THE WRITINGS
OF
SAMUEL ADAMS
VOLUME III.
1773-1777
THIS LETTER-PRESS EDITION
'A VE BEEN PRINTED FOR SALE
No..-
THE WRITINGS
OF
SAMUEL ADAMS
COLLECTED AND EDITED BY
HARRY ALONZO GUSHING
VOLUME III
-
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK LONDON
27 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET 24 BEDFORD STREET, STRAND
${>t IJtmchtrbochet $)nsi 1907
f^
xi- 5
COPYRIGHT, 1907
BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
Ube ftnfcltecbocfter press, flew tfotfe
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
I773-
PAGB
To James Otis, March igth I
Political Activity of Mr. Bacon.
*i/To the Town of Boston, March 23rd .... 3
Report of Resolutions in Reply to Governor — Legality of Town-Meetings — Right of Petition — Supremacy of Parliament.
*.To John Dickinson, March 2/th . . . . 13
Controversy with Governor.
wTo Committee of Correspondence of Littleton, March
3 ist . . r4
Acknowledgment of Co-operation.
To Nathan Sparkawk, March 3ist . . . 16
Political Activity of Rutland.
To Thomas Mig^ill, Apr.il 7th 17
Political Activity of Rowley.
^To Arthur Lee, April.pth 1-8
Election to Society of Bill of Rights — Effects of November Town-Meeting — Controversy with Governor — Attitude of Lord Dartmouth — Position of Hancock.
^To Richard Henry Lee, April loth -"$" . . . 25
Position of Colonies — Activity of Friends of Liberty — Re- solves of Virginia — Courts in Rhode Island.
Article Signed rt Candidus,'*' April 1 2th . 28
November Town-Meeting — Controversy with Governor.
To John Wadsworth, April i3th .... 32
Action of Duxbury.
To Ezra Whitmarsh, April I3th 33
Political Activity of Weymouth.
iv CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
PAGE
To Joseph North, April/I3th 3/j.
Votes of Gardnerstown.
To Josiah Stone, April* 1 3th 35
Political Activity of Framingham.
't To Arthur Lee, April 22nd 36
Position of Hancock and of Otis.
I To Arthur Lee, May 6th 37
Practice of Instructing Representatives — Controversy with Governor.
To Selectmen of Boston, May I4th .... 39
Declining Election as Moderator.
^To Arthur Lee, May I ;th 39
Meeting of General Assembly — Letters of Hutchinson.
/To Arthur Lee, June I4th-^ 40
Letters of Hutchinson and Oliver.
To Elijah Morton, June I9th 41
Resolves of Hatfield — Unity of Colonists.
*• To Arthur Lee, June 2 ist 44
Letters of Hutchinson — Action of House of Representatives.
'To the King, June 23 rd-^,.*^ 45
Petition for Removal of Hutchinson and Oliver.
"To Arthur Lee, June 28th 48
Action of House of Representatives on Letters — Attitude of Public — Independence of Judiciary.
To Committee of Correspondence of Worcester, Sep tember nth . .' 50
Activity of Committees of Correspondence — Independence of Judiciary.
^ To Joseph Hawley, October 4trT:£r .... 52
Disposition of Administration — Controversy with Governor — Grievances of Colonists.
To Joseph Hawley, Oqtober I3th . . . . 58
Character of Lord Dartmouth — Plans of Administration.
Committees of Correspondence, October 2ist >. . 62
Circular of Massachusetts Committee— Attitude of Ministry and Parliament — Rights of Colonists.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
^/Resolutions of Town of Boston, November 5th -^ . 67
Duty upon Tea.
To Committee of Correspondence of Roxbury, No vember Qth 69
Activity of Troops — Call for Conference.
To Arthur Lee, November 9th ..... 70
Political Situation.
*To Selectmen of Boston/ November I7th ... 71
Petition for Town-Meeting for Action upon Tea.
To Committee of Plymouth, December I7th . . 71
Report on Tea.
£To Committees of Correspondence, December I7th . 72
Report on Disposal of Tea.
To Arthur Lee, December 2$th .... 73
Recommending John Scollay.
..To Arthur Lee, December 3ist . . . . 73
Boston Town-Meeting — Action on Tea. 1774-
"To John Pickering, January 8th .... .78
Petition of Negroes.
-To Arthur Lee, January 25th . . . . . 78
Destruction of Tea.
Resolution of House of Representatives, March 1st . 80
Refusing Grant to Peter Oliver.
To Committee of. Correspondence of Marblehead,
March 24th . .80
Proposal of Continental Post.
To Elbridge Gerry, March 25th .... 82
Political Disorders in Marblehead.
To Benjamin Franklin, March 3ist 85
Independence of Judiciary — Controversy with Governor — Rights of Colonists.
To James Warren, March 3ist 7* .... 92
Political Comments — Continental Post.
vi CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
To Committee of Correspondence of Marblehead,
April 2nd 94
Local Politics in Marblehead — Effect of Committee's Resignation.
-V To Arthur Lee, April 4th 97
Independence of Judiciary — Attitude of Governor — Re lations with England.
To Arthur Lee, April 103
Disposition of Lord Dartmouth.
To John Dickinson, April 2ist . . . . 104
Oration of Hancock — Course of Massachusetts.
JTo Elbridge Gerry, May I2th 105
Duty of Political Service.
To Committee of Correspondence of Portsmouth,
May I2th 106
Action of Boston on Port Bill/
£To the Colonies, May I3th . . . . .107
Appeal of Boston — The Port Act— Arrival of Gage.
•'To Committee of Correspondence of Philadelphia,
May 1 3th * „,. . . . . . . .109
Port Act.
»», To James Warren, May I4th -"%•' . . . . in
Port Act — Attitude of Public — Action of Boston.
To Silas Deane, May iSth 114
Response to Connecticut Committee — Co-operation of Colo nists.
«JTo Stephen Hopkins, May i8th . . . ' . 116
Port Act — Need of Co-operation.
To Arthur Lee, May 1 8th 117
Port Act.
To Elbridge Gerry, May 2Oth . . . . .119 Port Act— Attitude of NewaYork.
To Committee of Correspondence of Marblehead,
May 22nd ........ 120
Attitude of New York.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. vii
PAGE
*To Charles Thomson, May 3oth. . . .< .122
Function of Committee of Correspondence — Dependence upon Merchants — Address to Hutchinson.
To Silas Deane, May3ist ..... 125
Political Plans — Adjournment of Legislature.
cTo William Checkley, June 1st .... 127
Birth of Daughter — Position of Boston.
"Resolution of House of Representatives, June i/th 129
Need of Relief of Boston and Charlestown.
To Elbridge Gerry, June 22nd . . . . .130
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
Article Signed " Candidus," June 2/th . . .130
Trade Policy.
To Charles Thomson, June 3Oth. .... 133
Disposal of Donations.
"To Committee of Correspondence of Norwich, July
nth . . . 134
Acknowledgment of Support.
To Richard Henry Lee, July 1 3th . . . .136
Port Act — Policy of Lord North — Attitude of Public.
To Noble Wymberley Jones, July i6th . . -139
Acknowledgment of Co-operation.
To Christopher Gadsden, July i8th .... 14*1
Effect of Acts of Parliament.
To Christopher Gadsden and L. Clarkson, July i8th 143
Acknowledgment of Assistance — Efforts of Colonists.
To Committee of Correspondence of Colrain, July
1 8th 145
Non-Consumption Agreement.
**To Andrew Elton Wells, July 25th .... 146
Condition of Boston.
To Peter Timothy, July 2/th 147
Boston Circular Letter — Shipment of Axes.
To Fisher Gay, July 2Qth . . . . . • 148
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
viii CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
PAGE
To Ezekiel Williams, July 2pth 149
Acknowledgment of Assistance
To Committee of Correspondence of Marblehead,
August 2nd . . . . . . . i£b
Attitude of Colonists to Boston.
To Joseph Gilbert, August 3rd .... i£2
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To Fisher Gay, August 4th . . . . .153
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
^To Committee of Correspondence of Boston, Sep tember I4th 134
Proceedings of Continental Congress — Middlesex Resolves — Opposition to Administration — Position of Committee.
*^To Charles Chauncy,- September igth . . .1^5
Suffolk Resolves.
>To Joseph Warren, September . . . .156
Government in Massachusetts.
*To Joseph Warren, September 25th . . . .15.7
Need of Co-operation — Action of Continental Congress.
Q
/To General Gage, October^ .' . 159
Petition of Continental Congress — Acts of Parliament — Forti fications at Boston — Indignities to Citizens.
* To Thomas Young, October i/th .... 162
Military Preparation — Resolves of Continental Congress.
To Peter V. Livingston, November 2 ist . '. . 164
Shipment from South Carolina.
To Union Club, December i6th .... 164
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
1775-
To Peter T. Curtenius, January Qth .... 165
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To the Public, January I3th . . . . .167
Statement of Donations Committee — Reply to Criticisms.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. ix
ITo Arthur Lee, January 2Qth ^f 169
Port Act — Massachusetts Act — Effect of Military Force — Attitude of Colonists.
a To Stephen Collins, January 3 1st .... 172
Report of Personal Disagreements — Religious Liberty.
To Edward Archer, -February ist . . . .174
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
^.To Richard Randolph, February 1st . . .175
Acknowledgment of Assistance — Virginia Resolves of 1765.
To Benjamin ,Watkins and Archibald Gary, Feb ruary ist . . . . . . . .17-6
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
•To Jonathan Tabb, February 7th . . . .178
Acknowledgment of Assistance — Attitude of Colonists to Boston.
/To Arthur Lee, February I4th fii . . .179
English Politics — Attitude of Colonists.
To Joseph Nye, February 2 1st 18-1
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To John Brown, February 2ist . . . .182
Enclosing letter to Quebec.
JTo Inhabitants of Quebec, February 2ist . . 182
Statement of Situation by Committee of Correspondence — Design and Conduct of Ministry — Acts of Parliament — Letters of Bernard and Hutchinson — Quebec Act — Attitude of Jamaica — King's Speech.
To George 'Read, February 24th . . . .189
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To Isaac Van Dam, February 28th *. 190
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To William Black, 191
Shipment from Virginia — Advice concerning Captain Hatch.
To Chartes Dick, March 193
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To Arthur Lee, March 4th 194
Conduct of Military Force— Action of Marshfield — Dis affection in New York — Correspondence with Canada — Tories.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
<*To , March I2th'x . • 198
Attitude of South Carolina — Spirit in Boston — Massacre Oration.
To Jonathan Upshaw, Majch I4th .... 200
Acknowledgment of Assistance — Attitude of Virginia.
To Samuel Purviance, March i/j-th .... 202
Acknowledgment of Remittance.
To Jonathan Hanson, March I5th . . . 2Og
Acknowledgment of Assistance.
To Jonathan Veazey, March I5th .... 204
Directions as to Donations.
To Richard Henry Lee> March 2 ist .... 205
Military Force in Boston — Massacre Oration — Conduct of Troops — Course of Administration.
To Jonathan Augustine Washington, March 2 ist . 210
Acknowledgment of Assistance — Purpose of Boston.
^ To the Mohawk Indians, March . . . .211
Address of Massachusetts Delegates.
* To Mrs. Adams, May ;th 214.
Reception in New York.
VTo Mrs. Adams, June loth 215
Family Affairs.
£To Mrs. Adams, June i6th . '. . . '.217
Personal Comments— Family Affairs.
To Elbridge Gerry, June 22nd 218
Recommendations to Washington.
To James Warren, June 22nd 219
Recommendations to Washington.
9 To Mrs. Adams, June 28th 22p
Engagement at Bunker Hill — Death of Joseph Warren — Proclamation of Gage.
*To Mrs. Adams, July $oth 22.1
Recess of Congress — Election to Legislature.
From Moses Gill, September 4th .... 223
Receipt of Amounts paid to Adams.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. xi
PAGE
To Elbridge Gerry, September 26th .... 226
Journey to Philadelphia — Need of Information — Character of Officers.
To Mrs. Adams, October 2oth ..... 227
Affairs of the Country — Schuyler and Arnold.
To Elbridge Gerry, October 2Qth .... 229
Militia Bill — Continental Army — Need of Legislation.
»To James Warren, November 4th . . . 232
Need of Powder — Military Affairs — Governments of New Hampshire and South Carolina — Trade Regulations — Govern ment of Massachusetts.
^
jTo Mrs. Adams, November 7th * 239
Conduct of Enemy.
To James Bowdoin, November i6th . . . 240
Petition of Congress — Plans of Administration.
To James Otis, November 23rd 2-42
Opinion of Delegates as to Militia Legislation.
<To Jafties Warren, December 26th ^. . . . 243
Government of Massachusetts — Character^of the People. 1776.
'To EHbridge Gerry, January 2nd .... 246
Legislative Control of Military Force — Character of Repre sentatives.
Resolutions of Continental Congress, January 5th . 248
Imprisonment of James Lovell.
To James Warren, January 7th .... 250
Establishment of Militia — Powder — Confederation — Attack on Norfolk.
r'To James Warren, January loth .... 254
Trade Regulations — Imprisonment of Lovell.
John Pitts, January I2th ..... 25,5
Value of Correspondence — King's Speech.
James Sullivan, January I2th ^- . . . . 257
King's Speech.
xii CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
To John Adams, January 1 5th 258
Portsmouth Instructions — Independence — Pay of Massachu setts Troops.
,- Article Signed^' Candidus," February 3rd y . . 261
Dependence of the Colonies.
To Mrs. Adarqs, February 26th 266
Duty in Congress — Oration on Montgomery.
To James War/en, March 8th 268
Political Comments on Colleague.
1 Jo Mrs. Adams, JVtarch loth 270
Personal Affairs.
To Joseph Palmer, April 2nd . . . . .271
Effect of Adopting New England Army — Military Affairs — Evacuation of Boston.
*|jo Samuel Cooper, April 3rd £ 273
Plans of Administration — Evacuation of Boston — Foreign Affairs — Independence.
*JJ>o Joseph Hawley, April i$th .... 277
Military Affairs — Necessity for Declaration of Independence.
^Jpo Samuel Cooper, April 3Oth . . .281
Views on Independence — Formation of State Governments.
To John Scollay, April 30th 285
Evacuation of Boston — Public Morals — Defenceless Condition of New England.
JTo James Warren, May I2th 288
Safety of Boston — State of the Eastern District.
To George Washington, May I5th .... 290
Proposed Road to Montreal — Defences of Boston.
To Horatio Gates, June loth 291
Military Affairs at Boston — Purposes of the Enemy.
To Perez Morton, June ...... 293
Allowance for Services.
