Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Constitution than yours. I am sensible of the Importance of your being at Congress at this time and I know the reluctance you have at leaveing your Duty there; but your health must be attended to. we shall want you again. you must therefore take a ride and Relax your Mind and Breath some of our Northern Elastic Air. Mr. Gerry is here and Intends to set out for Philadelphia on Monday next. My regards to Mr. Adams. I am your Friend,

J.W.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

WATERTOWN, Octr. 24th, 1776

MY DEAR SIR, I Received yours from Springfield and shall pay a proper regard to the Contents. have also spoke to Major Hawley as you desired. I believe there will be no danger of Barber's failing. since you left us we have been Engaged almost wholly about raising our Quota of Men. we have Committees gone to each Camp with great Encouragement in Addition to yours, and we have further Instructed them to Consult with the Generals and if they desired that our Militia now in the Army and Engaged to the 17th Novr. and first of December should be Continued, that they Endeavour to prevail with them to remain to the first of Feby. and to Engage them, three pounds per mo. from 17th Nov. this thing with a Representation made to Congress by a Committee, and which you will see before this reaches you, was done when we received Advice of the progress of our Enemies on the Lake and soon got a Copy of a Letter Genl. Schuyler sent to the Berkshire Committees. we have now a Committee Considering what further aid we can give the Northern Army. the Militia of Hampshire and Berkshire that have Arms are already marched. I believe we shall send up Ammunition and what Arms we have to those Counties, and provide some more men below. I hope their Career will be stoped. it would be a Misfortune indeed to have either of our Armies routed. we are this day designing to pass on a Commission for a Committee of War, who are to be vested with ample powers and Consequently may relieve the Assembly, dispatch Business. and save money. we have no other News from any quarter. a few prizes are daily dropping in. it is reported that a ship with forty light Horse on Board has been taken in the Channel of England by a Salem Privateer after an Obstinate Engagement, in which the privateer lost seventeen men. we are about moveing to Boston, haveing taken the Room belonging to the County. A Committee are Enlargeing and prepareing the Repre1 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

sentatives Room and say it will be finished next Tuesday. many of our Members, however, go with reluctance and it will delay it as much as possible. but these are small matters in Comparison of those which may be the Consequences of a General Action at York or Ticonderoga, and of those of forming a new Army, etc. God Grant us Success in both. I am an Enthusiast. I have full Confidence we shall succeed, tho' some things appear rather against us. I sent forward your Letter to Mrs. Adams. I hope to hear from you and of your safe Arrival at Philadelphia. I am with great Sincerity your Friend

J. W.

My regards to Mr. Gerry. I wrote to him last Sunday by the Express. Mr. Adams passed through this Town last Tuesday when the Court was setting, without seeing or being seen by any Body.

Our Naval Operations are Counteracted and discouraged by many sagacious devises of our Enemies or pretended Friends, but truly the lovers of Mammon, some of which I think should be Immediately remedied. A Vessel is sent out with orders to return directly back, or with Letters of that purpose, but designed only to shew upon a certain Occasion. She is on her arrival in the West Indies, Britain, or some such places Registered in the Name of some Person there, and then is Completely fixed [fitted]. the last is to Guard her against the British Cruisers, and if she is taken by ours, she is Claimed by the Original Owner, and the other said to be only designed for a protection against the Men of war, and to support the pretence the Orders and Letters are Advanced. by this means a very profitable Trade is Carried on to Hallifax, Newfoundland, the W. India Islands, etc., etc., and when they have been taken many of them have been [torn]. The Anxiety for the Event of the present Campaign is great. this is not to be wondered at. the Exultation and Tryumphing of the Tories is Intolerable. our want of Spirit to Crush them Contemptible; but above all the Indiscretion and Timidity of many of our Whiggs is truely ridiculous, tho' dangerous, being Calculated to aid and promote a general panic upon [any] reverse of our Affairs, a thing more [to be] dreaded than almost any thing.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

BOSTON, Novr. 18th, 1776

MY DEAR SIR, we are again set down in our Ancient and most Convenient Seat, your dear Town of Boston, where we proceed in Business I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

with a dispatch that Evinces the Conveniency of doing Business here, haveing done more in the week we have been here than we should have done in two at Watertown. we have chosen our delegates for the Ensuing Year. all the old ones were Chose by a great Majority and some of you almost Unanimously. to you we have added Mr. Dana and Mr. James Lovel, who we hear is arrived at the Jerseys. we have passed an Act for Reinforcing the Army in good Season to furnish 4000 men requested by Genl. Washington, if they shall be still wanted; tho' by the Intelligence we have of the retreat of the Army from Crown Point, and the rumour of the retreat of the British Army to the City of New York, we flatter ourselves this Campaign is at an End. we have formed a Board of War, with a very Extensive Commission, and appropriated to their disposition £200,000 to purchase every thing necessary to Enable us to Act vigorously the next Year. this Liberal Grant from our House, possessed of such a portion of Saveing Grace as they are, may shew how much we are in Earnest. if there be now an End of the Campaign, dont Britain make a Contemptible figure. now I have given you an Account of some of our doings shall I Enquire what your high Mightinesses are about. where is your Confederation. are your Embassadors gone, etc., etc. I wish I could Entertain you with any News of Importance but I can only tell you of prizes taken. but this is become so common that we hardly hear of them ourselves, unless they are from Europe with such Articles as we want much, and very rich besides. we have had divers such lately. A report prevails this day that Howe is Embarking his Troops, which occasions many Conjectures about the place of their destination. I forgot to tell you that this Harbour really looks Brilliant and Grand, as full of Ships as in the more flourishing State of Commerce, and all but a few armed Vessels prizes. you will please to remember that I have not a Line from you since your Arrival at Philadelphia. My regards to my good Friend Mr. Gerry. I am assuredly yours, etc.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

[No signature.]

