Publications in last Thursday's Gazette, it is very evident a
Scheme has been concerted by some Persons to frustrate any
Attempts that might be made to suspend our Trade with Great-
Britain, till our most intolerable Grievances are redressed. The
Scheme appears to be, to SEEM to agree to the Suspension in Case
all agreed, and then by construing some Passage in a Letter from
the Committee of another Province, that they had NOT AGREED, to
declare that the conditional Signers were NOT HOLDEN. A GAME or
two of such Mercantile Policy would soon have convinced the World
that Lord North had a just Idea of the Colonies; and that
notwithstanding their real Power to prove a Rope of Hemp to him,
they were a Rope of Sand in Reality, among themselves. I would
beg Leave to ask the voluminous Querists referr'd to. whether
they conceive a Non-consumption Agreement would ever have been
tho't of in the Country, could our Brethren there have persuaded
themselves that the Merchants were in earnest to suspend Trade
the little Time there was between our receiving the Port Bill,
and the Appointment of a Congress, or any other general Measure
come into, from which a radical Relief might be expected? 2.
Whether the Trade in their last Meeting declaring, That their
CONDITIONAL Agreement was DISSOLVED, on Pretence that Advices
from New York and Philadelphia were totally discouraging, was not
highly unbecoming a People whose peculiar Circumstances rendered
it their duty to stop their Trade to Great Britain the Moment the
Port-Bill reached the Shore of America? 3. Whether they conceive
the Committee of Boston planned the Non-consumption Agreement,
and sent it first into the Country for their Adoption? or rather,
whether the Country, enraged at their preposterous Management,
did not originate the Plan and press the Committee to have it
digested, printed and recommended throughout the Colony? 4. I
would enquire whether a Backwardness in the Province, actually
suffering, to come into the only peaceful Measure that remains
for our Extrication from Slavery, would not naturally excuse
every other Province from taking one Step for the common
Salvation? 5. Whether in that Case all the Trade of the Province,
whether consisting of Spring, Summer or Fall Importations, would
in the End be worth an Oyster-Shell? 6. Whether all the Bugbears
started against the Worcester Covenant, as holding up the taking
a solemn Oath to "withdraw all Commercial Connexions," which our
honest Commentators tell the People means even to deny buying or
selling Greens or Potatoes to them, does not betray a great want
of that Candor and manly Generosity, which is expected from well-
bred and reasonble Citizens? 7. Whether the suggestion that the
Boston Merchants ceasing to Import, will throw the Trade into the
Hands of Importers in other Provinces, is not utterly unbecoming
an Inhabitant of that Town, into which the Beneficence of the
whole Continent is ready to flow in the most exemplary Manner?
For Shame! Self Interested Mortals, cease to draw upon your
worthy Fellow Citizens the just Resentment of Millions. If there
may be Some Punctilios wrong in the Non-consumption Agreement,
the united Wisdom of the Continent will surely be capable of
setting Matters right at the general Congress; and no Gentleman
Trader, be his Haste ever so great to get Rich, need distress
himself so mightily about the Profits of one Fall-Importation, if
the constant Clamour of the Trade for two Years past, that they
did Business for nothing, had any Foundation.
CANDIDUS.
TO CHARLES THOMSON.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON June 30 1774
SIR
Your Letter by order of your Committee directed to Mr Cooper with
the inclosed Resolves came to my hand this day. I shall as soon
as possible call a Committee of the Town who are appointed to
consider of Ways and Means for the Employment of the poor, and to
appropriate and distribute such Donations as our generous friends
shall make for the Reliefe of those Inhabitants who may be
deprivd of the Means of Subsistence by the Operation of the Port
Bill. This Committee consists of the standing Overseers of the
poor who are to act in Concert with others who had been before
appointed for the purposes above mentiond, as you will observe by
the inclosed Votes of the Town. The principal Reason assignd in
the Vote for joyning the Overseers is because by an Act of this
province they are a corporate body empowerd to receive Monies &c
for the Use of the poor, but those Gentlemen have since informd
the others of the joynt Committee that they cannot consistently
with the Act of their Incoporation admit of any but their own
Body in the Distribution of the Monies that may at any time come
into their hands for the Use of the poor. They are heartily
desirous of acting in Concert agreable to the Vote of the Town
but consider themselves as under Restraint by the Law. The Donors
may if they please consign their Donations to any one Gentleman
(William Phillips Esqr) to be appropriated for the EMPLOYMENT or
RELIEFE of such Inhabitants of the Town of Boston as may be
deprived of the Means of Subsistence by the Operation of the Act
of Parliament commonly stiled the Boston Port Bill, at the best
Discretion of the Overseers of the poor of Boston joynd by a
Committee appointed by said Town to consider of Ways and Means
for the Employment of the poor.
