither a personal diary nor any minutes of the debates of this session of Congress, which lasted until 1 Aug. 1775. One must suppose that extreme pressure of business was the primary cause of this neglect. In his correspondence JA repeatedly re-marked that he and the other delegates had far more than they could possibly do. “We have been all so assiduous . .. in this exhausting debilitating Climate,” he told his wife just before adjournment, “that Our Lives are more exposed than they would be in Camp” (30 July, Adams Papers). His own health was poor and his spirits depressed throughout most of the session. His letters complain of “Smarting Eyes” and other ailments for which he could find no real relief, and still more often of “The Fidgets, the Whims, the Caprice, the Vanity, the Superstition, the irritability of some of us” (to AA, 24 July, Adams Papers). Yet during these few summer weeks Congress established an army, appointed and instructed a commander in chief and a corps of general officers, began the long struggle to organize an adequate supply system, issued the first Continental money, established a postal system, and at least proposed a plan of confederation among the colonies. All this and more business was actually transacted besides issuing various declarations of principle appealing to American, British, and world opinion, including one document that nearly rent Congress asunder, the second or “Olive Branch” Petition to the King, signed by all the members on 8 July (see JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 2:158–162), but by some with reluctance and by a few with disgust. JA was one of these few. In his Autobiography he characterized this project of John Dickinson’s as a “Measure of Imbecility that embarrassed every Exertion of Congress,” and it is clear that this was his view of it from the outset. His feelings about Dickinson as a man and his conciliatory program overflowed in a letter addressed to James Warren on 24 July that fell into British hands, was published, and raised a small tempest; see note on entry of 16 Sept., below.

   It would be inappropriate here, even if feasible, to list JA’s numerous committee assignments and reports during the May-July session of Congress. They must be traced in the Journal (JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., vol. 2), which is supplemented by JA’s contemporary correspondence and the retrospective narrative in his Autobiography (which is, however, to be used with caution because constructed largely from memory and colored by later political events). Special attention may be drawn to his role in the selection, 15 June, of Washington as commander in chief. See JCCWorthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols., 2:91; note on entry of 28 Sept. 1774, above; Burnett’s note and references in Letters of MembersEdmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress, Washington, 1921–1936; 8 vols., 1:130–132 (which reprints JA’s account); and Freeman, WashingtonDouglas Southall Freeman, George Washington: A Biography, New York, 1948–1952; 6 vols. Vol. 7, by John Alexander Carroll and Mary Wells Ashworth, New York, 1957., vol. 3: ch. 18.

   Josiah Quincy died within sight of Gloucester, Mass., 26 April 1775, on his return from a mission to England, the purpose of which was to explain the position of the American patriots to the British government. See Josiah Quincy, Josiah Quincy, Jr.Josiah Quincy, Memoir of Josiah Quincy, Junior, of Massachusetts: 1744–1775, 2d edn., ed. Eliza Susan Quincy, Boston, 1874., p. 287–288. In reporting this “melancholy Event” to JA, 4 May, AA said that Quincy “wrote in minuts which he left behind that he had matters of concequence intrusted with him, which for want of a confident must die with him” (Adams Papers).


Title: [Account with Massachusetts as a Delegate to the Continental Congress, April–August 1775.]
From: Adams, John
To: Massachusetts General Court

     Mass. Bay Dr. to John Adams

      £
      s
      d

      To the Hire of two Horses at £10 each
      20:
      0:
      0

      To the Hire of a Sulky £8:0s:0d
      8:
      0:
      0

      To the Wages of a servant from the 26 of April to the 14th. of August at £3 per Month 10:16:0
      10:
      16:
      0

      To Cash paid Mrs. Yard in Philadelphia for Board and Lodging for myself and Servant &c. Pensylvania Currency £38:13s:6d
      30:
      18:
      10

      To Cash paid Hannah Hiltzheimer for keeping my Horses
      4:
      16:
      3

      To Cash paid Dibley & Stringer for keeping my Horses Pen. Currency £8:13s:8 1/2d
      7:
      0:
      0

      To Cash paid Messrs. Marshalls for Sundry Medicines
      0:
      8:
      0

      79:
      19:
      1

     Cr.

      By Cash recd.
      100:
      0:
      0

      carried with me, when I went
      50:
      0:
      0

      borrowed out of Money for the Sufferers, at one Time
      31:
      0:
      0

      at another
      12:
      0:
      0

      To Cash paid Daniel Smith for Sundries as pr Rect.
      2:
      8:
      0

      To Cash paid J Young for Sundries
      3:
      0:
      0

      To Cash paid at Horse Neck for a Saddle
      3:
      0:
      0

      To cash paid for a light Suit of Cloaths
      4:
      0:
      0

      To Cash paid for my Expences, keeping two Horses and a servants Expences, upon the Road from Braintree to Philadelphia, and from thence to Braintree together with Sundry miscellaneous Expences, while there
      26:
      12:
      11

      To 2 Days Spent, in riding after Mr. Cushing before I went away, to get the Money granted me for my Expences Self and Horse
      0:
      18:
      0

      To the Hire of an Horse and Man to go to Providence, after my Money which Mr. Cushing said was carried there

      To the Hire of the second Horse and Man to the same Place for the same Purpose, not having obtaind it the first Time.

