which was deliverd to me by the Honble Mr Temple. That Gentleman is
intitled to my Esteem from the opinion I entertain of his personal
Merit, and from your Recommendations and those of some others of my
virtuous Fellow Citizens. I have done him every Act of Friendship in my
Power; but Circumstances, of which he is not unapprized, have prevented
my having so much Conversation with him as I could have wishd for. The
Time and Manner of his leaving England, the Company he came with, the
favor granted him at New York of writing a Letter to Mr President
Laurens requesting Permission to pay his Respects to Congress, and
another to myself, neither of which, it was presumd, could have passd
without the Inspection of General Clinton, nor sufferd by him to pass
unless they had been adapted to his Views--These were made the Grounds of
Suspicion of him then; and they were afterwards judgd sufficient to
overbalance the Letters he brought from his Friends & Countrymen,
respectable as they were acknowledgd to be by all, who might be supposd
possibly to have judgd partially in his Favor. I am sorry our Friend
has been thus unfortunate because I believe his Motives in coming here
were pure; and yet we must allow those, who never were acquainted with
him to give all that Weight to Circumstances which in other Instances
we mt our selves be inclind to think reasonable. I am satisfied there
is a Design among them to leave no Method untried to raise a popular
Clamor against those who took an early active Part & have continued
consistent in Support of the Liberties of America. They are at this
time endeavoring to stimulate a Persecution against my patriotick
Friend Dr Lee, who from the Knowledge I have of his publick Conduct
since he has been employd by Congress and a constant political
Correspondence with him for near ten years past, I am well assured,
deserves the highest Esteem and Gratitude of these United States and
Massachusetts Bay in particular. It concerns those who are determin'd
to persevere in this glorious Contest till the Liberty and Independence
of America shall be firmly establishd to be exceedingly circumspect
lest their Conduct should be misrepresented by designing Men and
misunderstood by others. An angry Writer has lately insinuated in a
publick Newspaper among other injurious things, that Arthur Lee Esqr
communicated the secret Negociations of France & America to the British
Ministers, because he showd Civility to Lord Shelburne in Paris. Had Mr
Temples Friends appeard to be very intimate with him here, the like
Insinuation might have been thrown out, & with a similar View, to draw
an odious Suspicion on them. Indeed such an Attempt was made as you
will observe in the inclosd Paragraph taken from Dunlaps Paper.1 You
who know much of my Heart will easily guess which of your Delegates the
Hint was intended for. I leave it to your Conjecture. I have openly
declared my Opinion that Jealousy is a good Security of Publick
Liberty. I have expressd my Fears that America is too unsuspecting long
to continue free. These I know are the sentiments of Dr Lee. When Men
hold these Sentiments & honestly act up to the Spirit of them they must
necessarily become exceedingly obnoxious to those who are watching
every Opportunity to turn the good or ill Fortune of their Country, and
they care not which to their own private Advantage. Such Men there are
in this Country, in France & indeed in all Countries & at all times.