Josepty Hawley, July 9th ..... 294
Reverses in Canada — New Jersey Campaign — Declaration of Independence.
Richard' Henry Lee, July 1 5th .... 296
Schuyler and Gates — Arrival of Howe — Declaration of Inde pendence — Confederation.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. xiii
PAGE
*! To James Warren, July i6th ..... 299
Effect of Declaration of Independence — Constitution of Vir ginia.
To James Warren, July I ;th 300
Urgent Need of Troops.
' To John Pitts, July I ;th 300
Declaration of Independence.
To Samuel Cooper, July 2Oth ..... 301
South Carolina Campaign — Howe's Circular Letter.
To Benjamin Kent, July 2/th .... 303
Work of Congress — Declaration of Independence — New State Governments.
To Joseph Trumbull, August 3rd .... 366
Affairs of the Northern Department — Legislation on Com missary Department.
To John Adams, August I3th .... 309
Military Affairs.
To John Adams, August i6th .... 310
Military Affairs — The Northern Campaign.
To John Adams, September i6th . . . .311
Form of Government of Massachusetts — Military Affairs — Negotiations with Howe.
To John Adams, September 3Oth . . . -313
Conference with Howe — Public Attitude toward Inde pendence.
To Samuel Mather, October 26th . . . .316
Military Affairs at New York.
To Mrs. Adams, November I4th . . . .318
Northern Campaign — Military Affairs — Application of Brother-in-law — Exchange of Lovell.
£po Mrs. Adams, November 29th 'R^ . . . 320
Character of Americans — Howe's Proclamation.
To James Warren, November 29th .... 32'!
Supply of Clothing — New York Campaign.
To James Warren, December 4th .... 322
Massachusetts Legislature — Conduct of the Colonists — Con ditions in Pennsylvania,
xiv CONTENTS OF VOLUME III,
PAGE
Mrs. Adams, December 9th ', .... 324
Personal Reflections.
To George Washington, December I2th . . . 326
Rhode Island Campaign.
To Mrs. Adams, December igth .... 327
Adjournment of Congress to Baltimore — Inaction of the Population — New Jersey Campaign.
To James Warren, December 25th .... 329
Military Operations.
To Mrs. Adams, December 26th .... 333
Aid of Samuel Purviance — Attitude of New Jersey.
To Council of Massachusetts, December 3oth . . 335
Need of Ordnance.
To Walter Stewart, December 3Oth .... 336
Instructions as to Ordnance.
To James Warren, December 3 ist .... 337
Foreign Relations — Military Affairs 1777.
To Arthur Lee, January 2nd ..... 339
Resumption of Correspondence — Political Situation.
To James Warren, January 8th .... 340
Military Operations.
To John Adams, January 9th ..... 342
Removal of Congress — Military Operations.
, To James Warren,. January i6th .... 346
Representation in Congress — Attitude of Massachusetts Legislature.
To Mrs. Adams, January 29th .... 348
Correspondence — Effect of War News — Charity — Death of Mr. Checkley.
To James Warren, ^February ist .... 350
Conference of New England Committees — Management of War Supplies.
To Samuel Cooper, February 4th .... 353
King's Speech.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. xv
To James Warren, February loth . . . -355
Account of Expenses.
To Walter Stewart* February 1 2th . . . -357
Price of Ordnance.
To Jonathan Trumbull, February I2th . . . 357
Use of Connecticut Ordnance.
To John Pitts, February I5th ..... 359
Activity of Tories.
To James Warren, February i6th .... 366
Activity of Tories — Case of General Lee.
To Mrs. Adams, March igth ..... 362
News from France — Attitude toward Son — Effect of Trade Legislation.
To John Scollay, March 2Oth ..... 365
Regulating Act.
To Mrs. Adams, April 1st ...... 367
Assistance from France — Arrest of Spy.
To NathanaeL Gre£ne, May I2th .... 3/0
Military Policy.
To Mrs. Adams, June I7th ..... 3,72
Military Operations.
To James Warrei\, June i8th ..... 373
Introducing William Whipple — Massachusetts Election — Military Affairs.
To James Warren, »June 23rd ..... 37,5
New Jersey Campaign.
To Richard Henr^Lee, June 26th .... 376
New Jersey Campaign — Progress in Congress.
To James Warren,\June 3Oth ..... 379
Postal Facilities — Confederation — Massachusetts Constitu tional Convention.
To Arthur Lee, Ju»ly 4th ...... 382
New Jersey Campaign.
To Samuel Hewes, July 7th ..... 384
Major Ward — New Jersey Campaign.
To John Pitts, July 8th ...... 385
Interruption of Correspondence.
xvi CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.
To Richard Henry Lee, July 1 5th .... 386
New Jersey Campaign — Schuyler and Gates.
To Samuel Cooper, July I5th 388
Northern Campaign.
To Richard Henry Lee, July 22nd .... 389
Confederation — Northern Campaign — Distribution of Forces.
To Paul Revere, July 28th 393
Ranking of Artillery Regiments.
To James Warren, July 3 ist 395
Attitude of Congress to Schuyler — Northern Campaign — Participation of New England— Hostile Fleet.
To James Warren, August ist 398
Northern Campaign.
To Mrs. Adams, August 2nd 399
Course of Hostile Fleet.
To Samuel Freeman, August 5th .... 400
Foreign Relations — Northern Campaign.
To John Langdon, August /th .... 401
Course of Hostile Fleet — Northern Campaign.
To Mrs. Adams, August 8th 403
Appointment of Gates.
To Roger Sherman, August nth .... 404
Northern Campaign — Letters of Schuyler.
To James Warren, August 1 2th .... 406
Letter of Schuyler.
To William Heath, August 1 3th .... 407
Northern Campaign.
To Mrs. Adams, August I9th 408
Course of Hostile Fleet.
To Henry Bromfield, September 2nd . . . 4icx
Introducing Henry Crouch — Howe's Army.
To Mrs. Adams, September i;th . . . . 411,
Northern Campaign.
To Arthur Lee, October 26th . . . . . 412.
Resumption of Correspondence — LaFayette.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME III. xvii
To Horatio Gates . . . . . . . 4*3
Surrender of Burgoyne.
Resolution of Continental Congress, November ist . 4.1*4
Thanksgiving.
To John Adams, December 8th .... 416
Re-election to Congress — Conduct of Colleagues — Work of Massachusetts Legislature.
To Henry Laurens, December ..... 418
Articles of Confederation.
THE WRITINGS OF
SAMUEL ADAMS.
TO JAMES OTIS.
[MS., copy in Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON, March igth 1773
SIR
I have the honor of joining with my brethren the Committee of Correspondence for the town in a letter to you, which the bearer of this is chargd with & will deliver to you.
The occasion is somewhat singular. Our Brother Mr William Molineux, a few days ago receiv'd an anonymous letter dated Barnstable &.c, in which men tion is made of some rude Aspersions cast upon the characters of himself and several others of our Com mittee by your Representative Mr Bacon in a public meeting of your Town. As the intelligence was thus uncertain the Committee would fain hope that it was impossible for one of Mr Bacon's station in life to act so unjustifiable a part ; especially after the handsome things which he had the credit of saying of every one of Committee upon a late occasion in the House of Representatives. Admitting however, that this might be the case, they thought it prudent to address you,
VOL. III. 1.
2 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
as the Moderator of your meeting, and it is their de sire, if you judge there is a proper foundation for this letter and not otherwise, to obtain the consent of the Town that it should be openly read in the meeting at the ensuing adjournment. This the Committee refer to your known discretion, as they cannot place a full de pendence upon an anonymous letter, although there are some circumstances that may seem to corroborate it.
As there is no measure which tends more to discon cert the Designs of the enemies of the public liberty, than the raising Committees of Correspondence in the several towns throughout the Province, it is not to be wondered at that the whole strength of their oppo sition is aim'd against it. Whether Mr B. is of this character is a question in which his Constituents ought certainly to satisfy themselves beyond a reasonable doubt. A man's professions may be as he pleases ; but I honestly confess I cannot easily believe him to be a sincere friend to his Country, who can upon any consideration be prevail'd upon to associate with so detestable an enemy to it as I take a Boston born (I cannot say educated) Commissioner of Customs to be.
I am with great regard for your family and con nexions in B[arnstable.]
Sir your assured Friend & most humble servant
P. S. If there is not foundation for what is asserted in the anonymous letter, we desire that you will not only not read our letter in your meeting but also not let the original or a copy of it go out of your hands, but return it by the first opportunity.
ut supra
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 3
REPORT TO THE TOWN OF BOSTON, MARCH 23, 1773.
[MS., Boston Public Library; the text, with slight variations, was printed in the Boston Gazette, March 29, 1773, in the Massachusetts Spy, March 25, 1773, and in Boston Record Commissioner's Report, vol. xviii., pp. 120—125.]
At a legal Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, at Faneuil-Hall on Monday the 8th of March 1773, and continued by Adjournment to the 23d instant.
Mr. Samuel Adams acquainted the Moderator, that he was directed by a Committee (of which he was Chairman) to make a report ; and the same was read as follows, viz.1
The Committee appointed " to consider what is proper to be done, to vindicate the Town from the gross Misrepresentations & groundless Charges in his Excellencys Message to both Houses " of the General Assembly "respecting the Proceedings of the Town at their last Meeting ", beg Leave to report.
That having carefully looked over the several Speeches of the Governor of the Province, to the Council and House of Representatives, in the last Session of the General Assembly, they find that his Excellency has plainly insinuated ; First, that the said Meeting of the Town was illegal in itself.
Secondly, that the Points therein determind were such, as the Law gives the Inhabitants of Towns in their Corporate Capacity no Power to act upon ; and therefore that the Proceedings of said Meeting were against Law. And, Thirdly, that the Inhabitants thus assembled ad-
1 The preceding portion is in the Gazette, but not in the manuscript draft.
4 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
vanced and afterwards publishd to the World, such Principles as have a direct Tendency to alienate the Affections of the People from their Sovereign : And he plainly asserts, that they "denied in the most ex press terms the Supremacy of Parliament, and invited every other Town & District in the Province to adopt the same Principles."
We have therefore thought it necessary to recur to the Methods taken for calling said Meeting. And they find that three Petitions were prefer'd to the Select Men, signd by 198 respectable Freeholders and Inhabitants, making Mention of a Report that then prevaild, & which since appears to have been well grounded, that Salaries were allowd to be paid to the Justices of the Superior Court of the Province by Order of the Crown ; whereby they were to be made totally independent of the General Assembly and absolutely dependent on the Crown ; and setting forth their Apprehensions that such an Establishment would give a finishing Stroke to the System of Tyr anny already begun, and compleat the Ruin of the Liberties of the People. And therefore earnestly re questing the Selectmen to call a Meeting, that this Matter might be duly considerd by the Town, and such Measures taken as the Necessity and Importance thereof required. Whereupon the Selectmen issued a Warrant for calling a Meeting accordingly. All which was strictly agreable to the Laws of this Prov ince, and the Practice of this and other Towns from the earliest times.
By an Act of this Province made in the fourth year of William & Mary it is enacted, that " when and so
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS.
often as there shall be Occasion of a Town Meeting for any Business of publick Concernment to the Town there to be done, the Constable or Constables of such Town, by Order of the Selectmen or major Part of them, or of the Town Clerk by their Order in each respective Town within this Province shall warn a Meeting of such Town " &C.1 And by another Act made in the 2 Geo. I. it is enacted that " When and so often as ten or more of the Freeholders of any Town shall signify under their hands to the Selectmen their desire to have any Matter or thing inserted into a Warrant for calling a Town Meeting, the Selectmen are hereby required to insert the same in the next Warrant they shall issue for the Calling a Town Meeting."2
But were there no such Laws of the Province or should our Enemies pervert these & other Laws made for the same Purpose, from their plain and obvious Intent and Meaning, still there is the great and per petual Law of Self preservation to which every nat- \ ural Person or corporate Body hath an inherent Right to recur. This being the Law of the Creator, no human Law can be of force against it : And indeed it . is an Absurdity to suppose that any such Law could be made by Common Consent, which alone gives valid ity to human Laws. If then the "Matter or Thing" viz the fixing Salaries to the Offices of the Judges of the Superior Court as aforesaid, was such as threatned the Lives, Liberties and Properties of the People, which we have the Authority of the greatest Assembly
1 Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, vol. i., pp. 64, 68.
2 Ibid., vol. ii., p. 30.
6 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
of the Province to affirm, The Inhabitants of this or any other Town had certainly an uncontrovertable right to meet together, either in the Manner the Law has prescribed, or in any other orderly Manner, joyntly to consult the necessary Means of their own Preserva tion and Safety. The Petitioners wisely chose the Rule of the province Law, by applying to the Select men for a Meeting ; and they, as it was their Duty to do, followed the same Rule and called a Meeting accordingly. We are therefore not a little surprizd, that his Excellency, speaking of this and other prin cipal Towns, should descend to such an artful Use of Words, that a "Number of Inhabitants have assembled together, and having assumed the Name of legal Town Meetings" &c. Thereby appearing to have a Design to lead an inattentive Reader to believe, that no Regard was had to the Laws of the Province in calling these Meetings, and consequently to consider them as illegal & disorderly.
The Inhabitants being met, and for the Purpose aforesaid, the Points determind, his Excellency says, "were such as the Law gives the Inhabitants of Towns in their corporate Capacity no Power to act upon." It would be a sufficient Justification of the Town to say, that no Law forbids the Inhabitants of Towns in their corporate Capacity to determine such Points as were then determined. And if there was no positive legal Restraint upon their Conduct, it was doing them an essential injury, to represent it to the World as illegal. Where the Law makes no special Provision for the common Safety, the People have a Right to consult their own Preservation ; and the necessary
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 7
Means to withstand a most dangerous attack of arbi trary Power.1 At such a time, it is but a pitiful Objection to their thus doing, that the Law has not expressly given them a Power to act upon such Points. This is the very language of Tyranny : And when such Objections are offerd, to prevent the Peoples meeting together in a Time of publick Danger, it affords of it self just Grounds of Jealousy that a Plan is laid for their Slavery.
