Braintree, 2 September, 1774.
I am very impatient to receive a letter from you. You indulged me so
much in that way in your last absence, that I now think I have a right
to hear as often from you as you have leisure and opportunity to write.
I hear that Mr. Adams[41] wrote to his son, and the Speaker[41] to his
lady; but perhaps you did not know of the opportunity. I suppose you
have before this time received two letters from me, and will write me by
the same conveyance. I judge you reached Philadelphia last Saturday
night. I cannot but felicitate you upon your absence a little while
from this scene of perturbation, anxiety, and distress. I own I feel
not a little agitated with the accounts I have this day received from
town; great commotions have arisen in consequence of a discovery of a
traitorous plot of Colonel Brattle's,--his advice to Gage to break every
commissioned officer and to seize the province's and town's stock of
gunpowder.[42] This has so enraged and exasperated the people that there
is great apprehension of an immediate rupture. They have been all in
flames ever since the new-fangled counselors have taken their oaths. The
importance, of which they consider the meeting of the Congress, and the
result thereof to the community withholds the arm of vengeance already
lifted, which would most certainly fall with accumulated wrath upon
Brattle, were it possible to come at him; but no sooner did he discover
that his treachery had taken air than he fled, not only to Boston, but
into the camp, for safety. You will, by Mr. Tudor, no doubt have a much
more accurate account than I am able to give you; but one thing I can
inform you of which perhaps you may not have heard, namely, Mr. Vinton,
our sheriff, it seems, received one of those twenty warrants[43] which
were issued by Messrs. Goldthwait and Price, which has cost them such
bitter repentance and humble acknowledgments, and which has revealed the
great secret of their attachment to the liberties of their country, and
their veneration and regard for the good-will of their countrymen. See
their address to Hutchinson and Gage. This warrant, which was for
Stoughtonham,[44]
Vinton carried and delivered to a constable there; but before he had
got six miles he was overtaken by sixty men on horseback, who surrounded
him and told him unless he returned with them and demanded back that
warrant and committed it to the flames before their faces, he must take
the consequences of a refusal; and he, not thinking it best to endure
their vengeance, returned with them, made his demand of the warrant, and
consumed it, upon which they dispersed and left him to his own
reflections. Since the news of the Quebec bill arrived, all the Church
people here have hung their heads and will not converse upon politics,
though ever so much provoked by the opposite party. Before that, parties
ran very high, and very hard words and threats of blows upon both sides
were given out. They have had their town-meeting here, which was full as
usual, chose their committee for the county meeting, and did business
without once regarding or fearing for the consequences.[45]
I should be glad to know how you found the people as you travelled from
town to town. I hear you met with great hospitality and kindness in
Connecticut. Pray let me know how your health is, and whether you have
not had exceeding hot weather. The drought has been very severe. My poor
cows will certainly prefer a petition to you, setting forth their
grievances and informing you that they have been deprived of their
ancient privileges, whereby they are become great sufferers, and
desiring that they may be restored to them. More especially as their
living, by reason of the drought, is all taken from them, and their
property which they hold elsewhere is decaying, they humbly pray that
you would consider them, lest hunger should break through stone walls.