Nothing New

The great writers, one piece at a time.

John & Abigail Adams · Familiar Letters During the Revolution

Letter 164 of 284 · Book I

John Adams — Philadelphia, 28 March, 1777

— ✻ —

Philadelphia, 28 March, 1777.

"A plot, a plot! a horrid plot! Mr. A.," says my barber, this morning. "It must be a plot, first, because there is British gold in it; second, because there is a woman in it; third, because there is a Jew in it; fourth, because I don't know what to make of it."

The barber means that a villain was taken up and examined yesterday, who appears, by his own confession, to have been employed, by Lord Howe and Jo. Galloway, to procure pilots to conduct the fleet up Delaware River and through the Chevaux de Frise. His confidant was a woman, who is said to be kept by a Jew. The fellow and the woman will suffer for their wickedness.

Receive John & Abigail Adams one letter at a time, every morning.
Subscribe →