The Town enterd upon an Inquiry into the Grounds of a Report, in which the common Safety was very greatly interested. They made their Application to the Governor, a fellow Citizen as well as the first Magistrate of the Province ; but they were informd by his Excellency, that " it was by no means proper for him " " to acquaint them whether he had or had not receivd any Advices relating to the publick Affairs of the Government of the Province." Their next Determination was, to petition the Governor, that the General Assembly might be allowd to meet at the time to which it then stood prorogud : But his Excel lency refused to grant this Request, lest it should be "encouraging the Inhabitants of other Towns to as semble " " to consider of the Necessity or Expediency of a Session of the General Assembly." Hitherto the Town had determind upon no Point but only that of petitioning the Governor. And will his Excellency or any one else affirm, that the Inhabitants of this or any other Town, have not a Right in their corporate Capacity to petition for a Session of the General As-
1 At this point the draft originally included the words: " when they see it ap proaching them with hasty Strides."
8 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
sembly, merely because the Law of this Province, that authorizes Towns to assemble, does not expressly make that the Business of a Town Meeting? It is the Declaration of the Bill of Rights, founded in1 Reason, that it is the Right of the Subjects to petition the King : But it is apparent in his Excellencys An swer, that the Inhabitants of this Town were in Effect, denied, in one Instance at least, the Right of petition ing his Majestys Representative. Which was the more grievous to them, because the Prayer of their Petition was nothing more, than that the General As sembly might have the Opportunity of enquiring of the Governor into the Grounds of the Report of an intolerable Grievance, which his Excellency had be fore strongly intimated to them, it was not in his Power to inform them of, "consistent with Fidelity to the Trust which his Majesty had reposed in him."
We have been the more particular in reciting the Transactions of that Meeting thus far, in order that the Propriety and Necessity of the further proceed ings of the same Meeting may appear in a true Point of Light.
His Excellency having thus frownd upon the reasonable Petitions of the Town ; And they, having the strongest Apprehensions, that in Addition to, or rather in Consequence of other Grievances not re- dressd, a mortal Wound would very soon be given to the civil Constitution of the province ; and no Assur ance of the timely Interposition of the General Assem bly, to whose Wisdom they were earnestly sollicitous to refer the whole Matter, The Town thought it ex-
1 At this point the draft originally included the words: " Nature and."
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 9
pedient to state as far as they were able the Rights of the Colonists & of this Province ; to enumerate the Infringements on those Rights, & in a circular Letter to each of the Towns & Districts in the province, to submit the same to their Consideration : That the Subject might be weighd as its Importance required, & the collected Wisdom of the whole people as far as possible obtaind. At the same [time], not " calling upon " those Towns & Districts " to adopt their Prin ciples " as his Excellency in one of his Speeches affirms, but only informing them that " a free Com munication of their Sentiments to this Town of our common Danger was earnestly sollicited & would be gratefully receivd. We may justly affirm that the Town had a Right at that Meeting, to communicate their Sentiments of Matters which so nearly concernd the publick Liberty & consequently their own Preser vation. They were matters of " publick Concern ment " to this & every other Town & even Individual in the province. Any Attempt therefore to obstruct the Channel of publick Intelligence in this way, argues in our opinion, a Design to keep the people in Ignor ance of their Danger that they may be the more easily & speedily enslaved. It is notorious to all the World, that the Liberties of this Continent & espe cially of this province, have been systematically & successfully invaded from Step to Step ; Is it not then, to say the least justifiable, in any Town as part of the great whole, when the last Effort of Tyranny is about to be made, to spread the earliest Notice of it far & wide, & hold up the iniquitous System in full View. It is a great Satisfaction to us, that so many
io THE WRITINGS OF [1773
of the respectable Towns in the province, and we may add Gentlemen of figure in other Colonies, have ex-
o
pressd, & continue to express themselves much pleasd with the Measure ; and we encourage ourselves from the manifest Discovery of an Union of Sentiments in this province, which has been one happy fruit of the Measure, there will be the united Efforts of the whole in all constitutional & proper Methods to prevent the entire ruin of our Liberties.
His Excellency is pleasd to say in one of his Speeches, that the Town have u denied in the most express Terms the Supremacy of Parliament." It is fortunate for the town that they made Choice of the very Mode of Expression, which the present House of Representatives in their Wisdom made use of in stating the Matter of Controversy between the Governor & them : And after what they have ad vanced upon the Subject, it appears to us impossible to be shown that the Parliament of Great Britain can exercise "the Powers of Legislation for the Colonists in all Cases whatever " consistently with the Rights which belong to the Colonists as Men as Christians & as Subjects, or without destroying the foundation of their own Constitution. — If the Assertion that the Parliament hath no right to exercise a Power in cases where it is plain they have no right, hath a direct Tendency to alienate the Affections of the People from their Sovereign, because He is a constituent part of that parliament, as seems to be his Excellen- cys Manner of reasoning, it follows as we conceive, that there must never be a complaint of any assump tion of power in the Parliam1, or petition for the repeal
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. n
of any Law made repugnant to the Constitution, lest it should tend to alienate the Affections of the people from their Sovereign ; but we have a better Opinion of our fellow Subjects than to concede to such Con clusions. We are assured they can clearly see, that a Mistake in Principle may consist with Integrity of Heart ; And for our parts we shall ever be inclined to attribute the Grievances of various Kinds which his Majestys American Subjects have so long sufferd, to the Weakness or Wickedness of his Ministers & Ser vants, and not to any Disposition in Him to injure them. And we yet perswade our selves that could the Petitions of his much aggrievd Subjects be trans mitted to his Majesty thro the Hands of an honest impartial Minister, we should not fail of ample redress. His Excellencys Argument seems to us to be rather straind, when he is attempting to show, that we have "invited every other Town & District to adopt our Principles ". It is this. The Town says If it should be the general Voice of the Province that the Rights as stated do not belong [to] them, trusting however that this cannot be the Case, they shall lament the Ex tinction of Ardor for civil & religious Liberty ; There fore says his Excellency The Town invited them to adopt their principles. Could it possibly be supposd that when his Excy had declared to the whole Pro vince that we had invited every other Town and Dis trict in the province to adopt the same Principles he intended to avail himself of such an Explanation ! Much the same Way of reasoning follows, (though it would not be to the Reputation of the other Towns if it should have any Weight). That because their
i2 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
consequent Doings were similar to those of this Town therefore they understood that they were in vited to adopt the same Principles, & therefore they were thus invited to adopt them.
Upon the whole, There can be no room to doubt but that every Town which has thought it expedient to correspond with this on the Occasion have acted their own Judgment & expressd their own principles : It is an unspeakeable Satisfaction to us that their Sentiments so nearly accord with ours, and it adds a Dignity to our Proceedings, that when the House of Representatives were called upon by the Governor to bear their Testimony against them, as " of a dan gerous Nature & Tendency," they saw reason to de clare that " they had not discoverd that the Principles advanced by the Town of Boston were unwarrantable by the Constitution."
The foregoing Report was accepted in the Meet ing, Nemine Contradicente, and ordered to be re corded in the Town's Book, as the Sense of the Inhabitants of this Town.
It was also Voted, That said Report be printed in the several News-Papers, and that the Committee of Correspondence be directed to transmit a printed Copy thereof to such Towns and Districts as they have or may correspond with.
Attest. WILLIAM COOPER, Town-Clerk.
1 The following portion, from the Gazette, is not in the autograph draft by Adams.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 13
TO JOHN DICKINSON. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 27 1773.
SIR,
I take the Liberty of inclosing an Oration deliv ered by Dr Benjamin Church on the Anniversary of the 5th of March 1770, which I beg the favor of you to accept.
The Proceedings of our General Assembly at their last Session, you may perhaps have seen in the News papers. Our Governor in a manner forcd the As sembly to express their Sentiments of so delicate though important a Subject as the supreme Authority of the Parliament of Great Britain over the Colonies. The Silence of the other Assemblies of late upon every Subject that concerns the joynt Interest of the Colo nies, renderd it somewhat difficult to determine what to say with Propriety. As the Sense of the Colonies might possibly be drawn from what might be advanced by this Province, you will easily conceive, that the Assembly would rather have chosen to have been silent till the Sentiments of at least Gentlemen of Eminence out of this province could be known ; at the same time that Silence would have been construed as the Acknowledgment of the Governor's Principles and a Submission to the fatal Effects of them. What will be the Consequence of this Controversy, Time must determine. If the Governor enterd into it of his own Motion, as I am apt to believe he did, he may not have the Approbation of the Ministry for counteracting what appears to me to have been for two years past their favorite Design, to keep the
14 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Americans quiet & lull them into Security. Could your Health or Leisure admit of it, a publication of your Sentiments on this & other Matters of the most interresting Importance would be of substantial Ad vantage to your Country. Your Candor will excuse the freedom I take in this repeated Request. An Individual has some Right, in behalf of the publick, still to urge the Assistance of those who have hereto fore approvd themselves its ablest advocates.
I shall take it as a favor if you will present the other inclosed Oration to Mr Reed, whom I once had the pleasure of conversing with in this place, & to whom I would have wrote by this unexpected Oppor tunity, but am prevented by the Hurry of the Bearer. I am Sir with sincere Regards
Your most humble serv1
Mr J[osiah] Q[uincy] a young Gent1 but eminent here in the profession of the law is soon expected to arrive at Philadelphia from South Carolina. Could he be introducd into the Company of Mr Dickinson & Mr Reed he would esteem himself honord and his Conversation m* not be unentertaining even to them.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE
OF LITTLETON.1 [MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 31 1773
GENTLEMEN
The Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston gratefully acknowledge your Letter of the
1 Addressed "To Deacon Oliver Hoar Cap Jonathan Reed & Mr Aaron Savit a Com* of Correspondence of the Town of Littleton."
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 15
2 Instant accompanied with the declared Sentiments of the Town of Littleton at a legal meeting on the first of February.
The Sense which that Town has expressd of the Excellency of the British Constitution of Govern ment, which appears eminently to have its founda tion in nature, and of the Rights which are secured to the Inhabitants of this province by the Charter, is,, an evident token of their readiness " always to joyn V in every regular & constitutional method to preserve^ the common Liberty."
We are perswaded that the Town whom we have the Honor to serve, although calumniated by the virulent Enemies of the province and of America, have nothing in view but to assist in " endeavoring to preserve our happy civil Constitution free from Innovation & maintain it inviolate" and we esteem our selves happy that the Town has receivd the Ap probation of so many of their respectable Brethren in the Country, & particularly the Inhabitants of Littleton. The agreable manner in which you have communicated to us their Sentiments lays [us] under great obligation. We heartily joyn with you in wishing that Peace & Unity may be established in America, upon the permanent Foundations of Liberty & Truth.
16 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO NATHAN SPARHAWK.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 31 1773
SIR
Your attested Copy of the proceedings of Rutland District has been receivd and read by the Come of Correspondence for the Town of Boston. It affords us an unspeakeable Satisfaction to find so great a Number of the Towns & Districts in the province ex pressing a just Resentment at the repeated Attacks that have been made on the publick Liberty by a corrupt Administration and their wretched Tools & Dependents. Your District, in the Opinion of this Committee has very justly held up the publick Griev ances of America in one short but full View ; first the power assumed by the British parliament (in which we cannot be represented) to tax us at pleas ure ; and then their appropriating such taxes, to ren der the executive power of the province independent of the Legislative, or more properly speaking abso lutely dependent on the Crown. It was impossible for the Conspirators against our invalueable Rights, with all their Art & Assiduity, to prevent our sensible Brethren in the Country from seeing the fatal Ten dency of so dangerous an Innovation : And in a Virtuous Country it requires only a Sight of such daring Incroachments, to produce a manly & effectual Opposition to them. We applaud the patriotick De termination of the District of Rutland " that it is of the utmost Importance that the Inhabitants of this
1 Clerk of the District of Rutland, Worcester County.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 17
province stand firm as one man to support & main tain all their just Rights & Privileges." Such a reso lution when general among the people can seldom fail to reduce the most haughty Invaders of the com mon Rights to a Submission to Reason.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THOMAS MIGHILL.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 7 1773
SIR
We the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston, acknowledge the very obliging Letter to said town, signd by yourself & transmitted to us by order of the Town of Rowley.
It gives us great pleasure to find that the proceed ings of the Town we have the Honor to serve, have been so acceptable to our worthy & much esteemed Brethren of Rowley. This cannot fail to animate the Metropolis in every laudable Exertion for the com mon Cause of Liberty. The ardent Zeal of your Town for that all interresting Cause, expressd in their Letter and their judicious Instructions to their Rep resentative which accompany it, afford us a very strong Assurance of the high Esteem they have of our invalueable Rights & their deep Sense of the Griev ances we labour under. We joyn with them in sup plicating Almighty God for his Direction Assistance
1 Addressed as " late Moderator of a Meeting of the Freeholders £ other In habitants of the Town of Rowley held by Adjournment the third of February
I773-"
VOL. in. — 2.
i8 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
& Blessing in every laudable Effort that may be made for the securing to our Selves & posterity the free & full Enjoyment of those precious Rights & privileges for which our renowned forefathers expended so much Treasure & Blood.
TO ARTHUR LEE.
\
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library ; a text with modifications is in R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 197-203 ; printed also in the Boston Gazette, May 23, 1774.]
BOSTON 9 April 1773. MY DEAR SIR
I must by no means omit to request you to present my most respectful Complimts to the Society of the Bill of Rights and return them my hearty Thanks for the great Honor they have done me in admitting me one of their Members. The Gentlemen may be assured that this unexpected mark of their Respect adds to the Obligation which I have ever held myself under, to employ the small Share of Ability which God has given me, in vindicating the Rights of my Country & of Mankind.
I can now assure you, that the Efforts of this Town at their Meeting in November last, have had Effects which are extremely mortifying to our petty Tyrants. Every Art & every Instrument was made use of to prevent the Meetings of the Towns in the Country but to no purpose. It is no Wonder that a Measure calculated to promote a Correspondence and a free Communication among the people, should awaken Apprehensions ; for they well know that it must de-
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 19
tect their Falshood in asserting that the people of this Country were satisfied with the Measures of the British parliament and the Administration of Govern ment. ^Our Governor has in my Opinion merited greatly of the Ministry by his constant Endeavors, though in vain, to sooth & quiet the people & per- swade them to think there were no Grievances that might "be seen felt or understood.'/ And when the House of Representatives in the last May Session, by almost a unanimous Vote remonstrated against his Independency, he, without the least Foundation in Truth, & for no other Reason that I can conceive but to give Countenance to his Patron Hillsborough, or to establish himself in his Governm1 which he recd with so great Reluctance, did not scruple in his Speech at the Close of that Session, to insinuate that the House was under the Influence of a few factious members. No Speech of Bernards ever gave greater Disgust to the People, nor with more reason. X
There has been another Session of the Gen1 As sembly, wch began unexpectedly on the 6th of Jany last. It is my Opinion that it would have been post poned, as usual of late, till near the Close of our political Year, had it not been for the Boston Town Meeting ; I mean to prevent the designd Effects of it, by giving an occasion to the small Jobbers in the Country to say, that " however expedient it might have been for them to have had their meetings be fore, it now becomes unnecessary & improper since their representatives are soon to meet in Gen1 As sembly." This had an Influence in some Towns ; and his Excellency, I suppose judgd it more probable that
20 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
he should be able to mannage the Members of the House and prevail upon them "to joyn with him in bearing Testimony against the unwarrantable Pro ceedings of Boston," if they came together without having the explicit Sentiments of their Constituents.
