Papers of John Adams, volume 21
d.1796
Mr Ames would be honor’d & no less aided by the grounds & principles (tho’ even so breifly Stated) of the V. President’s
opinion in the case of Hannah Beale vs 1 Beale As the lineal descendent of
the V. Presidt’s office, Mr A. has the honor of
his law ancestry to support. Even this is scarcely enough to satisfy him
that his request is not too bold. If it should be thought so, he will
reinforce his apology as well as he can. No eye but Mr A’s own shall See any
such communication.
Mr Ames takes the occasion to offer his most respectful regards to Mrs Adams.
RC (PHi:Frank M. Etting Coll.); addressed: “The
V. President / of the U. States”; docketed: “Note from Fisher Ames /
23d Aug 1796 to J. Adams”; and by
JA: “Fisher Ames.”
Blank in MS. This case was the divorce
between Hannah Baxter (b. 1730) and Capt. Benjamin Beale Sr.
(1702–1793), which was finalized on 1 Sept. 1764 (
AFC
, 11:149; Sprague, Braintree
Families
).