Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

I was in hopes we should have had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Adams at Plimouth before he left America. I should be very happy to see you together by my fire side if it was but for one day before he Crosses the Atlantic; but if that cannot be my best Wishes await him. Assure him that my Fervant prayer is that he May Experience the peculiar protection of providence through Every stage of his useful Life.

But I think before we part I Must desire him to Look into a Letter from Marcia Dated March, 1776 (if he has not Destroyed it), which will Remind him of a Certain Bargain which I Expect he will fulfill. His Excuse was once that he should Never be Called to the Different Courts of Europe. But I have seen Events so precipitated, and the Wheels of Revolution so Rapidly Move on, that I have Expected it for several years. And if I am Notwithstanding His Vast Avocations Gratifyed with one Letter from the Court of France, however high I May Esteem the Indulgence, I shall not be More pleased with the Honour done me by the Embassadour of America than obliged by this Mark of Friendship from Mr. Adams.

One thing More I Must beg you to assure him that if it is possible for me or mine to do anything to Lessen the Inconvenience or pain of absence that His portia or Her Children May suffer, He may Depend upon the Ready aid of His and your very Affectionate Friend

MARCIA WARREN

MERCY WARREN TO ABIGAIL ADAMS

ADAMS MSS. Jan. 8th, 1778

In your late hasty lines you ask three questions, Viz., what I think of a Certain appointment, what you ought to do, and what I would do. To the first I answer I think the Appointment most Judicious, and though we want his services hear I think the Stat Holder the best qualifyed of any man on the Continent to Represent the united states of America. By his penetrating Genius he May see through and Defeat the tricks of old statesmen and

Courtiers, at the same time He Guards against the Imbecility and Wickedness of more Modern politicians.

To the second I reply you must be too sensible of the path that duty points out and the part you ought to act to stand in Need of the premonitions of Friendship. To your 3d question, I have too Great a Regard to my own Character to [say] Frankly No, yet am too suspicious of my own Heart positively to say yes. Therefore must Leave it a little problematical till further Examination and tryal.

I had some secret hopes that a Certain Embarkation would have been made from plimouth, but if there is a better place Layed you will with my best Regards bid your Friend Adieu in my Name, and suffer me to accompany your Every Good wish for his safety, success and happy Return.

I am sorry I cannot supply you with the little Articles you wrote for, but I lend out of my own store oz. of different threads, just to keep you at Work till Either you or myself can get a larger supply.

My son has no Cambrick. But there is a Frenchman here with whom I should have traded for you, but he cannot yet Give me his price, and I dare not purchase at a Venture, as he seems fully acquainted with the spirit of the Country, and knows no bounds to his Demands. If you will limit me I will follow your Directions and purchase whatever you want. He has a Great Variety of those Luxuries we have been Fond off.

This European Commerce is attended with some Inconveniencies, for though we want their Cloathing, Warlike stores, etc., etc., they throw in upon us such an Innundation, useless Baubles that the Wealthy may purchase and the poorer Will, that I fear their will be little of that Frugality and Oeconomy so Necessary to support the Increasing public Burdens.

12 Jan. Since the Above was wrote I have been trying to trade with Monsieur, but find it will not do for Either of us. I cannot Get a bit of Cambrick fit for your use under £9 per yd. Threads he has in plenty at 1/ per scain. I therefore send 10 scains of a sort from my little stock till you can do better. With Great sincerity subscribe your Friend MARCIA WARREN

HANNAH WINTHROP TO MERCY WARREN

Feb. 4, 1778

Methinks I hear Mrs Warren wondring how they do at head Quarters at Cambridge. Perhaps her wonder may encrease when I tell her the British Officers live in the most Luxurious manner Possible, rioting on the Fat of the Land, Stalking at Large with the Self-importance of Lords of the Soil. G[enera]l B[urgoy]n has been allowed a Court Martial on a Continental Col[one]l for doing his duty in preventing an insurrection of British Troops.1 at which Court B―n took upon himself to Preside, interrogating and aimBing to intimedate the Witnesses on our part, encouraging those on his own, displaying his Parliamentary Eloquence, Spouting forth his Contempt of Americans, Sometimes in insidious Ironical Compliments, at others by open direct abuse insulting and painting in the Blackest Colors Coll. Henly, whom he often Calld Criminal at the Bar. This Scene has Continued almost three weeks and the Court Sitting Tame hearers. I hope the Public will be favord with the whole of this Tryal, if not prevented by the interruption of an important Order just arrivd, to declare them all Prisoners of War. O amazing reverse of Circumstances! an Epithet G B- -n constrained G1 Glover (who applied it to him on the Tryal) with the haughtiness of an Emperor of the whole world to retract and to confess it an inadvertant Slip and to call him only a Prisoner of Convention. What will be the Consequence of this Manuvre time must tell.

