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But when you Look over the List of your Friends and Recollect their impatience to hear from you, you will not forget that few, very few, will be more Gratifyed with the Notices of your Welfare or the Intimations of your Regard, than Your sincere and very Humble Servant,1

MARCIA WARREN

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20th, 1778

MY DEAR SIR:- I am much pleasd with the Respect lately shown to the Count D'Estaing and his Officers, but not with the Etiquet of your publick Entertainment. The Arrangement of the Toasts was not perfectly agreable to my Idea of Propriety. This may be thought unworthy of Notice. But there is no Appearance made by the Publick but, like that of a private Individual, adds more or less to its Honor or Disgrace. Besides, Things which detatchd and by themselves are justly considerd as Trifles light as Air, when they are connected with and made Parts of a great Machine, become important and do good or Hurt. The Monarch and Kingdom of France preceeded the Congress; and the Army and Navy of France that of America. Nations and independent sovereign States do not compliment after the Manner of Belles and Beaus. The superior Respect paid to the General and Army of America to that shown to the Congress, viz. by the Addition of a feu du joie, I suppose was conformable to the Practice of all wise States in giving a just Preference to the Military above the civil

I A letter from Samuel Adams to James Warren, October 17, 1778, is in Writings of Samuel Adams, IV. 75.

2 "On Friday last, at the invitation of the Government of this State, the Count D' Estaing and his officers dined at Faneuil Hall, with the Honourable Council and House of Representatives, the Continental military officers in the land and sea service, the gentlemen of the civil and ecclesiastical order, and a great number of other gentlemen - it is thought not less than 400, were seated at once at the several tables in the Hall. The entertainment was splendid. The genuine joy was never observed to rise higher upon any public occasion; and the toasts, and every circumstance thro' the day, express'd it in the most lively manner; the great and mutual pleasure diffused by the present happy Union between France and these States; which British tyranny has now rendered so important to the interest of both nations." Independent Chronicle, October 1, 1778.

Power. It must be confessed it is grounded on Principles truly and altogether Republican. Yet the old fashiond Whiggs murmur at it; and with a Mixture of Pleasure and Indignation contrast the present with past Times when it was made a Capital Point, to keep the former under the Controul of the latter. Men are prone to Idolatry; and some who seem to scorn the worshiping Gods of other Nations, will bow down to graven Images of Gold and Silver, and, strange Infatuation! of Wood in the form of an Ass an Ape or a Calf, no matter what, if it be the Work of their own Hands. In Truth, my Friend, the Congress appears to be in an awkard Situation. While they are exerting their utmost Influence, on all proper Occasions, to support the civil Authority of the several States over the military, there are some Men, even in that State which my Partiality had almost led me to pronounce the most respectable in the Union who would have less Respect shown to them than to the Creatures which they have made. Tyrants have been the Scourges and Plagues of Mankind, and Armies their Instruments. These have been said by ignorant Flatterers and Sycophants to be the Vicegerents of the Almighty to punish Men for their Sins, and therefore not to be resisted or contrould. The Time may come when the Sins of America may be punishd by a standing Army; and that Time will surely come when the Body of the People, shall be so lost to the Exercise of common Understanding and Caution, as to suffer the Civil to stoop to the Military Power.

I will finish this Scrawl with an Anecdote. Not many Days ago a Sherriff of the County of Philadelphia attempted to serve a Writ on the Person of the Count Pulaski. He was at the Head of his Legion and resisted the Officer. A Representation of it was made to Congress by the Chief Justice who well understands his Duty and is a Gentleman of Spirit. The Count was immediately orderd to submit to the Magistrate, and informd that Congress was determind to resent any Opposition made to the civil Authority by any of their officers.1 The Count acted upon the Principle of Honor. The Debt was for the Support of his Legion, and he thought the Charge unreasonable as it probably was. He was I Journals of the Continental Congress, XII. 974.

ignorant of the Law of the Land and made the Amend honorable. The Board of War afterwards adjusted the Account and the Creditor was satisfied. Adieu.

S. A

I intreat you not to resign your Seat at the Navy Board.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

BOSTON, Octr. 25th, 1778

MY DEAR SIR,- I received yours by Mr. Thaxter in safety and hope you have before this found leisure to pursue the subject. I am fully Convinced that no Man, let his Integrity and services be ever so great or Meritorious, is to Escape free from the Malignant and Envious Spirit now prevailing. Doctr. Lee must Expect his Share. if it is not a proper reward for public virtue, I have learnt to Consider it as a certain mark of it and whoever escapes is in some degree suspicious.