Some of them you & I have known. Such Men there always have been &
always will be, till human Nature itself shall be substantially
meliorated. Whether such a Change will ever happen and when, is more
within your Province than mine to predict or ascertain. A Politician
must take men as he finds them and while he carefully endeavors to make
their Humours & Prejudices, their Passions & Feelings, as well as their
Reason & Understandings subservient to his Views of publick Liberty &
Happiness, he must frequently observe among the many if he has any
Sagacity, some who having gaind the Confidence of their Country, are
sacrilegiously employing their Talents to the Ruin of its Affairs, for
their own private Emolument. Upon such Men he stamps the Stigma Hic
niger est, and if he thinks them capable of doing great Mischief to
prevent it, he ventures to hold them up to the publick Eye. This he
does at the Risque of his own Reputation; for it is a thousand to one
but those whose Craft he puts at Hazard, will give him the odious
Epithets of suspicious dissatisfiable peevish quarrelsome &c, and
honest, undiscerning Men may be indued for a time to believe them
pertinent; but he solaces himself in a conscious Rectitude of Heart,
trusting that it will sooner or later be made manifest; perhaps in this
World, but most assuredly in that Day when the secret Thoughts of all
Men shall be unfolded. I have many things to say to you particularly of
Arthur Lee & Silas Dean Esqrs. Of both these Gentlemen I long ago made
up my opinion, and I have never seen Reason to alter it. But I will
relieve you by putting an End to this tedious Epistle. I intend to get
myself excusd from further publick Service here, and hope before long
to think aloud with you & my other Confidential Friends in Boston. I do
not mean however to quit the Service of our Country altogether while I
am capable of rendering myself in the least Degree serviceable. I
earnestly wish for more Retirement & Leisure. Esto perpetua! is my most
ardent Prayer for this rising Republick. That will depend upon the
Principles and Manners of the People. Publick Liberty will not long
survive the LOSS of publick Virtue. Favor me, my dear Sir, with your
Letters frequently while I remain here, and be assured of the warmest
Sentiments of Friendship & Esteem in the Breast of
your very affectionate,
1 The Pennsylvania Packet.
TO CHARLES CHAUNCY.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILAD Decr 25 1778
REVEREND & MUCH ESTEEMED SIR
I am greatly indebted to you for your very acceptable Letter of the 7th
of Novr by Mr Temple. That Gentleman, in my Opinion took an unguarded
Step on his late Arrival in New York. I mean his writing a Letter to
the late President Mr Laurens requesting Permission to pay his Respects
to Congress, and another Letter to myself. This excited a Suspicion in
the Minds of the true Friends of our Cause, that what they had before
seen in the English News papers, viz that he & Dr Berkenhout were sent
to America by the British Ministry might not be without Grounds. This
Desire of paying a respectful Visit to Congress was judgd to be a
Reason merely ostensible; and the Time & Manner of his leaving England,
the Company he came with and the Readiness with which the British
General granted him the Liberty of sending his Letters, the Contents of
which must most undoubtedly have been under his Inspection, it was
said, afforded Reason to believe his real Design was to gain an
honorable Admission into this City, & the Confidence of Members of
Congress & others thereby the more easily to cooperate with the British
Commissioners, and carry their Designs into Effect. The Jealousy of the
People when it is properly directed or as some chuse to call it, a
prudent Caution, is in my Opinion one of the best Securities of publick
Liberty. And we must allow them to give all that Weight to a Train of
Circumstances respecting our Friend, which in other Instances we shd
ourselves judge to be reasonable. His Friends have given him high
Recommendations. But say others, his Friends may be partial to him. His
Connections are among the warmest Patriots. His Testimonials come from
the most virtuous Citizens. They have a good Opinion of him. True, and
this might be a strong Inducement to a politick Minister to make Choice
of him, & may make him the fittest Instrument to answer his Purpose.
For my own Part I know Mr Temples former Character Conduct & Sufferings
& have also a good opinion of him. I have done him the most substantial
Acts of Friendship in my Power. But so deep rooted were the Suspicions
of him and so general, that I have been under a Necessity of forbearing
to visit him so often as I otherwise should have done, lest I might
lose that consistent Character and that Confidence which it is my Duty
as far as I am able, to support, in the Minds of Congress, the Minister
of our Ally & the People of America. I have Reason to believe that I am
on Terms of Friendship with the Sieur Gerard. In private Conversation
with him, I purposely mentiond Mr Temples Name, & I conclude we concur
in Sentiment that however upright the Heart of any Gentleman may be yet
if an Opinion prevails among the People that he is a secret Emissary
from the Enemy, his Residence near the Congress, might, at this
Juncture especially, make improper Impressions on the Minds of our
Friends abroad. Mr Temple has lately taken his Leave of this City & I
believe some Gentlemen of Character have since conceivd a more
favorable Opinion of him than they did before.
