Colony has appointed its Delegates (I mean those which did
before) except N York, whose Assembly I have just heard have
resolvd not to send any. The People of that City & Colony, are
infested with Court Scribblers who have labord, perhaps with some
Success, to divide them; they are however in general firm, and
have with regard to the Arrival of a Ship from London since the
first of February, behaved well.--You know their Parliament is
septennial--and therefore must be corrupted. It is best that the
Tories in their house have acted without Disguise. This is their
last Session and the house will, I hope, be purgd at the next
Election.
There is a Combination in that Colony of high Church Clergymen &
great Landholders--of the former, a certain Dr C is the head; who
knows an American Episcopate cannot be establishd and
consequently he will not have the pleasure of strutting thro the
Colonies in Lawn Sleeves, until the Authority of parliament to
make Laws for us binding in all Cases whatever is settled. The
Latter are Lords over many Slaves; and are afraid of the
Consequences that would follow, if a Spirit of Liberty should
prevail among them. This however is so far the Case yt I doubt
not the People will chuse Delegates for the Congress, as they did
before.--When that Congress meets, it is expected, that they will
agree upon a Mode of Opposition (unless our Grievances are
redressd) which will render the Union of the Colonies more
formidable than ever. Concordia res parvae crescunt.
We have lately opend a correspondence with Canada2 which, I dare
say will be attended with great and good Effects. Jonathan
Philanthrop under the Signature of Massachutensis, & other
pensiond Scribblers have been endeavoring to terrify the people
with strange Ideas of Treason & Rebellion, but in vain. The
people hold the Invasion of their Rights & Liberties the most
horrid rebellion and a Neglect to defend them against any Power
whatsoever the highest Treason.
We have almost every Tory of Note in the province, in this Town;
to which they have fled for the Generals protection. They affect
the Stile of Rabshekeh, but the Language of the people is, "In
the Name of the Lord we will tread down our Enemies."
The Army has been very sickly thro the Winter & continue so. Many
have died. Many have deserted. Many I believe intend to desert.
It is said there are not in all 2200 effective Men. I have seen a
true List of the 65th & the Detachment of Royal Irish, in both
which there are only 167 Of whom 102 are effective.
________________________________________________________________
1See Columbia University Studies in History, Economics and Public
Law, vol. vii., pp. 74, 75.
2 Cf., page 182.
TO _____ ________.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 12 1775
DEAR SIR
I receivd your favor of the 20 Jany by Capt Hunt via New York. I
never had the least doubt in my Mind but that the Colony of South
Carolina, which has distinguishd itself through all our Struggles
for the Establishment of American Liberty, would approve of and
support the proceedings of the Continental Congress. I cannot but
think that every sensible Man (Whig or Tory) must see that they
are well adapted to induce the British Government to do us
justice, and I still flatter my self they will operate to that
Effect. There are a Set of infamous & atrociously wicked Men,
here & there in this Continent, who have been endeavoring to make
the Appearance of Divisions among us, in order that our Enemies
in Britain may avail themselves of it, and thereby prevent the
good Effects of the Decisions of the Congress; but every
impartial Man who has gone from America must be able to convince
the Nation, that no human Law has ever been more observd than
those resolutions.
The people of this Town have at length gone through the Winter
with tollerable Comfort. Next to the gracious Interposition of
Heaven we acknowledge the unexampled Liberality of our Sister
Colonies. If I am called an Enthusiast for it, I cannot help
thinking that this Union amoung the Colonies and Warmth of
Affection, can be attributed to Nothing less than the Agency of
the supreme Being. if we believe that he superintends & directs
the great Affairs of Empires, we have reason to expect the
restoration and Establishment of the publick Liberties, unless by
our own Misconduct we have renderd ourselves unworthy of it; for
he certainly wills the Happiness of those of his Creatures who
deserve it, & without publick Liberty, we cannot be happy.
