Chapter 38
The Committee appointed by this Town to receive donations for the relief of our poor, suffering by the shutting up this port, have this day received by the hands of Mr. Roger Wellington, 81/2 bushels of rye and 10 bushels Indian corn, as a donation from several gentlemen of Brookfield; but as we received no letter advising us who we are particularly obliged to for this kind present, we take this opportunity to request you will please to return the sincere thanks of this Town to all those Gentlemen that contributed towards this donation. We esteem it a confirmaiton of that union and friends.h.i.+p which subsists at this time, and is of the utmost importance to secure the rights and liberties of this Province and indeed of all America. We shall endeavor to distribute the donations of our friends to the best advantage to promote industry and harmony in this Town. Wis.h.i.+ng you the rewards that attend the generous,
We are, with great respect and grat.i.tude, Sir, your friends and servants,
_________________________________________________________________ 1 Of Brookfield, Ma.s.sachusetts.
TO FISHER GAY.
[Collections of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., pp. 15, 16.]
BOSTON, August 4th, 1774.
SIR,
Your favor of 25th July, directed to John Barrett, Esq., has been laid before the Committee to receive and distribute Donations, and has been answered, July 29th,1 which [we] trust you will duly receive. Since which Capt. Williams has arrived and delivered to the Committee's Treasurer, one hundred and sixteen and half bushels of rye, and one hundred and ninety bushels of Indian corn, as a donation from our generous, patriotic friends in Farmington. This Committee, in the name of the Town, return you and our other friends their most grateful acknowledgments, and a.s.sure [you we] shall do our utmost to distribute it, agreeable to the benevolent intentions of the contributors. As Capt.
Williams brought us no letter, nor had any particular directions about the freight of the grain, the Committee immediately agreed to pay the same, and offered it to Capt. Williams, but he chose rather to suspend the receiving of it until further day. You may be a.s.sured that the friends of Liberty and a righteous government are firm and steady to the common cause of American rights. We are in hopes to keep our poor from murmuring, and that, by the blessing of Heaven, we shall shortly be confirmed in that freedom for which our ancestors entered the wilds of America.
With the greatest respect we are, Sir, your friends and fellow- countrymen. By order of the Committee appointed to receive Donations for the employment or relief of the sufferers by the Boston Port Bill.
_______________________________________________________________ 1Cf. page 148.
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADE Sept. 14 1774.
GENTLEMEN
I have been waiting with great Impatience for a Letter from the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston upon whose Wisdom and Judgement I very much rely. The Congress is resolved into Committees and Sub-Committees and all seem fully sensible of the intollerable Grievances which the Colonies are struggling under, and determined to procure effectual redress. The Subject Matter of their Debates I am restraind upon Honor from disclosing at present; but I may a.s.sure you that the Sentiments of the Congress..h.i.therto discoverd and the Business a.s.signd to the several Committees are such as perfectly coincide with your Expectations.
The Spirit of our Countrymen does them great Honor--Our Brethren of the County of Middles.e.x have resolvd n.o.bly, and their resolutions1 are read by the several Members of this Body with high Applause.
It is generally agreed that an opposition to the new Mode of Government ought to be maintaind. A warm Advocate for the Cause of Liberty to whom America is much obligd for his former Labors told me that he was fully of Opinion that no officer under the new Establishment ought to be acknowledgd; on the other hand that each of them should be warned against exercising any Authority upon pain of the UTMOST Resentment of the people. It is therefore greatly to his Satisfaction to observe the Measures that have been taken. I am pleasd to hear that a provincial Congress is proposd, and cannot but promise my self that the firm manly and persevering Opposition of that single province will operate to the total frustration of the villainous Designs of our Tyrants and their Destruction.
I hope the Committee will continue to act up to their Dignity and Importance.--I am yet of Opinion that Heaven will honor them with a great Share of the Merit of
May G.o.d inspire them with Wisdom & Fort.i.tude. I must beg them to excuse this hasty Effusion of an honest heart, having been just now (while in a Committee) informd that a Vessell is immediately about to sail to Marblehead. Pray let me hear from the Committee- -being as you all know A MAN OF FORTUNE, you need not fear putting me to the Expence of postage--direct to Mr Saml Smith and Sons Merchts in this City. I conclude with my warmest Prayers to the Supreme Being for the Salvation of our Country, your Friend Fellow Countryman & Fellow Labourer,
_________________________________________________________________ 1 The proceedings are in Journals of each Provincial Congress of Ma.s.sachusetts, pp. 609-614.
TO CHARLES CHAUNCY.
[Force, American Archives, 4th ser., vol. i., p. 793.]
PHILADELPHIA September 19, 1774.
REVEREND SIR:
I have had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you since my arrival in this city. Our friend, Mr. Quincy, informed me before I left Boston, of his intention to take pa.s.sage for England. I am persuaded he may do great service to our country there. Agreeably to his and your requests, I have desired gentlemen here to make him known to their friends and correspondents.