At the Meeting of the Assembly, he thought proper to open a Controversy with the two Houses, for which I think Hillsbro would not thank him ; for he has thereby defeated the favorite Design of the Ministry, which was to lull the people into Security, and for the effecting of which Design, he had before thought himself, or endeavord to make Administration believe he was entitled to so great a Share of Merit. It has been publishd in most of the Newspapers in the Con tinent & engages much of the Attention of the other Colonies. This, together with ye proceedings of a contemptible Town meeting, has awakned the Jeal ousy of all, & has particularly raised ye Spirit of the most ancient & patriotick Colony of Virginia. Their manly Resolves have been transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in a printed Sheet of their Journals ; and our Com6 of Correspondence have circulated Copies of them into every Town & District through the Province.1
I wish I could hear more of Lord D. to qualify him for his high office, than merely that he is a good Man. Goodness I confess is an essential, tho too rare a Qualification of a Minister of State. Possibly I may not have been informd of the whole of his Lordships Character. Without a Greatness of Mind
1 An original print of this circular letter, dated April 9, 1773, is in the Lenox Library.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 21
adequate to the Importance of his Station, I fear he may find himself embarrassd with his present Con nections. It can easily be conceivd what principle induced Lord North to recommend to that Depart ment a Nobleman characterizd in America for Piety ; but what could prevail on his Lordship to joyn with such Connections, unless he had a Consciousness that his own Abilities were sufficient to defeat the plans of a corrupt Administration, I am not able to con ceive. It might be well for his Lordship to be as sured, that there is now a fairer prospect than ever of an Union among the Colonies, which his predecessor ^ did & had reason to dread, tho he affected to de spise it. Should the Correspondence proposd by Vir ginia produce a Congress ; and that an Assembly of States, it would require the Head of a very able Minister to treat with so respectable a Body. This perhaps is a mere fiction in the Mind of a political Enthusiast. Ministers of State are not to be dis- turbd with Dreams.
I must now acknowledge your agreeable Letter of the 24 of Dec1.1 I cannot wonder that you almost despair of the British Nation. Can that people be saved from Ruin, who carry their Liberties to market & sell them to the highest Bidder ? But America." " shall rise full plumed and glorious from her Mothers\ Ashes."
Our House of Representatives have sent a Letter to Lord Dartmouth. This must without Question be a wise measure, though I must own I was not in it. I feard it would lead the people to a false
1 R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. i., pp. 224-226.
22 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Dependence ; I mean upon a Minister of State, when it ought to be placed, with Gods Assistance, upon them selves. You cannot better prepare him for the rep resentations of the House, than as you propose, by giving him a proper Idea of Hutchinson. I am much obligd to you for your Intention to hold up to the publick the Generosity of my esteemed friend Mr. Otis. I wish I could assure you that he is perfectly recoverd.
April 12.
This day I have the pleasure of receiving yours of the 25 of Jan7.1 Your putting me in mind of the Honor done me by the Society of the Bill of Rights is very kind. I ought sooner to have acknowledgd it. My omitting it was owing to being in a Hurry when I last wrote to you. I am sensible I am not one of the most regular Correspondents ; perhaps not so as I should be. I duly recd tho I think not by Mr Storey, the Letter which inclosed the Answer to the Resolution of the Govr & Council against Junius Americanus, which I immediately publishd in the Boston Gazette. It was read with great Satisfaction by Men of Sense & Virtue. I am heartily glad to find that the proceedings of this Town are so pleas ing to you. I have heard that Ld Dartmouth recd one of our pamphlets with Coolness & expressd his Concern that the Town had come into such Measures. His Lordship probably will be much surprizd to find a very great Number of the Towns in this province (& the Number is daily increasing) concurring fully in Sentiments with this Metropolis ; expressing Loy-
i R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. i., pp. 226-228.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 23
alty to the King & Affection to the Mother Country' but at the same time a firm Resolution to maintain! their constitutional Rights & Liberties. I send you the proceedings of one town, which if you think proper you may publish as a Specimen of the whole, for the Inspection of an Administration either misin- formd & credulous to the greatest Degree of human Weakness, or Obstinate in wilfull Error. They have lately employd Eight Regiments of British Troops to bring an handful of unfortunate Carribs to a Treaty dishonorable to the Nation. How many Regiments will be thought necessary to penetrate the Heart of a populous Country & subdue a sensible enlightned & brave people to the ignominious Terms of Slavery ? Or will his Lordships superior Wisdom direct to more salutary Measures, and by establishing Freedom in every part of the Kings extensive Dominions, restore that mutual Harmony & Affection which alone is wanting to build up the greatest Empire the World has ever yet seen.
Mr. Wilkes was certainly misinformd when he was told that Mr H. had deserted the Cause of Liberty. Great pains had been taken to have it thought to be so ; and by a scurvy Trick of lying the Adversaries effected a Coolness between that Gentn & some others who were zealous in that Cause. But it was of short Continuance, for their falshood was soon detected. Lord Hillsbro I suppose was early informd of this imaginary Conquest ; for I have it upon such Grounds as I can rely upon, that he wrote to the Govr telling him that he had it in Command from the highest Au thority to enjoyn him to promote Mr H. upon every
24 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Occasion. Accordingly, tho he had been before frownd upon & often negativd both by Bernard & Hutchinson the latter, who can smile sweetly even upon the Man he hates, when he is instructed or it is his Interest so to do, fawnd & flatterd one of the Heads of the faction, & at length approvd of him when he was elected a Councellor last May. To palliate this inconsistent Conduct it was previously given out that Mr H had deserted the faction, & be came as they term each other, a Friend to Governm1. But he had Spirit enough to refuse a Seat at the Board, & continue a Member of the House, where he has in every Instance joyned with the friends of the Constitution in Opposition to the Measures of a Cor rupt Administration ; & in particular no one has dis- coverd more firmness against the Independency of the Govr & the Judges than he.
I have mentiond to Mr Cushing the Hint in your last concerning his not answering your Letter. I believe he will write you soon. The Gratitude of the friends to Liberty towards Mr Otis for his eminent Services in times past induces them to take all Occasions to show him Respect. I am much obligd to you for the friendship you have discoverd for him, in holding up to the View of the Publick his Generosity to Robinson.
Your Brother in Virginia has lately honord me with a Letter ; & I intend to Cultivate a Correspondence with him, which I am sure will be much to my Advantage.
• As you have confided in me to recommend one or more Gentlemen of this place as Candidates for the Society of the Bill of Rights, I can with the greatest
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 25
Integrity nominate my two worthy & intimate Friends J Adams & J Warren Esqrs ; the one eminent in the profession of the Law & the other equally so in that of physick. Both of them men of an unblemishd moral Character & Zealous Advocates for the Common Rights of Mankind.
TO RICHARD HENRY LEE.
[MS., American Philosophical Society; a text is in R. H. Lee, Life of Richard Henry Lee, vol. i., pp. 88-90, and a draft is in the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 10 1773
SIR—
Your Letter to me of the 4th Feb last, I receivd with singular Pleasure ; not only because I had long wishd for a Correspondence with some Gentleman in Virginia, but more particularly because I had fre quently heard of your Character and Merit, as a warm Advocate for Virtue and Liberty.
I have often thought it a Misfortune, or rather a Fault in the Friends of American Independeqcje and Freedom, 'their not taking Care to open every Channel of Communication. The Colonies are all embarkd in the same bottom. The Liberties of all are alike invaded by the same haughty Power : The Conspirators against their common Rights have in deed exerted their brutal Force, or applied their insid ious Arts, differently in the several Colonies, as they thought would best serve their Purpose of Oppres sion and Tyranny. How necessary then is it ; that All should be early acquainted with the particular
26 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Circumstances of Each, in Order that the Wisdom & Strength of the whole may be employd upon every proper Occasion. We have heard of Bloodshed & even civil War in our Sister Colony North Carolina ; And how strange is it, that the best Intelligence we have had of that tragical Scene, has been brought to us from England !
This Province, and this Town especially, have suf- ferd a great Share of Ministerial Wrath and Inso lence : But God be thanked, there is, I trust, a Spirit prevailing, which will never submit to Slavery^ The Compliance of New York in making annual Pro vision for a military Force designed to carry Acts of Tyranny into Execution : The Timidity of some Colonies and the Silence of others is discouraging : But the active Vigilance, the manly Generosity and the Steady Perseverance of Virginia and South Caro lina, gives us Reason to hope, that the Fire of true Patriotism will at length spread throughout the Con tinent ; the Consequence of which must be the Acqui sition of all we wish for.
The Friends of Liberty in. this Town have lately made a successful Attempt to obtain the explicit po litical Sentiments of a great Number of the Towns in this Province ; and the Number is daily increasing. The very Attempt was alarming to the Adversaries ; and the happy Effects of it are mortifying to them. I would propose it for your Consideration, Whether the Establishment of Committees of Correspondence among the several Towns in every Colony, would not tend to promote that General Union, upon which the Security of the whole depends.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 27
The Reception of the truly patriotick Resolves of the House of Burgesses of Virginia gladdens the Hearts of all who are Friends to Liberty. Our Committee of Correspondence had a special Meeting upon this Occasion, and determined immediately to circulate printed Copies in every Town in this Prov ince, in order to make them as extensively useful as possible. I am desired by them to assure you of their Veneration for your most ancient Colony, and their unfeigned Esteem for the Gentlemen of your Committee. This indeed is a small Return ; I hope you will have the hearty Concurence of every Assem bly on the Continent. It is a Measure that I think must be attended with great and good Consequences.
Our General Assembly is dissolved ; and Writs will soon be issued according to the Charter for a new Assembly to be held on the last Wednesday in May next. I think I may almost assure you that there will be a Return of such Members as will heart ily cooperate with you in your spirited Measures.
The most enormous Stride in erecting what may properly be called a Court of Inquisition in America, is sufficient to excite Indignation even in the Breast the least capable of feeling. I am expecting an au- thentick Copy of that Commission, which I shall send to you by the first opportunity after I shall have re- ceivd it. The Letter from the new Secretary of State to the Governor of Rhode Island, which possi bly you may have seen in the News papers, may be depended upon as genuine. I receivd it from a Gen tleman of the Council in that Colony, who took it from the Original. I wish the Assembly of that little
28 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Colony had acted with more firmness than they have done ; but as the Court of Enquiry is adjournd, they may possibly have another Tryal.
I have a thousand things to say to you, but am prevented by Want of Time ; having had but an hours Notice of this Vessels sailing. I cannot how ever conclude without assuring you, that a Letter from you as often as your Leisure will permit of it, will lay me under great Obligations. — I am in strict Truth Sir
Your most humble serv1
ARTICLE SIGNED " CANDIDUS." [Boston Gazette, April 12, 1773.]
Messieurs EDES & GILL,
PERHAPS no measure that has been taken by the Town of Boston during our present Struggles for Liberty, has thwarted the designs of our enemies more than their Votes and Proceedings on the 2Oth of November last.1 If we take a Retrospect of two or three Years past, we shall find that what our "pre tended patriots", as they were stiled in the . Court Gazette, so zealously forewarn'd us of, has since turn'd out to be a Fact ; that every art would be made use of to lull the people of this Province and Continent into Security, in order that the Conspirators against our Rights and Liberties might carry on their Schemes and compleat their system of Tyranny with-
^ l Volume II., page 350.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 29
out Opposition or Molestation. The first part of their plan, they imagined they had finish'd ; that is, the Establishment of a Revenue : And though this was far from being sufficient to answer their whole purpose, they thought that if they could put the people to sleep, they might the more easily add to this revenue, at some future time, and plead the present submission for a precedent. They therefore began upon the second and equally important part of their plan, which was to appropriate the revenue they had rais'd, to set up an Executive, absolutely inde pendent of the legislative, which is to say the least, the nearest approach to absolute Tyranny.
The Governor, who was the first American Pen sioner, had now an exhorbitant Salary allowed him out of the monies extorted from the people : And although this was directly repugnant to the obvious meaning, if not the very letter of the Charter, much was said by Chronus and the Tribe of ministerial Writers in Mr. Draper 's paper, to reconcile it to the people. But the people, whom they generally in their incubrations treated with an air of contempt, as an unthinking herd, had a better understanding of things than they imagined they had. They were almost universally disgusted with the Innovation, while the advocates for it were yet endeavoring to make the world believe, that the opposition to it arose from a few men only, of "no property" and " desper ate fortunes," who were "endeavouring to bring things into confusion, that they might have the advantage of bettering their fortunes by plunder." Little did they think that it was then known, as it now appears
3o THE WRITINGS OF [1773
in fact, that those who were assiduously watching for places, preferment and pensions, were in truth the very men of no property, and had no other way of mending their shattered fortunes, but by being the sharers in the spoils of their country.
Scarcely had the General Assembly the opportunity of expressing their full Sentiments of the mischievous tendency, of having a Governor absolutely depend ent on the Crown for his being and support, before the alarming News arriv'd of the Judges of the Superior Court being placed in the same Situation. This Insolence of Administration was so quickly re peated, no doubt from a full perswasion of the truth of the accounts received from their infatuated tools on this side of the atlantick, that the temper of the people would now admit of the experiment. But the News was like Thunder in the ears of all but a de testable and detested few : Even those who had been inclin'd to think favorably of the Governor and the Judges were alarm'd at it. And indeed what honest and sensible man or woman could contemplate it with out horror ! We all began to shudder at the Pros pect of the same tragical Scenes being acted in this Country, which are recorded in the English History as having been acted when their Judges were the meer Creatures, Dependents and tools of the Crown. Such an indignation was discover'd and express'd by almost every one, at so daring an Insult upon a free people, that it was difficult to keep our Resentment within its proper bounds. Many were ready to call for immediate Vengeance, perhaps with more zeal than discretion : How soon human Prudence and
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 31
Fortitude, directed by the wise and righteous Gover nor of the world, may point out the time and the means of successfully revenging the wrongs of America, I leave to those who have been the Contrivers and Abbettors of these destructive Measures, seriously to consider. I hope and believe that I live in a Country, the People of which are too intelligent and too brave to submit to Tyrants : And let me remind the greatest of them all, " there is a degree of patience beyond which human Nature will not bear" !