You have my hearty Thanks for your Sermon lately publishd which I have
read with pleasure. The Evil you therein mention is indeed alarming.
Amidst the great Variety of pressing Affairs, Congress is devoting
certain Hours of every Day to investigate a radical Cure; and I am in
strong Hopes that an effectual Plan will shortly be laid before the
General Assemblies of the several States.
When General Gates was orderd to Boston a considerable Embarkation of
the Enemies Troops had been made at N York & it was apprehended they
would attempt a Landing somewhere near that Place. His military
Abilities and Experience, his political Principles & Attachments and
the Confidence which the Troops and People of the Eastern States had in
him, were the Considerations which indued his being sent thither. Had
the Enemy turnd their whole Force that way of Course the Commander in
Chief would have followd. General Heath has given entire Satisfaction
to Congress during his Command there. The Change took Place on the Spur
of the Occasion, and probably in the Spring a different Arrangemt may
be made.
I am my dear Sir with the most cordial Esteem & Affectionate,
your Friend
& very humble Servt,
1779
TO SAMUEL COOPER.
[MS , Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Jany 3 -79
MY DEAR SIR
I embrace the opportunity which now offers of writing a few Lines to
you. In my last I told you I had many things to say particularly
concerning A L & S D Esqrs 1. If I could have the Pleasure of sitting
with you by a fire Side, I would more freely open my Mind to you than I
chuse to do upon Paper, considering the Risque of its falling into
wrong hands. One of these gentlemen, as I was informd in the year 74 by
some who were well acquainted with him, was of a dubious political
Character, and was appointed a Delegate in Congress by a Majority of
only one of the Electors; it being thought that his own Vote turnd it
in his favor. In 75 he was again elected; and he very early attachd him
self to Men of different Sentiments from those which most if not all
your Delegates brought with them from your Country & strenuously
maintained. This Difference of Sentiment was said to arise from local
Attachments, but in Reality they arose from different Principles &
Views. What Mr Ds political Principles were if he had any I never could
learn. His Views always appeard to me commercial & interrested. Whether
I was mistaken or not Time perhaps will soon discover. He was very
little known in America till the year 75, if at all in Europe.
The other took an early, decided and active Part in Support of the
great Cause. In London he had a great Share in the open Opposition made
to the Tyranny of the British Court & their Measures respecting
America. There he turnd his Attention from the Practice of Physick to
which he had been regularly educated in Edinburgh, to the Study of the
Law. This he did by the Advice of some of the most able Advocates for
the Liberties of America, from an Opinion they had conceivd of his
promising Usefulness to that Cause in that Way. He answerd their
Prospects. He constantly aided your Agent the late Mr De Berdt2 to whom
his Knowledge of Affairs renderd his Services essential. That his Pen
was employd for America in General, his Junius Americanus abundantly
testifies; and that, and his other Publications witness his Attachments
to Massachusetts Bay & South Carolina in particular. His private
Letters to his Friends are written with that Freedom as well as Zeal
which would have exposd him to the Risque even of his Life from the
Resentment of an unprincipled & nefarious Court, if any of them by
Accident or Design had fallen into their Hands. This I know to be true.
I must conclude at present with giving it to you as my fix'd Opinion,
founded on particular observations, that there is a joynt Combination
of political & commercial Men to exclude all vigilant Patriots from
publick Councils & Employments knowing that Vigilance & unimpeachd,
unsuspected Fidelity will be an effectual Bar to the carrying such
politico commercial Plans into Execution. I will write to you again by
the first good Opportunity. In the mean time I am with perfect Esteem,
Yr affectionate Friend,
1 Arthur Lee and Silas Deane.
2 Cf. Vol. I., page 89 et seq.
TO JAMES WARREN.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library,]
PHILADE Jan 6 -79
MY DEAR SIR
In your last you desire to know how Matters have operated since the
Recall. I will answer this Question at another Time when I have more
Leisure; and at present only say, that Mr Dean arrivd here, I think in
July, and in August he was admitted into the House, or to use his own
Phrase had an Audience, in which, with as much Vanity as I ever saw in
a Man of Sense, he assumd to himself almost the whole Merit of all the
Services which had been renderd at least by Americans in France; as if
he would have it to be believd that one of his Colleagues had done but
little if any thing, the other worse than Nothing, himself every thing.