I enclose you a Letter which I think will entertain you if new to you. Forgive the bad writing. Please to return it with your comments For my time in Copying it I think I may with some degree of asurance ask to peep into your Cabinet and be Favord with some of your entertaining Manuscripts.

Pray accept of much affection from your ever Sincere

[No signature.]

P.S Pray excuse an erasement. I was just now askd by a by

I David Henley to William Heath, January 8, 1778, in 7 Mass. Hist. Collections, IV. 201. Henley was acquitted.

2 The Proceedings of the court martial were printed both in Boston and London.

stander if I did not think my Scrips would make a pretty Figure in one of Gains N. York papers as Letters are often intercepted. the bad writing must be my Signature in Future.

P.S Upon further inquiry I find the order I mentioned not to be the declaring the British Prisoners of War, as was at first represented, But detaining them here Till the British King or Parliament Ratify the Convention.1 Don't you think the Continuance of these Cormorants will bring us into difficulty.

I sincerely hope the Sequel of this Court Martial will Lower the Crest of some of these high plumed officers.

MARTHA WASHINGTON TO MERCY WARREN

VALLEY FORGE, March the 7th, 1778

DEAR MADAME, - I am now to thank you for the two very kind Letters which you have been pleased to favor me with, the one written some time last summer, and the other by Mr. Bowdoin. It gave me a peculiar pleasure to hear by that Gentleman that you and Genl. Warren enjoyd good health. And this pleasure was not a little increased by hearing from yourself that you are so very happy in your state- no traces of the enemy being left; but on the other hand, plenty of everything useful and necessary to be procured. indeed I think providence was very bountifull in her goodness to your state; even when the enemy was in it, we found there every article in plenty, and full sufficient for the use of the army. in Virginia we have had no British troops since the cruel Dunmore left us, but how soon we shall, is not at this time known. I hope, and trust, that all the states will make a vigorous push early this spring, if every thing can be prepared for it, and thereby putting a stop to British cruelties, and afford us that pease liberty and happyness which we have so long contended for.

I Congress on January 8, 1778, resolved, "That the embarkation of Lieutenant General Burgoyne, and the troops under his command, be suspended till a distinct and explicit ratification of the convention of Saratoga shall be properly notified by the Court of Great Britain to Congress." Journals of the Continental Congress, x. 35.

It has given me unspeakable pleasure to hear that Genl. Burgoyne and his army are in safe quarters in your state. would bountifull providence aim a like stroke at Genl. Howe, the measure of my happyness would be compleat.

I came to this place some time about the first of February, where I found the General very well. I left my children at our House. Mrs. Custis 1 has lately had a fine girl,2 which makes the second since she left Cambridge. she is so much confined with her children, that she stays altogether with them.

I left Mr. Bowdoin in Alexandria. he was a good deal distressed on account of Mr. Pliarne,3 a french gentleman, his partener who was by accident drowned crossing the Potomack river: his Body was not found when I left home; his behaviour and agreeable manners, rendered him a favourite with all that knew him, and caused his death to be much lamented.

The General is incamped in what is called the great valley on the Banks of the Schuylkill. officers and men are chiefly in Hutts, which they say is tolarable comfortable; the army are as healthy as can well be expected in general. The General's appartment is very small he has had a log cabbin built to dine in which has made. our quarters much more tolarable than they were at first.

It would give me pleasure to deliver your compliments to Mrs. Gates, but she lives at so great a distance from me that I have not seen her since we parted at New York two years ago. The General joins me in offering our respectful compliments to Genl. Warren and yourself.

I am dr madam with esteem your affectionate Friend and very Hble servt.

1 Eleanor Calvert, wife of John Parke Custis.

MARTHA WASHINGTON

2 Martha Parke Custis, born December 1, 1777, married Thomas Peter.

3 Emanuel de Pliarne had come from France in 1775, with Pierre Penet to enter into contracts with the Continental Congress for arms and munitions.

4 Mary (Valence) Gates.

« AnteriorContinuar »