Amidst the general Anxiety the memorable Meet ing was called, with Design that the Inhabitants might have the Opportunity, of expressing their Sense calmly and dispassionately ; for it is from such, a Temper of Mind, that we are to expect a rational,] manly and successful Opposition to the ruinous Plans! of an abandoned Administration : And it is for thisj Reason alone, that the petty Tyrants of this Country} have always dreaded and continue still to dread, aj regular Assembly of the People.
The desirable Effects of this Meeting, contemp tible as it was at first represented to be, together with the Prospect of what may be further expected from it, may possibly be the subject of a future Paper.
Yours,
CANDIDUS.
April 10, 1773.
32
THE WRITINGS OF [1773
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO JOHN WADSWORTH.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 13 1773
SIR
The Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston have receivd a Letter from the respectable Inhabitants of the Town of Duxborough. Nothing can afford us greater pleasure than to find so noble a Spirit of Opposition to the Efforts of arbitrary power prevailing in so great a number of Towns in this province. And it gives us a particular Satisfaction that our worthy Brethren of Duxborough, who are settled upon the very spot which was first cultivated by our renowned Ancestors, inherit so great a Share of their heroick Virtues. It is as you justly observe an Affront to the Understanding of our Ancestors to suppose, that when they took possession of this Country, they consented, even tacitly, to be subject to the unlimited Controul of a Government without a Voice in it, the merciless Oppression of which was intolerable even when they had a Voice there. Your just Resentment of the Injuries done to us by the British parliament more especially in giving & grant ing our property & appropriating it to the most de structive purposes, without our Consent, and your resolution to oppose Tyranny in all its forms is worthy the Imitation of this Metropolis. We wish for & hope soon to see that Union of Sentiments in the several Towns throughout this province & in the American Colonies which shall strike a Terror in the
1 Town Clerk of Duxbury.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 33
hearts of those who would enslave us ; and together with a Spirit of union may God inspire us with that ardent Zeal for the support of religious & civil Lib erty which animated the Breasts of the first Settlers of the old Colony of Plymouth from whom the native Inhabitants of Duxborough have lineally descended. After the Example of those renowned Heroes, whose memory we revere, let us gloriously defend our Rights & Liberties, & resolve to transmit the fair Inherit ance they purchased for us with Treasure & Blood to their latest posterity.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO EZRA WHITMARSH.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
[April 13, 1773.]
SIR
The Selectmen of this Town have handed to us an attested Copy of a letter directed to them by order of the ancient Town of Weymouth. As it is the particular Department of the Committee of Corre spondence appointed by the Town, to return an Answer to this Letter we chearfully embrace the Opportunity ; and acknowledge the Candor of our Brethren of Weymouth in giving any Attention to the proceedings of this Town. The Town of Boston are deeply sensible that our publick Affairs as you justly observe are in a critical Scituation : yet our Intention was, not to obtrude their Opinions upon their Fellow-Countrymen, as has been injuriously
1 Town Clerk of Weymouth.
34 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
said, but to be informd, if possible of their real Senti ments, at a time when it was publickly & repeatedly given out that this Country in general was perfectly reconciled to the measures of the British Administra tion. It affords us pleasure to find it to be the Sense of the Town of Weymouth that " Encroachments are made upon our Rights & Liberties," & that they are " disposed at all times to unite in every lawful & proper measure for obtaining a redress of our Griev ances." Many of the Towns in this province have expressd a just Abhorrence of the Attempts that have been & still are made to deprive us of our in estimable rights. Their good Sense & generous Zeal for the common Liberty is highly animating & we would wish to emulate it. We are sensible that " much Wisdom is necessary to conduct us right, " and we joyn in earnestly supplicating " that Wisdom which is from above." The Friendship to this Town expressd in your Letter Jays us under great Obliga tions. No greater Blessing can be desired by this Community than " Peace Prosperity & Happiness, " and the Enjoyment of this Blessing depends upon civil & religioiis Liberty.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO
JOSEPH NORTH.1 [MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 13 1773
SIR
The Votes of the plantation of Gardnerstown have been laid before the Committee of Correspondence
1 Clerk of the " plantation " of Gardnerstown.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 35
of the Town of Boston by Mr Samuel Adams to whom you were so kind as to transmit them. The notice which your plantation have taken of the State of the Rights & Grievances of this people publishd by this metropolis gives us great pleasure. So thorough a Sense of Liberty civil & religious so early discoverd in an Infant Body, affords an agre- able prospect that the good Cause will be nobly de fended & maintaind by it, when it shall arrive to a State of Maturity. We wish you the Blessings of Heaven in your Settlement ; and we will exert our small Share of Influence in getting you protected from the savage hand of Tyranny, with which the whole British America has so long been contending. The resolves of the patriotick Assembly of Virginia accompany this Letter, & we doubt not you will par take of the general Joy they have given to all the friends of American Independence & freedom.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO
JOSIAH STONE.1 [MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 13 1773
SIR
Your attested Copy of the proceedings of the Town of Framingham at a legal meeting on the 15th of March last has been receivd by the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Boston.
The just resentment which your Town discovers at the power of Legislation for the Colonists assumed
1 Town Clerk of Framingham.
36 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
by the British Parliament, and its exerting that power in raising a revenue and applying it to purposes re pugnant to the common Safety, and the resolution of that town to defend our rights & Liberties pur- chasd with so much Blood & Treasure, must do them honor in the Estimation of all who place a true Value upon those inestimable Blessings. May He who gave this Land to our worthy forefathers, animate us their posterity to defend it at all Hazards ; and while we would not lose the Character of loyal Subjects to a prince resolvd to protect us, we will yet never forfeit that of Men determined to be free.
TO ARTHUR LEE
[R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 203, 204.]
BOSTON, April 22nd. 1773.
MY ESTEEMED FRIEND, — I have written you a long epistle by this conveyance, and yet as the vessel is detained by a contrary wind, I cannot help indulging the mood I am in to chat a little more with you. When I mentioned Mr. Hancock in my last, I forgot to tell you that he is colonel of a company, called the governor's company of cadets. Perhaps in this view only he was held up to Mr. Wilkes, when he was in formed that he had deserted the cause. But it should be known it is not in the power of the governor to give a commission for that company to whom he pleases as their officers are chosen by themselves. Mr. Hancock was elected by an unanimous vote ; and a reluctance at the idea of giving offence to an
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 37
hundred gentlemen, might very well account for the governor giving the commission to Mr. H., without taking into consideration that most powerful of all other motives, an instruction, especially at a time when he vainly hoped he should gain him over. I have been the more particular, because I know our adversaries avail themselves much by propagating reports that persons who have signalized themselves as patriots have at length forsaken their country. Mr. Otis yesterday was engaged in a cause in the ad miralty on the side of Dawson, commander of one of the king's cutters. At this some of the minions of power triumph, and say they have got over to their side the greatest champion of our cause. I have not yet discovered in the faces of their masters, an air of exultation at this event ; and indeed how can they boast of the acquisition of one, whom they themselves have been the most ready to expose as distracted.
I send you a complete printed copy of our contro versy with the governor, at the end of which you will observe some errors noted which escaped the press.
This letter goes under care of Mr. Cushing's to Dr. Franklin. The franks you favoured me with I shall make use of as necessity shall require.
I am yours affectionately,
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 204, 205.]
BOSTON, May 6th, 1773.
MY DEAR SIR, — My last letter to you I sent by
38 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Capt. Symmes, who sailed a few days ago. This town met yesterday, and made choice of their repre sentatives for the year ensuing. Enclosed is a copy of the town's instructions.1 It is a very common practice for this town to instruct their representatives ; which among other good purposes serves to communicate their sentiments and spirit to the other towns, and may be looked upon as fresh appeals to the world. I perceive by the late London newspapers that the governor's first speech had arrived there, and had been very sensibly remarked upon by Junius Americanus'. This warm and judicious advocate for the province I apprehend was mistaken in saying, that the supreme authority of the British parliament to legislate forces has been always acknowledged here ; when he reads the answer of the house to the speech, he will find the con trary clearly shown, even from Gov. Hutchinson's history. What will be the consequence of this con troversy, time must discover ; it must be placed to the credit of the governor, that he has quickened a spirit of enquiry into the nature and end of government, and the connexion of the colonies with Great Britain, which has for some time past been prevailing among the people. Magna est veritas et prevalebit ; I believe it will be hardly in the power even of that powerful nation to hold so inquisitive and increasing a people long in a state of slavery.
Pray write to me as often as you can find leisure, and be assured I am sincerely your friend and servant,
1 The text is in Boston Record Commissioners' Report, vol. xviii. , pp. 131-134.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 39
TO THE SELECTMEN OF BOSTON.
[W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., p. 70; printed also in the Historical Magazine, vol. vii.,p. January, 20, 1863.]
BOSTON, May 14, 1773.
GENTLEMEN,—
I must beg the favor of you to present my un feigned regards to the town, and acquaint them that, by reason of bodily indisposition, I am unable to dis charge the duty they have been pleased to assign me as moderator of their meeting, which is to be held this day by adjournment. I am much obliged to the town for the honor done me, and esteem it a very great misfortune whenever it is not in my power to render them services proportionate to my own inclination.
With all due respect, I remain, gentlemen,
Your friend and fellow-citizen,
TO ARTHUR LEE.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library ; a text with modifications is in R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 205, 206.]
BOSTON May 17, 1773.
DEAR SIR/
My last went by Cap Calef, and inclosd a Copy of the Instructions of this Town to their representa tives. Our General Assembly will meet next Week, what kind of a Budget the Govr will then open is un certain ; It is whispered that he intends to bring about a Coalition of parties, but how he will attempt
40 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
it I am at a loss to conceive. Surely he cannot think that the Body of this people will be quieted till there is an End put to the Oppressions they are under ; and he dares not to propose a Coalition on these Terms because it would disgust those who are the Instruments of & Sharers in the Oppression./ Besides I am inclind to think he never will be able to recover so much of the Confidence of the people as to make his Administration easy. A few of his Letters we have seen, but are restraind at present from publish ing them. Could they be made generally known, his Friends must desert him. It is a pity when the most important Intelligence is communicated with such Restrictions, as that it serves rather to gratify the Curiosity of a few than to promote the publick good. I wish we could see the Letters he has written since his Advancement to the Government. His friends give out that they are replete with tenderness to the province ; If so, / speak with Assiirance, they are the reverse of those he wrote before.
I send you for your Amusement the Copy of a Vote passd by this Town at the Adjournment of their Meeting a few days ago and remain with Sincerity your friend.
You cannot write me too often.
TO ARTHUR LEE.
[R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., p. 192, under date of June 14, 1772.]
BOSTON, June I4th, [1773.]
DEAR SIR, I now enclose letters written by
Thomas Hutchinson and Oliver and others of
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 41
less importance, the originals of which have been laid before the house of representatives.1 The house have already resolved, by a majority of 101 out of 106 members, that the design and tendency of them is to subvert the constitution and introduce arbitrary poweo" into the province. They are now in the hands of a committee to consider them farther, and report what is still proper to be done.
I think there is now a full discovery of a combina-N tipn of persons who have been the principal movers, in all the disturbance, misery, and bloodshed, which has befallen this unhappy country. The friends of our great men are much chagrined.
I am much engaged at present, and will write you more fully by the next opportunity. In the mean time believe me to be with great esteem your un feigned friend,
Wednesday, June i6th, 1773. — The enclosed re solves are to be considered by the house this after noon.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO ELIJAH MORTON.2
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON June 19 1773
SIR
The judicious and manly Resolves of the Town of Hatfield, passd at the Adjournment of a legal meet-
1 See Journal of the House of Representatives, /p7J-/77^, under dates of June 2, 3, 10, 16, 21, 22, 26, 28, 1773 ; cf. Bigelow, Complete Works of Benjamin Franklin, vol. v., pp. 147-150, 152, 153, 205-207.
2 Town clerk of Hatfield.
42 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
ing on the 31 of May last, have been laid before the Com6 of Correspondence for the Town of Boston. It affords us very great Satisfaction to find that the At tempts of this Town to state the common Rights of this Colony & the many grievances we labor under have been judgd by our Brethren of Hatfield to be an acceptable Service ; and the Thanks of that Town does great Honor to the metropolis. It has been the unremitted Endeavor of the Invaders of our Rights & the Tools they have employed, to prevail on the people to believe that there have been no Infringe ments made upon them ; and the artful Publications which have frequently issued from one of the presses in this Town in particular, had perhaps in some degree answerd their purpose. But we have the pleasure to assure you, that the Letters we have lately receivd from every part of the province, breath the true Sen timents & Spirit of Liberty. There seems to be in every town, an apprehension of fatal Consequences from "the illegal & unconstitutional measures which have been adopted, (as you justly express it) by the British ministry." Your Expression is indeed perti nent; for it has as we think abundantly appeard since you wrote, by some extraordinary Letters which have been publishd, that the plan of our Slavery was concerted here, & properly speaking " adopted by the British ministry." The plan indeed is concise ; first to take the people's money from them without their Consent & then to appropriate that money for the purpose of supporting an Executive independent of them and under the absolute Controul of the Crown or rather of the ministry. It was formerly the saying
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 43
of an English Tyrant " Let me have Judges at my Command & make what Laws you please." Andl herein he judgd wisely for his purpose, for what Security can the people expect from the most salutary Laws if they are to be executed by the absolute De- pendents_oX__a__JiiQjnarch. The nation cannot then wonder that not only the several Towns of this prov ince in their more private Departments, but the Representative body of the people in General Court assembled, are so greatly alarmd at this finishing Stroke of the System of Tyranny. That Union of Sentiments among the freemen of this Colony, that firmness, and Resolution to make every constitutional Stand against the Efforts of a corrupt administration which appears in the proceedings of so many Towns already publishd to the World, must afford full con viction to the Earl of Dartmouth that the opposition is not, as was represented to his predecessor in office, an expiring Faction. That the People of this prov ince thus animated with a laudable Zeal, may be di rected to the wisest measures for the Defence & Support of their common Liberty is the ardent wish of this Committee.
We are with the warmest affection for our Country, and a due regard to the Town of Hatfield
Sir
your assured friends & humble Servants,
44 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
TO ARTHUR LEE.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library ; a text with modifications is in R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 206, 207.]
BOSTON June 21 1773
Sir
I wrote in very great Haste a few days ago, and then inclosd a printed Copy of Letters signd Tho Hutchinson, Andw Oliver & others, with a Copy of certain Resolutions formd by a Committee and brot into the House of Representatives. Those Resolu tions have been since considerd by the House and with little Variation adopted as you1 see by the inclosd. Upon the last Resolve there was a Division 85 to 28 since which five of the minority alterd their minds, and two other members came into the House and desird to be counted so that finally there were 93 in favor & 22 against it. Many if not most of the latter voted for all the other resolves. A Petition & Re monstrance against Hutchinson & Oliver will be brot in I suppose this Week. 4JCj$hould think enough ap pears by these Letters to show that the plan for the ruin of American Liberty was laid by a few men born & educated amongst us, & governd by Avarice & a Lust of powejr^7 Could they be removed from his Majestys Service and Confidence here, effectual Measures might then be taken to restore, " placidam sub Libertate Quietam." Perhaps however you may ^think it necessary that some on your side the Water should be impeachd & brot to condign punishment. In this I shall not differ with you.
