Adams Family Correspondence, volume 6

Cotton Tufts to John Adams Tufts, Cotton JA Cotton Tufts to John Adams Tufts, Cotton Adams, John Dear Sir Weymouth Aug. 10. 1785

The Want of a sufficient Power in Congress to regulate the national Concerns of the United States is now pretty generally seen and has been severely felt. In the opening of the last Session of the Gen Court, the Governor in his Address to both Houses among other Things laments that Congress had not been authorized to regulate their foreign Trade, and suggests the Necessity of further Powers being given to that Body. The Legislature took the Matter into Consideration and prepared Letters to the several States, to the President of Congress and to their own Delegates proposing a Convention for the purpose of revising the Confederation and of curing the Evils felt 257 image and apprehended. But untill that could be effected, Measures were adopted and Laws enacted to prevent the Excess of Importations and to counteract the operation of those Laws of Great Britain which more immediately affect our Commerce—as You will find by the enclosed Papers.1

I have enclosed an Account of the Transaction of your Affairs to the 21st. Ultimo which Mr. Cranch has examined.

Master Charles has entered College. Mr. John has arriv'd at New York. I expect him dayly. In a few Days I shall probably draw upon You for £50 or 100£ as I apprehend the encreasing Expence of the Education of Your Children will make it necessary. I wish You equal Success at London, as heretofore at the Hague, And Am with sincere Regard Yours

Cotton Tufts

P.S. I shall write more fully to Mrs. Adams upon Your domestic Concerns.2

RC (Adams Papers), with enclosed account. Letter endorsed: “Dr Tufts August”; account endorsed: “Dr Tufts's Account 1785.”

1.

Gov. James Bowdoin's address, delivered on 31 May, was published in the Independent Chronicle, 2 June, in the Boston Gazette, 6 June, and in the Continental Journal, 9 June. A list of all laws passed in the May-July session appeared in the Independent Chronicle, 7 July. See also JQA to JA, 3 Aug., note 3, above.

2.

Cotton Tufts' next extant letters to AA are dated 12 and 14 Oct., both below.

