Chapter 50
CANDIDUS
_________________________________________________________________ 1Wells, at vol. ii,, pp. 349-352, prints an article ent.i.tled " An Earnest Appeal to the People," and signed "Sincerus,"
attributing the authors.h.i.+p to Adams.
TO MRS. ADAMS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADA Feby 26 1776.
MY DEAR
I have been impatiently waiting for a Letter from you. I think your last was dated the 21st of January--you cannot do me a greater Pleasure than by writing to me often. It is my Intention to make you a Visit as soon as the Roads which are now excessively bad shall be settled. Perhaps it may be not before April. I have tarried through the Winter, because I thought my self indispensably obligd so greatly to deny my self. Some of my Friends here tell me that I ought not to think of leaving this City at so critical a Season as the Opening of the Spring, but I am happy in the return of Mr Adams with Mr Gerry and in being a.s.sured that my Absence from Duty for a short time may be dispensd with and though I am at present in a good State of Health, the Jaunt may be necessary for the Preservation of it.
Whenever I shall have the pleasure of seeing you, to me it will be inexpressible, and I dare say our Meeting, after so long an Absense, will not be disagreeable to you.
I have nothing new to write to you. In one of your Letters you told me that Dr C had requested that I would sometimes write you on the Politicks of this place, and that he might see my Letters of that kind. Pay my due Regards to the Doctor when you see him & tell him that I can sca.r.s.ely find time to write you even a Love Letter. I will however for once give you a political Anecdote. Dr Smith Provost of the College here, by the Invitation of the Continental Congress, lately deliverd a funeral Oration on the gallant General Montgomery who fell at the Walls of Quebec.
Certain political Principles were thought to be interwoven with every part of the Oration which were displeasing to the Auditory.
It was remarkd that he could not even keep their Attention. A Circle of Ladies, who had seated themselves in a convenient place on purpose to see as well as hear the Orator, that they might take every Advantage for the Indulgence of Griefe on so melancholly an Occasion, were observd to look much disappointed and chagrind. The next day a Motion was made in Congress for requesting a Copy for the Press. The Motion was opposd from every Quarter, and with so many Reasons that the Gentleman who made the Motion desired Leave to withdraw it. Such was the fate of that Oration which is celebrated in the NEWSPAPERS of this City, perhaps by some one of the Orators Friends for I will not presume that HE was privy to the Compliment paid to it as "VERY ANIMATED AND PATHETICK."
TO JAMES WARREN.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADE March 8 1776
MY DEAR SIR
I now sit down just to acknowledge the Receipt of your favor of the 14th of Feby, and to mention to you a Matter which considerd in it self may appear to be of small Moment but in its Effects may be mischievous. I believe I may safely appeal to all the Letters which I have written to my Friends since I have been in this City to vindicate my self in affirming that I have never mentiond Mr C or referrd to his Conduct in any of them, excepting one to my worthy Colleague Mr A when he was at Watertown a few Weeks ago, in which I informd him of the side Mr C had taken in a very interresting Debate; and then I only observd that he had a Right to give his opinion whenever he was prepard to form one.
Yet I have been told that it has been industriously reported that Mr J A & my self have been secretly writing to his Prejudice and that our Letters had operated to his being superceded. So fully perswaded were Gentlemen of the Truth of this Report, and Mr D of N Y in particular whom I have heard express a warm Affection for Mr C, that he seemd scarcely willing to credit me when I contradicted it. Whether the report and a Beliefe of it engagd the confidential Friends of Mr C to open a charitable Subscription in support of his Character, I am not able to say.
If it was so, they ought in justice to him to have made themselves certain of the Truth of it; for to offer Aid to the Reputation of a Gentleman without a real Necessity is surely no Advantage to it. A Letter was handed about addressed to Mr C. The Contents I never saw--his Friends signd it. Other Gentlemen at their request also set their hands to it, perhaps with as much Indifference as a Man of Business would give a s.h.i.+lling to get rid of the Importunity of a Beggar. I hear it is supposd in Watertown to be an Address of Thanks from the Congress to Mr C for his eminent Services, in which his recall from Business here is mentiond with Regret--but this is most certainly a Mistake.
