Adams, Abigail Adams, John
Abigail Adams to John Adams
Dearest Friend Braintree Sepbr. 14 1774

五个星期过去了,我还没收到一封来信. 我宁愿付一美元寄一封信, 结果就是在接下来的三个星期里我每天只吃一顿饭. 我见到的每个人都在问候你,我什么时候听说的. 我所有的情报都是从报纸上搜集来的,我只能回答说,我是从报纸上看到的, that you arrived such a day. 我知道你喜欢写信,而且你总想让我尽快得到你的来信,这使我怀疑你的信已经流产了, 但我希望你现在已经到了费城,你会想办法给我传达一些情报.

We are all well here. 我想我现在比过去两年更健康了. 自从我和你在那里分手后,我就没有去过城里. 总督正在做各种战争准备比如在比肯山上安装大炮, diging entrenchments upon the Neck, placeing cannon there, encamping a regiment there, throwing up Brest Works &c. &c. 人民全副武装,因此,市政委员们都在等候他. 郡议会也派来了一个委员会——你会对他们的全部情况有更详细的了解,这是我不能从报纸上给你讲的. 至于本镇的运动,你也许不会从别人那里听到. 因为粉末是从查理斯敦运来的, 一场普遍的警报传遍了许多城镇,很快就在这里被发现了. 报告花了一个星期五,到了星期天,有人看见一名士兵潜伏在空地上. Supposed to be a Spy, but most likely a Deserter. 然而,这个消息传到了其他教区, and about 8 o clock a Sunday Evening there passed by here about 200 Men, preceeded by a horse 152他们从那里取了火药,搬了出去 it into the other parish and there secreeted it. I opened the window upon there return. They pass'd without any Noise, 在他们来攻击这殿之前,没有人作声, when some of them perceiveing me, askd me if I wanted any powder. I replied not since it was in so good hands. The reason they gave for taking it, 是因为我们有这么多保守党人,他们不敢把这事托付给我们. They had taken Vinton in their Train, 回来后,他们在克莱弗利和艾特斯之间停了下来, and calld upon him to deliver two Warrents. Upon his producing them, 他们投票决定是否焚烧,结果是肯定的. They then made a circle and burnt them, 然后他们就是否应该加入进行了投票, 但因为是星期天晚上,所以没有得到回音. 他们要求温顿发誓,决不参与实施这些新措施. 他们对他的回答不满意,但还是让他休息了. 几天后,由于他发表了一些愚蠢的演讲,他们聚集在一起 3 一百人,发誓要报复他除非他宣誓. Accordingly, they chose a committee and sent them with him to Major Miller to see that he complied, and they waited his return, which proving satisfactory they disperced. 这个城镇看起来像你能想象的那么高,如果必要的话,很快就会武装起来. Not a Tory but hides his head. 教堂牧师以为他们在追杀他, and run up garret they say, 另一只从他的窗户跳出来,藏在玉米地里,第三只从他的木板栅栏下面爬了出来, and told his Beads.1

September 16 1774

I Dined to Day at Coll. Quincys. They were so kind as to send me, 并邀请纳比和贝琪一起度过这一天, 自从搬到布伦特里以来,我还没有去看过他们, I accepted the invitation. After I got there, came Mr. Samll. Quincys wife2 and Mr. Sumner,3 Mr. Josiah and Wife.4 A little clashing of parties you may be sure. Mr. 山姆的妻子说,她认为现在是她丈夫掉头的时候了, 自从他留下她的忠告以来,他做得还没有现在聪明一半. 他们都说,他们都非常钦佩圣. Asaph which suppose you have seen. 它满足,而且肯定会得到最大的赞美.5

Upon my return at night Mr. 塞克斯特拿着你从新泽西州普林斯镇寄来的信在门口迎接我. 它确实使我精神振奋,直到一点钟我才安分入睡. 153你没有提到我之前写给你的那封信. Breck and sent by Mr. Cunningham. I am rejoiced to hear you are well; I want to know many more perticuliars than you wrote me, and hope soon to hear from you again. 我不敢相信自己,去想你可能要离开多久. 我只计算过去的几个星期,一共是五个星期. 没有了我的两个邻居,我并不像原来那样孤独. 我们在吃饭的时候让一桌人坐满,剩下的时间他们都在办公室. 从来没有两个人给一个家庭带来的麻烦比他们少. It is at last determined that Mr. Rice keep the School here. Indeed he has kept ever since he has been here, 但没有指望他会继续下去, 但是人们发现他和他的前任有很大的不同,选择他继续留任. I have not sent Johnny. He goes very steadily to Mr. 我相信塞克斯特把他照顾得很好, 因为他们似乎对彼此有好感,所以我相信最好还是继续和他在一起. 等你回来,我们再商量怎么做最好. 我敢肯定,如果他没有得到这么多的好处, he gets less harm, 我一直认为,孩子们在生命的早期阶段,不应该习惯于这样的例子,因为这些例子会破坏他们言行的纯洁,使他们一听到誓言就胆战心惊,这是非常重要的, 看到猥亵的表情,愤怒得脸红. These first principals 随着它们的成长而成长,随着它们的力量而壮大,时间和习俗都不能完全根除它们.—You will perhaps be tired. 不,让它作为一种放松,从更重要的 就像你过去在这里的小隐居所给你的那种乐趣. 在你们面前,我要用主教的话来表达我对国家最重大的关切, and if the prayers and petiti天天为你们献上的,都归到天上, 智慧如江河奔流,丰盛如大水奔流, 你们的意念,必使我们神的城邑欢乐.