I have given my private Sentiment, and am with great Respect &
Gratitude to the Gentl of the City & County of Philadelphia,
Your friend & fellow Countryman,1
________________________________________________________________
1In the interval before the date of the next letter an article
signed "Candidus" was published in the Massachusetts
Spy, July 7, 1774. This is attributed to Adams by W. V. Wells,
and portions are printed in his Life of Samuel
Adams, vol. ii., pp. 187,197.
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF NORWICH.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 11 1774.
GENTLEMEN
Your obliging Letter directed to the Committee of Correspondence
for the Town of Boston came just now to my hand; and as the
Gentleman who brought it is in haste to return, I take the
Liberty of writing you my own Sentiments in Answer, not doubting
but they are concurrent with those of my Brethren. I can venture
to assure you that the valueable Donation of the worthy Town of
Norwich will be receivd by this Community with the warmest
Gratitude and disposd of according to the true Intent of the
generous Donors. The Liberality of the Sister Colonies will I
trust support & comfort the Inhabitants under the pressure of
enormous Power, & enable them to endure affliction with that
Dignity which becomes those who are called to suffer in the Cause
of Liberty & Truth. The Manner of transmitting the Donation will
be left to your Discretion; and that it may be conducted
according to the Inclination of the Town, I beg Leave to propose,
that it be directed to some one Gentleman (say William Phillips
Esqr) to be disposd of for the Employment or Reliefe of such
Inhabitants of the Town of Boston as may become Sufferers by
means of an Act of the British Parliament called the Boston Port
bill, at the Discretion of the Overseers of the Poor of said Town
joynd with a Committee appointed to consider of Ways & Means for
the Employmt of such Poor. The Part which the Town of Norwich
takes in this Struggle for American Liberty is truly noble; and
this Town rejoyces with you in the Harmony Moderation & Vigor
which prevails throughout the united Colonies.
You may rely upon it that there is no Foundation for the Report
that the Opposition gains Ground upon us. The Emissaries of a
Party which is now reduced to a very small Number of Men, a great
Part of whom are in Reality Expectants from & in Connection with
the Revenue, are daily going out with such idle Stories; but
whoever reads the Accounts of the Proceedings of our Town
Meetings, which I can assure you have been truly stated in the
News papers under the hand of the Town Clerk, will see that no
Credit is due to such Reports.
I shall lay your Letter before the Committee of Correspondence
who will write to you by the first opportunity. In the mean time
I am in Sincerity
Your obliged Friend &
Fellow Countryman,
________________________________________________________________
1Addressed to "Jed Huntington, Chris Leffingwell, Theoph Rogers
Esqrs."
TO RICARD HENRY LEE.
[MS., American Philosophical Society1; a draft is in the Samuel
Adams Papers, Lenox Library; an undated text is in R. H. Lee,
Life of R. H. Lee, vol. i., pp. 99-101.]
BOSTON July 15th 1774
I have lately been favour'd with three Letters from you, and must
beg you to attribute my omitting to make a due Acknowledgment
till this Time, to a Multiplicity of Affairs to which I have been
oblig'd to give my constant Attention.
