bitterness the Managers of our affairs in France. they have certainly been abused by some Body or other. Your Trunk is not to be found on Board. if it came out it is lost, but as Doct'r Winship 1 in whose care I understand it was left did not return in this Ship, perhaps he kept back the Trunk, and the sooner it is enquired after the better. I have received but two short Letters from you, one by the Marquiss, the other by the Alliance. do you treat all your Friends in this way, or am I the most neglected. as for the Affairs of Europe, we know but little more of them than of those in the Moon. I had the pleasure of some Acquaintance with Doct'r Lee and learnt some things from him, but few that are pleasing. he is gone to Philadelphia. The Delegates are new chosen, Adams, Lovel, and Ward are at Congress Gerry, Holton, and Partridge are at Home. one is yet wanted to compleat the Number 7. Strong and Danielson have been chosen and refused. Mrs. Adams shall be informed of this Opportunity, and will doubtless write you. it grows late, and as I dont recollect any thing further at present conclude with Assurances of Friendship Yours Affectionately, J. WARREN October 16th. The Enemy have lately made some havock among our Privateers, and Mr. Knox is arrived from England with a Load of Goods. I suppose under the Sanction of Doct'r F's Certificate.1 ARTHUR LEE TO JAMES WARrren PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 30th, 1780 MY DEAR SIR, I arrivd in this City after a tedious [journey] about a fortnight since. I am in hopes of settling my Affairs with Congress without the disagreable necessity of a public Appeal. I find Congress much disposd to attend to public business, and avoid disputes; a laudable disposition and worthy of being cultiI Amos Winship, surgeon on the Alliance. 2 Caleb Strong? 3 Timothy Danielson (1733-1791). Dexter, Yale Biographies, II. 411. 4 A letter from Samuel Adams to James Warren, October 24, 1780, is in Writings of Samuel Adams, IV. 212. vated, tho' my Arch-Enemy Mr. Duane avails himself of it to prevent my having full justice, which Congress, but for the fear of his exciting new discord upon it, seem perfectly inclind to do me. The conversations I had in the course of my journey with the Governors Trumbull and Clinton satisfy me that they are good and wise Whigs. I stayd some days with the Army which is in every respect ill-supplied; but after the example of their Leaders, they bear it with patriotic patience. The detention of the Clothing, which was to have been sent from France, subjects them to great distress, and enquiry is now making into the cause of that detention. The Admiralty have applied to me for an Account of it; but the most satisfactory facts ought to come from the Purser, Sailing Master, Captain of Marines and Log Book of the Alliance. By ascertaining when She arrivd at L'Orient, when the Supplies She brought were shipt, how long She lay with them in without Dr. Franklin's ordering or taking any measures for her Sailing, how soon after her arrival at L'Orient She might have been laden and fitted for Sea, what prevented this being done, the alterations and expense the frigate was subjected to by Capt. Jones and the violence of his conduct towards the Purser and some of her People together with his Agent Mr. Moylan's1 attempt to starve the Crew; all these would shew to whom public odium and punishment is due. Capt. Jones in Letters to the Admiralty and Mr. R. Morris has accusd me of being the cause of all this; and therefore I am more desirous that the truth shoud be fully investigated. Among other things he has insinuated that my family and Baggage were accommodated in the Space which shoud have been occupied by the public Stores. Now the Officers can testify and I rely on your friendship for having these points put to them, that my Carriage was left behind because it woud have taken up room in the frigate, that I brought with me only my youngest Nephew, who was my Secretary, that my other Nephew having paid his passage in a Merchant Vessel was taken in during the voyage with several other passengers, the vessel being in distress and obligd to put back. That instead of occupying any useful room in the I James Moylan, commercial agent at L'Orient. frigate, I lay upon the tiller case and both my Nephews with one of the Officers in his birth. It is perpetually Dr. Franklin's practice to employ his wicked tools; a number of whom he keeps always connected with him, to accuse others of the crimes of which he is himself guilty. His recal is to be movd for on monday, but I do not think it will be carried. By the latest advices from Europe 53 Sail of the british W. and E. India fleets were safe in spanish ports with 1500 land forces bound for the E. Indies.1 We may compute their value at 3 million sterlg. which is a most dreadful blow and must bankrupt half the Nation. Clinton with 3500 troops has landed at Portsmouth in Virginia and is overrunning the Country which is very illprepard to repel him. I beg you will not forget my most respectful Compliments to Mrs. Warren. It is no flattery to say that I never met with a Lady whose conversation