The Gentlemen signd it in their private Capacity. With Submission they should not have addressd it to another Person or publishd it to the World after the Manner of other Addressers; for if they intended it to recommend Mr C to his own Const.i.tuents, was it not
TO MRS. ADAMS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADELPHIA March 10th 1776
MY DEAR BETSY
I arrivd in this City from Baltimore last Sat.u.r.day. Having been indisposd there so as to be obligd to keep my Chamber ten days, I was unable to travel with my Friends, but through the Goodness of G.o.d I have got rid of my Disorder and am in good Health. Mrs Ross, at whose House I took Lodging in Baltimore treated me with great Civility and Kindness and was particularly attentive to me in my Sickness, and Wadsworth is as clever a young Man, as I ever met with. Tell Mr Collson, if you see him, he more than answers my Expectation even from the good Character he gave me of him.
I hope, my dear, that you and my Faniily enjoy a good Share of Health. It is my constant & ardent Prayer that the best of Heavens Blessings may rest on you and on them. I lately receivd a Letter from my Son, and since I came to this Place, General Morris of New York tells me he frequently saw him at Peeks Kill, and that he behavd well. Nothing gives me greater Satisfaction than to hear that he supports a good Reputation. I hope my Friends do not flatter me.
I am greatly disappointed in not receiving your last Letter. It was owing to the Friends.h.i.+p of Mr Hanc.o.c.k who took it up in this place, and not expecting my Return from Baltimore so soon, he forwarded it by a careful hand who promisd him to deliver it to me there. I shall receive it in a day or two by the Post. Pray write to me by every opportunity and believe me to be,
Your affectionate,
P. S.
Just as I was going to close this Letter I receivd from Baltimore your kind Letter of the 26th of January. The Post being now ready to set off I have only time to acknowledge the favor.
March 12th
TO JOSEPH PALMER.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a part of the letter is in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. x.x.x., p. 310; a portion of the text is in W. C. Ford, Writings of George Was.h.i.+ngton, vol. iii., p. 103, from MS. owned by Mrs. J.
S. H. Fogg.]
PHILAD April 2 1776
MY DEAR SIR/
I am yet indebted to you for the obliging Letter I received from you some Months ago. The Subject of it was princ.i.p.ally concerning a young Gentleman whom I personally know, and whose Merit in my opinion int.i.tles him to singular Notice from his Country. This may seem like Flattery--you may be a.s.sured it is not--nor indeed do I know how flatter. Words however are oftentimes, though spoken in Sincerity, but Wind. If I had had it in my power substantially to have servd that young Gentleman you would have long ago heard from me. The Want of that opportunity causd me to lay down my pen divers times after I had even begun to write to you--you will not therefore, I hope, construe my long Delay as the least Want of that just Regard which I owe to you.
Many Advantages arose to our Colony by the Congress adopting the Army raisd in N Engd the last Spring but among the Misfortunes attending it this was one, namely that it being now a Continental Army, the Gentlemen of all Colonies had a Right to and put in for a Share in behalf of their Friends in filling up the various offices. By this means it was thought that military knowledge and Experience as well as the military Spirit would spread thro the Colonies and besides that they would all consider themselves the more interrested in the Success of our Army and in providing for its support. But then there was the less Room for Persons who were well worthy of Notice in the Colonies which had first raisd the Army. This was the Cause why many of our Friends were discontented who did not advert to it. When the Quarter Master was appointed, I question whether any of your Friends knew, I am sure I did not, that the Gentleman I have referrd to sustaind that office; there was therefore no designd Neglect of him here.
Mr Ms Character stood so high that no Gentleman could hesitate to put him into a place which was understood to be vacant & which he was so well qualified to fill. The Truth is, we have never had that Information from our Friends at Watertown of the State of things which we have thought we had good reason to expect from them. I do a.s.sure you I have often been made acquainted with the State of Affairs in our Colony, as well as I could from Letters shown to me by Gentlemen of other Colonies. I do not mention this without duly considering that the Attention of our Friends must have been turnd to a great Variety of Business.
