The Writings of Samuel Adams Volume IV Part 12

TO JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

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

PHILAD Feb 6 -79

SIR

The Marine Come have done themselves the Honor of writing to you by this Post. The great Dammage which has been done to the Trade at the Southward & particularly Chessapeak Bay by the Enemies Privateers has causd such pressing Demands for the Aid of our Ships of War as laid us under the Necessity of ordering the Queen of france immediately on a Cruize that Way. This I mention as a Reason why she could not be employd with the Confederacy & the other Ships but her Destination will remain a Secret.

I hope the Expedition proposd by your Excy & agreed to by the Come will be performd in 2 or 3 Days, for I fear if it should be known to the Enemy, not only the desired Event wd be prevented but there would be danger of our losing our Ships.

I have only time to beg the favor of your Excy to forward the inclosd by the first Oppty by the post or otherwise.

TO JOHN WINTHROP.

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

PHILADE Feb 6 1779

MY DEAR SIR

I have receivd your favor of the 21st of January. Every Body sees that the Depreciation of the Paper Currency is owing to the Floods of it which have been necessarily issued. In Addition to which a great Quant.i.ty more especially of the Emissions of 20 May 1777 & 11 April 1778 has been counterfeited. This last Consideration was sufficient Inducement to the calling out of Circulation all the Bills of those Emissions as speedily as possible. The lessening the Quant.i.ty in Circulation is the only Means of restoring the Value & Credit of the Remainder. It would therefore be a happy Event if every possessor of them would receive Loan Office Certificates for them instead of new Bills in June next but this cannot be expected. In proportion as this may be done the only effectual Means, besides that of taxing which I hope will be chearfully submitted to by the People, of remedying the great Evil will have its effect. Congress have not cried down those Emissions, as the Expression is or resolvd that the Bills should sink in the Hands of those who would not exchange them for Loan Office Certificates, as has been done in the Eastern States. This might have been too harsh a Remedy. They have left it in the Option of the Possessors to receive either such Certificates or new Bills. This is the obvious Intention of their Resolutions on the Subject. The Wish of every discerning honest Man must be as obvious, viz that as many of the Bills may sink in the Loan Offices as the People can possibly spare, and as soon as possible. I think therefore you have judgd right of their Views. It would be an Act of Charity and a great Service to the publick if those who can afford to put their Money to Interest would ease their poorer fellow Citizens who are possessd of those Bills, by exchanging them for other Bills without a Discount.

I am &c,

TO SAMUEL ALLYNE OTIS.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library]

PHILADE Feby 10 1779

DEAR SIR

The late Mr Andrews before his sudden & unexpected Death had written to a young Kinsman of mine in this place, Mr Richard Checkley, proposing to him to go to Boston with a View of employing him in his Warehouse. I know not whether Mr A intended to employ him in his own separate Affairs or in those in which he was joyntly concernd with you for the publick. Mr C had not heard of his Death till he was just about setting off on his Journey to Boston when I informd him of it. He is a young Man who, I am told, bears a good Character and is used to Business. If you can employ him it will be doing him a singular Benefit and I shall acknowledge it as a great favor. I ask it only on this Condition, that it may be perfectly consistent with your Views. I am with Cordial Esteem, Sir

yr hble Servt

TO JAMES WARREN.

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

PHILADE Feb 12 -79

MY DEAR SR

Will you be so kind as to present my due Regards to Mrs Warren and let her know that immediately on my receiving her Letter for Miss Wray I deliverd it to the Care of my worthy Friend Colo Laurens who has since informd me that he has forwarded it in his own Packet to South Carolina.

I have lately written several Letters to my Friend Dr C & have informd him that you & he & Mr S are my only confidential Correspondents in Boston. I have other trusty Friends there, but I have not Leisure to write to them all. I have expressd my wish that the honest & virtuous Friends of our Country would cultivate a cordial Esteem for each other.

I am affraid there are little Jealousies among them which prevent their uniting their Councils and Efforts against that Inundation of Levity Vanity Luxury Dissipation & indeed Vice of every kind which I am informd threatens that Country which has heretofore stood with unexampled Firmness in the Cause of Liberty and Virtue. This Torrent must be stemmed, and in order to do it effectually, there must be a.s.sociations of Men of unshaken Fort.i.tude. A general Dissolution of Principles & Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the Common Enemy. While the People are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their Virtue they will be ready to surrender their Liberties to the first external or internal Invader. How necessary then is it for those who are determind to transmit the Blessings of Liberty as a fair Inheritance to Posterity, to a.s.sociate on publick Principles in Support of publick Virtue. I do verily believe, and I may say it inter Nos, that the Principles & Manners of N Engd, producd that Spirit which finally has establishd the Independence of America; and Nothing but opposite Principles and Manners can overthrow it. If you are of my Mind, and I think you are, the Necessity of supporting the Education of our Country must be strongly impressd on your Mind. It gives me the greatest Concern to hear that some of our Gentlemen in the Country begin to think the Maintenance of Schools too great a Burden. I wish they could hear the Encomiums that are given to N Engd by some of the most sensible & publick spirited Gentlemen in the southern States, for the Care & Expence which have been freely borne by our Ancestors & continued to this time for the Instruction of youth. Virginia is duly sensible of the great Importance of Education, and, as a friend in that Country informs me, has lately adopted an effectual Plan for that necessary Purpose. If Virtue & Knowledge are diffusd among the People, they will never be enslavd. This will be their great Security. Virtue & Knowledge will forever be an even Balance for Powers & Riches. I hope our Countrymen will never depart from the Principles & Maxims which have been handed down to us from our wise forefathers. This greatly depends upon the Example of Men of Character & Influence of the present Day.

