Letters / Correspondence

Samuel Adams

1-50 of 62 letters
Letters table
No. Sender Recipient Preview Date, oldest first
1 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams From a person quite unknown to you, some apology may be necessary for this letter. The name of my brother, Dr. Arthur Lee, of London, may perhaps, furnish me with this apology. To be firmly... Feb. 4, 1773
2 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams, John Dickinson I should not have been silent so long if any important consideration had made writing necessary. On this quarter, much alarm has been create<d> by a new court of criminal jurisdiction, it is... Apr. 1773
3 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Since my letter to you of December the last, I have not been favored with any from you, and now, in a few days, I shall go to Williamsburg, where our Assembly will be convened on the 4th. of next... Apr. 24, 1774
4 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Nothing material has occurred since I wrote you last, except that we have seen here the Nefarious proceedings of the Privy Council, in the case of your petition against the infamous Hutchinson and... May 1774
5 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I fear the friends of liberty and virtue may wonder at the few efforts that have been made by this Colony since the dissolution of the late patriotic Congress. But tho we have not yet had an... Feb. 1775
6 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Discusses conditions in Virginia. Continues: "You have no doubt seen the speech to Parliament, and from thence may judge what our Ministerial enemies propose for us."A letter from London... Feb. 4, 1775
7 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I have just received Letters from our Friends in London dated the 24, 26 and 28 Decr and 4th & 7th Jany; some Extracts from which I have thought it necessary to have inserted in our publick... Mar. 1775
8 Samuel Adams Arthur Lee Describes conditions in Massachusetts.1 "The Town of Marshfield, have lately applied to G. Gage for Leave to have a Meeting, according to the Act of Parliament, & have resolvd as you may... Mar. 4, 1775
9 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I very sincerely condole with you on our illfortune in Canada. I hope, however, that this will yet turn out well. Those who sail gently down the smooth stream of prosperity, are very apt to loose... Feb. 1776
10 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I am much obliged to you for your favor by last post, and with you sincerely regret the unhappy state of our affairs in Canada. It appears to me that the small pox has hurt us more in that country... Jul. 1776
11 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams To be engraved on the great Seal / Virtus the genius of the commonwealth / dressed like an amazen, resting on a spear / with one hand, and holding a sword in the / other , & treding on tyranny... Jul. 1776
12 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams A fortnights stay here has enabled me to assist my Countrymen in finishing our form of Government - The mighty work is now done as the enclosed papers will shew you - Mr. Henry chosen Governor,... Jul. 6, 1776
13 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I must acknowledge that when you left Congress, I gave you Reason to expect a letter from me before this Time. You will not, I am very certain, attribute my omission to the Want of a most cordial... Jul. 15, 1776
14 Samuel Adams Arthur Lee It has been altogether from a Regard to your Safety that I have restraind myself from continuing on My part that Correspondence which you were obliging enough to indulge for several years. I know... Jan. 2, 1777
15 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I thank you for your obliging favor of the 26th. of June, it brought me the most circumstantial and satisfactory account of the enemies movements that I have received. As far as distance will allow... Jan. 12, 1777
16 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I intended to have written to you by the last Post, but being under a Necessity of dispatching some Letters to Boston by the Eastern Post which went off the same day I was prevented. When you left... Jun. 26, 1777
17 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee On Wednesday last the enemy reinforcd, as it is said, with Marines, marchd from Amboy, through a Road between Brunswick and Elisabeth Town <to> a place called Westfield about 10 Miles, with... Jun. 29, 1777
18 Samuel Adams Arthur Lee I did myself the Honor to write to you on the 2d of Jany past since which your favor of the 21st of the same Month from Paris came to my Hand.1 You have supposd that this Campaign would put General... Jul. 4, 1777
19 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I wrote to you a Fortnight ago in so great Haste that I had not time to transcribe or correct it, and relied on your Candor to overlook the slovenly dress in which it was sent to you. You have... Jul. 15, 1777
20 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee Your very acceptable Letter of the 12th came to my hand yesterday. The Confederation is most certainly an important Object, and ought to be attended to & finishd speedily.1 I moved the other... Jul. 22, 1777
21 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I am extremely obliged to my worthy friend for his last favor of the 15th nor did the former one need any apology, it being by much the most satisfactory account of the enemies movements in Jersey... Jul. 27, 1777
22 Samuel Adams Arthur Lee Your several letters, with their enclosures, came to my hand. And although I have not hitherto acknowledged to you the receipt of them, I assure you I have been and am still improving the... Oct. 26, 1777
23 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams The Bearer of this, Capt. Romane is a Gentleman of Monsr. Coudrays corps who arrived here lately from Charles Town and is now returning by the way of Boston to France with his companions This young... Nov. 1777
24 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I need not make an apology for my paper because you know our choice of things here is confined within narrow bounds, as little occasion is there to excuse the slovenly manner in which this letter... Nov. 23, 1777
25 Francis Lightfoot Lee Samuel Adams Tho. the times are dull, yet its so long since I had any converse with you, that I cant help asking how you do. Your time I suppose passes sweetly on, surrounded with all the delicacies of Boston,... Dec. 22, 1777
