Portsmouth (N. H.), 15 December, 1777.
I arrived here last evening, in good health. This morning General
Whipple[185] made me a visit at the tavern, Tilton's, and insisted upon
my taking a bed at his house, in so very affectionate and urgent a
manner that I believe I shall go.
The cause comes on to-morrow before my old friend Dr. Joshua Brackett,
as Judge of Admiralty. How it will go, I know not. The captors are a
numerous company, and are said to be very tenacious, and have many
connections; so that we have prejudice and influence to fear. Justice,
policy, and law are, I am sure, on our side.[186]
I have had many opportunities, in the course of this journey, to observe
how deeply rooted our righteous cause is in the minds of the people; and
could write you many anecdotes in proof of it. But I will reserve them
for private conversation.
On second thoughts, why should I? One evening, as I sat in one room, I
overheard a company of the common sort of people in another, conversing
upon serious subjects. One of them, whom I afterwards found upon inquiry
to be a reputable, religious man, was more eloquent than the rest. He
was upon the danger of despising and neglecting serious things, and said
"whatever person or people made light of them would soon find themselves
terribly mistaken." At length I heard these words: "It appears to me the
eternal Son of God is operating powerfully against the British nation
for their treating lightly serious things."
One morning I asked my landlady what I had to pay? "Nothing," she said,
"I was welcome, and she hoped I would always make her house my home. And
she should be happy to entertain all those gentlemen who had been raised
up by Providence to be the saviors of their country." This was
flattering enough to my vain heart. But it made a greater impression on
me as a proof how deeply this cause had sunk into the minds and hearts
of the people.
In short, everything I see and hear indicates the same thing.