The unrighteous and oppressive Act of the British Parliament for
shutting up this Harbour, although executed with a Rigour beyond
the Intent even of the Framers of it, has hitherto faild, and I
believe will continue to fail of the Effect which the Enemies of
America flatter'd themselves it would have. The Inhabitants still
wear chearful countenances. Far from being in the least Degree
intimidated they are resolved to undergo the greatest Hardships,
rather than Submit in any Instance to the Tyrannical Act. They
are daily encouraged to persevere, by the Intelligence which they
receive from their Brethren not of this Province only, but of
every other Colony, that they are consider'd as suffering in the
common Cause; and the Resolution of ALL, to support them in the
Conflict. Lord North had no Expectation that we should be thus
Sustained; on the Contrary he trusted that Boston would be left
by all her Friends to Struggle and fall alone.--He has therefore
made no Preparation for the Effects of an Union. From the
Information I have had from Intelligent Persons in England, I
verily believe the Design was to seize some Persons here, and
send them Home; but the Steadiness and Prudence of the People,
and the unexpected Union of the Colonies, evidenc'd by liberal
Contributions for our Support, have disconcerted them; and they
are at a loss how to proceed further. Four Regiments are now
encamp'd on our Common, and more are expected; but I trust the
People will, by a circumspect Behavior, prevent their taking
occasion to Act. The Port Bill, is follow'd by two other Acts of
the British Parliament; the one for regulating the Government of
this Province, or rather totally to destroy our free Constitution
and substitute an absolute Government in its Stead; the other for
the more IMPARTIAL Administration of Justice or as some term it
for the screening from Punishment any Soldier who shall Murder an
American for asserting his Right. A Submission to these Acts will
doubtless be requir'd and expected; but whether General Gage will
find it an easy thing to FORCE the People to submit to so great
and fundamental a Change of Government, is a Question I think,
worthy his Consideration--Will the People of America consider
these measures, as Attacks on the Constitution of an Individual
Province in which the rest are not interested; or will they view
the model of Government prepar'd for us as a Sistem for the whole
Continent. Will they, as unconcern'd Spectators, look upon it to
be design'd only to top off the exuberant Branches of Democracy
in the Constitution of this Province? Or, as part of a plan to
reduce them all to Slavery? These are Questions, in my Opinion of
Importance, which I trust will be thoroughly weighed in a general
Congress.--May God inspire that intended Body with Wisdom and
Fortitude, and unite and Prosper their Councils!
The People of this Province are thoroughly Sensible of the
Necessity of breaking off all Commercial Connection with the
Country, whose political Councils direct to Measures to enslave
them. They however THE BODY of the Nation, are being kept in
profound Ignorance of the Nature of the Dispute between Britain
and the Colonies; and taught to believe that we are a perfidious
& rebellious People.
It is with Reluctance that they come into any Resolutions, which
must distress those who are not the objects of their Resentment
but they are urg'd to it from Motives of Self-preservation, and
therefore are signing an agreement in the several Towns, not to
consume any British Goods which shall be imported after the last
of August next; and that they may not be impos'd upon, they are
to require an Oath of those from whom they shall hereafter
purchase such Goods. It is the Virtue of the Yeomanry that we are
chiefly to depend upon. Our Friends in Maryland talk of
withholding the Exportation of Tobacco; this was first hinted to
us by the Gentlemen of the late House of Burgesses of Virginia
who had been called together after the Dissolution of your
Assembly--This would be a Measure greatly interesting to the
Mother Country.
Should America hold up her own Importance to the Body of the
Nation and at the same Time agree in one general Bill of Rights,
the Dispute might be settled on the Principles of Equity and
Harmony restored between Britain and the Colonies.
I am with great Regard
Your Friend & Fellow Countryman,
_______________________________________________________________
1In this instance the body of the letter actually sent, from
which this text is taken, is not in the autograph of
Adams, only the subscription, signature, and address being in his
hand. The draft is wholly in his autograph.
TO NOBLE WYMBERLEY JONES.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 16 1774
GENTLEMEN
Having receivd Information that the respectable Inhabitants of
the Town of Savvannah have expressd a Degree of Uneasiness, as
considering themselves neglected in the general Application which
the distressd Town of Boston have made to the Colonies in America
for Advice and Assistance in their present painful Struggle with
the hand of Tyranny, I beg Leave to assure you that by express
Direction of the Town of Boston a Letter was addressd to the
Gentlemen of Savannah upon the first Intelligence of the
detestable Port Bill. Permit me to add Gentlemen that the
Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston at whose
Request I now write, set too high a Value upon your Advice and
esteem a general Union of too great Importance, to neglect any
Steps at this alarming Crisis, which may have a Tendency to
effect so desirable a Purpose.
They have this additional Motive to invite all the Colonies into
one firm Band of Opposition to the oppressive Measures of the
British Administration, that they look upon this Town as
conflicting for all. The Danger is general; and should we succumb
under the heavy Rod now hanging over us, we might be esteemd the
base Betrayers of the Common Interest.
We are informd that the Infant Colony of West Florida has
contended for the Right on an annual Choice of Representatives. A
noble Exertion certainly if it has taken place. Being your
Neighbor, be pleasd to convey to them our warmest Regards, and
encourage them in the Pursuit of so important an Object.
Your Correspondence with the Committee of this Town will always
be esteemd a singular Gratification.