      To Cash paid Mr. Joseph Bass for a Surtout and Pair of Leather Breeches before I went—the Breeches were not brought out of Boston, the 19th of April and there they now are in Mr. Whitwells shop as he told me at Hartford
      3:
      16:
      0

      To Cash pd. the owner of a sulky for the Damage done to it, by the Horse taking fright and running vs. a Rock and dashing the Top in Pieces
      12:
      0:
      0


Title: [Daniel Smith’s Bill for Entertainment.]
From: Smith, Daniel
To: Adams, John

      Jno. Adams Esqr.To Daniel Smith
      Dr.

      1775

      £
      s
      d

      May
      13th.
      To Bottle Brandy

      2
      6

      26.
      To Bottle do.

      2
      6

      July
      10.
      To Quart Spirits

      2
      6

      £0
      7
      6

      To 5 dinner Clubs with the Delegates
      2
      9
      8

      2
      17
      2

        Recd. the Contents Danl. Smith


Title: [J. Young Jr.’s Bill for Riding Equipment.]
From: Young, J. Jr.
To: Adams, John

      John Adams Esqr. Bought of J. Young Junr.

      1775

      June
      14.
      To a new Pad and Double raind Curb Bridle
      £
      14
      6

      15.
      Mendg. an old Bridle

      1

      July
      3.
      To a Cover for sword Scabboard

      3

      14.
      To a small pad for housings

      2

      31.
      To a Portmanteau & Strap’s
      1
      7

      To a Pair Pistol Bags
      1

      To a Male pylion

      6

      £3:
      13:
      6

        Recd. the Contents in full J. Young jr.


Title: [Sarah Yard’s Bill for Board.]
From: Yard, Sarah
To: Adams, John

      Mr. John Adams  Dr.  To Mrs. Yard.

      1775

      Augt. 1st.
      To your Board & Lodging from the 10th May to this day 11 1/2 Wks.à 30s. per Wk.
      £17:
      5

      To your Servants Board for 7 Wks. 4 days à 15s.
      5:
      12:
      6

      To your Proportion to the Parlour and Candles 11 1/2 Wks. à 4s.
      2:
      6

      To your proportion of the Liquor
      13:
      10

      £38:
      13:
      6

        Receiv’d the Above in full—Sarah Yard

      38
      13
      6

      7
      14
      8
      1/2

      £30.
      18.
      9
      1/2

      L.M.
      £30:
      18s:
      10d

      39:
      2

      38:
      13:
      6

      8:
      6


Title: [Dibley & Stringer’s Bill for Care of John Adams’ Horses.]
From: Dibley, William
To: Adams, John

     John Adams Esqre. Dr. to Wm. Dibley & Stringer

      1775

      £
      s
      d

      June
      28
      To hay for two Horses 3/ Oats 2/

      5:

      29
      To Ditto to July 2d. 3 days hay 9/ Oats 9/

      18:

      July
      2
      To hay 3/ Oats 1/4

      4:
      4

      3
      To ditto 3/ Oats 1/4

      4:
      4

      4
      To Shoeing

      4:
      6

      4
      To hay 5 days to July 9th. at 3/ a day

      15:

      To Oats 5 days to July 9th. at 1/4

      6:
      8

      5
      To Triming Horse

      5:

      9
      To hay 1/6 to Oats 1/6

      3:

      10
      To hay 10 days to 20 July at 3/
      1:
      10:

      To Oats 10 days to 20 July at 1/4

      13:
      4

      20
      To hay 4 days to 24 July at 3/

      12:

      To Oats 4 days to 24 July at 2/

      8:

      24
      To Oats 8

      8

      30
      hay 3/ Oats 3/

      6:

      31
      To hay 3/ Oats 3/ Aug. 1 to hay 3/ Oats 3/

      12:

      Aug.
      2
      To hay 3/ Oats 3/

      6:

      Aug.
      3
      To Oats

      1:

      To Mr. Wrights Bill for Pasture.

      10:
      4
      1/2

      £8:
      5:
      2
      1/2

      Shoeing

      8:
      6

      8:
      13:
      8
      1/2

        Received August 1st. 1775 the within Account is full to the third Instant
        Wm. Dibley


Title: [Account with Joseph Bass.]
From: Adams, John
To: Bass, Joseph

      £
      s
      d

      May 31. 1775
      pd. Jos. Bass a Dollar
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. him before 2 Dollars
      0:
      12:
      0

      pd. him before at Braintree a Guinea
      1:
      8:
      0

     Jos. Bass Dr. to John Adams

      Aug. 14. 1775.

      To ballance of your Acct. left at Philadelphia, as you recollect it if wrong to be rectified
      2:
      8:
      0

      To a Guinea paid you before we went away from Braintree
      1:
      8:
      0

      To Cash left with Mrs. Yard to pay Dr. Shippen for innoculating you
      2:
      0:
      0

      To Cash paid you this Day
      5:
      0:
      0

      10:
      16:
      0

      By your Service from 26th. of April to the fourteenth of Aug. 1775.
      10:
      16:
      0

       Braintree Aug. 14. 1775. Received of John Adams Five Pounds lawfull Money, which together with five Pounds sixteen shillings of lawfull Money received before, is in full for my Service from the 26th. of April to this day.
       Joseph Bass jr.


