And I do hereby recommend that all unnecessary labour and recreation may be suspended on the said day.

Given at the Council Chamber in Boston, this 20th day of March, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ninety seven, and in the twenty first Year of the Independence of the United States of America.

Samuel Adams.

Attest, John Avery, Secretary.

God save the commonwealth of Massachusetts!

TO JOHN ADAMS.

[Ms., Adams Papers, Quincy.]

Boston April 17th 1797

SIR

I am loth to trespass one moment upon your time, which at present must be very precious.  But I am induced even to offer Mr Wyllys this recommendatory Letter to you.  He is a native of our Commonwealth, and lately a traveller in Europe.  Tho his travels have been merely on Mercantile Business, he appears to be very intelligent, observing, and impartial.  He has seen Italy; and conversed among others with Genl Buonoparte and the Pope.  He has visited a number of the Italian States, also Algiers and France.—­I flatter myself you will be pleased with his conversation and hope you will find it usefull to you.  This is the only motive for my addressing a Letter to you at this Time.  I congratulate you as the first Citizen of the United States—­I may add of the World.  I am my dear Sir, notwithstanding I have been otherwise represented in party papers.

Your Old and unvaried Friend,

1801

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

[Ms., Library of Congress; a draft is in the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

Boston, April 24th, 1801

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND

Your Letter of the 29th of March came duly to my hand.  I sincerely congratulate our Country on the arrival of the day of Glory which has called you to the first office in the administration of our federal Government.  Your warm feeling of friendship must certainly have carried you to a higher tone of expression than my utmost merits will bear.  If I have at any time been avoided or frowned upon, your kind ejaculation in the language of the most perfect friend of Man, surpasses every injury.  The Storm is now over, and we are in port, and I dare say, the ship will be rigged for her proper service; she must also be well man’d and very carefully officered.  No man can be fit to sustain an office who cannot consent to the principles by which he must be governed.  With you, I hope, we shall once more see harmony restored; but after so severe and long a storm, it will take a proportionate time to still the raging of the waves.  The World has been governed by prejudice and passion, which never can be friendly to truth; and while you