The Writings of Samuel Adams Volume III Part 35

We have this day pa.s.sed a recommendation to the Council of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay of a very important nature. It will be sent by this express to the Council, to whom I refer you for a perusal of it.

Our affairs in France and Spain wear a promising aspect, and we have taken measures to put them on a respectable footing in other parts of Europe; and I flatter myself too much if we do not succeed.

The progress of the enemy through the Jerseys has chagrined me beyond measure; but I think we shall reap the advantage in the end. We have already beat a part of their army at Trenton, and the inclosed paper will give you a farther account which we credit, though not yet authenticated. The late behavior of the people of Jersey was owing to some of their leading men, who, instead of directing and animating, most shamefully deserted them. When they found a leader in the brave Colonel Ford, they followed him with alacrity. They have been treated with savage barbarity by the Hessians, but I believe more so by Britons.

After they have been most inhumanly used in their persons, without regard to s.e.x or age, and plundered of all they had, without the least compensation, Lord Howe and his brother (now Sir William, knight of the Bath) have condescended to offer them protections for the free enjoyment of their effects.

You have seen the power with which General Washington is vested for a limited time. Congress is very attentive to the northern army, and care is taken effectually to supply it with every thing necessary this winter for the next campaign. General Gates is here. How shall we make him the head of that army?

We are about establishing boards of war, ordnance, navy, and treasury, with a chamber of commerce, each of them to consist of gentlemen who are not members of Congress. By these means, I hope, our business will be done more systematically, speedily, and effectually.

Great and heavy complaints have been made of abuse in the Director-General's department in both our armies; some, I suppose, without grounds, others with too much reason. I have no doubt but as soon as a committee reports, which is expected this day, both Morgan and Stringer will be removed, as I think they ought.1

To the eighty-eight battalions ordered to be raised, sixteen are to be added, which, with six to be raised out of the continent at large, will make one hundred and ten, besides three thousand horse, three regiments of artillery, and a company of engineers.

We may expect fifty or sixty thousand of the enemy in June next.

Their design will still be to subdue the obstinate States of New England. It was the intention that Carleton should winter in Albany, Howe in New York, and Clinton at Rhode Island, that, with re-enforcements in the spring, they might be ready to attack New England on all sides. I hope every possible method will be used to quicken the new levies, and that the fortifications in the harbor of Boston will be in complete readiness. Much will depend upon our diligence this winter.

The attention of Congress is also turned to the southward. Forts Pitt and Randolph are to be garrisoned, and provisions laid up for two thousand men, six months. By the last accounts from South Carolina, we are informed that late arrivals have supplied them with every thing necessary for their defence.

I have written in great haste, and have time only to add, that I am, with sincere regards to your lady and family, very cordially your friend,

P. S. Dr. Morgan and Dr. Stringer are dismissed without any reason a.s.signed, which Congress could of right do, as they held their places during pleasure. The true reason, as I take it, was the general disgust, and the danger of the loss of an army arising therefrom.

________________________________________________________________ 1Dr. John Morgan, director general, and Dr. Samuel Stringer, director of hospitals in the northern department, were removed from office January 9 by the Continental Congress.

TO JAMES WARREN.

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

BALTIMORE Jany 16 1777

MY DEAR SIR/

We receivd by Mr Williams a Letter from the Council of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, requesting a Sum of Money for Payment of Bounties to the Troops to be raisd in that State. Accordingly three hundred thousand Dollars are orderd for that Purpose, which will be forwarded to the Paymaster as soon as it can conveniently be done.

I observe that our a.s.sembly have made it necessary, that three of their Delegates should be present and concurring in Sentiment before the Voice of our State can be taken on any Question in Congress. I I could have wishd it had been otherwise. Only three of your Delegates are now present. So it may happen at other times. One of them may be sick; he may be on a Committee, or necessarily absent on publick Business; in which Case our State will not be effectually represented. While I am writing at the Table, Mr Gerry is necessarily employd on the Business of the Publick at home, and the two present cannot give the Sense of the State upon a Matter now before Congress. Were all the three present, one Dissentient might controul the other two so far as to oblige them to be silent when the Question is called for.

Indeed the a.s.sembly have increasd the Number of Delegates to Seven. But I submit the Matter, as it becomes me, to my Superiors.