And with as much Spleen & ill Nature he would even go out of the
regular Path of Decency & Propriety to draw in Invective and diminish
the Characters of the two Mr Lees & Mr Izard.1 In short the publication
which you have seen is a Specimen of his Narrative. I have before given
you my opinion of that Performance, and shall not trouble you further
upon that, than just to remark that his insinuating that Mr W L2 still
remains an Alderman of the City of London, because his Name is inserted
in that List in the Court Kallendar of 78 discovers something more than
Childishness and Folly. His design seems to be at once to prejudice the
Reputation of that Gentleman in the Minds of his Countrymen and to hold
up the Appearance of glaring Impropriety of Conduct in Congress, in
appointing the Alderman of London an American Commissioner; and that
this was done through the undue Influence of family Connections; for he
takes particular Care to inform his Readers, that the two Brothers in
Europe have two Brothers in Congress which cannot be denied. Neither
can it be denied, that they are a Family, who have been as early, as
uniform, as persevering and as able Patriots as perhaps any in the
United States. Mr A L, you are fully sensible was most indefatigable in
supporting our Cause in England. By penetrating into the Designs of a
most unprincipled Court, he was able to give us the most timely and
important Intelligence, which he did at the Risque of his Life; while
Mr D was, in the Opinion of some of his own Countrymen as well as
others, of a doubtful political Character. Mr Lee continued to transmit
to our Friends in France as well as to Congress before he left England,
the most accurate Accounts of things there. Such was the opinion
entertaind by Congress of his Abilities his Integrity, his Zeal and
Attachment to his Country which indeed had been long experiencd, that
he was employd as a most useful & necessary Man. The vigilant Eye of so
consistent a Patriot, may be formidable to a Combination of political &
Commercial Men, who may be aiming to get the Trade, the Wealth, the
Power and the Government of America into their own Hands. He must
therefore be hunted down; and the young as well as the old Hounds are
all ready for the Game.
Adieu,
1 Ralph Izard. Cf. Wharton, Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence,
Vol. I , p. 589.
2 William Lee. Cf.., Ibid., p. 586.
TO SAMUEL COOPER.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Jany 6 -79
MY DEAR SIR
I wrote to you on the 3d Inst by Express and then promisd to write
again by the first good Opportunity. The Bearer of this Letter is a
young Gentleman of your Country who is passing thro this place in his
way home. He appears sensible, tells me he was educated at H. College,
has since studied Physick, was taken at Sea & carried into England, was
liberated or made his Escape & went over to France, from Paris he went
to Dunkirk on the Encouragement of Mr Dean & enterd Surgeon on board
the Revenge Sloop, built by order of a Come of Congress authorizd
thereto & at the Continental Expense, and till lately supposd to have
ever since remaind Continental Property, but now so invelopd in
political Commercial Mystery as that it cannot be ascertaind whether
she is ownd by the United States or private Persons, or whether she is
the property partly publick & private. I will tell you more of this
Matter when the Mystery shall be unraveld if it ever is; in the mean
time remember my dear Sir what I said in my last of commercial
Combinations.
In the latter End of 75 one of the Characters in my last was left out
of the Delegation of the Colony he had represented, and a Number of his
Friends gave him a sort of Certificate or Letter of Recommendation as
they had before done to one of your Delegates,1 which led me to think
it was their Opinion he needed a Prop in his own Country. Soon after,
the Congress appointed a secret Committee of Commerce, with a View of
procuring from abroad the necessary Articles for carrying on the War.