Title: [Samuel Cooke’s Bills for Board.]
From: Cooke, Samuel
To: Adams, John

      The Honble. John Adams Esqr. to Saml. Cook
      Dr.

      1775

      Augst. 24th.
      To Boarding your Lady & Self 3 days
      £0:
      12:

      To 3 days Keeping yr. Horse

      3:

      £0:
      15:

        Received the Contents in full for my Brother Saml. Cooke

      The Honble. John Adams to Samll. Cooke junr.
      Dr.

      To boardg: 6 days @ 2/
      £0:
      12.
      0

      To breakfasting & dining 4 persons @ 9/

      3.

      To keeping your horse 4 nights @ 1/

      4.

      £0.
      19

        Received the above in full Saml. Cooke junr.


Title: 1775. Aug. 28.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Took with me £70:0:0 consisting in £62:10 Pen. Currency in Paper Bills and £20 L.M of Mass, in silver and Gold.


Title: [Account with Massachusetts as a Delegate to the Continental Congress, August-December 1775.]
From: Adams, John
To: Massachusetts General Court

      1775 Aug. 28th.
      £
      s
      d

      pd. at Davis’s at Roxbury for Oats
      0:
      0:
      8

      pd. at Watertown for Horses Servant &c
      1:
      14:
      2

      pd. at Baldwins for Oats
      0:
      0:
      8

      pd. at Buckminsters at Framingham
      0:
      5:
      0

      pd. at Bowmans at Oxford
      0:
      2:
      4

      pd. at Shermans in Grafton at Breakfast
      0:
      1:
      8

      Septr. 4. pd. at Hides in Woodstock for board and Lodgings for Selves and Servants and Horse keeping from Saturday to Monday.
      1:
      13:
      0

      pd. at Clarks at Pomfret
      0:
      2:
      0

      pd. at Carys of Windham
      0:
      7:
      4

      pd. at Lebanon Grays
      0:
      9:
      10

      pd. at Taynters in Colchester
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. at Smiths of Haddam
      0:
      4:
      0

      pd. at Camps in Durham
      0:
      8:
      6

      pd. at Beers’s of N. Haven
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. at Bryants of Milford
      0:
      8:
      10

      pd. at Stratford Ferry
      0:
      2:
      0

      pd. at Stratfield for Oats
      0:
      0:
      6

      pd. at Penfields of Fairfield
      0:
      14:
      7

      pd. at Betts’s of Norwalk
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. at Fitch’s of Stamford
      0:
      6:
      11

      pd. at Knaps of Horse Neck
      0:
      16:
      0

      pd. at Bulls of White Plains
      0:
      3:
      8

      pd. at Jasper   the Ferryman, at Dobbs Ferry for Dinners and Ferryge
      0:
      4:
      0

      pd. at Mrs. Watsons at Hackin Sack
      0:
      8:
      10

      pd. at Piersons of Newark
      0:
      2:
      10

      pd. at Elizabeth Town for Shewing Horse
      0:
      0:
      10

      pd. at Grahams Elizabeth Town
      0:
      18:
      4

      pd. for Man and Horse to Newark after our Men and to the Horsier
      0:
      5:
      8

      pd. at Woodbridge Dawsons
      0:
      1:
      6

      pd. at Brunswick, Farmers, and at the Ferry
      0:
      8:
      0

      pd. at Jones’s at Ten mile run
      0:
      0:
      10

      pd. at Princetown
      0:
      8:
      6

      pd. at Trenton
      0:
      3:
      0

      pd. at Priestly’s in Bristol
      0:
      12:
      0

      pd. at Wilsons’
      0:
      2:
      8

      pd. at Shammony Neshaminy Ferry
      0:
      0:
      6

     Cr.

      Recd. of Mr. S. Adams, for his Share of our Expences on the Road from Woodstock to Philadelphia
      5:
      6:
      4

      1775
      Sept. 14.
      pd. for Paper Wax &c
      0:
      2:
      0

      Octr.
      pd. for Tavern Expences on Committees
      0:
      6:
      0

      1775
      Octr. 16.
      pd. for Papers, Pamphlets Wax, mending a Pistoll, a Bridle &c
      0:
      12:
      0

      pd. for Tobacco, Plans of Boston Harbour, &c &c
      0:
      14:
      0

      1775
      Nov. 1.
      pd. Mr. John Wright his Account for pasturing my Horses, 9 dollars
      2:
      14:
      0

      Nov. 13.
      Cash paid for Sundry Medicines
      0:
      12:
      0

      Novr. 15.
      pd. Mr. McLane for a Leathern Breeches and Waistcoat
      2:
      16:
      0

      Novr. 27.
      pd. Mrs. Lucy Leonard for Mrs. Yard £20 P. Currency
      16:
      0:
      0