I was very sorry I did not know of Mr. Cary's going. 这将是一个很好的机会,在我哀悼失去. 毫无疑问,你已经听说过人民阻止法院在各个县设立, and last week in Taunton, Anger Angier 敦促法院开放,并呼吁采取行动,但未能奏效.

I saw a Letter from Miss Eunice6 wherein she gives an account of it, 他说有2000人聚集在法院周围由9人组成的委员会提交了一份请愿书,要求他们 154不愿set,并带着极大的命令等了2个小时,等待他的回答,当他们分散.

Your family all desire to be remember'd to you, as well as unkle Quincy who often visits me, 与我就政治问题进行一个小时的甜蜜交流. Coll. Quincy desires his complements to you. Dr. 塔夫茨向你问好,也向你的母亲和兄弟问好. 自从你离开后,我一直过着隐居的生活, 我很少到别的地方去,只到我父亲那里去,他们同我母亲和妹妹都希望你们记得我. 我妈妈一直很虚弱,但现在好了一点.我不知道你们的气候有多暖和,但这两晚我都让人把我的床暖了.-我必须请求你给我弄些西瓜籽和麝香籽, 因为我决定再过一年囤足这些货. 我们下了一些好雨,但一旦收获了谷物,你就必须释放我的诺言. 干旱使第二次收割变得不可能,喂一点也无妨. 不过,我希望你在家时能相信这个措施的效用.—You will burn all these 信不应该从你的口袋里掉出来,暴露了你最深情的朋友,

Abigail Adams

RC (Adams Papers); docketed in an unidentified hand: “September 14 1774 AA.”

1.

The Cleverlys, Etters, 和米勒都是英国国教家庭,因此倾向于保守主义. The “church parson” was Edward Winslow, Harvard 1741, 他于1763年在布伦特里定居,但在1777年初被迫以“对美国有敌意”的名义离开(Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates , 11:97–107; see AA to JA, 2 April 1777, below). On 3 Oct. 1774年,一次城镇会议投票认为,在波士顿和其他地方流传的一份报告称,布伦特里圣公会教徒受到了干扰,这是“恶意的”, false & injurious & calculated to defame the Town” ( Braintree Town Records , p. 451).

2.

Hannah (Hill) Quincy (d. 1782). See Adams Genealogy. 她不同意丈夫的政见,第二年没有陪他去英国.

3.

Increase Sumner (1746–1799), of Roxbury, who had prepared for the law in Samuel Quincy's office; he was later a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and from 1797 to 1799 governor of Massachusetts. Sumner's mother was a first cousin of JA's mother. ( NEHGR , 8 [1854]:105–128; JA, Diary and Autobiography , 3:257; DAB .)

4.

Abigail (Phillips) Quincy (1745–1798), wife of Josiah “the Patriot.” See Adams Genealogy.

5.

Jonathan Shipley (1714–1788), Bishop of St. Asaph, was an intimate friend of Benjamin Franklin and, later, on cordial terms with the Adamses in London ( DNB ; JA, Diary and Autobiography , 3:181–182, 193). 他明显同情美国的事业, 1774年,他在上议院投票反对修改《og体育官网》的法案,并于不久后发表 原拟在修改马萨诸塞湾殖民地宪章法案上的演说. 他在信中宣称,他把“北美视为地球上唯一留下的自由人的大苗圃”.” No fewer than five editions of the Speech were issued in London in 1774, and one or 155more reprints were published in Boston, Salem, Newport, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Williamsburg during the same year. See Sabin 80511–80526; Evans 13615–13625; T. R. Adams, “American Independence,” Nos. 141a–p.

6.

Eunice, sister of Robert Treat Paine; her letter has not been traced.