1To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 8 April 1817 (Adams Papers)
I do rejoice that “I have brought out the old gentleman”, & the Public would rejoice with me were they in Possession of all my Letters from Quincy since the 4th. of November last, especially of the two last. There are in the Details of this confidential Correspondence such Traits & Detections of Character, as could not have found their Way into the public Papers of the Day they refer to, &...
2To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 30 May 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your finale on Mr. Hutchinson’s Character was duly received. If I rightly remember, the Governor soon after dissolving the Provincial Assembly, retired or rather fled to England to shelter himself from the approaching Storm, & secure his hard earned Reward. The few Years of the revolutionary War which he lived must have embittered his declining Days marked by Neglect, & Disappointment....
3To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., March 1818 (Adams Papers)
At the Request of General Welles I write this Letter to introduce Mr. Binon the Artist we yesterday mentioned in the Committee’s Address & whose Services you so kindly condescended to encourage, for the Public Purpose of gratifying the Citizens of this Town, & Posterity. From the Specimen of his Abilities as an Artist of which We have a satisfying Proof in a Bust of General Dearbo r n, we...
4To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 5 April 1818 (Adams Papers)
Since my last short Conversation with you, I have read Mr. Wirt’s Biographical Romance, a singular Book indeed! Composed more with a View to display the Author’s Talents, than those of his Subject. A better attempt at flattering Virginians, than furnishing Facts for sober, future, Historians. His Materials were scanty indeed, & he has made the most of them. Henry was undoubtedly a bold &...
5To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 20 May 1818 (Adams Papers)
Did Mr. Otis write more than two political Pamphlets? One his spirited “Vindication of the House of Representatives” printed in 1762. And the other that “Of the Rights of the Colonies asserted & proved” in which he strangely concedes the Authority & Right of the British Parliament to make Laws binding upon the Subjects however distant their Situation, & variant their Circumstances, in all...
6To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 25 June 1818 (Adams Papers)
I ought sooner to have thank’d you for your last biographical Notices, but you had before left me to take my own time for scribling, & must not complain for my Abuse of the License. The anecdotes you have given of the Destruction of the private Papers of Mr. Otis & Mr. S. Adams has rescued two important facts from being totally lost to Posterity. They confessedly were two very extraordinary...
7To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 4 August 1818 (Adams Papers)
My Son William who is residing in the Country for Confirmation of his Health says among other Things in a letter of the 1st. instant “I wish very much when you write to President Adams that you would ask him for his Opinion about the Suggestion I made him in my Letter of the 4th. of July. I told him I had long thought of undertaking to write the Life of James Otis, towards which his Letters...
8To John Adams from William Tudor, Sr., 22 January 1819 (Adams Papers)
I have been persuaded (though I doubt of it’s Success) to forward to You the earnest Request of Mr. Wait, the Printer of “the state Papers & public Documents of the United States”. In a Paragraph of his printed Advertisement he expresses so strong a Regret for having omitted the inaugural Address which he now wishes to procure a Copy of, that I will hope, if in your Power, You will indulge him...