      Decr. 8 1775.
      pd. Mr. Aitkens Acct.
      0:
      16:
      0

      pd. Washerwoman
      1:
      4:
      0

      pd. John Stille’s Acct.
      3:
      0:
      0

      pd. Mr. Marshalls Acct
      0:
      4:
      0

      pd. James Starrs Acct
      0:
      8:
      10

      pd. Mr. Smiths Acct
      0:
      10:
      4

      pd. Bass
      2:
      8:
      0

      pd. Lucy Leonards Acct
      0:
      16:
      0

      Mr. Wm. Barrells Acct.
      2:
      3:
      0

      Hiltsheimers Acct.
      0:
      8:
      0

      Joseph Fox’s Acct.
      0:
      10:
      0

      Wm. Shepards Acct.
      10:
      14:
      0

      one Pr. of Gloves
      0:
      6:
      0

      Mrs. Yards Acct.
      23:
      18:
      6

      Decr. 9. 1775. borrowed of the Hon. Saml. Adams Esqr. for which I gave him my Note of Hand
      25:
      0:
      0

      1779 i.e. 1775.
      Decr. 9. pd. at Andersons the red Lyon
      0:
      3:
      4

      pd. at Bassinetts at Bristow
      0:
      8:
      2

      Decr.
      10.
      pd. at Shammony Ferry and at Trenton Ferry
      0:
      1:
      6

      pd. at Williams’s
      0:
      3:
      0

      pd. at Hiers Princetown
      0:
      11:
      8

      pd. at Farmers
      0:
      4:
      0

      pd. at Ferry
      0:
      1:
      6

      Decr.
      12.
      pd. at Dawsons at Woodbridge
      0:
      7:
      6

      pd. at Grahams Elizabeth Town
      0:
      3:
      0

      pd. at Piersons Newark
      0:
      3:
      0

      pd. at Hackinsack, Phillipsborough and White Plains including the Ferriage of North River
      1:
      04:
      0

      Decr.
      13.
      pd. at Knaps at Horse Neck
      0:
      6:
      0

      14.
      pd. at Betts’s Norwalk
      0:
       8:
      0

      pd. for shewing Horses at White Plains and this Place
      0:
      4:
      0

      pd. at Fairfield for Horse shewing Dinner &c
      0:
      7:
      0

      Decr.
      16.
      pd. at Bryants Milford
      0:
      8:
      6

      pd. at Bears’s N. Haven
      0:
      5:
      0

      pd. at Robinsons Wallingford and at another Tav. for Oats
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. at Colliers in Hartford for Entertainment and Horse shoeing
      0:
      11:
      0

      pd. Mr. Nicholas Brown for a Girt and for transporting my wrecked Sulky from Horse Neck to Hartford 90 miles
      1:
      5:
      6

      pd. for Oats and Hay at Woodbridges East Hartford
      0:
      1:
      0

      pd. at Fellows, Bolton for Dinners Oats and Hay &c
      0:
      2:
      6

      pd. at Windham for Horse shewing and Entertainment
      0:
      7:
      0

      pd. at 2 Taverns for Oats
      0:
      1:
      4

      pd. at Providence for Entertainment
      0:
      12:
      4

      pd. at Moreys Norton
      0:
      2:
      8

      Decr. 21st. pd. at Coll. Howards Bridgewater
      0:
      6:
      0

      pd. Bass’s Accounts’ first
      1:
      7:
      0

       2d.
      1:
      11:
      6

       3d.
      11:
      5:
      0

      Hire of one Horse from Aug. to 21. Deer.

      Hire of another for the Same Time


Title: 1775 September 3d.
From: Adams, John
To:

       At Woodstock. Heard Mr. Learned Leonard from Is. 32:16. The Work of Righteousness is Peace, and the Effect of Righteousness, Quietness and assurance forever.