Last Monday an Oration was deliverd to a very crowded Audience in
this Town in Commemoration of the Massacre perpetrated by Preston
and his party on the 5 of March 1770--Many of the Officers of the
Army attended. They behaved tollerably well till the Oration was
ended, when some of them began a Disturbance, which was soon
suppressed & the remaining Business of the Meeting went on as
usual.2
On Thursday following a simple Country man was inveigled by a
Soldier to bargain with him for a Gun; for this he was put under
Guard and the next day was tarred & featherd by some of the
Officers and Soldiers of the 47. 1 did not see this military
parade, but am told & indeed it is generally said without any
Contradiction that I have heard, that the Lt Coll headed the
Procession. We are at a Loss to account for this Conduct of a
part of the Army in the face of the Sun unless there were good
Assurances that the General would connive at it. However he says
he is very angry at it. You see what Indignities we suffer,
rather than precipitate a Crisis.
I have not time to write any more, only to acquaint you that this
Letter will be delivd to you by Mr Wm Savage a son of one of my
most valueable Acquaintances. Any Civilities which you may show
him will be gratefully acknowledgd by
Your friend,
_________________________________________________________________
1Endorsed as "To a Southern Friend."
2Hutchinson, in his diary for September 6, 1775, mentions a call
from Colonel James, who left Nantasket July 29, and continues:
"He tells an odd story of the intention of the Officers the 5
March that 300 were in the Meeting to hear Dr Warrens oration--
that if he had said anything against the King &c an Officer was
prepared who stood near, with an Egg to have thrown in his face
and that was to have been a signal to draw swords & they would
have massacred Hancock Adams & hundreds more & he added he wished
they had. I am glad they did not for I think it would have been
an everlasting disgrace to attack a body of people without arms
to defend themselves. He says one Officer cried Fy Fy. S. Adams
immediately asked who dared say so and then said to the Officer
he should mark him. The Officer answered and I will mark you. I
live at such a place & shall be ready to meet you. Adams said be
would go to the General. The Officer said his General had nothing
to do with it the Affair was between them two &c." Egerton MS.
No. 2662, British Museum.
TO JONATHAN UPSHAW AND OTHERS.1
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., pp. 84, 85.]
BOSTON, 14 March, 1775.
GENTLEMEN,
I am to acquaint you, that immediately after the arrival of the
unrighteous and cruel edict for shutting up our harbor, the
inhabitants of this Town appointed a Committee to receive and
distribute such donations as our friends were making, for the
employment and relief of those who would become sufferers
thereby.
Your letter of the 19th of September last, directed to Jno
Hancock, Esq., or the Overseers of the Poor of the Town of
Boston, was laid before the same Committee, enclosing a bill of
lading for one thousand and eighty-seven bushels of corn, being
part of a very valuable contribution, shipped on board the
schooner Sally, James Perkins, master, for the sufferers, from
our respectable friends in Essex County, in Virginia. The
schooner was by contrary winds driven to the island of St.
Eustatia. Mr. Isaac Van Dam,2 a reputable merchant of that place,
generously took the care of the corn, and having made sale of it,
remitted the amount of the proceeds, (free of all expense,) being
one hundred seventy-one pounds 8/, New York currency, in a bill
of exchange, drawn on Mr. Isaac Moses, of that city, which we
doubt not will be duly honored.
The Committee very gratefully acknowledge their obligations to
you, Gentlemen, for your trouble in transmitting this charitable
donation, and they request that you would return their sincere
thanks to the benevolent people of your County, for their great
liberality towards the oppressed inhabitants of this devoted
Town.
This is one among many testimonies afforded to us, that the
Virginians are warmly disposed to assist their injured brethren
and fellow-subjects in this place. This consideration has
hitherto encouraged our inhabitants to bear indignities with
patience and having the continual approbation of all the
Colonies, with that of their own minds, as being sufferers in the
common cause of their country, I am fully persuaded of their
resolution, by God's assistance, to persevere in the virtuous
struggle, disdaining to purchase an exemption from suffering by a
tame surrender of any part of the righteous claim of America. May
Heaven give wisdom and fortitude to each of the Colonies, and
succeed their unremitted efforts, in the establishment of public
liberty on an immoveable foundation.
I am, in behalf of our Committee, Gentlemen, your affectionate
friend and countryman,
_________________________________________________________________
1Archibald Ritchie, Jonathan Lee, and Robert Beverly, of Essex
County, Virginia.
