The Writings of Samuel Adams Volume III Part 29

TO HORATIO GATES.

[MS., Lenox Library.]

PHILADE June 10 1776

MY DEAR SIR

Your Favor of the 8th Instant was brought to me by Express. I am exceedingly concernd that a General Officer is not yet fixed upon to take the Command of the Troops in Boston--ever since the Enemy abandond that place I have been apprehensive that a renewed attack would probably be made on some part of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay.

Your Reasons clearly show that it will be the Interest of the Enemy to make a grand push there if they are not properly provided for a Defence. Congress judgd it necessary that a Major & Brigr Genl should be sent to Boston or they would not have orderd it three Weeks ago. The Wish of the Colony with regard to particular Gentlemen has been repeatedly urgd, and I thought that an appointment which has been made since you left us would have given a favorable Issue to our request. The Necessity of YOUR taking the Command in the Eastern District immediately, has been in my mind most pressing since I have been informd by your Letter that your Intelligence in respect to the Attack on the Ma.s.sachusetts is direct & positive.

It will be a great Disappointment to me if General Mifflin does not go with you to Boston. I believe that to prevent the apparent necessity for this, Genl Whitcomb was thrown into View. He is indeed in many respects a good Man, but to the other I think the preference must be given.

The Hint you gave me when I last saw you respecting the Enemies offering to treat, I have revolvd in my Mind. It is my opinion that no such offers will be made but with a Design to take Advantage by the Delay they may occasion. We know how easily our people, too many of them, are still amusd with vain hopes of reconciliation. Such Ideas will, no doubt, be thrown out to them, to embarra.s.s the Army as others have been; but I conceive that the General in whose Wisdom & Valor I confide, will, without Hesitation employ all his Force to annoy & conquer immediately upon the Enemies Approach. We want our most stable Councellors here. To send Gentlemen of INDECISIVE Judgments to a.s.sist as field Deputies would answer a very ill purpose. The sole Design of the Enemy is to subjugate America. I have therefore no Conception that any terms can be offerd but such as must be manifestly affrontive. should those of a different Complexion be proposd, under the hand of their Commanding officer, the General will have the oppty of giving them in to Congress in the s.p.a.ce of a Day. This I imagine he will think prudent to do--at the same time, I am very sure, he will give no Advantage to the Enemy, and that he will conduct our affairs in so critical a Moment in a Manner worthy of himself.

I am affectionately yours,

PEREZ MOULTON.1

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

PHILADA June 1776

MY DEAR SIR

When I was at Watertown in August last the General a.s.sembly being then sitting, a Crowd of Business prevented our coming to an Agreement respecting an allowance adequate to your Services in the Secretaries Office, or even conversing upon the Subject. I have been very easy about it, because I have never had the least Doubt of your Integrity and Honor. Publick Affairs have demanded so much of my Attention here that I have scarcely had Time to spend a thought on my domestick Concerns. But I am apprehensive that Mrs A------ will soon be in Want of Money for her Support, if that is not already her Case. I shall therefore be much obligd to you if you will let her have such a part of the Fees you may have receivd as you can conveniently spare. Her Receipt shall be acknowledgd by me. And as I foresee that I shall not have the opportunity of visiting my Friends in New England so soon as I have intended, you will further oblige me by sending me an Account of the Monies paid into the office together with your own opinion of what may be a reasonable and generous Allowance for your Service.

I am with great Esteem & Affection, Your Friend & hbl Servt

_________________________________________________________________ 1Cf., page 109. His name appears as "Morton" in Acts and Resolves of the Province of Ma.s.sachusetts, vol. v. He was deputy secretary under Adams.

TO JOSEPH HAWLEY.

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

PHILADE July 9 1776--

MY DEAR SIR/

I should sooner have acknowledgd the Receipt of your Letters dated at Northampton & Springfield the 17th and 22d of May, had I not expected that before this Time I should have had the pleasure of seeing and conversing with you--but Business here has been so pressing and important, that I have not thought it consistent with my Duty as yet to absent myself.

Our repeated Misfortunes in Canada have greatly chagrind every Man who wishes well to America. I dare not at present communicate to you what I take to have been the real Causes of these Disasters. Some of them indeed must be obvious to any Man who has been attentive to that Department. Our secret Enemies have found Means to sow the Seeds of Discord & Faction there and Heaven has sufferd the small Pox to prevail among our Troops. It is our Duty to try all Means to restore our Affairs to a good Footing but I despair of that being effected till next Winter. To be acting merely on the defensive at the Time when we should have been in full possession of that Country is mortifying indeed. The Subject is disgusting to me. I will dismiss it.

How[e] is arrivd, as you have heard, with his Troops at New York.

The People in this Colony & the Jerseys are in Motion and if the New England Militia joyn our Army with their usual Alertness & Spirit, I have no doubt but the Enemy will meet with a warm Reception. A few days may probably bring on Event which will give a favorable Turn to our Affairs.

