the Superiour Court postponed and continued the
Question till the Act was repealed. At an Inferiour Court in
Plymouth, Mr. Paine and I called a Meeting of
the Bar, and We laboured so successfully with our
Brothers that We brought them all to agree in an Application to the Court to
proceed without Stamps, in which We succeeded.
On the 14 day of July of this Year
1765
,
Mrs. Adams presented me with
a
Daughter and in her confinement in her
Chamber, I was much alone in
the Parlour
below my Office of Evenings and Mornings. The Uneasy State of
the public Mind, and my own gloomy Apprehensions, turned my Thoughts to
writing. Without any particular Subject to write on, my
[illegible] Mind turned I know not how into a Speculation or rather a
Rhapsody which I sent to the
Boston Gazette, and was there
[illegible] published
with out Title or Signature, but which
was afterwards reprinted in
London under the Title of a dissertation on the Cannon and
Feudal Law. It might as well have been called an Essay upon Forefathers Rock.
Writings which appear mean enough at the present day, were then highly
applauded, in proportion to their Zeal rather than their Merit, and this little
production had its full Share of praise.
After the 14 of August this Year
1765
, I went on a journey to
Martha's Vineyard, on the
Tryal of a
Cause before Referees, between Jerusha Mayhew and her
Relations. The keen Understanding of this Woman, and the
uncontroulable Violence of her irascible Passions,
had excited a
quarrell of the most invidious,
inveterate and
irreconcileable nature between
the several Branches of the Mayhew Family, which had
divided the whole Island into Parties. The
Rancour of
that fiend the Spirit of Party had never appeared to me, in so odious and
dreadfull a Light, though I had heard much of it,
in a Contest between Roland Cotton and Parson
Jackson at
Woburne: and had remarked enough of it
in the
Tryal between Hopkins and
Ward at
Worcester. In all these
Page 2
cases it seemed to have
wrought an entire metamorphosis of the human Character. It destroyed all sense
and Understanding, all Equity and Humanity, all Memory and regard to Truth, all
Virtue, Honor, Decorum and Veracity. . . . Never in my Life was I so grieved
and disgusted with my Species. More than a Week I think was spent in the
Examination of Witnesses and the Arguments of Council, Mr.
Paine on one Side and I on the other. We
endeavoured to argue the cause on both Sides, as well
as We could, but which of Us got the cause I have forgot. It was indeed no
matter: for it was impossible for human Sagacity to discover on which Side
justice lay. We were pretty free with our Vituperations on both Sides and the
Inhabitants appeared to feel the justice of them. I think the Cause was
compromised. -- I forgot to mention that while We were at
Falmouth waiting to be ferried over to the Island the News
arrived from
Boston of the Riots on the twenty fifth of August in
which
C.J. Lt. Governor Hutchinsons House was so
much injured.
My Business at the Bar was so The Stamp Act was repealed, and the
Declaratory Act passed: but as We expected it would not be executed, good
humour was in some measure restored. In the year 1766
1767 ["1767" added by John Quincy Adams] Mr. Gridley died, and to his last moment
retained his kindness for me, recommending his Clients to me, with expressions
of confidence and Esteem too flattering for me to repeat. For several Years
before, he had insisted on my Meeting him in a little
Clubb once a Week, for the Sake of Sociability,
and
litterary Conversation and reading new publications
as well as the
Classicks in concert. Many Things
were produced and some were read: but his Conversation was too amusing and
instructive to leave Us any very earnest Wishes for Books. He had frequently
invited me to visit him at his Country Seat in
Brooklyne, on Saturdays, and to
remain with him till Monday. I went but once, though he
Page 3
urged so
much and so often that I was afraid he would take
offence at my Negligence. On that Visit he produced to me,
the first Copy of Blackstones Inaugural oration and Analysis,
which ever appeared in
America I believe. Mr. Thomas Oliver had
received it, very early from a Friend in
England, and lent it to Mr. Gridley. It was
much admired and great hopes were conceived of what was to follow, which when
the History of Magna Charta and especially the Commentaries made their
Appearance
were not disappointed. Mr. Gridley
thought the
Analosis excellent, as great an
Improvement on Hales, as his had been upon Noy's. The Day was spent, partly at
Church, partly in conversation, and partly in Reading some passages in
Puffendorf, with Barbeyrac's Notes, after We had read
Blackstone. He was a great Admirer of Barbeyrac: thought him a
much more sensible and learned Man than Puffendorf. I admired the facility with
which he translated
and criticised the Greek Passages in the
Notes.
This Year also died Dr. Mayhew, whose Loss I deplored, as I
had but lately commenced an Acquaintance with him, which was likely to become a
lasting and intimate Friendship.
In the Years 1766 and 1767 my Business increased, as my Reputation spread, I
got Money and bought Books and Land. I had heard my father say that he never
knew a Piece of Land run away or break, and I was too much enamoured with Books, to spend many thoughts upon
Speculation on Money. I was often solicited to lend Money and sometimes
complied upon Land Security: but I was more intent on my Business than on my
Profits, or I should have laid the foundation of a better Estate.
In the Beginning of the Year 1788
68 ["68" added by John Quincy Adams] My Friends in Boston, were very urgent with
me to remove into Town. I was afraid of my health: but they urged so many
Reasons and insisted on it so much that
Page 4
being determined at last to
hazard the Experiment, I wrote a Letter to the
Town of Braintree declining an Election as one of their Select
Men, and removed in a Week or two, with my Family into the White House as it
was called in
Brattle Square, which several of the old People told me was a
good omen as Mr. Bollan had lived formerly in the same house
for many Years. The Year before this, i.e. in 1767 My Son
John Quincy Adams was born on the
eleventh ["eleventh" added by John Quincy Adams] day of
August July ["July" added by John Quincy Adams], at
Braintree, and at the request of his
Grandmother Smith christened by the Name of
her
Father John Quincy on the day of the Death of his
Great Grandfather, John Quincy of
Mount Wollaston.
In the Course of this Year 1768 My Friend Mr. Jonathan
Sewall who was then Attorney General called on me in
Brattle Street, and told me he was come to dine with me. This
was always an acceptable favour from him, for although
We were at Antipodes in Politicks We had never
abated in mutual Esteem or cooled in the Warmth of our Friendship. After Dinner
Mr. Sewall desired to have some Conversation with me alone and
proposed adjourning to the office. Mrs. Adams arose
and chose to Adjourn to her Chamber. We were accordingly left alone.
Mr. Sewall then said he waited on me at that time at the
request of the Governor Mr. Bernard, who had sent for him a
few days before and charged him with a Message to me. The Office of Advocate
General in the Court of Admiralty was then vacant, and the Governor had made
Enquiry of Gentlemen the best qualified to give him
information, and particularly of one of great Authority (mean ing Lt. Governor and Chief
Justice Hutchinson), and although he was not particularly
acquainted with me himself the Result of his Inquiries was that in point of
Talents, Integrity, Reputation and consequence at the Bar, Mr.
Adams was the best entitled to the Office and he had determined
Accordingly, to give it to me. It was true he
