Adams Papers
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From John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 16 October 1787

To Cotton Tufts

London Oct. 16. 1787

Dear Sir

I am very happy to learn, by your Letter of the 30. June that my Son is with Mr Parsons at Newbury Port.1

There is so much Appearance of War, that I thought it a Precaution of Prudence to Send my Manuscript Letter Books, and Collections of Papers, relative to all my Transactions in France and Holland, home by Mr Jenks.2 They are contained in a large Trunk, and are so numerous as to fill it, so that there is no room for any Thing else in it. I Suppose the Custom house officers will let it pass: but they may open it if they please. Yet I hope they will not disturb the order of the Papers. These I suppose are neither prohibited Goods, nor liable to Duties. Let me pray you sir, to Send them to Braintree, to the Care of Mr Cranch till my Return.

What the British Cabinet intend, I know not. Preparations for War at an Expence of Several Millions have been made: and a Language rather irritating held: but whether France will move is the question. Mr Jefferson is made to believe they will. if they do, they will join the two Empires.— The Lord have mercy on that People, who stand in need of their Assistance, and have not firmness enough to insist on it, on independent and equal terms. The English Ministers profess to be friendly in Intention towards America: but the Devil trust them, I say.— Let Us take Care of ourselves. Let Us by no means give them the least Pretext or Provocation. but be prepared for what may happen.—

My Duty and Love &c / yours most affectionately

John Adams

I hope soon to hear you have bought Mr Borlands house for me.

RC (NjP:Andre de Coppet Coll.); addressed: “The Honourable / Cotton Tufts Esqr / Member of the Senate / Massachusetts”; internal address: “Dr Tufts.”; endorsed: “J. Adams Esq Octob. 16 / 1787—”; notation: “favd by / Mr Jenks.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 113.

1. For Tufts’ letter of 30 June and JQA’s legal training, see AFC description begins Adams Family Correspondence, ed. L. H. Butterfield, Marc Friedlaender, Richard Alan Ryerson, Margaret A. Hogan, Sara Martin, and others, Cambridge, 1963– . description ends , 8:100–104.

2. JA entrusted his Letterbooks and papers to the care of Salem, Mass., merchant John Jenks (1751–1817), Tufts’ former ward (AFC description begins Adams Family Correspondence, ed. L. H. Butterfield, Marc Friedlaender, Richard Alan Ryerson, Margaret A. Hogan, Sara Martin, and others, Cambridge, 1963– . description ends , 7:10). For the remainder of his time in Europe, JA retained and used only Letterbooks 24 and 25 (APM Reels 112, 113).

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    Source Project
    Adams Papers
    Title
    From John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 16 October 1787
    Author
    Adams, John
    Recipient
    Tufts, Cotton
    Date
    16 October 1787

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From John Adams to Cotton Tufts, 16 October 1787,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-19-02-0134. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 19, February 1787–May 1789, ed. Sara Georgini, Sara Martin, R. M. Barlow, Amanda M. Norton, Neal E. Millikan, and Hobson Woodward. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016, p. 191.]

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