delay. But be assured, that no person now in Boston is more deeply sensible of the distress, nor more desirous of relieving our brethren there, than the members of this committee. Encouragement will be given to-morrow to the wagoners in the country to repair to Boston, to give all possible assistance to our friends in the removal of their effects. I wrote yesterday to General Gage upon the subject, and requested him to take into consideration the expediency of restraining the country from sending in more than thirty wagons at one time; but I have received no answer. If I should receive any, the contents, so far as they respect my ever-dear town of Boston, shall be communicated to you.

I am, gentlemen, with the sincerest respect and warmest affection, your most obedient servant.

Colonel Benedict Arnold had just arrived in the camp from Connecticut, and he proposed to lead an expedition to capture Ticonderoga. Warren was appointed on a committee on this subject, and took great interest in it. I have space, however, for only the following letter, in which he expresses consideration of the rights of a sister colony:

CAMBRIDGE, April 30, 1775.

It has been proposed to us to take possession of the Fortress of Ticonderoga. We have a just sense of the importance of that fortification, and the usefulness of those fine cannon, mortars, and field-pieces which are there; but we would not, even upon this emergency, infringe upon the rights of our sister colony, New York. But we have desired the gentleman who carries this letter to represent the matter to you, that you may give such orders as are agreeable to you. We are, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servants,

To ALEXANDER MCDOUGAL.

JOSEPH WARREN, Chairman.

On the 1st of May, Warren received a reply to his letter of the preceding day, signed by five of the selectmen, who said that General Gage thought he could not officially correspond with Warren, but desired them to reply to his letter. The plan of

granting permits was substantially satisfactory; but on various pretexts the people continued to be retained in the town.1

On the 2d, the Provincial Congress appointed a committee to wait on Warren, to know whether he could serve them as their president, when he replied by the following note, written on the blank leaf of the letter of the selectmen of Boston: "Doct. Warren presents his respects to the honorable Provincial Congress; informs them that he will obey their order, and attend his duty in congress in the afternoon." He was a good deal disturbed at the action of Connecticut, which had sent an embassy to General Gage; and he addressed the following remarkable letter to the Government of that colony, which I copy from the original in Warren's handwriting:

CAMBRIDGE, May 2, 1775.

We yesterday had a conference with Dr. Johnson and Colonel Wolcott, who were appointed by your assembly to deliver a letter to, and hold a conference with, General Gage. We feel the warmest gratitude to you for those generous and affectionate sentiments which you entertain towards us. But you will allow us to express our uneasiness on account of one paragraph in your letter, in which a cessation of hostilities is proposed. We fear that our brethren in Connecticut are not even yet convinced of the cruel designs of Administration against America, nor thoroughly sensible of the miseries to which General Gage's army have reduced this wretched colony. We have lost the town, and, we greatly fear, the inhabitants of Boston, as we find the general is perpetually making new conditions, and forming the most unreasonable pretences for retarding their removal from that garrison. Our seaports on the eastern coasts are mostly deserted. Our people have been barbarously murdered by an insidious enemy, who, under cover of the night, have marched into the heart of the

1 The following selectmen signed this letter: John Scollay, Thomas Marshall, Timothy Newell, Samuel Austin, John Pitts.

country, spreading destruction with fire and sword. No business but that of war is either done or thought of in this colony. No agreement or compact with General Gage will in the least alleviate our distress, as no confidence can possibly be placed in any assurances he can give to a people whom he has first deceived in the matter, taking possession of and fortifying the town of Boston, and whom he has suffered his army to attack in the most inhuman and treacherous manner. Our relief now must arise from driving General Gage, with his troops, out of the country, which, by the blessing of God, we are determined to accomplish, or perish in the attempt; as we think an honorable death [far better to meet]1 in the field, whilst fighting for the liberties of all America, [far to be preferable] 2 to being butchered in our own houses, or to being reduced to an ignominious slavery. We must entreat, that our sister colony, Connecticut, will afford immediately all possible aid, as at this time delay will be att[ended] with all that fatal train of events which would follow from an absolute desertion of the cause of American liberty. Excuse our earnestness upon this subject, as we know that upon the success of our present depend the lives and liberties of our country and of succeeding generations.

We are, &c.

Warren attended the session of congress in the afternoon; for his name occurs on two committees, -one relating to the inhabitants of Boston, and the other on the subject of making a communication to the Continental Congress.

On the 3d, Warren was appointed by the Provincial Congress one of three persons to procure a copperplate on which to print the colony notes which had been authorized, and to countersign them. On this day, the congress sent to the Continental Congress a brief summary of what the colony had done; and, "with the most respectful submission, whilst acting in support of the cause of America," requested its direction and assistance. It terms the British troops

1 These words are interlined.

2 There is much blotting in the manuscript at this place.

"the ministerial army." Having stated the steps taken to raise an army, and the application that had been made to Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, congress said that the sudden exigency precluded the possibility of waiting for the direction of the Continental Congress. It expressed the greatest confidence in the wisdom and ability of the continent, and their determination to sustain Massachusetts, so far as it should appear to be necessary for supporting the common cause of the American colonies.

On the 4th, Governor Trumbull wrote a reply to the letter of Warren, which is superscribed, "Hon. Joseph Warren, Esq., chairman of the committee of safety," that dispelled all uneasiness relative to the course of Connecticut. On this day, the committee of safety, in view of the extreme exigency of public affairs, ୧୯ Resolved, as the opinion of this committee, that the public good of this colony requires, that government in full form ought to be taken up immediately; and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the congress now sitting at Watertown." On this day, Warren was appointed chairman of a committee to hold a conference with the embassy from Connecticut, who had come out of Boston after an interview with General Gage; and he was appointed the chairman of a committee, the other members being Gerry and Colonel James Warren, to prepare a letter to the assembly of Connecticut on the subject of its application.

On the 5th, on the complaint that one of General Ward's officers, by insolent behavior, had obstructed the removal of the Bostonians, the Provincial Con

gress ordered a sharp letter to be sent by one of its members to the general. The first draft of this letter, as reported in Congress, contained the name of the individual, and related to the single case. This was stricken out, and the following inserted, which appear in Warren's handwriting: "Therefore, sir, you are directed to examine into the matter, and give such orders as shall be effectual for the future, strictly to execute, &c. ... And also that you give directions to your officers carefully to execute the resolves of congress, in all matters in which they are to act, without any levity or indecency of expression or behavior." On this day, congress resolved that General Gage had utterly disqualified himself to serve this colony as governor, and in every other capacity;" and it issued a precept for a new Provincial Congress.

On the 6th, Warren was appointed by the Provincial Congress the chairman of a committee to consider a letter which had been received from the speaker of the Connecticut assembly. Reports were current in the camp now, that the regulars were about to make an attack somewhere. About six o'clock, P.M., the army paraded, and portions were ordered to lie on their arms all night.

On Sunday, the 7th, the Provincial Congress held three sessions, meeting first at eight o'clock, then at twelve, and at four; and the urgency of the hour is indicated in the resolve it passed, directing the committee on supplies to procure arms and bayonets of any colony on the continent.

On the 8th, Warren, as president of the Provincial Congress in Watertown, signed a letter addressed to "The Hon. Artemas Ward, Esq., general of the