Papers of John Adams, volume 21
Such is the situation of this country, that I fear I
shall be too troublesome in recommending to your notice Dissenters that are
disposed to emigrate, and settle on your Continent This letter will be
deliverd to you by two young men of good character, and fine spirit, the
sons of Mr G. Humphreys, a fellow sufferer with me in the Riot in
Birmingham.1 Many others
will also find it necessary to look out for an asylum either in France or
with you; and at present America will in general be preferred to France. Two
of my sons are in the number, and they will wait upon you in a few months,
and if they get a settlement, I shall be happy to follow them. I can give
you but an imperfect idea of the violence of the Church and king party in this country, especially with respect to
myself, who since the death of Dr Price, are the
most Anxious of all the Dissenters.
I shall take the liberty to give you a line by my son,
and in the mean time subscribe myself, with my best respects to Mrs Adams, / Dear Sir, / yours sincerely
RC (Adams Papers).
This was Priestley’s neighbor, George Humphreys,
whose mansion in Sparkbrook, England, was plundered by the Birmingham
rioters but escaped the total destruction that many suffered (James
Belcher, The Birmingham Riots of 1791,
Birmingham, Eng., 1867, p. 8).