The Writings of Samuel Adams Volume III Part 14

Yours,

_________________________________________________________________ 1Cf., Vol. II., page 337. [back]

TO PETER TIMOTHY.1

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

BOSTON July 27 1774

SIR/

I wrote you by this Conveyance; since which nothing new has occurred here, saving that this Town at a legal Meeting yesterday2 orderd a circular Letter to be sent to all the Towns and Districts in the province a Copy of which is inclosed.

If the two Acts therein referrd to take place, there will not be even the Shadow of Liberty left in this Province; and our Brethren of the Sister Colonies will seriously consider whether it be not the Intention of a perverse Administration to establish the same System of Tyranny throughout the Colonies. There will shortly be forty or fifty dozen of Hoes and Axes shipd to your address by a worthy citizen & Merchant of this Town Mr Charles Miller--The Makers are Men of approvd Skill and fidelity in their Business and will warrant their Work by affixing their names thereon--The original Cost of the Axes will be 40/ & the Hoes 36/ sterling pr Dozen, and I dare say they will be in every respect better than any imported from abroad.

I am with due Regard

Yr friend & Countryman

_________________________________________________________________ 1Cf., Vol. II., page 64. [back]

2Boston Record Commissioner's Report, vol. xviii., pp. 186, 187.

[back]

TO FISHER GAY.1

[Collections of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.

iv., pp. 14, 15.]

BOSTON, July 29th, 1774.

SIR,

I am desired by the Committee of the Town of Boston, appointed to receive the Donations made by our sympathizing brethren, for the employment or relief of such inhabitants of this Town as are more immediate sufferers by the cruel act of Parliament for shutting up this harbor, to acquaint you that our friend, Mr. Barrett, has communicated to them your letter of the 25th instant, advising that you have shipped, per Captain Israel Williams, between three and four hundred bushels of rye and Indian corn for the above mentioned purpose, and that you have the subscriptions still open, and expect after harvest to ship a much larger quant.i.ty.

Mr. Barrett tells us, that upon the arrival of Captain Williams, he will endorse his bill of lading or receipt to us.

The Committee have a very grateful sense of the generosity of their friends in Farmington, who may depend upon their donations being applied agreeable to their benevolent intention, as it is a great satisfaction to the Committee to find the Continent so united in opinion. The Town of Boston is now suffering for the common liberties of America, and while they are aided and supported by their friends, I am persuaded they will struggle through the conflict, firm and steady.

I am, with very great regard, Gentlemen,

Your friend & countryman,

________________________________________________________________ 1A member of the committee of Farmington, Connecticut. [back]

TO EZEKIEL WILLIAMS.1

[Collections of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.

iv., pp. 19, 20.]

BOSTON, July 29th, 1774.

SIR,

Your very obliging letter of the 25th instant, directed to the Selectmen or Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Boston, has been by them communicated to a Committee of this Town appointed to receive the donation made for the employment or relief of such inhabitants as are or may be more immediate sufferers by the cruel Act of Parliament for shutting up our harbor. This, at the desire and in the name of this Committee, I am very gratefully to acknowledge the generosity of the Town of Wethersfield, in the donation made by them, for the purpose above mentioned, consisting of 343/4 bushels of wheat, 2481/2 of rye, and 390 of Indian corn, which your letter informs is fowarded by Capt.

Israel Williams, and for their kind intentions still further.

They may be a.s.sured that their beneficence will be applied to the purpose for which they have designed it. This Town is suffering the stroke of ministerial vengeance, as they apprehend, for the liberties of America, and it affords them abundant satisfaction to find that they have the concurrent sentiments of their brethren in the sister Colonies in their favor, evidenced by the most liberal acts of munificence for their support. While they are thus encouraged and supported, I trust they will never be so ungrateful to their friends, as well [as] so lost to a sense of virtue, as to "give up the glorious cause." They have need of wisdom and fort.i.tude to confound the devices of their enemies, and to endure the hard conflict with dignity. They rejoice in the approaching general American Congress, and trust that, by the divine direction and blessing, such measures will be taken as will "bring about a happy issue of the present glorious struggle," and secure the rights of America upon the permanent principles of equal liberty and truth.

I am, with very great regard to the Gentlemen of your Committee,

Sir, your friend and fellow-countryman,

_________________________________________________________________ 1 Of Wethersfield, Connecticut. [back]

TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MARBLEHEAD.

[Collections of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.

iv., pp. 30-32.]

BOSTON, August 2d, 1774.

GENTLEMEN,

The Commitee for Donations yesterday received your kind letter, by the hands of Mr. Gatchel, acquainting them of the very generous present made to the sufferers in this Town by the unrighteous and cruel Act of the British Parliament, commonly called the Port Bill. They had before received one barrel of olive oil. Mr. Gatchel delivered them L 39 Is. 3d. in cash, and this day the fish in eleven carts, and the remainder of the oil came to hand. I am desired by that Committee to express their warmest grat.i.tude to the Gentlemen of Marblehead, who have so liberally contributed on this occasion, and to a.s.sure them that it will be applied in a manner agreeable to the intention of the charitable donors.

It was in all probability the expectation of Lord North, the sister Colonies would totally disregard the fate of Boston, and that she would be left to suffer and fall alone. Their united resolution, therefore, to support her in the conflict, will, it is hoped, greatly perplex him in the further prosecution of his oppressive measures, and finally reduce him to the necessity of receding from them. While we are thus aided by our brethren, you may depend upon it that we shall not disgrace the common cause of America, by any submissions to the barbarous edict. Our inhabitants still wear cheerful countenances, and they WILL be supported by the beneficence of our friends, notwithstanding one of your addressers meanly insinuated to a gentleman of South Carolina, at Salem, yesterday, that they would receive no benefit from the large donation of rice received from that place. Such an intimation discovers a degree of depravity of heart which cannot easily be expressed. I have received a letter from your [Committee] to our Committee of Correspondence, which I shall lay before them at their meeting this evening.

I am, in behalf of the Committee of Donations, Gentlemen, your friend and

fellow-countryman,

P. S. Mr. Phillips, a carter, with about fifteen quintals of fish and the remainder of the oil, is not yet come in, but is expected every hour.

TO JOSEPH GILBERT.1

[Collections of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.

iv., pp. 37.]

BOSTON, August 3d, 1774.

SIR,