past been at Pains to obtain Copies of publick Records and Manuscripts relating to America. These with such others as he may be able to avail himself of he intends to publish, in hopes that some other Gentleman finding Materials thus collected may be induced to furnish the Publick with the History of the United States. Congress has countenanced his laudable Undertaking. As I am sure you are ready to afford Assistance to a Person disposd to serve Mankind in this or any other Way, (and I can assure you he is a true Republican Whigg) I have taken the Liberty to recommend him to your Patronage. Might he not be permitted to have Access to the Records of our State. Are there not some valuable Manuscripts in the Hands of private Gentlemen in the County of Plymouth or in the Records of that County or Town? The Papers which were carefully collected by the late Revd. and curious Mr. Prince were left to the Hon Mr. Gill. It might perhaps serve Mr. Hazards Purpose to be introducd to that Gentleman. But I forget that you have your Hands full of publick Business. Excuse me my Friend. Adieu. Your affectionate

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22, '78.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS.1

S. ADAMS

BOSTON, Septr. 30th, 1778 MY DEAR SIR, I have received your favours of the Ist and 12th Instant. I shall dismiss the subject of Manley and McNeil, and neither give you any further trouble on that head, nor Expose my Letters to your Critical Comments on a subject so little Interesting. I am glad to find you possessing your Soul in so much peace and Serenity. Contempt is an Excellent Antidote to the Influence of the Arts and Malice of wicked Men on the peace of an honest Man's Mind; but I think I have heard you hold it as a Maxim even in Politics not too much to despise your Enemies. perhaps you only mean you dont think my support of any Consequence. You would be surprised at the State of the political 1 From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

System here, at the little and the great Arts that are practised to pull down the fabric of the last twelve Years, and at the prime Conductors. the design seems to be to lay it in ruins and under them to Bury the fabricators. even in the House a motion has been made and supported by several B-[Boston] Members to Admit Treasurer Gray, Doctr. Gardner, Jemmy Anderson,1 etc., to return in peace. this will at once without detail give you a view of Matters. however in Justice to the House I must also tell you it did not obtain at that Time and that they are by way of Contrast on a Confiscation Bill; but it Labours very hard, and if it passes at all will not be very Comprehensive. some People of Influence are against the Principle and Consequently every part of it, and some other Great Ones, haveing no principle themselves but their own Ambition and popular Applause, will Contend with violence for the Principle and then reduce it to Nothing by the small Number to be Inserted. the first is to please the Whiggs, the last the Tories, for all are to be pleased and most people will be pleased and Trumpet the praises of some Men, however Inconsistant their Conduct is and however Manifestly Calculated to serve their own Ambitious purposes. The disposition that at first appeared to Cast an Odium on the Count and to discredit our New Allies seems to have entirely subsided and has been succeeded by the most perfect good humour and respect shown them. General Hancock has made most Magnificent Entertainments for the Count and his officers, both at his own and the public Houses and last Week the General Court Entertained them at Dinner in Faneuil Hall with much military Parade. on this Occasion the General had an opportunity of Exhibiting a Specimen of his Military Talents, etc. I cant descend to particulars that I wish to tell you, but as the Papers have not given a List of the Toasts and the Manner in which each was distinguished, having the honour to be present I will give some of them to you.

1. The United States. The A.D.C. was directed to give the Signal for 13 Cannon to fire.

2. the Monarch and Kingdom of France. Ditto.

I Harrison Gray, Sylvester Gardiner and James Anderson, who were all included in the prescription act of 1778.

3. The Congress. the A.D.C. lookd wishfully, the General Shook his Head. No Cannon fired.

4. The Army and Navy of France. Ditto.

5. Genl. W[ashington] and the Army. the General waved the Signal to the Aid with great Earnestness. Another Aid by his Side waved his hand over his head. 13 Cannon. A General Shout and Clap. no Cannon fired after this Toast. I ventured afterwards to ask the General how it came to pass that Congress were not treated with the highest marks of Respect and Distinction and told him I was sorry to see the day when they were not. he said he had his Orders and they were Included in the United States. I told him I thought Genl. W. and the Army were; that I had as great a Respect for Genl. W. and the Army as any Man, but if they were not Included also in the United States I wished they were disbanded. this is the only time we have spoke since his return. I leave you to make your Comments, and to say whether this was oweing to no principle, or to a wish to distinguish the Military above the Civil, or to Contrast himself with Men he had represented as Inimical to the General and Army. but perhaps you wish also to have this subject dismissed as no more Interesting than the other.

