Philadelphia, 30 July, 1775.
This letter is intended to go by my friend Mr. William Barrell, whom I
believe you have seen in Boston. If he calls at our house you will
please to receive him complaisantly and thank him for your present of
pins. I have been treated by him with great civility both at this and
the former Congress.
This day I have heard my parish priest, Mr. Duffield, from 2 Chronicles
xv. 1, 2. This gentleman never fails to adapt his discourse to the
times. He pressed upon his audience the necessity of piety and virtue,
in the present times of adversity, and held up to their view the army
before Boston as an example. He understood, he said, that the voice of
the swearer was scarcely heard; that the Sabbath was well observed, and
all immoralities discountenanced. No doubt there were vicious
individuals, but the general character was good. I hope this good man's
information is true, and that this will become more and more the true
character of that camp. You may well suppose that this language was
exceedingly pleasing to me.
We have nothing new but the arrival of some powder. Three little vessels
have certainly arrived, making about ten tons in the whole, and four or
five tons have arrived from South Carolina. A supply I think now we
shall certainly obtain. Congress have taken measures for this end which
I hope to have the pleasure of explaining to you in person within a few
days, as Congress has determined to adjourn to some time in September. I
could not vote for this myself, because I thought it might be necessary
to keep together, but I could not blame those who did; for really we
have been all so assiduous in business in this exhausting, debilitating
climate, that our lives are more exposed than they would be in camp.
Love to the children.