2 Cf., page 190.
TO SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JUNIOR.1
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., p. 263.]
BOSTON, March 14th, 1775.
SIR,
I am directed by the Committee appointed by this Town, to
acquaint you that your bill of exchange, drawn on Jeremiah Lee,
Esq., for two hundred pounds Maryland currency, being the amount
of a generous collection made by the respectable people of the
middle division of Frederick County, for the relief of the
sufferers by the Boston Port Bill, is duly received. Be pleased,
Sir, to accept of the Committee's sincere acknowledgments of your
kindness in transacting this affair; and if it be not too
troublesome permit me to ask the further favor of you, that a
collection which the Committee are advised is making by our
friends in Cecil County, which will amount to three or four
hundred pounds, may in like manner pass through your hands.
I am, Sir, with very great regard, in behalf of the Committee,
your obliged and affectionate friend and countryman,
_________________________________________________________________
1At Baltimore, Maryland.
TO JONATHAN HANSON.1
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., p. 244, 245.]
BOSTON, March 15th, 1775.
SIR,
I am to acknowledge your letter of the 17th of February last,
directed to Mr. Cushing, who is a member of the Committee
appointed by this Town to receive and distribute the donations
from our friends to the sufferers by the Act of Parliament,
commonly called the Boston Port Bill, and to acquaint you that
agreeable to your directions, Mr. Sam'l Purviance, Jr., has
remitted, in a bill of exchange, the sum of two hundred pounds,
your currency, being a contribution from the gentlemen of the
Middle Division of Frederick County, in Maryland, for that
charitable purpose. You will be pleased to return the hearty
thanks of our Committee to those gentlemen for the generous
donation, and to assure them that it will be applied to its
proper use.
It will doubtless afford them satisfaction to be informed that
their brethren in this place endure the sufferings inflicted upon
them by that unrighteous and barbarous edict, with patience and
fortitude, and that they will continue to bear oppression, and
count it all joy so to do, rather than stain their own reputation
by a base compliance with the demands of arbitrary power.
With very great regard, I am, in behalf of the Committee, your
obliged and affectionate friend and countryman,
_________________________________________________________________
1At Frederick Town, Maryland.
TO JONATHAN VEAZEY AND OTHERS.1
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., pp. 227, 228.]
BOSTON, March 15th, 1775.
GENTLEMEN,
The Committee appointed by this Town to receive and distribute
Donations made for the relief and employment of the sufferers by
the Boston Port Bill, have received your favor of the 2d of
February, directed to the Committee of Correspondence of Boston,
whereby you acquaint them that a collection is making by the
gentlemen of Cecil County, in Maryland, for those sufferers, and
desire to be informed in what way it will be most agreeable to
have it remitted to this place. As Mr. Sam'l Purviance, of
Baltimore Town, has already obliged us by his kind offices of
this kind, the Committee have asked the further favor of him, (if
it be most agreeable to you,) that this generous donation may be
remitted through his hands.
I am, with sincere regard for our sympathizing brethren in your
County, in behalf of the Committee, Gentlemen, your obliged and
affectionate friend and countryman,
_________________________________________________________________
1The committee of correspondence for Cecil County, Virginia.
TO RICHARD HENRY LEE.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a shorter text is in
Force, American Archives, 4th ser., vol. ii., p. 176 ; portions
of the letter are printed in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams,
vol. ii., pp. 256, 257, 281.]
BOSTON March [21] 1775
SIR/
I am much obligd to you for your Favor of the 4th of Feb last by
Cap Leighton. From the begining of this great Contest with the
Mother Country Virginia has distinguishd herself in Support of
American Liberty; and we have abundant Testimony, in the liberal
Donations receivd from all parts of that Colony, for the
Sufferers in this Town, of their Zeal and Unanimity in the
Support of that all important Cause. I have the pleasure to
inform you, that the People of this Colony are also firm and
united, excepting a few detestable Men most of whom are in this
Town. General Gage is still here with Eleven Regiments besides a
Detachment from the 59th & 65th, yet it is generally supposd
there are not more than 2500 effective Men in all. They have been
very sickly thro' the Winter past. Many of them have died and
many others have deserted. I have lately seen a joynt List, which
I believe to be a true one, of the Royal Irish and the Detachment
from the 65th in which the whole Number was 167 & only 102
effective. But though the Number of the Troops are diminishd, the
Insolence of the officers (at least some of them) is increased.