They also appointed a secret Committee of Correspondence. Their
Business was to form political Connections abroad & to feel the
pulsations of foreign Powers & particularly France. The first of these
Committees engagd Mr ------ to go to that Kingdom for the purpose of their
Commission & the Corresponding Come took the Advantage of his intended
Residence there to facilitate the salutary Purpose of their
Appointment. At the same Time they wrote a Letter to Mr ---- then in England
from whom the Congress had before receivd the most accurate
Intelligence, requesting a Correspondence with him & pledging Secrecy &
Confidence. Mr ---- arrivd in France in June 76. Thus you see we had an
Intelligencer to let us know what was doing or meditating against us in
England; and a political Commercial Agent who was to inform us what was
doing or could be done for us in France. The one had before settled a
Correspondence & formd Connections in several parts of the Continent of
Europe & particularly France; the other was a perfect Stranger in every
Nation in Europe, but bearing Letters to considerable Men there. The
one was altogether the political Man, the other had to do with Commerce
as well as politicks. The one by his Address obtaind in England such
Assurances as satisfied him that France would afford such Aid to
America as she could consistently, the other was better skilld in the
commercial Part of his Agency than the political. The one in London in
the Months of March and April discoverd that he might successfully &
actually did treat with a Merchant in France of no Capital but a
favorite at Court for a Supply to the Value of L200,000 sterling--the other
arrivd in the Month of June following, found him out & was somehow
concernd in forwarding the Supplys thus contracted for. I dare say you
are apt to draw this Conclusion that the one was the political
Negotiator in this Instance & the other the Commercial Agent only--yet,
will you believe it, it is positively affirmd that the one did every
thing & the other Nothing. I will explain it to you in my next.
1 Cf. Vol. III., p. 269.
TO SAMUEL COOPER.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Jany 19-79
MY DEAR SIR
Inclosd is the Newspaper of this Day. Philalethes in attempting to show
that the Supplys from France were not a Present from that Court, which
nobody that I know of has asserted, has abundantly proved one thing
which Common Sense has insisted on viz that A Lee had been negociating
with Mr Beaumarchais for those Supplys, before Mr Dean arrivd there. No
one I suppose would have thought of weighing Mr Deans Merit so
critically, had he appeard content with his full Share of it. But when
he takes so much Pains to represent his Colleagues as having done
Nothing, it becomes a Piece of Justice to enquire whether they have in
Reality been such unconcernd or impotent Spectators of their Countrys
Misery and Want. Dr Franklin has the Honor of being Mr Deans venerable
Friend; Mr Lee, an insignificant or troublesome Colleague. And yet Mary
Johnsons assiduous Applications procurd the sending a Ship loaded with
Merchandise & Stores to the Value of twenty five Thousand Pounds
Sterling; and this Negociation was settled before Mr Deans Arrival in
France. Mr Lee acted as the political Minister. He pressd on Mr
Beaumarchais "the maintaining the War in America as the great Object."
And indeed it was so. Mr Lee and every Man of Discernment knew, that it
was the Policy of France to consider it in this View. On this
Consideration he succeeded, and yet, says Mr Beaumarchais, "the
Gratitude of Congress is due to the indefatigable Pains Mr Dean has
taken thro' the whole of the Commercial Transaction." The Truth is, as
I suppose, that Mr Dean did not care to return without some such Letter
of Recommendation; and it was probably as easily obtaind as the other
which I mentiond in my last. Mr Beaumarchais is a Man of Ingenuity &
Wit. Horace was the Delight of the Court of Augustus. A Royal Letter &
a Snuff Box, as I once told one of my Friends, are Things of Course,
especially in the Honey Moon of National Matrimony. A Monarch politely
compliments thro' the Minister the Ministers Sovereign. When the
Merchant and the Courtier unite in one Man, the Courtier is safe in
imitating his Master, and pays his Compliment in the Stile & Manner of
the Merchant.