We have no News. prizes are frequently comeing in and some Cruisers are Insulting our Coast, and I think the French Squadron too. they have taken a large Number of Vessels. The Count dont Incline to send after them. he has Formed an Opinion that a larger Fleet is on the Coast and these are designed to draw out a part of his Ships and take them; but I am Confident there are not more than three on the Coast. I want to know what you are doing. is the Confederation Compleated. are you takeing any measures for the Appreciation of your Currency. what says Monsr. Gerard with regard to the Conduct of the Squadron. how stands matters with Spain, etc., etc. we have been Apprehensive of an Attack on this State, but are now pretty easy and generally think the Enemy are going. I have received the money on Jemmy Otis's Order and disposed of it according to your Order, except to Mr. Dana, who I have not seen since I received it. Please to give my regards to your Brethren, perticularly to Mr.

Gerry and Lovel, and desire Mr. Gerry to let me know under his own hand why he has done writing to me. I suppose I am soon to have the pleasure of seeing him here and you the Mortification of looseing his Company and Assistance. I am your Sincere Friend,

etc.

JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS

[No signature.]

ADAMS MSS.

BOSTON, Oct. 7th, 1778

MY DEAR SIR, As I keep no Copies of the Letters I write to you, and have been so Careless as to keep no Memorandum of them I can't recollect either the Number or Contents, but this I am certain of, that they are both Numerous and Lengthy, and that I have not received a Single Line from you. This is equally a subject of Complaint among all your Friends, and I am to be satisfied while I don't find myself distinguished by any perticular marks of Neglect. I don't write to the Embassador, or make any distinction between the Embassador and the Delegate I write to my Friend and use no kind of Ceremony, I leave that to the Great, and the Numerous Courtiers about you, supposeing that my usual familiarity, Carelessness, and sincerity may at least please by way of variety. I know you wish to be minutely Informed of the true state of your Native Country, and I wish I could recollect on the short Notice I have of this opportunity every thing I can Conceive would gratify your Curiosity, as I have but little time I must leave the great Movements of Congress, and the General State of America to the official Letters of Congress, and those perticular ones, you will receive from your Friends, at Philadelphia, the great Seat of Intelligence, and Confine myself pretty much to our own Affairs, and situation. I dare say before this reaches you, you will be Informed of the Train of misfortunes that have attended Count d Estaing's Squadron, and the Consequent ill success of the second Rhode Island Expedition, since which the Enemy have with their usual humanity destroyed the Town of Bedford, and plundered Marthas Vineyard as you will see by the Papers we

shall Inclose you per this opportunity. They have for some time past been Inactive and still, their Fleet principally at New York, which by the Addition of Byron's Squadron now all arrived is formidable, not less than seventeen sail of the Line and a Number of Frigates, with a 60-gun ship and two Frigates Cruising on our Coast. Boston with the French Fleet now here has been supposed their principal Object, and I once did believe they would attempt that, and the destruction of the Sea Coasts of this State but the Season is now so far Advanced, I think they will not risque such an Expedition, besides the Count has by fortifying George's Island and other parts of the Harbour made it Impregnable by Sea. I think no Squadron in Europe could force their way into this Harbour while the French Fleet remain here, and at this Season of the Year it would be Madness to make an Attempt by Sea when in the Bay a Single Night may prove the destruction of the whole of them. I think an Attack by Land equally Improbable because if they make it from Rhode Island and should be Able to penetrate to this Town, and not be Able to carry it, their retreat and supplies would at least be very uncertain. The Conjectures of their future operations are various. Most people think the Enemy will leave the United States, and we are now Informed they have Embarked twelve Regiments at New York soon after the Arrival of a packet there from England. A few days will decide upon all our Uncertainties.

The French officers and Seamen in this Squadron behave themselves Extreemly well; they are indeed the most peaceable, quiet and orderly set of men in their profession I ever saw, but there has Notwithstanding been several disagreable riots and Quarrels between them and the English Sailors here. I believe set on by the Tories, who wish to blow up a Breeze between us and our New Allies. I wish it was in my power to tell you that the Number and Influence of the Tories here were reduced, but I think they gain ground fast. This I Impute to the Coincideing of the Ambitious Views of a Certain Gentleman here, with the wicked and Timourous views of others. Things at present Appear to be in a strange way. we have no Constitution nor have we any probability of geting one. A Bill for Confiscating the Tories Estates has had two