pleased me more, and of whose esteem I shoud be more flatterd. If you shoud be in town please to remember me to the President and his Family, to Capt. Bradford Mr. Vernon, Dr. Cooper and other friends. I have the honor to be with the greatest esteem, Dear Sir, your most Obedt Servt A. LEE P.S. Oct. 31st. By the latest intelligence we learn that Cornwallis had began a precipitate retreat from Charlotte, and it was thought the cause of it was some attack made upon their possessions by the Spaniards, Genl Grean and Baron Steuben. JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 2 BOSTON, Noor. 2d, 1780 MY DEAR SIR, -This day has Compleated all our Elections Except for a Lieut. Governor in the room of Mr. Bowdoin, who refused. Tomorrow that is to be done and I suppose will be in the same stile. it is Impossible to describe to you in its full Extent the I Taken on August 7. 2 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library. prevalence of a Certain Influence here. the Papers will at least shew you that it Exceeds any that ever took place in any Country, and if it be as lasting as it is violent and Extensive, will be a Singular Phenomenon. indeed, I had no hand in the matter haveing gone to [Plymouth] the Saturday before and not knowing till I got Home that I was a Representative. when I returned I found things as they were. but in the whole System (for a System it is) Nothing Excited my resentment so much as the Neglect you are treated with. neither your Beloved Town, the County, the State, or the Two Houses have shewn any Gratitude for your many and great Services, and the Man who had the greatest hand in the greatest revolution in the world, in the Choice of a Secretary, could not be supported in Competition with Mr. Avery. I have feelings on this Occasion which I shall not Attempt to describe in a Letter. Mr. Bowdoin, Genl. Ward and myself had the highest Numbers of Votes for Lieut. Governor, but the House selected Mr. Bowdoin and Coll. Orne for the Senate to take one from, who they will select tomorrow, I neither know nor Care. Mr. Powel has been Chose a Senator this day in the room of Mr. Bowdoin and Mr. Jona. Greenleaf in the room of Mr. Gerry, and the former Elected President. [Some lines erased and others struck out.] every thing past is forgot and every Body that will not worship the great Image is to be treated in that way, and the man that formed and fashioned it, not for the purposes of Idolatry but public good has not Escaped.1 [No signature.] ADAMS MSS. MERCY WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS SIR, I put a Letter of Introduction into the Hand of a Son who has since unfortunately been made a prisoner by the Portland Man of War, and though held as an Hostage till the fulfilment of Certain Conditions Mentioned in a Cartel sent to Boston, he has been treated with Great Humanity and politeness, by Admiral 1 The rest of the letter is missing. Edwards,1 and by late Letters I find he purposes to pursue his Voyage to Europe, and if he meets with no New Disappointment in England, it will not be long before he will reach Paris, where agreable to your friendly and polite invitation he will immediately wait on you. I believe I may venture to say he is a youth who will by no part of his Conduct disgrace the Recommendations of his Friends, or disappoint the Expectations of the parent. Yet whoever enters at an early period, amidst a World of strangers and traverses a stage where art, not Nature reigns, ought to be well acquainted with himself, as well as with the History of Man, to parry the Intrigues laid for Innocence, and even thus Guarded, without the aid of Experience he may be liable to many inconveniences in a Country where politeness assumes the air of Friendship, where Refinement is wrought up into the Exstream of Elegance, and Luxury heightened by a systematical desire to please. I am sir too well acquainted with your disposition to think it necessary to ask your philosophic Hints, which united with his own Good sense, I trust will lead him through with approbation. Shall I again repeat that I think myself Happy in the full Confidence of Friendship with a Gentleman at once so competent to advise, Direct, and aid, and so Ready to point the youthful ardor of early years to that Line of Conduct which leads to Happiness. His Views are chiefly of a Commercial Nature, but improved by Industry and Observation, it may be a Happy Opportunity of Qualifying for more extensive usefulness. I once thought I should have trembled for the safety of a son, in the Morning of Expectation, in the Zenith of Warm hope, steping into the Larger Theatres of Intrigue, Bussiness, and Luxuriant Taste. But I have now no Idea that the Morals of youth can suffer much by leaving Boston for any part of Europe, and the Change of Manners in this Country has brought me to bid Defiance to any disagreable Consequences from a Change of place. A thousand things on this occasion might flow from the lip of Maternal tenderness, did not Civility to you, and an Attention to your public Avocation, forbid. I Richard Edwards. See Allen, A Naval History of the American Revolution, 625. |