I am in their Behalf
Gentlemen
Your Friend and
Fellow Countryman
SIR
Having had your Name and Character metiond to me as a warm and
able Friend to the Liberties of America, I have taken the Liberty
to address the foregoing Letter to your Patronage & beg the favor
of you to communicate the same to the other Friends of Liberty in
Georgia and to assure you that I am with very great Regard,
Your very humble Servt,
_______________________________________________________________
1Of Savannah Georgia, Cf., C. C. Jones, Biographical Sketches,
pp. 124-136; and C. C. Jones, History of Georgia,
vol. ii., p. 166 and passim.
TO CHRISTOPHER GADSEN.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 18 1774
MY DEAR SIR
I have lately receivd several Letters from you for which I am
much obliged. It cannot but afford Pleasure to an observing
American to find, that the British Administration, by every
Measure they take for the Suppression of the Spirit of Liberty in
the Colonies, have promoted, till they have at length established
a perfect Union; which, if it continues, must effect the
Destruction of their cursed Plans of arbitrary Power.--The Boston
Port bill is a parliamentary Punishment of this People, designd,
as Lord North expressd himself, to convince America that they are
in earnest.--What will his Lordship think, when he finds, that
his "spirited Measures" have not the designd Effect, wch was to
intimidate us--that America is also IN EARNEST and the whole
Continent united in an effectual Measure, which they have always
in their Power to adopt, to distress the Trade of Britain, &
thereby bring her to her Senses. The Premier little thought of
this united Resentment, and therefore has made no Preparation
against the Effects of it. He promisd himself that the . . . ,
and leave her to fall under the Scourge of ministerial Vengeance.
The noble and generous Part which all are taking & particularly
South Carolina on this Occasion must convince him that the
British Brothers, each of whom resents an Attack upon the Rights
of one as an Attack upon the Rights of all. The Port bill is
followed by two others; One for cutting the Charter of this
Province into Shivers, and the other to encourage Murderers by
skreening them from Punishment. What short Work these modern
Politicians make with solemn Compacts founded on the Faith of
Kings! The Minds of this People can never be reconciled to so
fundamental a Change of their civil Constitution; and I should
think that General Gage, allowing that he has but a small Share
of Prudence, will hardly think of risqueing the horrible Effects
of civil War, by suddenly attempting to force the Establishmt of
a Plan of civil Government which must be shocking to all the
other Colonies even in the Contemplation of it; but the more so,
as they must consider themselves to be deeply interrested in the
Attempt.--I pray God that he may not wantonly exercise the
exorbitant Power intended to be, if not already, put into his
Hands.--If the Wrath of Man is a little while restraind, it is
possible that the united Wisdom of the Colonists, may devise
Means in a peaceable Way, not only for the Restoration of their
own Rights and Liberties, but the Establishment of Harmony with
Great Britain, which certainly must be the earnest Desire of Wise
and good Men. I am
Yours affectionately,t,
_______________________________________________________________
1Cf., Vol. i., page 108. [back]
TO CHRISTOPHER GADSDEN AND L. CLARKSON.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 18 1774
GENTLEMEN
We have received your polite and obliging Letter of the 28 June
inclosing bill of lading for 194 whole & 21 half barrills Rice on
board the sloop of Mary John Dove Master which is safely arrived
at Salem. So very generous a Donation of twenty Gentlemen only of
the Town of Charlestown, towards the Reliefe of the Sufferers by
the cruel & oppressive Port bill, demands our most grateful
Acknowledgments; and the Assurances you give us of the kind
Disposition of our worthy Friends in South Carolina towards the
Inhabitants of this Town will, we are perswaded, greatly
encourage them to bear up under that oppressive Ministerial
Vengeance which they are now called to endure for the common
Cause of America. Supported as we are by our Brethren in all the
Colonies, we must be ungrateful to them as well as lost to the
feelings of publick Virtue should we comply with the Demands to
surrender the Liberty of America. We think you may rely upon it
that the People of [this] Province in general will joyn in any
proper M[easures] that may be proposed for the restoration &
Establishment of the Rights of America, and of that Harmony with
the Mother Country upon the principles of equal Liberty so much
desired by all wise & good Men. A Non Importation of British
Goods is (with a few Exceptions) universally thought a salutary
and an efficatious Measure; and in order to effectuate such
a Measure the yeomanry in the Country (upon whom under God we are
to depend) are signing agreements to restrict themselves from
purchasing & consuming them. We applaud and at the same time
[are] animated by the patriotick Spirit of our Sister Colonies.