Last Friday Mr. Revere brought us the spirited and patriotick Resolves of your County ofSuffolk.2 We laid them before the Congress. They were read with great applause, and the Enclosed Resolutions were unanimously pa.s.sed, which give you a faint idea of the spirit of the Congress. I think I may a.s.sure you that America will make a point of supporting Boston to the utmost. I have not time to enlarge, and must therefore conclude with a.s.suring you that I am, with great] regard, your affectionate and humble servant,
_________________________________________________________________ 1The date is given as September 18 in Frothingham, Life and Times of Joseph Warren, p. 367.
2Journals of each Provincial Congress of Ma.s.sachusetts, pp. 601- 609.
TO JOSEPH WARREN.
[R. Frothingham, Life and Times of Joseph Warren, p. 377; a draft is in the Lenox Library.]
PHILADELPHIA, September, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR
Your letter of the 12th instant, directed to Mr. Cus.h.i.+ng and others, came duly to hand. The subject of it is of great importance. It is difficult, at this distance, to form a judgment, with any degree of accuracy, of what is best to be done. The eastern and western counties appear to differ in sentiment with regard to the two measures mentioned in your letter. This difference of sentiment might produce opposition, in case either part should be taken. You know the vast importance of union. That union is most likely to be obtained by a consultation of deputies from the several towns, either in a House of Representatives or a Provincial Congress. But the question still remains, which measure to adopt. It is probable that the people would be most united, as they would think it safest, to abide by the present form of government,--I mean according to the charter.
The governor has been appointed by the Crown, according to the charter; but he has placed himself at the head of a different const.i.tution. If the only const.i.tutional council, chosen last May, have honesty and courage enough to meet with the representatives chosen by the people by virtue of the last writ, and jointly proceed to the public business, would it not bring the governor to such an explicit conduct as either to restore the general a.s.sembly, or give the two Houses a fair occasion to declare the chair vacant? In which case the council would hold it till another governor should be appointed. This would immediately reduce the government prescribed in the charter; and the people would be united in what they would easily see to be a const.i.tutional opposition to tyranny. You know there is a charm in the word "const.i.tutional."
TO JOSEPH WARREN.
[R. Frothingham, Life and Times of Joseph Warren, pp. 377, 378; a draft is in the Lenox Library.]
PHILADELPHIA, September 25, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR,--I wrote you yesterday by the post. A frequent communication at this critical conjuncture is necessary. As the all-important American cause so much depends upon each colony's acting agreeably to the sentiments of the whole, it must be useful to you to know the sentiments which are entertained here of the temper and conduct of our province. Heretofore we have been accounted by many, intemperate and rash; but now we are universally applauded as cool and judicious, as well as spirited and brave. This is the character we sustain in congress. There is, however, a certain degree of jealousy in the minds of some, that we aim at a total independency, not only of the mother- country, but of the colonies too; and that, as we are a hardy and brave people, we shall in time overrun them all. However groundless this jealousy may be, it ought to be attended to, and is of weight in your deliberations on the subject of your last letter. I spent yesterday afternoon and evening with Mr d.i.c.kinson. He is a true Bostonian. It is his opinion, that, if Boston can safely remain on the defensive, the liberties of America, which that town has so n.o.bly contended for, will be secured. The congress have, in their resolve of the 17th instant, given their sanction to the resolutions of the county of Suffolk, one of which is to act merely on the defensive, so long as such conduct may be justified by reason and the principles of self- preservation, but NO LONGER. They have great dependence upon your tried patience and fort.i.tude. They suppose you mean to defend your civil const.i.tution. They strongly recommend perseverance in a firm and temperate conduct, and give you a full pledge of their united efforts in your behalf. They have not yet come to final resolutions. It becomes them to be deliberate. I have been a.s.sured, in private conversation with individuals, that, if you should be driven to the necessity of acting in the defence of your lives or liberty, you would be justified by their const.i.tuents, and openly supported by all the means in their power; but whether they will ever be prevailed upon to think it necessary for you to set up another form of government, I very much question, for the reason I have before suggested. It is of the greatest importance, that the American opposition should be united, and that it should be conducted so as to concur with the opposition of our friends in England. Adieu,
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS TO GENERAL GAGE.1 [OCTOBER, 1774.]
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
TO GENERAL GAGE.
Sir,
The Delegates from his Majestys several Colonies of New Hamps.h.i.+re * * * * * * * * * * * a.s.sembled in general Congress in the City of Philadelphia take the Liberty of addressing you upon Subjects of the last Importance, to your own Character, Happiness and Peace of Mind, to his Majestys Service, to the Wellfare of that Province over which you preside and of all North America, and, perhaps, of the whole British Empire.
The Act of the British Parliament for shutting up the Harbour of Boston is universally deemd to be unjust and cruel; and the World now sees with Astonishment & Indignation the Distress which the Inhabitants of that loyal though devoted Town are suffering under the most rigid Execution of it.
There are two other Acts pa.s.sed in the present Session of Parliament, the one for regulating the Government of the Province of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay and the other ent.i.tled an Act for the more impartial Administration of Justice in the same Province; the former of these Acts was made with the professed Purpose of materially altering the Charter of that Province granted by his Majesties Royal Predecessors King William & Queen Mary for themselves their Heirs &c forever; and both or either of them if put into Execution will shake the Foundations of that free & happy Const.i.tution which is the Birthright of English Subjects, and totally destroy the inestimable Blessing of Security in Life Liberty and Property.