In private Rencounters I have not heard of a single Instance of
their coming off other than second best. I will give you several
Instances of their Behavior in publick. On the 6th Instant there
was an Adjournment of our Town Meeting when an Oration was
deliverd in Commemoration of the Massacre on the 5th of March
1770. I had long expected they would take that Occasion to beat
up a Breeze, and therefore (having the Honor of being the
Moderator of the Meeting and seeing Many of the Officers present
before the Orator came in) I took Care to have them treated with
Civility, inviting them into convenient Seats &c that they might
have no pretence to behave ill, for it is a good Maxim in
Politicks as well as War to put & keep the Enemy in the wrong.
They behaved tollerably well till the oration was finishd when
upon a Motion made for the Appointmt of another orator they began
to hiss, which irritated the Assembly to the greatest Degree, and
Confusion ensued. They however did not gain their End, which was
apparently to break up the Meeting, for order was soon restored &
we proceeded regularly & finishd. I am perswaded that were it not
for the Danger of precipitating a Crisis, not a Man of them would
have been spared. It was provoking enough to the whole Core that
while there were so many Troops stationd here with the Design of
suppressing Town Meetings there should yet be a Meeting, for the
purpose of delivering an Oration to commemorate a Massacre
perpetrated by Soldiers & to show the Danger of Standing Armies.
They therefore it seems a few days after vented their passion on
a poor simple Countryman the state of whose Case is drawn up by
himself and sworn to before a Magistrate as you will see by the
inclosd. Thus you see that the practice of tarring & feathering
which has so often been exclaimd against by the Tories, & even in
the British House of Commons, as inhuman & barbarous, is at
length revivd by some of the polite Gentlemen of the British
Army, stationd in this place, professedly to prevent Riots. Some
Gentlemen of the Town waited on the General on this Occasion. He
APPEARD to be angry at it & declared that he knew Nothing about
any such Design. He said that he indeed heard an irregular beat
of the Drum (for they passed by his House) but thought they were
drumming a bad Woman through the Streets! This to be sure would
not have been a Riot. The Selectmen of Billerica an Inland town
about thirty Miles distant to which the poor abused Man belongs,
have since made a remonstrance to the General a Copy of which is
inclosd; the General promised them that he would enquire into the
Matter, but we hear nothing more about it. Some say that he is
affraid of displeasing his Officers & has no Command over them.
How this may be I cannot say. If he does not soon punish the
officers concernd in this dirty Action, which was done in direct
Defiance of their own Articles, one would think it is so. If he
does not do it, he must look to his own Commission. Qui non
prohibet nec puniit fecit. This Town resents it and have directed
their Committee of Correspondence to enquire into this and other
Conduct and have Depositions before Magistrates in perpetuam rei
Memoriam, to be improvd as Opportunity may offer. A Change of
Ministers and proper representations may reduce a Tyrant, at
least to the Condition of a private Subject. The People are
universally enragd, but from the Motives of sound Policy their
resentment is for the present restraind. Last Saturday a Waggon
going from this Town into the Country was stopped by the Guards
on the Neck, having Nine Boxes of Ball Cartridges which were
seisd by the Troops. Application has been made to the General, by
a private Gentleman who claimd them as his property. The General
told him that he would order them to be markd as such but they
could not THEN be deliverd. The Gentleman told him that if they
were not soon deliverd he should seek recompence elsewhere. I
think you may be satisfied that though "the General has
compleated his Fortification" at the only Entrance into the Town
by Land, and our Harbour is still shut up, "our People are in
good Spirits," and I dare say " the Business of Discipline goes
on well."