Title: 1775. Septr. 15. Fryday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Archibald Bullock and John Houstoun Esquires, and the Revd. Dr. Zubly, appear as Delegates from Georgia.
       Dr. Zubly is a Native of Switzerland, and a Clergyman of the Independent Perswasion, settled in a Parish in Georgia. He speaks, as it is reported, Several Languages, English, Dutch, French, Latin &c. —is reported to be a learned Man. He is a Man of a warm and zealous Spirit. It is said that he possesses considerable Property.
       Houstoun is a young Gentleman, by Profession a Lawyer, educated under a Gentleman of Eminence in South Carolina. He seems to be sensible and spirited, but rather inexperienced.
       Bullock is cloathed in American Manufacture.
       Thomas Nelson Esquire, George Wythe Esqr., and Francis Light-foot Lee Esq. appeared as Delegates from Virginia.
       Nelson is a fat Man, like the late Coll. Lee of Marblehead. He is a Speaker, and alert and lively, for his Weight.
       Wythe is a Lawyer, it is said of the first Eminence.
       Lee is a Brother of Dr. Arthur, the late Sheriff of London, and our old Friend Richard Henry, sensible, and patriotic, as the rest of the Family.
       Deane says, that two Persons, of the Name of De Witt of Dutch Extraction, one in Norwich the other in Windham, have made Salt Petre with Success—and propose to make a great deal. That there is a Mine of Lead at Middletown, which will afford a great Quantity. That Works are preparing to smelt and refine it, which will go in a fortnight. There is a Mine at Northampton, which Mr. W. Bowdoin spent much Money in working, with much Effect, tho little Profit.
       Langdon and Bartlett came in this Evening, from Portsmouth. 400 Men are building a Fort on Pierce’s Island to defend the Town vs. Ships of War.
       Upon recollecting the Debates of this Day in Congress, there appears to me a remarkable Want of Judgment in some of our Members. Chace is violent and boisterous, asking his Pardon. He is tedious upon frivolous Points. So is E. Rutledge. Much precious Time is indiscreetly expended. Points of little Consequence are started, and debated withwarmth. Rutledge is a very uncouth, and ungracefull Speaker. He shruggs his Shoulders, distorts his Body, nods and wriggles with his Head, and looks about with his Eyes, from side to side, and Speaks thro his Nose, as the Yankees Sing. His Brother John dodges his Head too, rather disagreably, and both of them Spout out their Language in a rough and rapid Torrent, but without much Force or Effect.
       Dyer is long winded and roundabout—obscure and cloudy. Very talkative and very tedious, yet an honest, worthy Man, means and judges well.
       Sherman’s Air is the Reverse of Grace. There cannot be a more striking Contrast to beautifull Action, than the Motions of his Hands. Generally, he stands upright with his Hands before him. The fingers of his left Hand clenched into a Fist, and the Wrist of it, grasped with his right. But he has a clear Head and sound Judgment. But when he moves a Hand, in any thing like Action, Hogarths Genuis could not have invented a Motion more opposite to grace. It is Stiffness, and Aukwardness itself. Rigid as Starched Linen or Buckram. Aukward as a junior Batchelor, or a Sophomore.
       Mr. Dickinsons Air, Gate, and Action are not much more elegant.


Title: 1775 Septr. 18. Monday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       This Morning John McPherson Esq. came to my Lodging, and requested to speak with me in Private. He is the Owner of a very handsome Country Seat, about five Miles out of this City: is the Father of Mr. McPherson, an Aid de Camp to General Schuyler. He has been a Captain of a Privateer, and made a Fortune in that Way the last War. Is reputed to be well skilled in naval Affairs.—He proposes great Things. Is sanguine, confident, positive, that he can take or burn every Man of War, in America.—It is a Secret he says. But he will communicate it to any one Member of Congress upon Condition, that it be not divulged during his Life at all, nor after his Death but for the Service of this Country. He says it is as certain as that he shall die, that he can burn any Ship.
       In the afternoon Mr. S.A. and I made visit at Mrs. Bedfords to the Maryland Gentlemen. We found Paca and Chase and a polite Reception from them. Chase is ever social and talkative. He seems in better Humour, than he was before the Adjournment. His Colony have acted with Spirit in Support of the Cause. They have formed themselves into a System and enjoyned an Association, if that is not an Absurdity.


Title: 1775. Septr. 20. Wednesday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Took a Walk in Company with Govr. Ward, Mr. Gadsden and his Son, and Mr. S. Adams, to a little Box in the Country, belonging to old Mr. Marshall, the father of three Sons who live in the City. A fine facetious old Gentleman, an excellent Whigg. There We drank Coffee. A fine Garden. A little Box of one Room. Very chearfull and good humoured.


Title: 1775. Fryday. Septr. 22.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Mr. Gordon spent the Evening here.


Title: 1775. Saturday. Septr. 23.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Mr. Gordon came and told us News, opened his Budget.—Ethan Allen with 500 green mountain Boys, were entrenched half Way between St. Johns and Montreal, and had cutt off all Communication with Carlton, and was kindly treated by the French. A Council of War had been held, and it was their opinion that it was practicable to take Boston and Charlestown: but as it would cost many Lives, and expose the Inhabitants of Boston to destruction it was thought best to postpone it for the present.
       Major Rogers came here too this Morning. Said he had a Hand and an Heart: tho he did not choose by offering himself to expose himself to Destruction.
       I walked, a long Time this Morning, backward and forward, in the Statehouse Yard with Paca, McKean and Johnson. McKean has no Idea of any Right or Authority in Parliament. Paca contends for an Authority and Right to regulate Trade, &c.
       Dyer and Serjeant of Princetown, spent the Evening here. S. says that the Irish Interest in this City has been the Support of Liberty. Maes Mease &c. are leaders in it. The Irish and the Presbyterian Interest coalesce.


Title: [Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress] 1775. Saturday. Sept. 22d. [i.e. 23d].
From: Adams, John
To:

       Samuel Adams moved, upon Mifflins Letter, that a Sum be advanced from the Treasury for Mifflin and Barrell.
       Mr. E. Rutledge wished the Money might be advanced upon the Credit of the Qr. Mr. General. Wished that an Enquiry might be made whether Goods had been advanced. If so, it was against the association.
       Lynch wish’d the Letter read.—S. Adams read it.
       Jay. Seconded the Motion of E. Rutledge that a Committee be appointed to enquire if Goods are raised vs. the association.
       Gadsden wished the Motion put off. We had other Matters of more importance.
       Willing. Thought that Goods might be purchased upon four Months Credit. We should not intermix our Accounts.
       Paine. We have not agreed to cloath the Soldiers, and the Qr. Mr. Genl. has no Right to keep a Slop Shop any more than any Body else. It is a private Matter. Very indigested Applications are made here for Money.
       Deane. The Army must be cloathed, or perish. No preaching vs. a Snow Storm. We ought to look out, that they be kept warm and that the Means of doing it be secured.
       Lynch. We must see that the Army be provided with Cloathing. I intended to have moved this very day that a Committee be appointed to purchase woolen Goods in this City and N. York, for the use of the Army.
       E. Rutledge. I have no objection to the Committee. I meant only that the poor Soldiers should be supplied with Goods and Cloathing as cheap as possible.
       Lewis. Brown of Boston bought Goods at N. York and sent em up the North River, to be conveyed by Land to Cambridge.
       Dyer. Wanted to know whether the Soldiers would be obliged to take these Goods. Goods cheaper in York than here.
       Sherman. The Sutlers, last War, sold to the Soldiers who were not obliged to take any Thing. Many will be supplied by Families with their own Manufacture. The Qr. Mr. General did not apply to Congress, but to his own private Correspondents.
       Deane. The Soldiers were imposed on by Sutlers last War. The Soldiers had no Pay to receive.
       Lynch. A Soldier without Cloathing is not fit for Service, but he ought to be cloathed, as well as armed, and we ought to provide as well as it can be done, that he may be cloathed.
       Nelson. Moved that 5000£ st. be advanced to the Qr. Mr. Genl. to be laid out in Cloathing for the Army.
       Langdon. Hoped a Committee would be appointed.
       Sherman liked Nelsons motion with an Addition that every Soldier should be at Liberty to supply himself in any other Way.
       Reed. Understood that Mass. Committee of Supplies had a large Store that was very full.
       Sherman. For a Committee to enquire what Goods would be wanted for the Army, and at what Prices they may be had and report.
       Gadsden. Liked that best.
       Johnson. Moved that the Sum might be limited to 5000£ st. We dont know what has been supplied by Mass., what from Rhode Island, what from N. York, and what from Connecticutt.
       S. Adams. Liked Nelson’s Motion.
       Ward. Objected to it, and preferred the Motion for a Committee.

       Nelson. The Qr. Mr. is ordered by the General to supply the Soldiers, &c.
       Paine. It is the Duty of this Congress to see that the Army be supplied with Cloathing at a reasonable Rate. I am for a Committee. Qr. Mr. has his Hands full.
       Zubly. Would it not be best to publish Proposals in the Papers for any Man who was willing to supply the Army with Cloathing, to make his offers.
       Harrison. The Money ought to be advanced, in all events. Content with a Committee.

        R. R. Livingston.

       Willing. Proposed that We should desire the Committee of this City, to enquire after these Goods and this will lead them to an Enquiry, that will be beneficial to America.
       Chase. The City of Philadelphia has broke the association by raising the Price of Goods 50 per Cent. It would not be proper to purchase Goods here. The Breach of the association here is general, in the Price of Goods, as it is in N. York with Respect to Tea. If We lay out 5000£ here we shall give a Sanction to the Breaches of the association. The Breach is too general to be punished.
       Willing. If the Association is broke in this City, dont let us put the Burden of Examining into it upon a few, but the whole Committee. N. York have broke it, entirely. 99 in 100 drink Tea. I am not for screening the People of Philadelphia.
       Sherman. I am not an Importer, but have bought of N. York Merchants for 20 years, at a certain Advance on the sterling Cost.
       R. R. Livingston. Thought We ought to buy the Goods where they were dearest, because if We bought em at N. York where they were cheapest, N. York would soon be obliged to purchase in Phil, where they are dearest and then the loss would fall upon N. York. Whereas in the other Way the Loss would be general.
       Jay. We had best desire the Committee of this City to purchase the Quantity of Goods at the Price stated by the Association and see if they were to be had here at that Price.
       This Debate terminated in a Manner that I did not foresee.—A Committee was appointed to purchase 5000£ st.s worth of Goods, to be sent to the Qr. Mr. and by him be sold to the Soldiers at first Cost and Charges. Qr. Mr. to be allowed 5 Pr. Cent for his Trouble.
       Mr. Lynch, and Coll. Nelson and Coll. Harrison indulged their Complaisance and private Friendship for Mifflin and Washington so far as to carry this.

       It is almost impossible to move any Thing but you instantly see private Friendships and Enmities, and provincial Views and Prejudices, intermingle in the Consultation. These are degrees of Corruption. They are Deviations from the public Interest, and from Rectitude. By this Vote however, perhaps the poor Soldiers may be benefited, which was all I wished, the Interest of Mr. Mifflin being nothing to me.