I send you our last Election Sermon delivered by
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 45
Mr Turner. The Bishop of Sc Asaphs I have read with singular pleasure.
I remain sincerely your friend,
PETITION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF MASSACHUSETTS TO THE KING. JUNE 23, 1773.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Province of Massachusetts Bay June 23 I7731
To the Kings most Excellent Majesty
Most Gracious Sovereign
We your Majestys most loyal Subjects the Repre sentatives of your ancient Colony, in General Court legally assembled, by Virtue of your Majestys Writ under the Hand and Seal of the Governor beg leave to lay this our humble Petition before your Majesty ; earnestly beseeching that in your Royal Clemency, your Majesty would . . .
Nothing but a Sense of the Duty we owe to our Sovereign, and the Obligation we are under to con sult the Peace and Safety of the Province, could induce us to remonstrate to your Majesty, the Mai- Conduct of those, who, having been born & educated and constantly resident in the Province and who formerly have had ye Confidence & were loaded with ye honours of this People, your Majesty, we conceive, from the purest Motives of rendering the People most happy, was graciously pleasd to advance to the high est places of Trust and Authority in the province.
1 Adopted by the House of Representatives by a vote of 80 to 1 1, after a motion to refer its consideration to the next session had been defeated by a vote of 73 to 13.
46 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
. It has been with the greatest Concern and Anxiety, that your Majestys humble Petitioners have seen Discords & Animosities too long subsisting between your Subjects of the Parent State & those of the Colonies : And we have trembled with Apprehen sions that the Consequences naturally arising there from must at length prove fatal to both Countries.
Your Majesty will permit us humbly to suggest, that your Subjects here have been naturally indued to believe, that the Grievances they have sufferd and still continue to suffer by the late measures of the British Administration, have been occasioned by your Majestys ministers & principal Servants being unfor tunately for us, either under strong prejudices against us, or misinformd in certain Facts of very interrest- ing Importance to us. It is for this Reason that former Houses of Representatives have from time to time prepared a true State of facts to be laid before your Majesty ; but their Petitions it is presumed, have by some means been prevented from reaching your Royal Hand.
/Your Majestys Petitioners have at length had be fore them certain Papers, from which, they conceive it * may be made manifestly to appear that there has long been a Combination 2 of evil Men in this province, who have contemplated Measures and formd a Plan, to raise their own Fortunes and advance them selves to Posts of Power Honor & Profit, to the Destruction of the Character of the province, at
1 As an alternative to the following six words, the draft has also, interlined, 4i is most reasonable to Suppose."
2 The draft has also "Conspiracy," interlined.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 47
the Expence of the Quiet of the Nation and to the annihilating of the Rights & Liberties of the American Colonies.
And we do with all due Submission to your Maj esty, beg Leave particularly to complain of the Con duct of his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson Esqr Governor, and the Honbe Andrew Oliver Esqr Lieu tenant Governor of this province, as having a natural & efficacious Tendency to interrupt & alienate the Affections of your Majesty our Rightful Sovereign from this your loyal province ; to destroy that Har mony & Good Will between Great Britain and this Colony which every honest Subject would wish to establish ; to excite the Resentment of the British Administration against this Province ; to defeat the Endeavors of our Agents & Friends to serve us by a fair Representation of our State of facts ; and to prevent our humble and repeated Petitions from reaching the Ear of your Majesty & having their de sired Effect. And finally that the said Thos Hutch inson & Andrew Oliver have been some of the chiefe Instruments in the Introduction of a Fleet and. Army into this province to establish & perpetuate their plans ; whereby they have not only been greatly instrumental of disturbing the peace & Harmony of the Government and causing unnatural & hateful Discords and Animosities between the several parts of your Majestys Dominions, but are justly charge able with all that Corruption of Morals in this Pro vince, and all that Confusion Misery and Bloodshed which have been the natural Effects of the posting of Troops in a populous Town.
48 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
We do therefore most humbly beseech your Maj esty, to give order that Time may be allowed to us to support these our complaints by our Agents and Council. And as the said Thos Hutchinson Esqr and Andrew Oliver Esqr have by their above men- tiond Conduct and otherwise rendered themselves justly obnoxious to your Majestys loving Subjects, we pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleasd to remove them from their posts in this Government, and place such good and faithful men in their Stead as, your Majesty in your great Wisdom shall think fit
TO ARTHUR LEE.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a text with modifications is in R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 207, 208.]
BOSTON June 28, 1773.
Dear Sir,
My last was by Cap. Collson by the way of Bristol, inclosd in a frankd Cover. I then informd you of the passing of a Number of Resolves in the House of Representatives upon certain Letters that had been under their Consideration. Since which the House have by a Division of -f~|, voted a Petition & Remonstrance to the King praying that Govr Hutchinson & Ll Govr Oliver may be removd from their Posts. A Copy of which is sent to Dr Franklin by this Vessel, who is directed to apply to Arthur Lee, Esqr and any other Gentleman as Coun cil. Upon my motion the Dr was directed to make
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 49
application to you solely ; but the next Day it was questiond in the House whether you were yet initiated into the Practice of Law, and the Addition was made upon a Doubt which I was sorry I had it not in my Power to remove. However, you must be applyd to ; Every Friend of Liberty, or which is the same thing, nine-tenths of the House having the greatest Confidence in your Integrity and Abilities.
You have herewith inclosd a Copy of the proceedings of the Council upon the same Subject.
The People are highly incensd against the two im- peachd Gentlemen. They have entirely lost the Es teem of the publick. Even some of their few friends are ashamd to countenance them. The Govr, as he has been one of the most obligd, has provd himself to be a most ungrateful man. He appears to me to be totally disconcerted. I wish I could say humbled.
The House are now considering the Independency of the Judges; A Matter which every day grows still more serious, and employs much of the Attention of the People without Doors, as well as of the Members
of the House. I wish Lord Dartmouth & the rest
— — ^
of the Great officers of the Crown could be prevaild upon duly to consider that British Americans cannot long endure a State of Tyranny.
I expect the Gen1 Assembly will be up in a few Days.1 I will then write you more particularly. In the mean time I remain
Your Friend,
1 The General Court was prorogued June 29, to meet September 15; but the next session did not begin until January 26, 1774. VOL. III. — 4
50 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF WORCESTER.
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON, Septemr n, 1773
GENTLEMEN
The happy fruit of the Appointment of Committees of Correspondence in almost every Town in this prov ince, is the Advantage that Each has of communicating any Matter of common Concern & Importance to a chosen Number of Men zealous for thepublick Liberty, in any particular Town or County, where it may be specially requisite that such Intelligence shd be given. In order to support our Cause, it is necessary that we attend to every part of the plan which our Enemies have concerted against it. In making Laws & raising revenues from us without our Consent, a Design is evidently apparent to render an American Legislative of little Weight ; and in appropriating such revenues to the support of Governor & Judges, it as evidently appears that there is a fixd Design to make our Ex ecutive dependent upon them & subservient to their own purposes. Every method is therefore to be usd that is practicable, in opposition to these two capital Grievances, which are the fountain from whence every other Grievance flows. All the Judges of the Superior Court, except the Chiefe Justice have receivd the Grants out of the province Treasury in full ; but this by no means makes it certain whether they intend for the future to depend upon the Crown for Support or upon the Grants of the Gen1 Assembly. Indeed one of them viz Mr Trowbridge has explicitly declared to
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 51
the Speaker of the House of Representatives that he will receive his Salary from the province only, so long as he shall hold his Commission. The Chiefe Justice (Oliver) has been totally silent. So that neither of them except Mr Trowbridge has yet thought proper to comply with the just Expectation & Demand of the House of Representatives, upon which the Safety, & therefore we trust the Quiet of this people depends.
The Court is now sitting here ; and the Grand Jury have presented a Memorial to them, setting forth as we are informd, the Contempt with which the Grand Juries of the province have been treated in the Letters of Govr Hutchinson & others ; asserting the Inde pendence of Grand Juries as being accountable to none but God & their own Consciences for their Conduct ; claiming to themselves equal protection with the Court, & expectingv that effectual measures will be taken to secure that most valueable Branch of our civil Constitution, from further Contempt. They have also represented to the Court, the great Uneasiness in the Minds of the people of this County & as they conceive of the whole province, by reason of the un certainty that yet remains, respecting the Dependence of the Judges on the Crown for Support, & their own Doubts & Difficulties on this Account ; & they pray that the Court wd come to an explicit & publick Declaration thereupon.
This is the Substance of the Matter. We shall en deavor to obtain a correct Copy, & in that Case you will see it publishd in the newspapers. In the mean time we would propose to you whether it would not be serving the Cause if every County would take
52 THE WRITINGS OF [1775
similar Measures. And as the Court is to sit next in your County,1 & yours is the principal Town we have written to your Committee only on this Subject, leav ing it to your Discretion & good Judgment to take such methods as shall be most proper.
TO JOSEPH HAWLEY/
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Oct. 4th 1773
MY DEAR SIR/
I can not omit this Opportunity of submitting to your Judgment, the Ideas I have of the present Dis position of the British Administration towards this Country; and I the rather do it at this time, because as Matters seem to me to be drawing to a Crisis, it is of the greatest Importance that we should have a right Understanding of their Sentiments and Designs. The "wild and extravagant Notions" (as they have been lately called) of the supreme Authority of Parliament " flowing from the Pen of an House of Representatives " has greatly chagrind them ; as they apprehend it has been the means of awakning that Spirit of Opposition to their Measures, which from the Information their Tools on this side of the Water had given them, and the Confidence they had placed in the Art and Address of Mr Hutchinson, they had
1 Cf . Columbia University Studies in History, Economics and Public Law, vol. vii., p. 58.
2 The political leader of Northampton, Massachusetts. His ' ' Broken Hints " is in Niles, Principles and Acts, p. 324.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 53
flatterd themselves, had subsided, & would soon be extinguished. At the same time they are very sensible, that the impartial Part of the Nation, con sidering that the House were in a Manner forced to express their own Sentiments on the Subject, be they what they might, with Freedom are ready to excul pate them, and lay the whole Blame, if there be any, upon the Governor, for his Imprudent Zeal in bring ing a Matter into open Controversy which the Ministry had hoped to have settled in a silent Way. It is my Opinion that the present Administration even though the very good Lord Dartmouth is one of them, are as fixed in their Resolutions to carry this favorite point as any of their Predecessors have been ; I mean to gain from us an implicit Acknowledgment of the Right of Parliament to make Laws binding upon us in all Cases whatever. The King who you know de termines by their Advice, has expressd his Dis pleasure at our late petitions because they held up Rights repugnant to this Right. Some of our Poli ticians would have the People believe that Adminis tration are disposd or determind to have all the Grievances which we complain of redressd, if we will only be quiet. But this I apprehend would be a fatal Delusion ; for I have the best Assurances, that if the King himself should make any Concessions or take any Steps contrary to the Right of Parliam1 to tax us, he would be in Danger of embroiling himself with the Ministry ; and that under the present Prejudices of all about him, even the recalling an Instruction to the Governor is not yet likely to be advisd. Lord Dart mouth has indeed lately said in the House of Lords
54 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
as I have it from a Gentleman in London who re- ceivd the Information from a peer who was present, that " he had formd his plan of Redress, which he was determind to carry at the Hazard of his office." But his Lordship might very safely make this Promise ; for from all that I have heard, his Plan of Redress is built very much upon the Hopes that we may be pre- vaild upon, at least implicitly to yield up the Right, of which his Lordship is as fixd in his Opinion, as any other Minister. This I conceive they have had in view from the year 1 763 ; and we may well re member, that when the Stamp Act was repeald, our ^Friends in Parliam1 submitted as a Condition of the ; Repeal, that the declaratory Act as it is called should Ibe passed, declaratory of the Right & Authority of / Parliament to make Laws binding upon us in all U Cases whatever. Till that time the Dispute had been
limitted to the Rio^ht of Taxation. By assuming the
i I £> j t>
\j Power of making Laws for America in all Cases, at the time when the Stamp Act was repeald it was pro bably their Design to secure, as far as they could do it by an Act of their own, this particular Right of Taxation thinking at the same time that if they could once establish the Precedent in an Instance of so much importance to us, as that of taking our Money from us, they should thenceforward find it very easy to exercise their pretended Right in every other Case. For this Purpose in the very next Session if I mistake not, they passed another revenue Act, for America ; which they have been endeavoring to support by military parade, as well as by other Means, at an Ex- pence to the Nation, as it is said of more than the
l\A. *A
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 55
revenue yielded. And yet, in order to induce us to acquiesce in or silently to submit .to their Exercise of this Right, they have even condescended to meet us half way (as it was artfully given out) and lessened this Revenue by taking off the Duty on Glass & several other Articles. Mr George Grenville declared that he would be satisfied with a peper Corn, but that he must have three; which shows that he had a stronger Sense of the Importance of establishing the Power of Parliament, or as his own Words were, " of securing the Obedience of the Colonies " than barely of a Revenue. /The Acknowledgment on our part of the Right of Parliament has been their invariable Object: And could they now gain this Acknowledgment fromx us, tho it were but implicitly, they would willingly sacri- \ fice the present revenue by a repeal of the Acts, and I for the present redress all our Grievances. I have been assured that a Question has of late been pri vately put by one in Administration upon whom much Dependence is had by some persons, to a Gentleman well acquainted with the Sentiments of the People of this Province, Whether the present House of Repre sentatives could not be prevaild on to rescind the Answers of the last House to the Governors Speeches relative to the supreme Authority of Parliament ; which Answers have been lookd upon as a Bar in the Way of a Reconciliation and being informd that such a measure on our part could by no means be expected, I am apprehensive that Endeavors will be used to draw us into an incautious mode of Conduct which will be construed as in Effect receding from the Claim of Rights of which we have hitherto been justly so
56 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
tenacious. It has been given out, I suspect from the Secrets of the Cabinet, that if we will now send home decent temperate & dutiful petitions, even our im aginary Grievances shall be redressd ; but let us con sider what Ideas Administration have of Decency Temperance & Dutifulness as applyd to this Case. Our late petitions against the Independency of the Governor & Judges were deemd indecent intemperate & undutiful, not because they were expressd in ex ceptionable Words, but because it was therein said that by the Charter it plainly appeard to us to be intended by the Royal Grantors that the General As sembly should be the constituted Judge of the ade quate Support of the Government of the province and the Ways & Means of providing for the same ; and further that this operation of an Act of parlia ment, by which the People are taxed & the money is appropriated & used for that purpose, derogates from one of the most sacred Rights granted in the Charter, & most essential to the Freedom of the Constitu tion, & divests the Gen1 Assembly of a most important part of legislative Power and Authority expressly granted therein, and necessary for the Good and Wel fare of the province & the Support and Government of the same. The- Subject Matter of our Complaint was, not that a Burden greater than our proportion was laid upon us by Parliament; such a Complaint we might have made salva Authoritate parliamentaria: But that the Parliament had assumed & exercisd the power of taxing us & thus appropriating our money, when by Charter it was the exclusive Right of the General Assembly. We could not otherwise have
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 57
explaind to his Majesty the Grievance which we meant to complain of ; and yet he is pleasd in his answer to declare that he has well weighd the Subject Matter of the petitions — and is determined to support the Constitution and to resist with firmness every At tempt to derogate from the Authority of the supreme Legislature. Does not this imply that the parlia ment is the supreme Legislature & its Authority over the Colonies the Constitution? And that until we frame our petitions so as that it may fairly be con strued that we have at least tacitly conceded to it we may expect they will be still disregarded or frownd upon as being not decent temperate and dutifull ? We may even be allowd to claim certain Rights and exercise subordinate powers of Legislation like the Corporations in England, subject to the universal Controul of ParlianV, and if we will implicitly acknow ledge its Right to make Laws binding upon us in all Cases whatever, that is, its absolute Sovereignty over us the Acts we shall then complain of as burdensome to us, shall be repeald, all Grievances redressd, and Administration will flatter us that the right shall never be exercisd but in a Case of absolute necessity which shall be apparent to every judicious man in the Empire. To induce us to be thus submissive beyond the bounds of reason & Safety their Lordships will condescend to be familiar with us and treat us with Cakes & Sugar plumbs. But who is to determine when the necessity shall be thus apparent? Doubt less the Parliam1, which is supposd to be the supreme Legislature will claim that prerogative; and then they will for ever make Laws for us when they think
58 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
proper. Or if the several Colony Assemblies are to signify that such necessity is apparent to every wise man within their respective Jurisdictions before the parlianV shall exercise the Right, the point will be given up to us in Effect, that the Parliam1 shall not make a Law binding upon us in any Case until we shall consent to it, which their Lordships can in no wise be thought to intend.