Mr Deans Friends are in hopes he will be sent to Holland as a Reward
for his good Services, from whence he may probably send or bring
another mercantile Letter of Recommendation. Doubtless deep Commercial
Connections may be formd there. They are willing Mr J A should go to
Spain. The Design of this is to get Mr A L removd from thence. Others
are for sending Mr A to Holland leaving Mr L in Spain, to whose
Influence in that Country our Armies are indebted for Supplys of
Blanketts Shoes and Stockins. I am sorry to be obligd to think, that a
Monopoly of Trade, and not the Liberty of their Country, is the sole
Object of some Mens Views. This is the Cake which they hope shortly to
slice and share among themselves.
Adieu,
TO JONATHAN TRUMBULL.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILAD Feb 6 -79
SIR
The Marine Come have done themselves the Honor of writing to you by
this Post. The great Dammage which has been done to the Trade at the
Southward & particularly Chessapeak Bay by the Enemies Privateers has
causd such pressing Demands for the Aid of our Ships of War as laid us
under the Necessity of ordering the Queen of france immediately on a
Cruize that Way. This I mention as a Reason why she could not be
employd with the Confederacy & the other Ships but her Destination will
remain a Secret.
I hope the Expedition proposd by your Excy & agreed to by the Come will
be performd in 2 or 3 Days, for I fear if it should be known to the
Enemy, not only the desired Event wd be prevented but there would be
danger of our losing our Ships.
I have only time to beg the favor of your Excy to forward the inclosd
by the first Oppty by the post or otherwise.
TO JOHN WINTHROP.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADE Feb 6 1779
MY DEAR SIR
I have receivd your favor of the 21st of January. Every Body sees that
the Depreciation of the Paper Currency is owing to the Floods of it
which have been necessarily issued. In Addition to which a great
Quantity more especially of the Emissions of 20 May 1777 & 11 April
1778 has been counterfeited. This last Consideration was sufficient
Inducement to the calling out of Circulation all the Bills of those
Emissions as speedily as possible. The lessening the Quantity in
Circulation is the only Means of restoring the Value & Credit of the
Remainder. It would therefore be a happy Event if every possessor of
them would receive Loan Office Certificates for them instead of new
Bills in June next but this cannot be expected. In proportion as this
may be done the only effectual Means, besides that of taxing which I
hope will be chearfully submitted to by the People, of remedying the
great Evil will have its effect. Congress have not cried down those
Emissions, as the Expression is or resolvd that the Bills should sink
in the Hands of those who would not exchange them for Loan Office
Certificates, as has been done in the Eastern States. This might have
been too harsh a Remedy. They have left it in the Option of the
Possessors to receive either such Certificates or new Bills. This is
the obvious Intention of their Resolutions on the Subject. The Wish of
every discerning honest Man must be as obvious, viz that as many of the
Bills may sink in the Loan Offices as the People can possibly spare,
and as soon as possible. I think therefore you have judgd right of
their Views. It would be an Act of Charity and a great Service to the
publick if those who can afford to put their Money to Interest would
ease their poorer fellow Citizens who are possessd of those Bills, by
exchanging them for other Bills without a Discount.
I am &c,
TO SAMUEL ALLYNE OTIS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library]
PHILADE Feby 10 1779
DEAR SIR
The late Mr Andrews before his sudden & unexpected Death had written to
a young Kinsman of mine in this place, Mr Richard Checkley, proposing
to him to go to Boston with a View of employing him in his Warehouse. I
know not whether Mr A intended to employ him in his own separate
Affairs or in those in which he was joyntly concernd with you for the
publick. Mr C had not heard of his Death till he was just about setting
off on his Journey to Boston when I informd him of it. He is a young
Man who, I am told, bears a good Character and is used to Business. If
you can employ him it will be doing him a singular Benefit and I shall
acknowledge it as a great favor. I ask it only on this Condition, that
it may be perfectly consistent with your Views. I am with Cordial
Esteem, Sir
yr hble Servt
TO JAMES WARREN.