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I shall therfore only add on this subject, if my son reaches your Residence, whither it be in France or Holland, I am sure of a New proof of your Friendship to the Father, in the Explicit opinions you will occasionally give, both of Men, and Manners, and the kind assistance you will confer (if necessary) to the prosperity of a Beloved Son. as I understand he destroyed most of his Letters on the Capture of the Pallas, the above is nearly a copy of a few Lines designed for you dated May 15th, '80.

In that was hinted the situation of your Country, the Various opinions of priests, polititians, statsmen, soldiers and courtiers, with regard to the Establishment of Civil Government in the Common Wealth of Massachusetts. The Arrangement of officers under the New Constitution you will have from other hands, and a Detail of the administration, as well as opperation, of a system, so compleat in all its parts, that the Wishes of all parties are concentered in one Great Object, and Whigs and Tories, Infidel and Religionists all agree that some portion of Idolitry is Necessary for the support of the political Machine. of course the Daily Incense is offered in the Capital, and the Guilded puppet placed on the public Theatre a few years ago (for certain purposses) is Become the Idol to whom the supple Homage of Adulation is paid, by a people once Disinterested, Firm, Discerning, and Tenatious of Their Rights.

That tinture of Enthusiasm which is perhaps characteristic of the North American is now heated with the Emulation of Exhibiting the Highest Instances of Worship. yet the Image whose Feet are of Clay,' may in a short time become as the Chaff of the summer Threshing Floor, unless like another Pisastratus, for the sake of prolonging his power, he should Govern according to the Minutest Forms of the Constitution.

Forgive this little sally. was you sir in this City you would not Wonder. Addresses, Assemblys, Entertainments and Balls have ushered in the Happy Era of Republicanism. if this Infant Common Wealth can thus stand in its pupilage, when Time has Matured its strength, and the Horrors of War are Dispeled, will it not become the Wonder of the World. But I forbear. I inI Hancock.

tended no political observations when I began, least amidst the complicated scenes arround us, I might be led to say something to the Disadvantage of my Country, if it should chance to be perused by any Eye but yours. . . .

MARCIA WARREN

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES Warren

PHILADELPHIA, Novr. 20th, 1780

MY DEAR SIR, In your Letter of the 17th of Septr. which is still before me you say, that "the Tongue of Malice has always been employd against me," and in mentioning it, you discover the Feelings of a Friend. It may perhaps in some Measure relieve those Feelings, if I tell you that it serves to make me the more Watchful over my self, lest by any Misconduct, I should afford Occasion to malicious Men, to say that of me which would give me just Cause to be ashamd. It is said to be a Misfortune to a Man, when all speak well of him. Is it then an Advantage to a Man, that he has Enemies? It may be so, if he has Wisdom to make a good Use of them. We are apt to be partial, in our own Judgment of our selves. Our Friends are either blind to our Faults, or not faithful enough to tell us of them. The malicious Man will utter all Manner of Evil of us, and contrive Means to send it post haste to our Ears. and if among much Slander, they say some Truths, what have we to do, but to correct past Errors, and guard against future ones. The Report you mention as propagated of me, is groundless. Would any Man in his Senses, who wishes that the War may be carried on with Vigor, prefer the temporary and expensive Drafts of Militia, to a permanent and well appointed Army. But Envy knows no other Business than to calumniate?

Mr. Penny [Penet] has deliverd me your Favor of the 2d Instant. He has also brought us a Paper which exhibits a Picture of the Times. You express too much Resentment at the Ingratitude which you imagine has been shown to your Friend that his Name has not been found in any of the Lists, and especially,

that he could not be supported in Competition with Mr. [Avery]. Your Friend makes no Claims on his Country, nor does he set himself in Competition with Mr. [Avery] whose Connexions have made him a necessary Man.1 He is, I confess, one whom I have esteemd for his Honesty and easy good Humour. We have been entertaind with the Speeches both before and after putting on the Regalia, and we expect to see Congratulatory Addresses from various Orders, civil and ecclesiastick. I shall pity the Governor if he is apt to be discomposd with the high Complimentary Stile. I could wish, if we must have abundant Addresses to see the manly Simplicity of Barckly the Quaker in his Dedication to Charles the 2d of England. Excepting that Instance, I do not recollect ever to have seen an Address to a Great Man, that was not more or less, and very often deeply, tincturd with Flattery.