I have Just received Letters from our mutual Friends in London
dated the 24, 26 & 28 Decr & 4 & 7 Jany, some Extracts from which
I have thought it necessary to have inserted in our News papers,
as youl see by the inclosd. One paragraph which alarms me I have
not disclosd to any one, which is this "I have been in the
Country with Lord Chatham to shew him the petition of the
Congress of which he highly approvd. He is of Opinion that a
solemn Renunciation of the Right to TAX on the one side, and an
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE SUPREMACY on the other should accompany the
repeal of all the obnoxious Acts. Without that, he says, the
Hearts of the two Countries will not openly embrace each other
with unfeigned Affection & Reconcilement." In this short Sentence
I think it is I easy to see that his Lordships plan of
reconciliation is the same now with that which he held forth in
his Speech at the time of the repeal of the Stamp Act. However
highly I think of his Lordships INTEGRITY I confess I am chagrind
to think that he expects an Acknowledgment of the Supremacy in
terms on our part. I imagine that after such an Acknowledgment,
there may be a variety of Ways by which Great Brittain may
enslave us besides taxing us without our Consent. The possibility
of it should greatly awaken our Apprehensions. Let us take Care
lest America, in Lieu of a Thorn in her foot should have a Dagger
in her heart. Our united Efforts have hitherto succeeded. This is
not a Time for us to relax our Measures. Let us like prudent
Generals improve upon our Success, and push for perfect political
Freedom.
Mr John Allston a young Gentleman in my Neighborhood who owns the
Vessel in which Cap Leighton returns is also a Passenger on
board. His Views are to form Commercial Connections in Virginia.
You will excuse me if I bespeak your favorable Notice of him
should he fall in your way.
I am with sincere regards
Your affectionate Friend & Countryman
TO JONATHAN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON.
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser., vol.
iv., pp. 239, 240.]
BOSTON 21 March, 1775.
SIR,
I have before me your letter of the 10th of February, directed to
Mr. Hancock, Mr. Cushing and myself, inclosing a bill of lading
for one thousand and ninety-two bushels of grain, being a
generous donation sent by the inhabitants of Westmoreland County,
in Virginia, to the sufferers in this Town by the Boston Port
Bill. Soon after that barbarous edict arrived, our inhabitants
had notice of the kind intentions of our brethren of the other
Colonies, towards them, and they appointed a Committee to receive
and distribute such donations as should be made. I have their
direction to request that you would be pleased to return their
grateful acknowledgments to our worthy friends in your County,
for this very liberal contribution, and to assure them that it
will be disposed of agreeable to their benevolent design.
Your candid opinion of the inhabitants of this Town as having
some share in defending the common rights of British America,
cannot but be very flattering to them, and it will excite in them
a laudable ambition, by their future conduct, to merit the
continuance of it. They are unjustly oppressed, but, by the
smiles of Heaven and the united friendship and support of all
North America, the designs of our enemies to oblige them make
base compliances, to the injury of our common cause, have been
hitherto frustrated. They bear repeated insults of the grossest
kind, not from want of the feelings of just resentment, or spirit
enough to make ample returns, but from principles of sound policy
and reason. Put your enemy in the wrong, and keep him so, is a
wise maxim in politics, as well as in war. They consider
themselves as connected with a great continent, deeply interested
in their patient sufferings. They had rather, therefore, forego
the gratification of revenging affronts and indignities, than
prejudice that all important cause which they have so much at
heart, by precipitating a crisis. When they are pushed by clear
necessity for the defence of their liberties to the trial of
arms, I trust in God, they will convince their friends and their
enemies, of their military skill and valor. Their constant prayer
to God is, to prevent such necessity; but they are daily
preparing for it. I rejoice with you, Sir, in most earnestly
wishing for the speedy and full restoration of the rights of
America, which are violated with so high and arbitrary a hand,
and am, in behalf of the Committee, with great respect,
Your obliged and affectionate friend and countryman,
P. S.--Our last accounts from Great Britain, are of the 19th
December.
ADDRESS OF MASSACHUSETTS TO MOHAWK INDIANS.
[March, 1775.]
[W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., pp. 282-284.1]
Brothers,--We, the delegates of the inhabitants of the Province
of the Massachusetts Bay, being come together to consider what
may be best for you and ourselves to do, in order to get
ourselves rid of those hardships which we feel and fear, have
thought it our duty to tell you, our good brothers, what our
fathers in Great Britain have done and threaten to do with us.