Such an union we believe was little expected by Lord North and we
have Reason to hope therefore that he has not thought of making
any Preparation against the Effects of it. The Resolution &
Magnanimity of the Colonists and the Firmness Perseverance &
Prudence of the People of this insulted Town astonishes our
Adversaries, & we trust will put them to a Loss how to proceed
further.
We shall dispose of the valueable Donation as you direct, in such
Manner as we shall judge most conducible to the Intention of the
generous Donors, to whom be pleasd to present our kind Regards
and be assured we are Gentlemen their and your sincere & obliged
Friends and
Fellow Countrymen,
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF
CORRESPONDENCE OF COLRAIN.
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 18 1774
GENTLEMEN/
We receivd your favor by the hand of Mr Wood, and observe the Art
of the Tories in your part of the Province to make the People
believe the Non Consumption Agreement is a Trick of the Merchants
of this Town, that they may have the Advantage of selling off the
Goods they have on hand at an exorbitant Rate. So far is this
from the Truth, that the Merchants importing Goods from England,
a few excepted, were totally against the Covenant. They complaind
of it in our Town Meeting as a Measure destructive to their
Interest. Some of them have protested against it as such; and
they are now using their utmost Endeavors to prevent it. Can it
then be rationally said by the Advocates for Tyranny that it is a
Plan laid by the Merchants? The Enemies of our Constitution know
full well that if there are no Purchasers of British Goodsc there
will be no Importers. On the Contrary if the People in the
Country will purchase there are People in the City avaricious
enough to import. Hence it is that they are so agitated with the
Non Consumption Agreement that they will not hesitate at any rate
to discredit it.
We highly applaud your Zeal for the Liberties of your Country and
are with great Regard
Your friends & fellow Countrymen,
TO ANDREW ELTON WELLS.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 25 1774
MY DEAR BROTHER
I beg you to believe me when I tell you that incessant publick
Business has prevented my writing to you as often as my own
Inclination would lead me to do it. I assure you I feel an
exquisite Pleasure in an epistolary Chat with a private Friend,
and I never contemplate a little Circle but I place you and your
Spouse as two, or I had rather say, ONE.--But consider my
Brother, or to use a dearer Apellation my Friend, consider our
Native Town is in Disgrace. She is suffering the Insolence of
Power. But she prides herself in being calld to suffer for the
Cause of American Freedom and rises superior to her proud
oppressors, she suffers with Dignity; and while we are enduring
the hard Conflict, it is a Consolation to us that thousands of
little Americans who cannot at present distinguish between the
Right hand & the left, will reap the happy Fruits of it; and
among these I bear particularly in my mind my young Cousins of
your Family.
Four Regiments are encampd upon our Common, while the Harbour is
blockd up by Ships of War. Nothing is sufferd to be waterborn in
the Harbour excepting the Wood and Provisions brot in to keep us
from actually perishing. By such Oppressions the British
Administration hope to suppress the Spirit of Liberty in this
place; but being encouragd by the generous Supplys that are daily
Sent to us the Inhabitants are determind to hold out and appeal
to the Justice of the Colonies & of the World--trusting in God
that these things shall be overruled for the Establishment of
Liberty Virtue & Happiness in America--Your Sister is in
tollerable Health and together with my Son & Daughter send their
affectionate respects to your self Mrs Wells & your family--I am
sincerely
Yours,
_________________________________________________________________
1Cf., Vol. II., page 337. [back]
TO PETER TIMOTHY.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON July 27 1774
SIR/
I wrote you by this Conveyance; since which nothing new has
occurred here, saving that this Town at a legal Meeting
yesterday2 orderd a circular Letter to be sent to all the
Towns and Districts in the province a Copy of which is inclosed.
If the two Acts therein referrd to take place, there will not be
even the Shadow of Liberty left in this Province; and our
Brethren of the Sister Colonies will seriously consider whether
it be not the Intention of a perverse Administration to establish
the same System of Tyranny throughout the Colonies. There will
shortly be forty or fifty dozen of Hoes and Axes shipd to your
address by a worthy citizen & Merchant of this Town Mr Charles
Miller--The Makers are Men of approvd Skill and fidelity in their
Business and will warrant their Work by affixing their names
thereon--The original Cost of the Axes will be 40/ & the Hoes 36/
sterling pr Dozen, and I dare say they will be in every respect
better than any imported from abroad.
I am with due Regard
Yr friend & Countryman
_________________________________________________________________
1Cf., Vol. II., page 64. [back]
2Boston Record Commissioner's Report, vol. xviii., pp. 186, 187.
[back]
TO FISHER GAY.1