If the Town Clerk of Ephesus, has "treated me with great Disrespect," I am sorry for him. It gives me no Uneasiness on my own Account. If he treats every one in that way who "will not worship the Great Image," he leaves me in the best of Company, Company which he may at another Time, find it his Interest, if that governs him, to court and respect. We are even reducd to the Hutchinsonian Times, if a Citizen shall think himself constraind to malign his old Friend, merely because the Great Man has been prevaild upon to mark him as his Enemy? But the History of all Ages and all Countries shows, that there is no Absurdity into which Idolatry will not lead Men. Pray remember me to my Friend Mr. Gerry, and tell him I have not forgot his Letters and that I will write him soon. All my Friends complain of me for Omission on that Score. Mr. Peny I suppose will return in a few Days. Adieu. Your affectionate,

S. A

Will you call on Mrs. A. and let her know that I am well.

1 Perhaps Avery is the person described in a letter to Mrs. Adams, March 7, 1779, in Writings of Samuel Adams, IV. 129.

2 Robert Barclay (1648-1690). The letter to the King, dated November 25, 1675, is in the Apology.

3 William Cooper.

JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS

ADAMS MSS.

BOSTON, November 22d, 1780

MY DEAR SIR, Two days ago I received your favour of the 18th March, without ever hearing before of, or seeing since the Gentleman there recommended. when I have an Opportunity I shall most certainly pay proper respect to your recommendations, by taking proper Notice of him. my last to you was by a French frigate from Newport with a copy of what went by Capt. Hayden from here to Amsterdam I believe I gave you a General State of our Affairs here, and as you will doubtless get one of them, I shall not trouble you with repetitions. since that our New Government has taken place. the Papers will tell you who are the Governing Powers, that compose the Administration. it is only necessary for me to tell you that it is now perfectly Systematic. the Influence here is as uniform, and extensive as in England, and the Criterion to determine the qualifications for office much the same as in the most Arbitrary Governments, or in the most servile Nations. how long this will last I dont know. whether Pisistratus will be able to establish himself Perpetual Archon, or whether he will be able to convey that Honor and rank to his Family by hereditary right Time must determine he has no Guards, yet established, but he has unbounded Adulation, and Submission and that may effect here all the purposes for which Guards were necessary at Athens. it is certain there is a greater Influence, and a more unlimited Confidence here than is consistent with a Republican Government, that Influence has already effected here what Hutchinson was never able to do, it has not only removed S. Ad[ams] from all Share in the Government but taken from him his Bread, and given the Secretaryship to Mr. Avery,1 Son-in-Law to the Lieutenant Governor. Your Friend Gerry is the next Object and who among you that at Congress committed the unpardonable Sin of opposing or not submitting to his Measures, is uncertain. perhaps the Extent of the Atlantic may secure you, and Mr. Dana for a while. we have no public News. our Troops have

1 John Avery (1739-1806) held the office of Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1780 to his death.

gained some Advantages in Carolina, but there is no prospect of any great, and decisive Strokes. Clinton is landed in Virginia with about 3500 Troops what will be the Issue is uncertain. Chesapeak is a fine Trap, if policy and spirit should dictate to the French in the W. Indies an Expedition here. The State of Vermont as they stile themselves grow Troublesome. I believe it is certain they have made a Truce with the Gov. of Canada for a Number of days, and it is said they are on this occasion making peremptory demands on Congress, to acknowledge their Independence, within a certain Time. the French Fleet and Army still at Newport and the several States employed in ways and means to fill up their Army during the War and in arranging their finances to pay and supply them. if any Body asks how long the War is to continue, I shall refer them to you, who can tell much better than I can. Mrs. Warren writes to you, and may make her own Acknowledgments for the Compliment you make her. My Compliments to Mr. Dana and the Young Gentlemen. I am Your Friend and Humble Servant,

J. WARREN

P.S. We hear that Mr. Laurence [Laurens] is taken and carried to Newfoundland,1 and that you are at Amsterdam I wish you success and Happiness wherever you are.

No Advice yet of the Trunk committed to Doct'r Winship, and perhaps never will, unless you catch him in France.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 2

PLYMO., Decr. 4th, 1780

MY DEAR SIR, My last was upon the Subject of dissipation of Manners. this shall be on Inattention to public Principles. Either of them may be dangerous to a Young Republic, and when united may Shake the foundations of an old one. I suppose you have before this seen the doings and Resolutions of the Hartford

1 Taken in the Mercury packet from Philadelphia.

2 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

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