Chapter 47
I wrote to you a few days ago by young Mr. Brown, and then acknowledged your favour of the 9th instant.
You tell me that a committee of both houses of a.s.sembly is appointed to bring in a militia bill. I am of your opinion, that this matter requires great attention, and I wish with you to see our militia formed not only into battalions, but also brigades.
But should we not be cautious of putting them under the direction of the generals of the continent, at least until such a legislative shall be established over all America, as every colony shall consent to?
The continental army is very properly under the direction of the continental congress. Possibly, if ever such a legislative should be formed, it may be proper that the whole military power in every Colony should be under its absolute direction. Be that as it may, will it not till then be prudent that the militia of each colony should be and remain under the sole direction of its own legislative, which is and ought to be the sovereign and uncontrollable power within its own limits or territory? I hope our militia will always be prepared to aid the forces of the continent in this righteous opposition to tyranny. But this ought to be done upon an application to the government of the colony.
Your militia is your natural strength, which ought under your own direction to be employed for your own safety and protection. It is a misfortune to a colony to become the seat of war. It is always dangerous to the liberties of the people to have an army stationed among them, over which they have no control. There is at present a necessity for it; the continental army is kept up within our colony, most evidently for our immediate security. But it should be remembered that history affords abundant instances of established armies making themselves the masters of those countries, which they were designed to protect. There may be no danger of this at present, but it should be a caution not to trust the whole military strength of a colony in the hands of commanders independent of its established legislative.
It is now in the power of our a.s.sembly to establish many wholesome laws and regulations, which could not be done under the former administration of government. Corrupt men may be kept out of places of public trust; the utmost circ.u.mspection I hope will be used in the choice of men for public officers. It is to be expected that some who are void of the least regard to the public, will put on the appearance and even speak boldly the language of patriots, with the sole purpose of gaining the confidence of the public, and securing the loaves and fishes for themselves or their sons or other connexions. Men who stand candidates for public posts, should be critically traced in their views and pretensions, and though we would despise mean and base suspicion, there is a degree of jealousy which is absolutely necessary in this degenerate state of mankind, and is indeed at all times to be considered as a political virtue. It is in your power also to prevent a plurality of places incompatible with each other being vested in the same persons. This our patriots have loudly and very justly complained of in time past, and it will be an everlasting disgrace to them if they suffer the practice to continue. Care I am informed is taking to prevent the evil with as little inconvenience as possible, but it is my opinion that the remedy ought to be deep and thorough.
After all, virtue is the surest means of securing the public liberty. I hope you will improve the golden opportunity of restoring the ancient purity of principles and manners in our country. Every thing that we do, or ought to esteem valuable, depends upon it. For freedom or slavery, says an admired writer, will prevail in a country according as the disposition and manners of the inhabitants render them fit for the one or the other.
P.S. Nov. 4th. Yesterday the colours of the 7th regiment were presented to the Congress. They were taken at Fort Chamblee; the garrison surrendered prisoners of war to Major Brown of the Ma.s.sachusetts forces, with one hundred and twenty-four barrels of gunpowder! May heaven grant us further success.1
_________________________________________________________________ 1In the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library, is the draft of a letter, endorsed as to James Warren, the body of which is almost identical with the foregoing. The postscript, however, is as follows:
Novr 4th
My Time is so little at my own Disposal that I am obligd to improve a Moment as I can catch it to write to a Friend. I wish I was at Liberty to communicate to you some of our Proceedings, but I am restraind, and though it is painful to me to keep
Yesterday the Congress was presented with the Colors of the 7th Regiment taken at Fort Chamblee which was a few days ago surrendered to Major Brown--ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY FOUR BARRILS OF GUN POWDER--May Heaven grant us further success. I am
Your affectionate Friend,
TO MRS. ADAMS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADA, Novr 7th 1775
MY DEAR
My last Letter to you I sent by young Mr Gowen Brown who left this place about a fortnight ago. I know not how many I have written. I wish you would send me the Dates of those you have receivd, in your next.
My Son informs me in a late Letter, that you were about removing to little Cambridge. I am exceedingly pleasd with it, because I am sure you could not be comfortable in your house at Dedham in the cold Season. When we shall return to our Habitation in Boston, if ever, is uncertain. The Barbarity of our Enemies in the Desolations they have wantonly made at Falmouth and elsewhere, is a Presage of what will probably befall that Town which has so long endur'd the Rage of a merciless Tyrant. It has disgracd the Name of Britain, and added to the Character of the Ministry, another indelible Mark of Infamy. We must be content to suffer the Loss of all things in this Life, rather than tamely surrender the publick Liberty. The Eyes of the People of Britain seem to be fast closed; if they should ever be opened they will rejoyce, and thank the Americans for resisting a Tyranny which is manifestly intended to overwhelm them and the whole British Empire. Righteous Heaven will surely smile on a Cause so righteous as ours is, and our Country, if it does its Duty will see an End to its Oppressions. Whether I shall live to rejoyce with the Friends of Liberty and Virtue, my fellow Laborers in the Common Cause, is a Matter of no Consequence. I will endeavor by G.o.ds a.s.sistance, to act my little part well--to approve my self to Him, and trust every thing which concerns me to his all- gracious Providence.