BOSTON, Decr. 29th, 1776

MY DEAR SIR, Since my last I have several of your favours. that of the 4th Instant I received yesterday and one of the 12th this day by Mr. Brown. I hear there is one other in town which in my Absence has been opened by the Council and is yet in the possession of some of them and contains some matters of secrecy and Importance. why I dont I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

get it remains to some of them to Account for. they have frequently served me in this way lately, under pretence of the letters being publick ones. for which reason I could wish my Friends would not in future direct to me as Speaker of the House. I own I am astonished to find such a Lethargy and want of principle, a spirit prevailing in any one of the United Colonies, as to suffer an Army of 10 or 15,000, or even double that number to traverse through the heart of it with as little Interruption as a Man in times of profound peace might make a Journey. this has furnished me with Ideas intirely new and given me more anxiety than my own Apprehensions, or any thing that ever before took place have suggested. the Triumph of our Enemies and the disgrace to the Country mortify me much, but dont discourage me. I have full faith and Confidence we shall yet prevail. were I to see an Experiment of the like kind tried here with like success, I should think I had never Entertained proper Sentiments of this Country or the Contest we are Engaged in; but till I do I shall believe the Event of such a project here would be such as you and I could wish. I believe our hardy Countrymen would soon make such an Army repent their rashness and cut them to pieces before they should march thirty miles. but how comes it to pass that such an Event should take place any where. is it not oweing to the Indecition of Congress, to their delays, to the Lenity and Indulgence every where shewn our Internal Enemies, by which they have had Opportunities and Improved them to destroy the principle and spirit of defence, which was once vigorous enough any where to prevent such a disgrace. had Congress taken the same measures for forming an Army last June which they did in Septr., we should before this have had a fine Army on foot, well Cloathed and supplyed with everything, and the British Army probably cooped up in a Garrison under the Cannon of their Ships, Cut to pieces, or gone of in disgrace. had Congress last winter instead of this gone in Earnest into a Treaty with other powers, it would have Encouraged your friends and silenced your Enemies. I feel every day Embarrassment from their most Inveterate of all Enemies among ourselves; their secret Operations have always Injured us, Countermined now by our Absurd policy of foolish Lenity towards them and supported by Hopes from the small Advantages gained by the Enemy, they dare act their part without disguise. they poison the minds of the people, Interrupt our best measures and, in some measure, prevent our raising the Army so fast as I could wish. however, I have the pleasure to tell you that the prospects with regard to our quota are good. many are Inlisted and many are daily Inlisting. large quantities of Cloathing have been and now are providing with Industry and success, some of which is gone forward. the Alfred prize is arrived with Cloathing for twelve Regiments and a large quantity of

Blankets, tho' at the same time I must Lament the Loss of one of your Vessels lately taken by the Enemy, with a large quantity of powder and some arms. I am told one Bunker was the Master. I had before formed my Opinion of your "Excellent superlatively wise and great patriot." I despise his Timidity and Inconsistency. I have long dreaded their Effects. however, we are really Engaged in the Cause of God and Men, and I trust neither the Folly or wickedness of any Individual or Number of Men will prevent a happy Issue. Mr. Plaine], I suppose, has got Home. I wish him the Enjoyment of domestic Felicity. I am glad to find you approveing our Choice of Delegates. I cant say when Mr. Adams proposes to go. I am sensible you must want him, but I believe he dont go very soon. Mr. Dana and Lovel, I suppose, go this week. I condole with you on the Loss of General Lee. this Misfortune is greatly Lamented here. how could he be so Improvident as to suffer himself to be so Exposed to the Treachery of Rascals about him or to be taken in such a manner by a few light Horse. we are in daily and anxious Expectation of hearing the Issue of a general Action. the Lord Grant it may be in our favour. I hope they will neither get the Congress Napping or any other way. I like some of the materials of it too well to wish a Change of the whole. I am pleased to hear that our Affairs abroad wear a good Aspect. Our Attention is turned almost wholly on the war in general and the particular defence of this State. you know what situation you left this Town in. it has since been Improveing and will I hope soon be in a good posture of defence. however, I could wish there was more Firmness and Spirit in our Councils. there is an Instability and versa[ti]lity in them that by no means pleases me and I think Injures the good Cause. many things take place that I dont like and many are omitted that I do. I feel the want of that Connection I used to have. we have many new people and some old ones that are Timid and want firm Nerves, and others seven Years behind us in politicks. however, will do as well as I can; sufficient for you are your own difficulties. I am apprised of the regard the British Government have for us. I shall do all I can to be provided for them in the Spring, and tho' I should deprecate my Country's being the seat of War on any other Occasion, supposeing it best for the whole, I should be willing, now my dependence is on Providence and our own Exertions, and will think them sufficient. I hope there will be no Occasion for foreign Troops here. A Diversion in the West Indies or elsewhere might answer our purposes as well. My Compliments to my good Friend Mr. Gerry. shall write him soon. Adeu, my good Friend. I wish you the Blessings of Heaven and am, etc. [No signature.]

The Troops are Embarking or Embarkd at Rhode Island, but where

« AnteriorContinuar »