The Congress has at length declared the Colonies free and independent States. Upon this I congratulate you for I know your heart has long been set upon it. Much I am affraid has been lost by delaying to take this decisive Step. It is my opinion that if it had been done Nine months ago we might have been justified in the Sight of G.o.d and Man, three Months ago.1 If we had done it then, in my opinion Canada would [by] this time have been one of the united Colonies; but "Much is to be endurd for the hardness of Mens hearts." We shall now see the Way clear to form a Confederation, contract Alliances & send Emba.s.sadors to foreign Powers & do other Acts becoming the Character we have a.s.sumd.

Adieu my Friend. Write to me soon.

_________________________________________________________________ 1The first thirteen words of this sentence are crossed out in the draft.

TO RICHARD HENRY LEE.

[MS., American Philosophical Society; a draft is in the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; and a text is in R. H. Lee, Life of R. H. Lee, vol. i., pp. 182-184.]

PHILADA July 15 1776

MY DEAR SIR

I must acknowledge that when you left Congress I gave you Reason to expect a Letter from me before this Time. You will not, I am very certain, attribute my omission to the Want of a most cordial Esteem for you. The Truth is, I hardly knew how to write without saying something of our Canadian Affairs; and this is a Subject so thoroughly mortifying to me, that I could wish totally to forget all that has past in that Country. Let me however just mention to you that Schuyler & Gates are to command the Troops to be employ'd there; the former, while they are without, and the latter, while they are within the Bounds of Canada.--Admitting both these Generals to have the military Accomplishments of Marlborough and Eugene, I cannot conceive that such a Disposition of them can be attended with any happy Effects, unless Harmony subsists between them.--Ala.s.s! I fear this is not the Case-- Already Disputes have arisen, which they have referrd to Congress! And though they appear to treat each other with a Politeness becoming their Rank, in my Mind, Altercations between Commanders who have Pretensions so nearly equal, I mean in Point of COMMAND, forebode a Repet.i.tion of Misfortunes--I sincerely wish my Apprehensions may prove to be groundless.

General Howe, as you have heard, is arrivd at New York. He has brought with him from 8 to 10,000 troops. Lord Howe arrivd the last Week, and the whole Fleet is hourly expected. The Enemy landed on Staten Island. Nothing of Importance has been done, saving that last Friday at about three in the afternoon a 40 and a 20 Gun Ship with several Tenders, taking the Advantage of a fair and fresh Gale and flowing Tide, pa.s.sd by our Forts as far as the Encampment at Kings bridge. General Mifflin who commands there in a Letter of the 5 Instant informd us he had twenty one Cannon planted and hoped in a Week to be formidable.

Reinforcements are arrivd from N England, and our Army are in high Spirits. I am exceedingly pleasd with the calm & determind Spirit, which our Commander in Chiefe has discoverd in all his Letters to Congress. May Heaven guide and prosper Him! The Militia of the Jerseys--Pennsylvania & Maryland are all in Motion--General Mercer commands the flying Camp in the jerseys.

We have just now appointed a Committee to bring in a Plan for Reinforcement to compleat the Number of 20,000 Men to be posted in that Colony.

Our Declaration of Independency has given Vigor to the Spirits of the People. Had this decisive Measure been taken Nine Months ago, it is my opinion that Canada would at this time have been in our hands. But what does it avail to find fault with what is past.

Let us do better for the future. We were more fortunate than expected in having 12 of the 13 Colonies in favor of the all important Question. The Delegates of N York were not impowered to give their Voice on either Side. Their Convention has since acceeded to the Declaration & publishd it even before they receivd it from Congress. So mighty a Change in so short a Time!

N Jersey has finishd their Form of Government, a Copy of which I inclose. They have sent us five new Delegates, among whom are Dr Witherspoon & judge Stockden.1 All of them appear to be attachd to the American Cause. A Convention is now meeting in this City to form a Const.i.tution for this Colony. They are empowerd by their Const.i.tuents to appoint a new Committee of Safety to act for the present & to chuse new Delegates for Congress. I am told there will be a Change of Men, and if so, I hope for the better.

A Plan for Confederation has been brot into Congress wch I hope will be speedily digested and made ready to be laid before the several States for their approbation. A Committee has now under Consideration the Business of foreign Alliance.

It is high time for us to have Amba.s.sadors in foreign Courts. I fear we have already sufferd too much by Delay. You know upon whom our Thoughts were turnd when you was with us.

I am greatly obligd to you for favoring me with the Form of Governt agreed upon by your Countrymen. I have not yet had time to peruse it, but dare say it will be a Feast to our little Circle. The Device on your great Seal pleases me much.

Pray hasten your journey hither. Your Country most pressingly sollicits, or will you allow me to say, DEMANDS your a.s.sistance here. I have written in great haste. Adieu to my dear Sir, and be a.s.sured that I am very Affectionately,

Your Friend,

_________________________________________________________________ 1Stockton.

TO JAMES WARREN.

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

PHILAD July 16--1776

MY DEAR FRIEND

There is no Necessity of my troubling you with a lon Epistle at present, for my very worthy Friend and Colleague1 who kindly takes the Charge of this will fully inform you of the State of Affairs here. He will tell you some things which I have often wishd to communicate to you, but have not thought it prudent to commit to writing.