But I must break off this abruptly. I intend to write you further. In the meantime I must beg to be indulgd with your Thots on these matters & remain with great regard,
Sir,
TO JOSEPH HAWLEY.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Octob 13 1773
MY DEAR SIR/
I lately wrote you a long Epistle upon our political Affairs; and although I fear I have put your patience to the Tryal, I can not withstand a strong Inclination to communicate more of my mind to you on the same Subject. Perhaps it may be of Service to you, as it may afford you an opportunity of exercising that Charity or Candor which " beareth all things."
I have taken some pains to enquire into the true Character of the Minister in the American Depart ment. And I find that all allow him to be a good man. Goodness has rarely I fear been of late the Characteristick of his Majestys Ministers ; for which
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 59
reason his Lordship is to be sure the more highly to be prizd. But it seems veryfnecessary that Men in such elevated Stations should be great as well as good. The Promotion of a nobleman to this Department, who is famed in America for his Piety is easily ac counted for on the principles of modern Policy. How ever illy we may deserve it, the great men in England have an opinion of us as being a mightily religious People. Surely then it must be supposd that we shall place an entire Confidence in a Minister of the same Character. We find it is so in fact. How many were filled with the most sanguine Expectations, when they heard that the good Lord Dartmouth was en trusted with a Share in Administration ? Little did they think that if his Lordship did not come in upon express terms, which however is doubted by some, yet without a Greatness of mind equal, perhaps superior to his Goodness, it will be impossible for him singly to stem the Torrent of Corruption. This requires much more Fortitude than I yet believe he is possessd of. Fain would I have him treated with great Decency & Respect, both for the Station he is in and the Char acter he sustains; but considering with whom he is connected, I confess that in regard to any power he will have substantially to serve us, I am an Infidel.
I do not agree with some of our Politicians who tell us that the Ministry are "sick of their Measures." I cannot but wonder that any prudent Man should be lieve this, while he sees not the least Relaxation of measures; but instead of it new Insult & Abuse. Is the Act of Parliament, made the last year, and the Appointment of Commissioners with Instructions to
60 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
put it in full Execution in the Rhode Island Affair, a Ground of such a Beliefe ? Can we think the East India Company are so satisfied that Administration are disposd to give up their Designs of establishing Arbitrary Power, when no longer ago than the last Session of Parliament they effected the Deprivation of their Charter Rights, whereby they have acquired so great an Addition of Power & Influence to the Crown ? Or are such Hopes to be gatherd from the Treatment given to our own Petitions the last May, when they were discountenancd for no other Reason but because the Rights of our Charter were therein pleaded as a Reason against a measure which if a little while persisted in, will infallibly establish a Despotism in the End ? Surely this is not a time for us to tes tify the least Confidence in the Spirit of the British Government, or from flattering Hopes that their de signs are to alter measures, to trust to their Discretion or good Will.
I am apt to think that Ministry have two great Events in Contemplation both which in all probability will take place shortly. The one is a War & the other
new Election of Parliament Men. In order to im prove these Events to their own purpose, it will be come necessary to sooth & flatter the Americans with Hopes of Reliefe. In Case of a War, America if in good Humour will be no contemptible Ally. She will be able by her Exertions to annoy the Enemy much. Her aid will therefore be courted. And to bring her into this good Humour, the Ministry must be lavish in promises of great things to be done for her. Perhaps some Concessions will be made ; but
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 61
these Concessions will flow from policy not from Justice. Should they recall their Troops from the Castle, or do twenty other seemingly kind things, we ought never to think their Designs are benevolent to ward us, while they continue to exercise the pretended Right to tax us at their pleasure, and appropriate our money to their own purposes. And this they have certainly no Thought at present of yielding up. With regard to the Election of another House of Commons, that will not take place within these Eighteen months unless a Dissolution of parliam' should happen before ; which has indeed been hinted, & may be the move ment in order suddenly to bring on the Election before the People are prepared for it. We are to sup pose that an Attempt will be made to purchase the Votes of the whole Kingdom. This will require much Time and dexterous Management. The Ministry have in a great Measure lost the Influence of London and other great Corporations as well as that of the East India Company by their late Treatment of that powerful Body, whom Lord North now finds it neces sary to coax and pascify. They will therefore be glad to sooth America into a State of Quietness, if they can do it without conceding to our Rights, that they may have the Aid of the Friends of America when the new Election comes on. And that America has many Friends among the Merchants & Manufacturers the Country Gentlemen & especially the Dissenters from the establishd Church I am so well informd that I cannot doubt. The last of these are so from generous the others from private & selfish Principles. Such Considerations as these will be strong Inducements
62 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
[to] them to make us fair & flattering Promises for the present; but Nothing I think will be so dangerous as for the Americans to withdraw their Dependence upon
] themselves & place it upon those whose constant En deavor for ten years past has been to enslave us, & who, if they can obtain a new Election of old Mem bers, it is to be feard, unless we keep up a perpetual Watchfulness, will, in another seven years, effect their Designs. The Safety of the Americans in my humble opinion depends upon their pursuing their wise Plan of Union in Principle & Conduct. If we persevere in asserting our Rights, the Time must come probably a Time of War, when our just Claims must be attended to & our Complaints regarded. But if we discoverd the least Disposition to submit our Claims to their Decision, it is my opinion that our Injuries will be in-
\ creasd ten fold. I conclude at present with assuring
(^ you that I am with sincere regard
Sir your Friend & hbl serv1,
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MASSACHUSETTS TO OTHER COMMITTEES OF CORRESPONDENCE.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PRO OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY BOSTON Octob 21 1773
GENTLEMEN
The Committee of Correspondence appointed by the House of Representatives of this Province have
iThe origin of this letter appears in the manuscript journal, preserved in the Boston Public Library, of the Committee of Correspondence, consisting of fifteen members, appointed by the House of Representatives of Massachusetts. At a .meeting of the committee on June 28, 1773, a sub-committee, consisting of
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 63
been not altogether inattentive to the Design of their Institution. We have been waiting for Intelligence from Great Britain from whose injudicious Councils the common Grievances of the Colonies have sprang ; in hopes that a Change in the American Department would have producd a happy Change in the meas ures of Administration ; But we are sorry to say, that from the best Accounts that we have ob- taind the Ministry have been hitherto so far from radically redressing American Grievances that even the least Relaxation has not been advisd if thought of. On the Contrary, the British Parliament have been prorogud without taking the least Notice of the Affairs of America ; while they have been curtailing the Charter of the East India Company in such a Manner & in such a Degree, as to indicate that they are much more intent upon increasing the power & Influence of the Crown than securing the Liberties of the Subject. At the same time, this Province has had a very recent Discovery of the unalterd Reso lution of the Ministry to pursue their plan of arbitrary
Adams, Hancock, Gushing, Phillips, and Heath, was appointed, to write to the Connecticut Committee of Correspondence and also to the committee of each assembly. The letter to Connecticut appears to have been approved at a meet ing of the sub-committee on July 4. At a meeting of the sub-committee on July 15 Adams was asked to draft a letter on general government to the com mittees of the neighboring governments. This letter was still unwritten on August 19, and on September 29 the sub-committee called a meeting of the full cpmmittee for October 20. On that date it was voted expedient to write a circular letter to the other committees, and in the afternoon of the same day Adams and Warren were appointed a sub-committee to draft such a letter. At the afternoon meeting on October 21 a draft was reported, read several times, and accepted ; and it was voted that the chairman, with Adams and Heath, should sign the letters. The Journal is printed in Proceedings of Massachusetts Historical Society, 2d ser., vol. iv., pp. 85-90.
64 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Power, in the Kings Answer to the Petitions of our Assembly against the appropriation of the Revenue raisd from the Colonies, for the purpose of rendering our Governor & Judges dependent on the Crown. In his Majestys Answer, we have nothing explicit, but his Resolution to support the supreme Authority of the British parliam1 to make Laws binding on the Colonies (altho the petitions were supported by the express Declarations of the Charter of the province) and his great Displeasure, that principles repugnant to that Right were therein held forth. Such an Answer to such a petition affords the strongest Grounds to conclude, that the Ministry are as firmly resolvd as ever to continue the Revenue Acts & apply the tribute extorted by Virtue of them from the Colonies, to maintain the executive powers of the several Governments of America absolutely in dependent of their respective Legislatives ; or rather absolutely dependent on the Crown, which will, if a little while persisted in, end in absolute Despotism.
Such being still the temper of the British Ministry, Such the Disposition of the parliament of Britain under their Direction & Influence, to consider them selves as the Scvere^n^o^J^merica, Is it not of the utmost Importance that our Vigilance should increase, that the Colonies should be united in their Sentiments of the Measures of Opposition necessary to be taken by them, and that in whichsoever^ the Colonies any Infringments are or shall be made on the common Rights of all, that Colony should have the united Efforts of all for its^Support. This we take to be the
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 65
true Design of the Establishment of our Committees of Correspondence.
There is one thing which appears to us to be an Object worthy of the immediate Attention of the * Colonies. Should a War take place, which is thought by many to be near at hand, America will then be viewd by Administration in a Light of Importance to Great Britain. Her Aids will be deemd necessary ; her Friendship therefore will perhaps be even courted. Would it not then be the highest Wisdom in the sev eral American Assemblies, absolutely to withhold all kinds of Aid in a general War, untill the Rights & Liberties which they ought to enjoy are restored, & secured to them upon the most permanent founda tion ? This has always been the Usage of a spirited House of Commons in Britain, and upon the best Grounds ; for certainly protection & Security ought to be the unalterable Condition when Supplys are called for. With Regard to the Extent of Rights which the Colonies ought to insist upon, it is a Subject which requires the closest Attention & De liberation ; and this is a strong Reason why it should claim the earliest Consideration of, at least, every Committee ; in order that we may be prepared when time & Circumstances shall give to our Claim the surest prospect of Success. And when we consider how one great Event has hurried on, upon the back of another, such a time may come & such Circum stances take place sooner than we are now aware of. There are certain Rights which every Colony has explicitly asserted, & we trust they will never give up. That in particular, that they have the sole &
VOL. Ill, — 5.
66 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
unalienable Right to give & grant their own money & appropriate it to such purposes as they judge proper, is justly deemd to be of the last Importance. But whether even this Right, so essential to our Free dom & Happiness, can remain ... to us, while a Right is claimed by the British parliament to make Laws binding upon us in all Cases whatever, you will certainly consider with Seriousness. It would be de basing to us after so manly a Struggle for our Rights to be contented with a mere temporary reliefe. We take the Liberty to present you with the State of a Controversy upon that Subject, between the Gov ernor of this province and the Assembly. And as the Assembly of this or some other Colony may pos sibly be called into a further Consideration of it, we should think our selves happy in a Communication of such further Thoughts upon it, as we are perswaded will upon a ... occur to your Minds. We are v far from desiring that the Connection between Britain & America should be broken. Esto perpetua, is our ardent wish; but upon the Terms only of Equal Lib erty. If we cannot establish an Agreement upon these terms, let us leave it to another & wiser Gen eration. But it may be worth Consideration that the work is more likely to be well done, at a time when the Ideas of Liberty & its Importance are strong in Mens Minds. • There is Danger that these Ideas will hereafter grow faint & languid. Our Posterity may be accustomd to bear the Yoke & being inured to Servility they may even bow the Shoulder to the Burden. It can never be expected that a people, how ever numerous, will form & execute a wise plan to
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 67
perpetuate their Liberty, when they have lost the Spirit & feeling of it.
We cannot close without mentioning a fresh In stance of the temper & Design of the British Minis try ; and that is in allowing the East India Company, with a View of pacifying them, to ship their Teas to America. It is easy to see how aptly this Scheme will serve both to destroy the Trade of the Colonies & increase the revenue. How necessary then is it that Each Colony should take effectual methods to prevent this measure from having its designd Effects.1
GENTLEMEN
The foregoing Letter was unanimously agreed to by the Committee of Correspondence, and is in their name and by their order Transmitted to you by your most respectfull friends and humble Servants, T: CUSHING S: ADAMS W: HEATH
P.S. It is the request of the Committee that the Con tents of this Letter be not made publick least our Com mon Enemies should counteract and prevent its design.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON, NOVEMBER 5, 1773.