Title: 1775. Septr. 24. Sunday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Dyer is very sanguine that the 2 De Witts, one of Windham, the other of Norwich, will make Salt Petre in large Quantities. He produces a Sample, which is very good.
       Harrison is confident that Virginia alone will do great Things from Tobacco Houses. But my faith is not strong, as yet.
       Ld. North is at his old Work again. Sending over his Anodynes to America—deceiving one credulous American after another, into a Belief that he means Conciliation, when in Truth he means nothing but Revenge. He rocks the cradle, and sings Lullaby, and the innocent Children go to Sleep, while he prepares the Birch to whip the poor Babes. One Letter after another comes that the People are uneasy and the Ministry are sick of their Systems. But nothing can be more fallacious. Next Spring We shall be jockied by Negociation, or have hot Work in War. Besides I expect a Reinforcement to Gage and to Carlton, this fall or Winter.
       Heard Mr. Smith of Pequay Pequea, at about 40 Miles towards Lancaster, a Scotch Clergyman, of great Piety as Coll. Roberdeau says: The Text was Luke 14:18. And they all with one Consent began to make excuse.—This was at Duffills Meeting. In the afternoon, heard our Mr. Gordon, in Arch Street. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him.
       Call’d upon Stephen Collins who has just returned.

       Stephen has a Thousand Things to say to Us, he says. A Thousand observations to make.
       One Thing he told me, for my Wife, who will be peeping here, sometime or other, and come across it. He says when he call’d at my House, an English Gentleman was with him, a Man of Penetration, tho of few Words. And this silent, penetrating Gentleman was pleased with Mrs. Adams, and thought her, the most accomplished Lady he had seen since he came out of England.—Down Vanity, for you dont know who this Englishman is.
       Dr. Rush came in. He is an elegant, ingenious Body. Sprightly, pretty fellow. He is a Republican. He has been much in London. Acquainted with Sawbridge, McCaulay, Burgh, and others of that Stamp. Dilly sends him Books and Pamphletts, and Sawbridge and McCaulay correspond with him. He complains of Dickinson. Says the Committee of Safety are not the Representatives of the People, and therefore not their Legislators; yet they have been making Laws, a whole Code for a Navy. This Committee was chosen by the House, but half of them are not Members and therefore not the Choice of the People. All this is just. He mentions many Particular Instances, in which Dickenson has blundered. He thinks him warped by the Quaker Interest and the Church Interest too. Thinks his Reputation past the Meridian, and that Avarice is growing upon him. Says that Henry and Mifflin both complained to him very much about him. But Rush I think, is too much of a Talker to be a deep Thinker. Elegant not great.
       In the Evening Mr. Bullock and Mr. Houstoun, two Gentlemen from Georgia, came into our Room and smoked and chatted, the whole Evening. Houstoun and Adams disputed the whole Time in good Humour. They are both Dabbs at Disputation I think. H. a Lawyer by Trade is one of Course, and Adams is not a Whit less addicted to it than the Lawyers. The Q. was whether all America was not in a State of War, and whether We ought to confine ourselves to act upon the defensive only. He was for acting offensively next Spring or this fall if the Petition was rejected or neglected. If it was not answered, and favourably answered, he would be for acting vs. Britain and Britains as in open War vs. French and frenchmen. Fit Privateers and take their Ships, any where.
       These Gentlemen give a melancholly Account of the State of Georgia and S. Carolina. They say that if 1000 regular Troops should land in Georgia and their commander be provided with Arms and Cloaths enough, and proclaim Freedom to all the Negroes who would join his Camp, 20,000 Negroes would join it from the two Provinces in a fortnight. The Negroes have a wonderfull Art of communicating Intelligence among themselves. It will run severall hundreds of Miles in a Week or Fortnight.
       They say, their only Security is this, that all the Kings Friends and Tools of Government have large Plantations and Property in Negroes. So that the Slaves of the Tories would be lost as well as those of the Whiggs.
       I had nearly forgot a Conversation with Dr. Coombe concerning assassination, Henry 4., Sully, Buckingham &c. &c. Coombe has read Sullys Memoirs with great Attention.


Title: [Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress] 1775 Monday. Sept. 24[i.e. 25].
From: Adams, John
To:

       An Uneasiness, among some of the Members concerning a Contract with Willing & Morris, for Powder, by which the House, without any Risque at all will make a clear Profit of 12,000£ at least.
       Dyer and Deane spoke in public, Lewis to me in private about it. All think it exorbitant.
       S. Adams desired that the Resolve of Congress, upon which the Contract was founded might be read: he did not recollect it.
       De Hart. One of the Contractors, Willing, declared to this Congress that he looked upon the Contract to be that the first Cost should be insured to them, not the 14£ a Barrell for the Powder.