Enclosure: Account, 10 August 1785 JA Tufts, Cotton Enclosure: Account, 10 August 1785 Adams, John Tufts, Cotton
Enclosure: Account
The Honble. John Adams Esq. to Cotton Tufts as His Attorney
Dr.
1784. June. 24. To Cash pd. Nath. Austin 19/6
July. 1. To Nath. Willis 30/9 2. 10. 3
July. 21. To 1/2 m. Nails 4/
Aug. 11. To Cash pd. Jno. Gill 24/ 1/2 qe Paper 9d 1. 8. 9
Sept. 29. To Thos. Russell Esq for 16 years Rent of Verchilds Land 38. 8. 0
To Elkh. Thayer for ditching 30/ pd for Glass & Putty 9/ 1. 19. 0
Octob. 6. To Saml. Eliot for Cloathing for yr. children 2. 6. 1
To half a Day at Braintree in adjusting Accounts &c 0. 6. 0
28. To Revd. Jno. Shaw 40/ To Sundry Persons by ordr. of Mrs. Adams 72/ 5. 12. 0
Nov. 18. To Revd. Jno. Shaw 60/ To Jona Marsh for a pr. Boots to Charles 27/ 4. 7. 0
To 1/2 Day at Boston 7/6
258
28. To 1/2 Day at Braintree 6/ 0. 13. 6
Dec. 10. To Cash pd. for recordg. Will. Adams Deed 2/6 for Searchg Records of 2 1/2 0. 3. 8 1/2
14. To Do. paid David Bass for Salt Marsh bought of him 32. 16. 3
To 1 Day at Braintree settling the Survey Purchase &c 0. 12. 0
16. To Cash pd. for recordg Deed 3/ 0. 3. 0
1785 Jany. 8. To 1 Day myself & Horse 12/ To Cash pd. James Thayer for Land £60 60. 12. 0
17. To Cash pd. for Cloathing for Mast. Charles & Thos 4. 11. 2
27. To Revd. Jno. Shaw £6. To recordg James Thayers Deed 2/6 6. 2. 6
March 3. To pd for a Singing Book 6/ Wards Grammar 3/ for Thos 0. 9. 0
17. To Revd. Jno. Shaw £10.16.0
23. To 1/2 Day at Braintree 6/ 11. 2. 0
To pd for 2 Crevats 8/2
24. To 1/2 Dy. at Boston 7/6 0. 15. 8
29. To Gayus Thayer for Your own and Farm Rates 10. 12. 4 1/2
April 9. To Andw. Newell 8.3.0. To part of a Day at Boston 7/6 8. 10. 6
To Cash pd. Elias Burdett in Advance for Building 62. 0. 0
11. To a Journey to Medford to give Lease for Medford Farm &c 0. 12. 0
21. To Revd. Jno. Shaw 90/
May 13. To part Journey to Boston 6/ 4. 16. 0
26. To Cash for 1 pc. Linnen for Children 84/
30. To Davd. Marsh's Bill for Shoes 57/4 7. 1. 4
30. To Revd. Jno. Shaw 71/10
June 1 & 2d. To Mrs. Shaw to purchase Cloathg. 8.4.0 11. 15. 10
16. To Revd. Jno. Shaw Quarty Bill 14.8.0 To Register 1/ 2 1/2 To Phoebe 8/ 14. 17. 2 1/2
July. 2. To. Ebenz. Burdett in full for Building as Pr. Agreement 62. 0. 0
259
5. To Thos. Russell Esq 1 Yrs. Rent for Verchilds Land 48/ 2. 8. 0
6. To Willm. Homer for Repairs of House at Boston 4. 10. 6.
19 & 20. To Cash for Charles a Hat and Cravats 3. 1. 4 1/2
£367. 3. 0
1785. July 21. To Cash now on hand to Ballance 4. 16. 11 1/2
£371. 19. 11 1/2
Cr.
1784
June 16. By a Ballance of Cash left in my Hands by Mrs. Adams 7. 13. 4
28. By Cash recd. of Mrs. Smith left in her Hands by Do 1. 6. 8
By Do. recd. of the Executors of Revd. Willm. Smiths Will 15. 0. 0
Sept. 16. By Do. recd. of Andw. Newall 1 qr. Rent 15. 0. 0
Octob. 8. By Do. recd. of Matthew Pratt for Yoke of Oxen 9. 0. 0
22. By Do. recd. of Phoebe 36/2
Nov. 18. Andw. Newall 1 qr. Rent 15£ 16. 16. 2
23. By Do. recd. of Matthew Pratt for Farm Produce 11. 0. 0
Dec. 15. By Do. recd. of Alexr. Hill on Ballance of Acctts 3. 0. 7
1785. Jany. 6. By Do. recd. of Benj. Guilds in full of his Note 103. 5. 0
10. By do. recd. in part for Certificates for Intt. on Continl Notes 8. 2. 0
14. By Do. recd. of Phoebe 12/10
March 24. By Thos. Pratt on Acct. 16/6 1. 9. 4
Jany. 1. By my Bill of Exchange in favour of James Elworthy for £50 stg. 5 P. Ct. above par is 52.10.0—Lawful Money 70. 0. 0
March 24. By Cash recd. of Matthew Pratt. Ballance of Farm Acctts 22. 2. 9
By Do. recd. of Royall Tyler Esq for Debts collected 29. 3. 9 1/2
260
April 9. By Do. recd. of Andw. Newall 1 qr. Rent 15. 0. 0
May Do. recd. of Mrs. Otis for Dorset Alley 1 Yr 1. 16. 0
June 4. By my Order in favour of James Elworthy for £11. 12. 0 sterg Exchange 6 P. Ct.—in Law My 16. 8. 0
16. By Andw. Newall 1 qr Rent to the 30 Apr. last 15. 0. 0
July 1. By Cash recd. for Interest 1. 5. 0
4. By Do. recd. of Matthew Pratt on Farm Acct. 9. 11. 4
371. 19. 11 1/2
Weymouth July 4. 1785 Errors Excepted Per Cotton Tufts

Weymouth: July 21st. 1785. At the Request of the Honble. Cotton Tufts Esq. I have particularly gone over and examined the foregoing Account, and find it right cast and properly Vouched in all its Parts.

Richard Cranch

The content of notes that appeared on this page in the printed volume has been moved to the end of the preceding document.

RC (Adams Papers), with enclosed account. Letter endorsed: “Dr Tufts August”; account endorsed: “Dr Tufts's Account 1785.”