Philadelphia, Tuesday, 19 August, 1777.
The weather still continues cloudy and cool, and the wind easterly.
Howe's fleet and army is still incognito. The gentlemen from South
Carolina begin to tremble for Charleston. If Howe is under a judicial
blindness, he may be gone there. But what will be the fate of a
scorbutic army, cooped up in a fleet for six, seven, or eight weeks, in
such intemperate weather as we have had? What will be their condition,
landing on a burning shore abounding with agues and mosquitoes, in the
most unwholesome season of the whole year? If he should get Charleston,
or indeed the whole State, what progress will this make towards the
conquest of America? He will stop the trade of rice and indigo, but what
then? Besides, he will get some ugly knocks. They are honest, sincere,
and brave, and will make his life uncomfortable.
I feel a strong affection for South Carolina for several reasons. 1. I
think them as stanch patriots as any in America. 2. I think them as
brave. 3. They are the only people in America who have maintained a post
and defended a fort. 4. They have sent us a new delegate whom I greatly
admire, Mr. Laurens, their Lieutenant-governor, a gentleman of great
fortune, great abilities, modesty and integrity, and great experience
too. If all the States would send us such men, it would be a pleasure to
be here.
In the northern department they begin to fight. The family of Johnson,
the black part of it as well as the white, are pretty well thinned.
Rascals! They deserve extermination. I presume Gates will be so
supported that Burgoyne will be obliged to retreat. He will stop at
Ticonderoga, I suppose, for they can maintain posts although we cannot.
I think we shall never defend a post until we shoot a General. After
that we shall defend posts, and this event, in my opinion, is not far
off. No other fort will ever be evacuated without an inquiry, nor any
officer come off without a court martial. We must trifle no more. We
have suffered too many disgraces to pass unexpiated. Every disgrace must
be wiped off.
We have been several days hammering upon money. We are contriving every
way we can to redress the evils we feel and fear from too great a
quantity of paper. Taxation as deep as possible is the only radical
cure. I hope you will pay every tax that is brought you, if you sell my
books or clothes or oxen, or your cows, to pay it.