Major Hawley and my other patriotick Fellow Laborers, Are they alive and in Health? I have not receivd a Line from any of them excepting my worthy Friend Mr Nathl Appleton, whose Letter I will acknowledge to him by the first opportunity. My Friends surely cannot think I can go through the arduous Business a.s.signd to me here without their Advice and a.s.sistance. I do not know whether you ever intend to write to me again. a.s.sure the Major from me, that a few more of his "BROKEN HINTS" will be of eminent Service to me.1

You cannot imagine how much I am pleasd with the Spirit our a.s.sembly have discoverd. They seem to have put every Country into Motion. This forebodes in my Mind that something great will be done. I have not, since this Contest began, had so happy Feelings as I now have. I begin to antic.i.p.ate the Establishment of Peace on such Terms as independent States ought to demand; and I am even now contemplating by what Means the Virtue of my Countrymen may be secured for Ages yet to come. Virtue, which is the Soul of a republican Government. But future Events, I have learnd by Experience, are uncertain; and some unlucky Circ.u.mstance may before long take Place, which may prove sadly mortifying to me.

But no such Circ.u.mstance can deprive me of the Pleasure I enjoy, in seeing at a Distance, the rising Glories of this new World.

Adieu my Friend. Believe me to be unfeignedly yours,

_________________________________________________________________ 1Cf., page 52.

TO MRS. ADAMS.

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

BALTIMORE Jan 29th 1777.

MY DEAR BETSY

Yesterday I had the Pleasure of receiving two Letters from you by the same hand, dated the 9th and 22d of December. And just now a Letter is deliverd to me from my Friend Mr Bradford, dated the 13th of this Month, wherein I am informd that you was then in good Health and Spirits. If you had not told me that you had written to me Six Letters since I left Boston, I should have suspected that you did not keep a good Look out for Expresses which come this Way. I have now receivd only four of them. The others may possibly have fallen into the Hands of the Lords PROTECTORS of America. There is one Way in which you may probably make up the Loss to me, and that is by writing oftener. I a.s.sure you, it would not be troublesome to me to receive half a Dozen Letters from you at one Time.

You tell me you was greatly alarmd to hear that General Howe's Army was on the March to Philadelphia. I have long known you to be possessd of much Fort.i.tude of Mind. But you are a Woman, and one must expect you will now and then discover Timidity so natural to your s.e.x. I thank you, my Dear, most cordially for the Warmth of Affection which you express on this Occasion, for your Anxiety for my Safety and your Prayers to G.o.d for my Protection.

The Man who is conscientiously doing his Duty will ever be protected by that Righteous and all powerful Being, and when he has finishd his Work he will receive an ample Reward. I am not more convincd of any thing than that it is my Duty, to oppose to the utmost of my Ability the Designs of those who would enslave my Country; and with G.o.ds a.s.sistance I am resolvd to oppose them till their Designs are defeated or I am called to quit the Stage of Life.

I am glad to hear that the Winter has been in a remarkable Degree so favorable in New England, because it must have lessend the . .

. . been increasd . . . . the Poor, is in Holy Writ coupled with him who OPPRESSES them. Be you warm and be you cloathd, without administering the necessary Means, is but cold Consolation to the miserable. I am glad you have given Shelter to Mrs A. who had not where to lay her Head. She deservd your Notice, and she has more than rewarded you for it in being, as you say she is, GRATEFUL.

Whenever you see a poor Person grateful, you may depend upon it, if he were rich he would be charitable. We are not however, to seek Rewards in this Life, for Deeds of Charity, but rather imitate the all merciful Being, of whom, if I mistake not, it is said in Scripture, that he doth Good to the Evil and UNTHANKFUL.

There is indeed no such Thing as disinterrested Benevolence among Men. Self Love and social, as Pope tells us, is the same. The truly charitable Man partakes of the Feelings of the wretched wherever he sees the Object, and he relieves himself from Misery by relieving others.

I am greatly grievd for the Loss we have met with in the Death of Mr Checkley. From the Account you give me of the Nature & Extent of his Disorder, I conclude he must have died before this Time.

He was indeed a valueable Relation and Friend. Have you lately heard from your Brother at St Eustatia?

We have no News here. The Events which take place in the Jerseys must be known in Boston before you can be informd of them from this Place. There is a Report that a Party of the Jersey Militia fell in with a larger Party of the Enemy, killed about twenty and took a greater Number Prisoners besides fifty three Waggons and Provisions. This is believd. It is also said that General Heath has taken Fort Washington. If it be so, we shall soon have the News confirmd . . . .

TO JAMES WARREN.

