▁Samuel ▁Adams ▁for ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Register ▁of ▁De eds , ▁but ▁beat ▁Adams ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁over ▁two - to - one . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 9 , ▁John ▁Adams ▁and ▁Gold th wait ▁were ▁on ▁good ▁terms . ▁Adams ▁recorded ▁in ▁his ▁di ary ▁that ▁Gold th wait ▁had ▁invited ▁Adams ▁" to ▁a ▁g ente el ▁dinner ▁of ▁fish , ▁ba con , ▁pe as , ▁and ▁in com par able ▁Made ira ▁under ▁the ▁sh ady ▁trees ▁( at ▁F lax ▁P ond ) ▁with ▁half ▁a ▁dozen ▁as ▁clever ▁fell ows ▁as ▁ever ▁were ▁born ." ▁However , ▁after ▁Gold th wait ▁defeated ▁Adams ' s ▁cousin , ▁Samuel ▁Adams , ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 7 7 1 , ▁John ▁Adams ' s ▁di ary ▁entries ▁regarding ▁Gold th wait ▁were ▁quite ▁un com pl iment ary . ▁ ▁Part ▁of ▁this ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁personal , ▁but ▁part ▁of ▁it ▁may ▁simply ▁be ▁a ▁reflection ▁of ▁the ▁hard ening ▁of ▁divisions ▁in ▁political ▁opinion ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁ ▁Gold th wait ' s ▁views ▁were ▁generally ▁those ▁of ▁a ▁loyal ist , ▁feeling ▁that ▁despite ▁the ▁gr iev ances ▁of ▁the ▁colon ists , ▁a ▁break ▁with ▁Great ▁Britain ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁mistake . ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lex ington ▁and ▁Con cord ▁started ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War , ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁milit ia ▁laid ▁sie ge ▁to ▁Boston , ▁tra pping