We have just received an Account that a large Fleet of British Men of War and Transports have left N. York and many People are Apprehensive they are comeing this way. preparations are makeing to receive them. for my own part I Cant Conceive that even Britons are yet so Infatuated as to risque an Expedition here at this Season. if they should they may give us some trouble and probably ruin themselves. One storm such as we frequently have at this Time of Year may gratify our wishes and leave the French perfectly at Liberty to pursue their Conquests in the West Indies. we have no other Intelligence of any kind of Importance to give you. the French Squadron still remain here, all ready, or nearly ready, for the Sea. the General Court is adjourned to January. Most People are Engaged in geting and some in spending Money as fast as they can. superb Entertainments are very Common. Genl. H[ancock] gives a Magnificent Ball to the French Officers, and to the Gentlemen and Ladies of the Town next Thursday Evening. indeed all manner of Extravagance prevails I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

here in dress, furniture, Equipage and Liveing, amidst the distress of the public and Multitudes of Individuals. how long the Manners of this People will be Uncorrupted and fit to Enjoy that Liberty you have so long Contended for I know not. I fear you have lost your Labour. they will be soon fit to receive some Ambitious Master.

we have had an Agreable Visit from your Lady and Daughter at Plymouth. I have not seen her since her return a few days ago; she was then very well. Inclosed is a Letter for the President which you will please to deliver. it contains my resignation of my office at the Navy Board. perhaps you will think I do wrong. I cant help it. this Business is very laborious, requiring close and constant Attention. I have no time to Attend to my Family and private Affairs, subject to the disagreable Circumstance of liveing from my Family and not in the most agreable manner, and besides all this, it is too Expensive for me. I live very frugally. I Board very simply, but that and my Horsekeeping only, without a Servant and any kind of Elegancies, has, while Board was fifteen dollars per week and under, cost me about 500 dollars more than my pay. it is now twenty dollars per week, hay 30/ per hundred. this Expense with the Neglect of my private Affairs will ruin me. the honour of holding this place will not Compensate for all this and the public will receive no detriment by my retirement. you will easily find others Capable of doing this Business better than I can. when Congress permits me, I will go Home and pray for your Success. I am in the mean Time your assured Friend, etc. J. WARREN

My regards to Mr. Gerry, Lovel and other Friends.

October 27th. No further Intelligence of the British fleet, nor have we any News from any quarter.

I am desired by Capt. Brown, whom you once mentioned to me, to recall your Attention to him. he dont seem to think there is now room for him to be appointed to the Command of a frigate, but he thinks there would be Advantages from haveing a Superintendant Appointed, whose Business it should be to superintend

and direct the repairs and fixing the Ships under the direction of the Navy Board. you will Judge of the propriety of such an Officer. your Navy here seems to be Important enough to Command your Attention. this will always be their head Quarters. docks and Yards would Cost no doubt a great deal of Money, but if Congress could see how we are Imposed on, Cheated and delayed in our Business and Unavoidably so, they perhaps would think the Money well laid out. You furnished us not long ago with an ample and generous supply. you will perhaps be surprised when I tell you it is gone. we must write to you for more, tho' I do it with reluctance, yet it is necessary, and we must be supplyed without any kind of delay or the whole Business must stop at once. We must mention other things to your Committee which I beg your Immediate Attention to. we have supplyed the French Squadron to the Amount of about 130,000 dollars. you are to Consider there are in this harbour six frigates, a Brigantine and Sloop, a large Ship Building at Portsmouth, two frigates at Connecticut and a Ship in Connecticut River, all calling for Money as fast as it can be told. the truth is the Money fetches so little that I am sick with seeing the Bills brought into this Office. I cant add more at present, haveing our hands full. Adeu.

We have done a great deal of Business for the French Squadron. when we rendered our Accounts by the Advice of General Whipple, we charged a Commission of five per cent. whether it will be admitted or not I dont know. I rather doubt it, tho' we have earned it. Will you please to Seal the Inclosed before delivery.

JAMES WARREN TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS1

[HENRY LAURENS]

BOSTON, Oct. 28th, 1778

SIR, - I Beg leave to make my Acknowledgements to Congress for the Honour they have done me by the repeated Marks of their I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

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