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

BALTIMORE Feb. 1, 1777

MY DEAR SIR/

The Proceedings of the Committees of the four New England States have been read in Congress and are now under the Consideration of a Committee of the whole. They are much applauded as being salutary and wise. I had heard that one of your Delegates at that Convention had written a long Letter to his Friend and Confident here, and hearing it whisperd that the Ma.s.sachusetts State disapprovd of the Proceedings, I was led to ask the Gentleman who had receivd the Letter concerning it. He confirmd it and said that not only the Trade but the landed Gentlemen in the House of Representatives were sanguine against it. I beg'd him to let me see his Letter but he refusd in a kind of Pet, telling me it was a private Letter, & leaving me to conjecture whether I had really been impertinent in asking a Sight of his Letter or whether the Contents of it were such as it was not proper for me to see. You will easily conceive what a Scituation a Man must be in here, who having receivd no Intelligence of the Sentiments of his Const.i.tuents himself is obligd in vain to ask of another upon what Principles they have disapprovd of a Measure if in truth they did disapprove of it, of which he is called to give his own opinion. You may see, my Friend, from this Instance, the Necessity of your writing to me oftener. When I was told upon the forementiond occasion, that I should be int.i.tled to see the Letters of another whenever I should be disposd to show those which I receive myself, I could have truly said that I had scarcely receivd any. Two only FROM YOU in the s.p.a.ce of near four Months. But I have no Claim to your Favors, however much I value them, unless perhaps upon the Score of my having neglected not a single Opportunity of writing to you. Your omitting even to acknowledge the Receipt of my Letters, I might indeed construe as a silent Hint that they were displeasing to you, but I will not believe this till I have it under your own hand. While I am writing your very agreable Letter is brought to me by Mr Lovell.

You therein speak, as you ever have done, the Language of my Soul. Mr Adams tells me you are President of the Board of War; I am therefore inducd to recall what I have just now said which you may construe as an implied Censure for your not having written to me oftener. I am sure you must have a great Deal of Business in your hands. I am not however sorry to hear it, provided your Health is not injurd by it. I pray G.o.d to preserve the Health of your Body and the Vigor of your Mind. We must cheerfully deny our selves domestick Happiness and the sweet Tranquility of private Life when our Country demands our Services. Give me Leave to hint to you my Opinion that it would be a Saving to our State in the Way of Supply if the Board of War would consign the Cargos wch they order here to a Merchant of good Character rather than to the Master of the Vessell--possibly there may be Exceptions, But I have Reason to think a Cargo which arrivd about a fortnight ago consisting chiefly as I am told of Rum & Sugars was sold at least 30 p Ct under what it wd have fetched if it had been under the Direction of a Person acquainted in the place, and Flour is purchasing by the Person who bought the Cargo at an unlimitted Price. I am perswaded that if you had by a Previous Letter directed a Cargo to be procured here you might have had it 20 p Cent cheaper. If the Board should be of my Mind, I know of no Gentlemen whom I would recommend more chearfully than Mess Samuel & Robert Purvyance--they are Merchants of good Character, honest & discrete Men, and warmly attachd to our all important Cause.

But I get out of my Line when I touch upon Commerce, it is a Subject I never understood. Adieu my dear Friend. Believe me to be yours,

P. S. I forgot to tell you that, a fair occasion offering, I moved in Congress that the eldest Son of our deceasd friend Genl Warren mt be adopted by the Continent & educated at the publick Expence. The Motion was pleasing to all and a Come is appointed to prepare a Resolve. Monuments are also proposd in Memory of him & Genl Mercer whose youngest Son is also to be adopted & educated. But these things I would not have yet made publick.

TO SAMUEL COOPER.

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

BALTIMORE Feb 4th 1777

MY DEAR SIR

I send you the inclosd Speech for your Amus.e.m.e.nt. One or two Remarks you will observe are made upon it. There is Room for many more. I wish some ingenious Pen might be employd. The Contest with America, it seems, is now confessd by the British Monarch to be "arduous." I think he greatly deceives himself, if he does not expect it will be more so. Indeed he sees it; for we must, says he, "AT ALL EVENTS prepare for another Campaign." "If their Treason is sufferd to take Root, much Mischief will grow out of it--to the present System of ALL Europe." Here we have the Authority of a King's (not a very wise one I confess) to affirm, that the War between Britain and the united States of America will affect the Ballance of Power in Europe. Will not the different Powers take different Sides to adjust the Ballance to their different Interests? "I am using my UTMOST Endeavors to conciliate the unhappy Differences between two Neighboring Powers." If he is still USING his Endeavors, it seems, the Differences are not yet made up.--"I continue to receive a.s.sURANCES of Amity from the several Courts in Europe"--But he adds "It is expedient we should be in a respectable State of DEFENCE at home." If he has such a.s.surances of the Continuance of Amity in Europe, why is it so expedient at this time to be in a respectable State of Defence at home? Surely he cannot think the AMERICAN Navy yet so formidable, as to demand this Caution. Or is he at length become wise enough to attend to a good old Maxim, IN PEACE PREPARE FOR WAR.--By his prefixing a "NOTWITHSTANDING" to his "fair Prospect," and his being manifestly hard pressd with "the present Scituation of Affairs" in America, I am led to conclude, that he looks upon his "a.s.surances of AMITY" as the mere Compliments of a Court; and that he strongly apprehends, the Quarrel he has plungd himself into with America hath excited a Curiosity and a Watchfulness in some of the Powers of Europe, which will produce a contrary Effect. I am with very great Esteem,