26 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Your favor of January the 5th. came to hand 10 days ago, and gave the same pleasure that I always receive when attending to your sentiments. The important objects you animadvert upon deserve the... Mar. 1, 1778
27 Samuel Adams Arthur Lee Your several Letters dated as in the Margin,1 with the Inclosures came to my Hand. And although I have not hitherto acknowledged to you the Receipt of them, I assure you I have been and am still... Oct. 1778
28 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams There seems to be something ungenerous in wishing you may continue in a situation where I well know that your fine patriotic (I dont say feelings because Penn has vulgarized the word) sense... Jan. 6, 1779
29 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I send you the inclosd Extracts from our Friends Letter according to your Request. No Pains are spared to effect the Recall of Mr Arthur Lee.1 If any are in hopes by this to put an End to the... Jun. 13, 1779
30 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I am this moment returned from an expedition with our militia to prevent the further ravage of a sett of Tory miscreants from New York who have clubbed their force for the purpose of plunder and... Jun. 18, 1779
31 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Since writing to you yesterday we have had the oportunity of examining a Man that left the enemy whilst they were burning our Warehouses. He is an Eastern Man, was captured sometime ago and... Jun. 19, 1779
32 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I well know that your engagement with the pub. business will not permit you to write to me so frequently as I wish to hear from you, or as my leisure permits me to write to you. This will be the... Jun. 20, 1779
33 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams It has given me great pleasure to hear that you are once more returned to Congress. That perseverance which can patiently encounter so many obstacles for the attainment of public good deserves... Jan. 10, 1780
34 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I send you the inclosed pamphlet, not to give you any information, or to remove any doubts that you can be supposed to have, or to fix in your mind a greater detestation of those wicked men, whose... Jan. 18, 1780
35 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee I cannot begin this Letter but by intreating you to impute my past omission to any Cause you please excepting a Forgetfulness or willful Neglect. The making of Apologys is among Friends so formal a... Jan. 31, 1780
36 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I was yesterday made happy by your favor of the 30th. current - I say made happy because every recognition of our friendship is extremely agreeable to me. I always imputed your silence to causes... Nov. 10, 1780
37 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams Your favor of the 15th post, was duly delivered to me, by my brother, who with my eldest son arrived safely here a few days ago. The many just and excellent observations, with which your letter... Jan. 5, 1781
38 Samuel Adams Richard Henry Lee Your second Letter came to hand in due Season. My much esteemed Friend Mr Arthur Lee will take the Charge of this. I will say to you as I have said to my Boston Friends, who are sollicitous to know... Jan. 15, 1781
39 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams A great variety of engagements have prevented me from writing to you lately, and I presume that the same cause as deprived me of the pleasure of hearing from you.We neither of us mean to distress... Apr. 1, 1781
40 Arthur Lee Samuel Adams As I was in Virginia when Mr. Lowell arrivd here, it was some time before I receivd your favor by him. It gives me a good deal of concern that we are so soon to lose that Gentleman, his integrity... Jan. 6, 1782
41 Arthur Lee Samuel Adams I cannot lose so good an opportunity as that of Dr Eliot, of enquiring after your health & hoping you are happy.The Session of the Assembly of Virginia in May, calls me from Congress for a... Apr. 21, 1782
42 Arthur Lee Samuel Adams I arrivd here but three days since from Virginia1 when I received your favor of the 21st of Novr. 1782.2 I do not see by the Journals, that any thing has been done relative to the Mr. Burgess you... Jan. 29, 1783
43 Arthur Lee Samuel Adams I had the pleasure of receiving your Letter relative to Capt. Landais.1The representation made by Mr. Morris of his behaviour at the Office of Finance did him such disservice that I am persuaded it... Mar. 5, 1783
44 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams May I now congratulate you on the fair prospect of obtaining that which we long together labor’d for the accomplishment of? I wish most sincerely that the full possession of wisdom and virtue may... Apr. 1783
45 Samuel Holten Samuel Adams On Friday last we had a large packet of letters from our ministers in Europe, but by an order of Congress, there contents are to be kept secret for the present; therefore whatever I may write... Sep. 17, 1783
46 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams The same cause that deprived me of the pleasure of hearing from you sooner in answer to my former letter, has in great degree prevented me from sooner acknowledging the receipt of your favor of... Nov. 18, 1784
47 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams The same cause that deprived me of the pleasure of hearing from you sooner in answer to my former letter, has in great degree prevented me from sooner acknowledging the receipt of your favor of... Nov. 18, 1784
48 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams My much valued friends letter of March the 24th. was this day delivered to me, but not by Mr. Kirkland or Colo. Allan, it came from our Door-keeper who told me that it had been pickt up on Long... Jan. 7, 1785
49 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams I am well satisfied that your friendship has long since suggested an apology for my not sooner answering the letter that you did me the honor to write to me on the 7th. of August last, because you... Jan. 7, 1785
50 Richard Henry Lee Samuel Adams My much valued friends letter of March the 24th1 was this day delivered to me, but not by Mr. Kirkland or Colo. Allan, it came from our Door-keeper who told me that it had been picked up on Long... Jan. 7, 1785