To John Lowell?, 15 December 1770
JA
Lowell, John
To John Lowell?, 15 December 1770
Adams, John
Lowell, John
Dr sir
Decr. 15. 1770
Being generally Speaking a son of Liberty, notwithstanding the Cloud of Toryism that has lately, you know, passed over me,1 a Number of Gentlemen have retaind me, with you, in Defence of that great and inestimable Right, Liberty and Priviledge by Charter of digging Clams upon the Ipswich Clam Banks. The Proprietors of Ipswich have sued Varrill before a Justice &c.—Varrill2 will shew you the Copies. Will it not be best (if the Ptfs should enter) for unknown amount of text missing
the Proprietors will bring the next Action before the Superiour Court and have this great constitutional Question decided at last by the Kings Bench.—I wish you a pleasant and profitable Court and am with great Esteem your Brother3
John Adams
RC
(NNPM). MS mutilated; only the upper portion of the sheet remains, with the opening sentences. The closing lines and signature are on the verso.
1.
Presumably a reference to his unpopularity for defending the soldiers charged with the Boston Massacre.
2.
No case involving “Varrill” is recorded in JA's docket book for 1770–71.
3.
That is, cocounsel. John Lowell may be meant, for he served in this capacity in Patch v. Herrick, which involved litigation over the Ipswich clam bank (JA, Legal Papers
, 2:4–9).