This is a Subject my Heart is much set upon. But I fear I have wearied your Patience. I will conclude with my most ardent Prayer that our last Days may be our best Days and our last Works our best Works.

Adieu my dear Friend,

Pay my due Regards to your Circle in Plymouth. Are you intimate with Mr D. I mentiond him to you in a former Letter as an excellent Republican.

TO THE BOARD OF WAR AT BOSTON.

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

PHILAD Feb 16 1779

GENTN

I recd your Letr of 27 Jan and immediately communicated such of the Contents as relate to your Application to the Govr of N Y, to the Delegates of that State. They a.s.sured me that the Govrs refusing to grant a Permit to Mr Shepperd for the Transportation of Flour from thence must have been owing to the real & very great Scarcity of that Article there; and they desired me to satisfy you in that point, fearing that it mt be supposd to arise from other Motives. I will consult with my Colleagues and if any Means can be used by us to ensure Success to your Application from that Quarter you may depend upon our Exertion.

I am inclined to think that Govr C, who in my Opinion is a truly good Man, is apprehensive of being imposd upon by Speculators, unless he uses great Caution; and he may perhaps not be fully apprisd of your asking under the express Authority & Commission of Ma.s.sachusetts State.

And yet I shd suppose your Letter to him would have been sufficient without authenticated Doc.u.ments manifesting your Appointment. South Carolina is at so great a Distance that no Interposition of ours could avail, if it were necessary in the present Instance; but I am of Opinion there will be no Difficulty there in Case your Vessel arrives, the Embargo being over. I will write to Mess P in B & endeavor, shd there be any obstructions there to get them removd. A Come of Con have under Consideration a Letter from the Council of M B1 on the Subject of provisions, & I am informd they are ready to make Report.

If any thing shd occur which will make it expedient for me to write you further I shall not omit the first Oppty. In the mean time I am &c,

TO SAMUEL COOPER.

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

PHILAD Feb 21-79

MY DEAR SIR

By the last Post I sent to Mr W C2 some Extracts from an extraordinary Letter which I hope he has receivd. I think our Apprehensions are thereby strengthned, of an intended Monopoly of all the Trade and I may add of the richest Lands in America. The private & publick Letters of my Friend on the other side of the Atlantick having honestly stated Facts and led to important Discoveries, have renderd him an object of the hottest Resentment of interrested Men. I protest to you solemnly that the warm Affection I feel for a Man whom I never saw, is founded in a thorough Conviction of his long and unremitted Attachment to the Interests of America & of Mankind. But I will leave this Subject for the present.

The Spring advances, and very probably some new Overtures may soon be made, if it is only to feel the Pulse of America. Perhaps there may be a real Design in the British Cabinet to propose Terms of Accommodation.

We ought then to be previously thoughtful of so serious and momentous a Subject. I have Reason to think that Britain finds herself perplexd in the forming of Alliances and procuring Resources to her Satisfaction.

She has repeatedly and in vain applied to Russia first for Ships of War & then for Troops. Her disappointment may be owing to the superior Policy of France, who by interesting Russia as well as her self in the Affairs of Prussia & the Empress of Germany may have made it improper for Russia to take any Measure which might tend to involve Europe in War. I am affraid if we should be seriously engagd in negociating a Peace, there would be an intemperate pressing from without Doors for a speedy Conclusion, which would precipitate the Affair to our Disadvantage. It is probable that Peace may be the desireable Object in all the Courts in Europe while they are making the necessary Arrangements and preparing for War if that shd be the Event. If Britain should refuse to acknowledge the Independence of America a War with France & Spain wd probably ensue and the flame would spread. In that Case, Britain might be obligd so far to withdraw her Troops from America as to leave it in our power with the Spirit of Enterprize to make such Acquisitions as wd ensure a safe & lasting Peace. But if Europe shall remain quiet & Britain with the Acknowledgmt of our Independence shd pro pose Terms of Accommodation, would it be safe for America to leave Canada, Nova Scotia & Florida in her hands. I do not feel my self at a LOSS to answer this Question; but I wish to be fortified with the Sentiments of my judicious Friends. You may easily discern that I write this Letter in the utmost Hurry.Adieu.

1 Ma.s.sachusetts Bay.

2 William Cooper.