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Auction archive: Lot number 52

HANCOCK, John (1737-1793) and ADAMS, Samuel (1722-1803). Letter signed ("John Hancock," with flourish and "Samuel Adams") closing and eight-line addition in Samuel Adams' autograph, to Dennis Diberdi in London; Boston, 15 November 1766. 3 pages, foli...

Auction 19.05.2000
19 May 2000
Estimate
US$10,000 - US$15,000
Price realised:
US$70,500
Auction archive: Lot number 52

HANCOCK, John (1737-1793) and ADAMS, Samuel (1722-1803). Letter signed ("John Hancock," with flourish and "Samuel Adams") closing and eight-line addition in Samuel Adams' autograph, to Dennis Diberdi in London; Boston, 15 November 1766. 3 pages, foli...

Auction 19.05.2000
19 May 2000
Estimate
US$10,000 - US$15,000
Price realised:
US$70,500
Beschreibung:

HANCOCK, John (1737-1793) and ADAMS, Samuel (1722-1803). Letter signed ("John Hancock," with flourish and "Samuel Adams") closing and eight-line addition in Samuel Adams' autograph, to Dennis Diberdi in London; Boston, 15 November 1766. 3 pages, folio, neatly reinforced along one edge and central fold. ADAMS AND HANCOCK COMPLAIN OF BRITISH ABUSES OF AUTHORITY: "THE TRADE OF AMERICA IS REALLY THE TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN..." An unusual joint letter, apparently to a London agent, from two key Boston patriots at an early stage of the American radicals' disaffection with British colonial policies. By this date, a year after the agitations over and final repeal of the Stamp Act, Adams was head of the Sons of Liberty. The 29-year-old Hancock was already closely identified with Adams and the anti-British Whigs. Here, the two refer to a petition before the Massachusetts legislature from Thomas Boyleston, a Boston merchant whose ship, the Brig Recovery, had been confiscated by Customs officers in New Providence. A Committee has been delegated to solicit aid for Boyleston, and they "desire you to use your best endeavours to get him redress in England." The Providence Customs officials had seized vessel and cargo for non-compliance with a recent regulation concerning the shipment of foreign goods, even though the vessel had been at sea and unaware of the new legal requirements. "It seems to be an apparent misapplication of the Act of Parliament," Adams and Hancock assert. In addition, at Hispaniola, Boyleston's vessel was commandeered to Jamaica by a Captain Mackenzie, whereby "the subject is deprived of his property without the least pretence to Law," especially since no breach of the laws of trade are alleged. "The Trade of America you are sensible, is really the trade of Great Britain," and it is evident "how much our trade is exposed to...be injured by the Malconduct of the Kings Officers," which "has been the occasion of great uneasiness and discontent already. Mr. Boyleston's only hope of redress is in the justice & wisdom of the Parliament." Hancock and Adams request that the matter "be laid before the Ministry & Parliament, for Boyleston's sake, but also because "it is of great importance to the Nation it self that the Government should be apprized how much their interest suffers...& the Minds of his Majesty's subjects in America indangered by being disaffected by such notorious violations..." Adams adds a lengthy additional note, before the closing. Letters jointly signed by these two key patriots are extremely uncommon; only three examples have appeared at auction since 1978, according to ABPC: a letter regarding the Port Act (Sotheby's, 5 June 1996, lot 19, $9,750) and a 1779 petition regarding taxation (Christie's, 14 May 1992, lot 77, $8,000).

Auction archive: Lot number 52
Auction:
Datum:
19 May 2000
Auction house:
Christie's
New York, Rockefeller Center
Beschreibung:

HANCOCK, John (1737-1793) and ADAMS, Samuel (1722-1803). Letter signed ("John Hancock," with flourish and "Samuel Adams") closing and eight-line addition in Samuel Adams' autograph, to Dennis Diberdi in London; Boston, 15 November 1766. 3 pages, folio, neatly reinforced along one edge and central fold. ADAMS AND HANCOCK COMPLAIN OF BRITISH ABUSES OF AUTHORITY: "THE TRADE OF AMERICA IS REALLY THE TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN..." An unusual joint letter, apparently to a London agent, from two key Boston patriots at an early stage of the American radicals' disaffection with British colonial policies. By this date, a year after the agitations over and final repeal of the Stamp Act, Adams was head of the Sons of Liberty. The 29-year-old Hancock was already closely identified with Adams and the anti-British Whigs. Here, the two refer to a petition before the Massachusetts legislature from Thomas Boyleston, a Boston merchant whose ship, the Brig Recovery, had been confiscated by Customs officers in New Providence. A Committee has been delegated to solicit aid for Boyleston, and they "desire you to use your best endeavours to get him redress in England." The Providence Customs officials had seized vessel and cargo for non-compliance with a recent regulation concerning the shipment of foreign goods, even though the vessel had been at sea and unaware of the new legal requirements. "It seems to be an apparent misapplication of the Act of Parliament," Adams and Hancock assert. In addition, at Hispaniola, Boyleston's vessel was commandeered to Jamaica by a Captain Mackenzie, whereby "the subject is deprived of his property without the least pretence to Law," especially since no breach of the laws of trade are alleged. "The Trade of America you are sensible, is really the trade of Great Britain," and it is evident "how much our trade is exposed to...be injured by the Malconduct of the Kings Officers," which "has been the occasion of great uneasiness and discontent already. Mr. Boyleston's only hope of redress is in the justice & wisdom of the Parliament." Hancock and Adams request that the matter "be laid before the Ministry & Parliament, for Boyleston's sake, but also because "it is of great importance to the Nation it self that the Government should be apprized how much their interest suffers...& the Minds of his Majesty's subjects in America indangered by being disaffected by such notorious violations..." Adams adds a lengthy additional note, before the closing. Letters jointly signed by these two key patriots are extremely uncommon; only three examples have appeared at auction since 1978, according to ABPC: a letter regarding the Port Act (Sotheby's, 5 June 1996, lot 19, $9,750) and a 1779 petition regarding taxation (Christie's, 14 May 1992, lot 77, $8,000).

Auction archive: Lot number 52
Auction:
Datum:
19 May 2000
Auction house:
Christie's
New York, Rockefeller Center
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