I heartily congratulate you upon the sudden and important Change of our Affairs in the Removal of the Barbarians from the Capital.
We owe our grateful Acknowledgments to him who is, as he is frequently stiled in sacred Writ "The Lord of Hosts" "The G.o.d of Armies"--We have not yet been informd with Certainty what Course the Enemy have steerd. I hope we shall be upon our Guard against future Attempts. Will not Care be taken immediately to fortify the Harbour & thereby prevent the Entrance of s.h.i.+ps of War ever hereafter? But I am called to Duty and must break off abruptly.
Adieu my Friend and be a.s.sured I am affectionately yours,
_________________________________________________________________ 1Of Braintree. A member of each provincial congress of Ma.s.sachusetts.
TO SAMUEL COOPER.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADA April 3 1776.
MY DEAR FRIEND
I lately recd a very obliging Letter from you for which I now return you my hearty Thanks. I wish your Leisure would admit of your frequently favoring me with your Thoughts of our publick Affairs. I do a.s.sure you I shall make use of them, as far as my Ability shall extend, to the Advantage of our Country. If you please, I will employ a few Minutes in giving you my own Ideas, grounded on the best Intelligence I have been able to obtain.
Notwithstanding Shame and Loss attended the Measures of the British Court the last Summer and Fall, yet by the latest Accounts recd from our Friends in that Country, it appears that they are determind to persevere. They then reckond (in December) upon having 20,000 Troops in America for the next Campaign. Their Estimate was thus-- 6000 in Boston--7000 to go from Ireland--3000 Highlanders raising under General Frazier and the rest to be in Recruits--of the 7000 from Ireland, we are told, that 3000 were to sail for Virginia and North Carolina & were expected to be on that Coast in March or the Beginning of April. It is probable then that the Ministry have not quitted the Plan which they had agreed upon above a twelvemonth ago; which was, to take Possession of New York--make themselves Masters of Hudsons River & the Lakes, thereby securing Canada and the Indians--cut off all Communication between the Colonies Northward & Southward of Hudsons River, and thus to subdue the former in hopes by instigating the Negroes to make the others an easy Prey. Our Success, a great Part of which they had not then heard of, it is to be hoped has renderd this Plan impracticable; yet it is probable that the main Body of these Troops is designd to carry it into Execution, while the rest are to make a Diversion in the Southern Colonies. Those Colonies, I think, are sufficiently provided for. Our Safety very much depends upon our Vigilance & Success in N York & Canada. Our Enemies did not neglect Hudsons River the last year. We know that one of their Transports arrivd at N York, but Gage, seizd with a Panick orderd that & the other transports destind for that Place, to Boston. I have ever thought it to be their favorite Plan; not only because it appeard to me to be dictated by sound Policy, but because from good Intelligence which I receivd from England the last Winter, they revivd it after it had been broken in upon by Gage, and sent Tryon to New York to remove every obstacle in the Way of landing the Troops there, and to cooperate with Carleton in the Execution of it.--
The Kings Troops have now abandond Boston, on which I sincerely congratulate you. We have not yet heard what Course they have steerd. I judge for Hallifax. They may return if they hear that you are off your Guard. Or probably they may go up St Lawrence River as early as the Season will admit of it. Does it not behove N England to secure her self from future Invasions, while the Attention of Congress is turnd to N York & Canada. We seem to have the Game in our own hands; if we do not play it well, Misfortune will be the Effect of our Negligence and Folly. The British Court sollicited the a.s.sistance of Russia; but we are informd that they faild of it through the Interposition of France by the Means of Sweden. The ostensible Reason on the Part of Russia was, that there was no Cartel settled between Great Britain and America; the Want of which will make every Power reluctant in lending their Troops. France is attentive to this Struggle and wishes for a Separation of the two Countries. I am in no Doubt that she would with Chearfulness openly lend her Aid to promote it, if America would declare herself free and independent; for I think it is easy to see what great though different Effects it would have in both those Nations. Britain would no longer have it in her Power to oppress.