       R. R. Livingston. I never will vote to ratify the Contract in the sense that Morris understands it.
       Willing. I am as a Member of the House, a Party to that Contract, but was not privy to the Bargain. I never saw the Contract, untill I saw it in Dr. Franklins Hand. I think it ensures only the first Cost. My Partner thinks it ensures the whole. He says that Mr. Rutledge said at the Time, that Congress should have nothing to do with Sea risque. The Committee of this City offered 19£. I would wish to have nothing to do with the Contract: but to leave it to my Partner, who is a Man of Reason and Generosity, to explain the Contract with the Gentlemen who made it with him.
       J. Rutledge. Congress was to run no Risque only vs. Men of War and Customhouse officers. I was surprized this Morning to hear that Mr. Morris understood it otherwise. If he wont execute a Bond, such as We shall draw, I shall not be at a loss what to do.
       Johnson. An hundred Ton of Powder was wanted.
       Ross. In Case of its Arrival Congress was to pay £14. If Men of War, or Custom house officers, should get it, Congress was to pay first Cost only as I understood it.
       Zubly. We are highly favoured. 14£ We are to give if We get the Powder: and 14£ if We dont get it. I understand Persons enough will contract to supply Powder at 15£ and run all risques.
       Willing. Sorry any Gentleman should be severe. Mr. Morris’s Character is such that he cannot deserve it.
       Lynch. If Morris will execute the Bond, well, if not the Committee will report.
       Deane. It is very well that this matter has been moved and that so much has been said upon it.
       Dyer. There are not Ten Men in the Colony I come from, who are worth so much Money as will be made clear by this Contract.
       Ross. What has this Matter to do with the present debate, whether Connecticutt Men are worth much or no. It proves there are no Men there whose Capital or Credit are equal to such Contracts. That is all.
       Harrison. The Contract is made and the Money paid. How can We get it back?
       Johnson. Let us consider the Prudence of this Contract. If it had not been made Morris would have got 19£, and not have set forward a second Adventure.
       Gadsden. Understands the Contract as Morris does, and yet thinks it a prudent one, because Morris would have got 19£.
       J. Adams. ——&c. &c. &c.

       Cushing. I move that We take into Consideration a Method of keeping up an Army in the Winter.
       Gadsden. Seconds the Motion and desires that a Motion made in Writing some days ago, and postponed may be read as it was. As also Passages of G. Washingtons Letter.
       S. Adams. The General has promised another Letter in which We shall have his Sentiments. We shall have it tomorrow perhaps.
       Lynch. If We have, We shall only loose the Writing of a Letter.
       J. Adams moved that the Generals Advice should be asked concerning Barracks &c. and that a Committee be appointed to draught a Letter. Lynch seconded the Motion.
       A Committee was appointed. Lynch, J. Adams, and Coll. Lee the Men.
       Sherman moved that a Committee be appointed of one Member from each Colony, to receive, and examine all Accounts.
       S. Adams seconded the Motion.
       Harrison asked is this the Way of giving Thanks?
       S. Adams. Was decent to the Committee for Rifle Mens Accounts, meant no Reflections upon them, was sorry that the worthy Gentleman from Virginia, conceived that any was intended. He was sure there was no foundation for it.
       Paine. Thought that Justice and Honour required that We should carefully examine all Accounts, and see to the Expenditure of all public Monies.
       That the Minister would find out our Weakness, and would foment divisions among our People.
       He was sorry that Gentlemen could not hear Methods proposed, to settle and pay Accounts in a manner that would give Satisfaction to the People, without seeming to resent them.
       Harrison. Now the Gentlemen have explained themselves he had no Objection, but when it was proposed to appoint a new Committee in the Place of the former one, it implied a Reflection.
       Deane. ——.
       Willing. These Accounts are for Tents, Arms, Cloathing, &c. as well as Expences of the Riflemen, &c.
       Nelson moved that 20,000 dollars be voted into the Hands of the other Committee to settle the Accounts.
       S. Adams. Seconded the Motion, but still hoped that some time or other, a Committee would be appointed of one Member from each Colony, to examine all Accounts because he thought it reasonable.


Title: 1775 Septr. 26. Tuesday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Wrote to Mrs. A. and Mr. and Mrs. W.


Title: 1775. Septr. 27. Wednesday.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Mr. Bullock and Mr. Houstoun, the Gentlemen from Georgia, invited S.A. and me to spend the Evening with them in their Chamber, which We did very agreably and socially. Mr. Langdon of N. Hampshire was with us.
       Mr. Bullock after Dinner invited me to take a ride with him in his Phaeton which I did. He is a solid, clever Man. He was President of their Convention.


Title: [Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress] 1775. Septr. 27.
From: Adams, John
To:

       Willing in favour of Mr. Purveyances Petition.Harrison vs. it.
       Willing thinks the Non Exportation sufficiently hard upon the Farmer, the Merchant and the Tradesman, but will not arraign the Propriety of the Measure.
       Nelson. If We give these Indulgences, I know not where they will end. Sees not why the Merchant should be indulged more than the Farmer.
       Harrison. It is the Merchant in England that is to suffer.
       Lynch. They meant gain and they ought to bear the Loss.
       Sherman. Another Reason. The Cargo is Provisions and will probably fall into the Hands of the Enemy.
       R. R. Livingston. There is no Resolve of Congress vs. exporting to foreign Ports. We shall not give Licence to deceit, by clearing out for England.
       Lynch. Moves that the Committee of this City, be desired to enquire whether Deans Vessell taken at Block Island and another at Cape Codd, were not sent on Purpose to supply the Enemy.

       Recd. The Committee of this City have enquired of the owners of one Vessell. The owners produc’d their Letter Books, and were ready to swear. The Conduct of the Captain is yet suspicious. Thinks the other Enquiry very proper.
       Lee. Thinks Lynches Motion proper. Thinks the conduct detestible Parricide—to supply those who have Arms in their Hands to deprive us of the best Rights of human Nature. The honest Seamen ought to be examined, and they may give Evidence vs. the guilty.
       Hancock. Deane belongs to Boston. He came from W. Indies and was seized here, and released. Loaded with flour and went out.