The Newspapers will give you an Account of the Surrender of the Garrison at Fort Chambly to Major Brown of the Ma.s.sachusetts. The Colors of the 7th Regiment were taken there and were brought to the Congress on Fryday last.
I wrote to my Daughter not long ago. I hope she has receivd the Letter. Remember me to her and to Sister Polly and all the other Friends.
You will believe, my dear Betsy, without the Formality of my repeating it to you, that I am, most affectionately,
Your,
TO JAMES BOWDOIN.
[Proceedings of Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society, 1st ser., vol.
xii., pp. 226, 227.]
PHILADELPHIA. Nov. 16. 1775.
SIR,--I embrace this opportunity of writing to you by your son, whose unexpected arrival from London the last week gave me much pleasure. He seems in a great degree to have recovered his health; & I dare say it will be still more satisfactory to you to find, that he is warmly attached to the Rights of his Country & of mankind. Give me leave to congratulate you, & also to express to you the joy I feel on another occasion; which is, that your own health is so far restored to you, as to enable you again, & at so important a crisis, to aid our Country with your council.
For my own part, I had even buried you, though I had not forgot you. I thank G.o.d who had disappointed our fears; & it is my ardent prayer that your health may be perfectly restored & your eminent usefulness long continued.
We live, my Dear Sir, in an important age--an age in which we are called to struggle hard in support of the public Liberty. The conflict, I am satisfied, will the next spring be more severe than ever. The Pet.i.tion of Congress has been treated with insolent contempt. I cannot conceive that there is any room to hope from the virtuous efforts of the people of Britain. They seem to be generally unprincipled and fitted for the yoke of arbitrary power. The opposition of the few is feeble and languid- -while the Tyrant is flushed with expectations from his fleets & armies, & has, I am told, explicitly declared, that "Let the consequences be what they may, it is his UNALTERABLE determination, to COMPEL the colonists to absolute obedience."
The plan of the British Court, as I was well informed the last winter, was, to take possession of New York, make themselves masters of Hudson's River & the Lakes, cut off all communication between the Northern & Southern Colonies, & employ the Canadians upon whom they greatly relied, in distressing the frontiers of New England. Providence has smiled upon our northern expedition.
Already St. Johns is reduced, & if we gain the possession of all Canada this winter, of which there is a fair prospect, their design, so far as it respects this part of their plan, will be totally frustrated.
I will not further trespa.s.s upon your time. If you can find leisure, a letter from you will exceedingly oblige me, for you may believe me when I a.s.sure you that I am with the greatest esteem--
Your Friend and very humble Servant,
TO JAMES OTIS.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a certified copy is in the Ma.s.sachusetts Archives, 194: 160; and a text is in Force, American Archives, 4th ser., vol. iii, p. 1654, and in Acts and Resolves of the Province of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, vol v., pp. 524, 525.]
PHILADELPHIA Nov 23 1775
SIR/
Having maturely considerd your Letter of the 11th of Novr written in the Name & by order of the Honb the Council of the Ma.s.sachusetts Bay & directed to the Delegates of that Colony,2 and consulted with my Colleagues3 thereon, I beg Leave to offer it as my opinion, that the Resolve of Congress pa.s.sed on the 9th of June last relative to establis.h.i.+ng Civil Government must be superseeded by the subsequent resolve of the 3 of July following so far as they appear to militate with each other. By the last of these Resolves the Conventions, or a.s.semblies of the several Colonies annually elective are at their Discretion either to adopt the Method pointed out for the regulation of their Militia in whole or in part or to continue their former Regulations as they on Consideration of all Circ.u.mstances shall think fit; It seems manifest therefore that the Honbl Council are under no restraint from yielding to the Honbl House a Voice.... them in the Choice of the Militia officers in the Colony.
I am prevaild upon to believe that this is the Sense of the Congress because they have lately recommended to the Colony of New Hamps.h.i.+re to set up & exercise Government in such form as they shall judge most conducive to the promotion of peace & good order among themselves--without Restriction of any kind.
As the Hon Board have been pleasd to direct us to give our opinion either with or without consulting our Brethren of the Congress as we shall judge best, I hope I shall be justified in declining on my part to have the Matter laid before Congress for Reasons which were of Weight in my own Mind; and indeed I am of opinion that the Congress would not chuse to take any order of that kind, they having constantly declind to determine on any Matter which concerns the internal Police of either of the united Colonies.
It is my most ardent Wish that a cordial Agreement between the two Houses may ever take place, and more especially in the Establishment of the Militia, upon which the Safety of the Colony so greatly depends.
I am with all due regards to the Honbl Board,
Sir, your most humble Servant,
________________________________________________________________ 1Addressed as President of the Council of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay.
2The words "in the Continental Congress" were stricken from the draft.
3Originally "Brethren."
TO JAMES WARREN.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]