[Boston Record Commissioners'1 Report, vol. xviii., pp. 142, 143 ; a draft of the preamble, in the handwriting of Adams, is in the Mellen Chamberlain col lection, Boston Public Library.]
Whereas it appears by an Act of the British Parlia ment passed in the last Sessions, that the East India Company are by the said Act allowed to export their Teas into America, in such Quantities as the Lord of
1 The remainder is not in the autograph of Adams.
68 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
the Treasury shall Judge proper1 : And some People with an evil intent to amuse the People, and others thro' inattention to the true design of the Act, have so construed the same, as that the Tribute of three Pence on every Pound of Tea is not to be en acted by the detestable Task Masters there2 — Upon the due consideration thereof. Resolved, That the Sense of the Town cannot be better expressed on this Occasion, than in the words of certain Judicious Re solves lately entered into by our worthy Brethren the Citizens of Philadelphia — wherefore ^Resolved, that the disposal of their own property is the Inherent Right of Freemen ; that there can be no property in that which another can of right take from us without our consent ; that the Claim of Parliament to tax America, is in other words a claim of Right to buy3 Contributions on us at pleasure -
2d- That the Duty imposed by Parliament upon Tea landed in America, is a tax on the Americans, or levying * Contributions on them without their consent -
3d- That the express purpose for which the Tax is levied on the Americans, namely for the support of Government, the Administration of Justice, and the defence of His Majestys Dominions in America, has a direct tendency to render Assemblies useless, and to introduce Arbitrary Government and Slavery -
4th- That a virtuous and steady opposition to the Ministerial Plan of governing America, is absolutely necessary to preserve even the shadow of Liberty, and
1 At this point the draft includes the words, " without the same having been exposed to sale in the Kingdom of Great Britain."
2 The draft reads " here."
3 The town record should apparently read " lay."
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 69
is a duty which every Freeman in America owes to his Country to himself and to his Posterity -
5th That the Resolutions lately come by the East India Company, to send out their Teas to America Subject to the payment of Duties on its being landed here, is an open attempt to enforce the Ministerial Plan, and a violent attack upon the Liberties of America
6th- That it is the Duty of every American to oppose this attempt -
7th- That whoever shall directly or indirectly coun tenance this attempt, or in any wise aid or abet in unloading receiving or vending the Tea sent or to be sent out by the East India Company while it remains subject to the payment of a duty here is an Enemy to America
8th- That a Committee be immediately chosen to wait on those Gentlemen, who it is reported are ap pointed by the East India Company to receive and sell said Tea, and to request them from a regard to their own characters and the peace and good order of this Town and Province immediately to resign their appointment.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE
OF ROXBURY.
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Novr 9, 1773.
GENTLEMEN
The Town of Boston has for a few days past been greatly alarmd with hearing of the marching of the Soldiers posted at Castle Island from day to day in
yo THE WRITINGS OF [1773
Companies through the neighboring Towns armd. The pretence is that they are sickly & require such Exercise ; But why then should they be thus armd? It is justly to be apprehended there are other Designs, which may be dangerous to our common Liberty. It is therefore the Request of the Committee of Corre spondence for this Town, that you would give us your Company at Faneuil Hall on Thursday next at three o'Clock, joyntly to consult with them on this alarm ing occasion -
We are Gentn
your Fellow Countrymen,
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, voK ii., pp. 208, 209.]
BOSTON, Nov. gth, 1773.
MY DEAR SIR, — I have but just time to enclose you a newspaper, by which you will see that Lord Sh— — ne was not mistaken when he said that "things began to wear a very serious aspect in this part of the world." I wish that Lord Dartmouth would believe, that the people here begin to think that they have borne op pression long enough, and that if he has a plan of reconciliation he would produce it without delay ; but his lordship must know, that it must be such as will satisfy Americans. One cannot foresee events ; but from all the observation I am able to make, my next letter will not be upon a trifling subject.
I am with great respect, your friend,
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 71
TO THE SELECTMEN OF BOSTON. [MS., Mellen Chamberlain Collection, Boston Public Library.1]
BOSTON Novr 17, 1773
GENTLEMEN
Whereas the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of this Town did at their last Meeting make application to Richard Clarke Esq[ & Sons who are supposd to be the persons to whom the East India Companys Tea is to come consignd ; And request them to resign their Appointment to which they returnd for Answer that they were uncertain upon what Terms the said Tea would be sent to them, and what Obligations they should be laid under. And Whereas by a Ves- sell now arrived from London (in which is come a Passenger a Son of the said Mr Clarke) there is Advice that said Tea is very soon expected.
It is therefore the Desire of us the Subscribers that a Meeting of the Town may be called, that an other Application may be made to the same persons requesting as before ; it being probable that they can now return a definite Answer.
We are Gentlemen
Your humble servts
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF PLYMOUTH.
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Decr 17, 1773
GENTLEMEN
The Com6 of Correspondence for this Town duly recd your Letter of the 14th & note the important Con-
1 All in the autograph of Adams, and signed by Adams and twenty- four others. Cf. , Boston Record Commissioners' Report, vol. xviii., p. 147.
Ij." . £\ > Vi;
72 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
tents. We inform you in great Haste that every Chest of Tea on board the three Ships in this Town was destroyed the last Evening without the least In jury to the Vessels or any other property. Our Ene- <Xrnies must acknowledge that these people have acted .upon pure & upright Principle. The people at the Cape will we hope behave with propriety and as be comes Men resolved to save their Country.1
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO OTHER COMMITTEES OF CORRESPONDENCE.
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.2]
BOSTON 17th Decer 1773.
GENTLEMEN,
Yesterday we had a greater meeting of the Body than ever, the Country coming in from twenty miles round, & every step was taken, that was practicable for returning the Teas. The moment it was known out of doors that Mr Rotch could not obtain a pass for his Ship by the Castle, a number of people huz- za'd in the Street, and in a very little time every ounce of the Teas on board of the Capts Hall, Bruce & Coffin, was immersed in the Bay, without the least injury to private property. The Spirit of the People on this occasion surprisd all parties who view'd the Scene.
We conceived it our duty to afford you the most
1 At the foot of the draft is written the following, also in the handwriting of Adams : & to Sandwich with this Addition — " We trust you will afford them your immediate Assistance & Advice."
2 Merely the subscription and addresses are in the autograph of Adams. Noted as sent " by Mr Revere" to " Mr Mifflin & Geo Clymer" at Philadel phia and " Phillip Livingston & Sam Broom" at New York.
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 73
early advice of this interesting event by express which departing immediately obliges us to conclude. In the Name of the Com6,
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 212, 213.]
BOSTON, Dec. 25th, 1773.
MY DEAR SIR, — I wrote you a few days past by Capt. Scott, and then promised to write farther by the next opportunity ; but not having heard of the sailing of this vessel till this moment, I have only time to recommend a letter written and directed to you by John Scollay, Esq. a worthy gentleman and one of the selectmen of this town. He desires me to apologise for his addressing a letter to one who is a perfect stranger to him, and to assure you that he is persuaded there is no gentleman in London who has the liberties of America more warmly at heart, or is more able to vindicate them than yourself. You see the dependence we have upon you.
Excuse this short epistle, and be assured that as I am a friend to every one possessed of public virtue, with affection I must be constantly yours,
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 209-212.]
BOSTON, Dec. 31, 1773.
MY DEAR SIR, — I am now to inform you of as remarkable an event as has yet happened since the
74 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
commencement of our struggle for American liberty. The meeting of the town of Boston, an account of which I enclosed in my last, was succeeded by the arrival of the ship Falmouth, Captain Hall, with 114 chests of the East India Company's tea, on the 28th of November last. The next day the people met in Faneuil hall, without observing the rules prescribed by law for calling them together ; and although that hall is capable of holding 1200 or 1300 men, they were soon obliged for the want of room to adjourn to the Old South meeting-house; where were assembled upon this important occasion 5000, some say 6000 men, con sisting of the respectable inhabitants of this and the adjacent towns. The business of the meeting was conducted with decency, unanimity, and spirit. Their resolutions you will observe in an enclosed printed paper. It naturally fell upon the correspondence for the town of Boston to see that these resolutions were carried into effect. This committee, finding that the owner of the ship after she was unloaded of all her cargo except the tea, was by no means disposed to take the necessary steps for her sailing back to London, thought it best to call in the committees of Charlestown, Cambridge, Brookline, Roxbury, and Dorchester, all of which towns are in the neighbour hood of this, for their advice and assistance. After a free conference and due consideration, they dispersed. The next day, being the i4th, inst. the people met again at the Old South church, and having ascertained the owner, they compelled him to apply at the custom house for a clearance for his ship to London with the tea on board, and appointed ten gentlemen to see it
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS. 75
performed ; after which they adjourned till Thursday the 1 6th. The people then met, and Mr. Rotch in formed them that he had according to their injunction applied to the collector of the customs for a clearance, and received in answer from the collector that he could not consistently with his duty grant him a clear ance, until the ship should be discharged of the duti able article on board. It must be here observed that Mr. Rotch had before made a tender of the tea to the consignees, being told by them that it was not prac ticable for them at that time to receive the tea, by reason of a constant guard kept upon it by armed men ; but that when it might be practicable, they would receive it. He demanded the captain's bill of lading and the freight, both which they refused him, against which he entered a regular protest. The people then required Mr. Rotch to protest the refusal of the collector to grant him a clearance under these circumstances, and thereupon to wait upon the gov ernor for a permit to pass the castle in her voyage to London, and then adjourned till the afternoon. They then met, and after waiting till sun-setting, Mr. Rotch returned, and acquainted them that the governor had refused to grant him a passport, thinking it incon sistent with the laws and his duty to the king, to do it until the ship should be qualified, notwithstanding Mr. Rotch had acquainted him with the circumstances above mentioned. You will observe by the printed proceedings, that the people were resolved that the tea should not be landed, but sent back to London in ., the same bottom ; and the property should be safe guarded while in port, which they punctually per-
76 THE WRITINGS OF [1773
formed. It cannot therefore be fairly said that the destruction of the property was in their contemplation. It is proved that the consignees, together with the collector of the customs, and the governor of the province, prevented the safe return of the East India Company's property (the danger of the sea only ex- cepted) to London. The people finding all their endeavours for this purpose thus totally frustrated, dis solved the meeting, which had consisted by common estimation of at least seven thousand men, many of whom had come from towns at the distance of twenty miles. In less than four hours every chest of tea on board three ships which had by this time arrived, three hundred and forty-two chests, or rather the con tents of them, was thrown into the sea, without the least injury to the vessels or any other property. The only remaining vessel which was expected with this detested article, is by the act of righteous heaven cast on shore on the back of Cape Cod, which has often been the sad fate of many a more valuable cargo. For a more particular detail of facts, I refer you to our worthy friend, Dr. Hugh Williamson, who kindly takes the charge of this letter. We have had great pleasure in his company for a few weeks past ; and he favoured the meeting with his presence.
You cannot imagine the height of joy that sparkles in the eyes and animates the countenances as well as the hearts of all we meet on this occasion ; excepting the disappointed, disconcerted Hutchinson and his tools. I repeat what I wrote you in my last ; if lord Dartmouth has prepared his plan let him produce it speedily ; but his lordship must know that it must
1773] SAMUEL ADAMS.
77
be such a plan as will not barely amuse, much less farther irritate but conciliate the affection of the inhabitants.
I had forgot to tell you that before the arrival of either of these ships, the tea commissioners had preferred a petition to the governor and council, praying "to resign themselves and the property in their care, to his excellency and the board as guard ians and protectors of the people, and that measures may be directed for the landing and securing the tea," &c. I have enclosed you the result of the council on that petition. He (the governor) is now, I am told, consulting his lawyers and books to make out that the resolves of the meeting are treasonable. I duly received your favours of the 23d June, of the 2ist July and i3th October,1 and shall make the best use I can of the important contents.
Believe me to be affectionately your friend,
P.S. — Your letter of the 28th August is but this moment come to hand. I hope to have leisure to write you by the next vessel. Our friend Dr. Warren has written to you by this 2 ; you will find him an agreeable and useful correspondent.
1 Under date of October 13, 1773, Lee had written to Adams : " Every day gives us new light and new strength. At first it was a tender point to question*\ the authority of parliament over us in any case whatsoever ; time and you have V proved that their right is equally questionable in all cases whatsoever. It was f certainly a great stroke, and has succeeded most happily." R. H. Lee, Life * of Arthur Lee, vol i., pp. 236, 237.
9 Under date of December 21, 1773. The text is in Ibid., vol. ii., pp. 262, 263.
78 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
TO JOHN PICKERING, JUNIOR.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Janv 8 1774
SIR/
As the General Assembly will undoubtedly meet on the 26th of this Month, the Negroes whose Petition lies on file and is referrd for Consideration, are very sollicitous for the Event of it. And having been mformd that you intended to consider it at your Leisure Hours in the Recess of the Court, they earnestly wish you would compleat a Plan for their Reliefe. And in the mean time, if it be not too much Trouble, they ask it as a favor that you would by a Letter enable me to communicate to them the general outlines of your Design.
I am with sincere Regard,
Sir, your humble Serv1
TO ARTHUR LEE. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Jan 25 1774
The sending the East India Companies Tea into America appears evidently to have been with Design of the British Administration, and to com plete the favorite plan of establishing a Revenue in America. The People of Boston and the other adjacent Towns endeavored to have the Tea sent back to the place from whence it came & then to
1 Of Salem, Mass. Upon a later letter from Pickering to Adams is endorsed in the autograph of Adams : " Letter from Mr J Pickerin an honest & sensible Friend of ye Liberty of his Country."
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 79
prevent the Design from taking Effect. Had this been done in Boston, as it was done in New York & Philadelphia, the Design of the Ministry would have been as effectually prevented here as in those Colonies and the property would have been saved. Governor Hutchinson & the other Crown officers having the Command of the Castle by which the Ships must have passed, & other powers in their Hands, made use of these Powers to defeat the Intentions of the people & succeeded ; in short the Governor who for Art & Cunning as well as an inveterate hatred of the people was inferior to no one of the Cabal ; both encouragd & provoked the people to destroy the Tea. By refusing to grant a Passport he held up to them the alternative of destroying the property of the East India Com pany or suffering that to be the sure means of unhinging the Security of property in general in America, and by delaying to call on the naval power to protect the Tea, he led them to determine their Choice of Difficulties. In this View of the Matter the Question is easily decided who ought in Justice to pay for the Tea if it ought to be paid for at all.
The Destruction of the Tea is the pretence for the unprecedented Severity shown to the Town of Bostan^but the real Cause is the opposition to\ Tyranny for which the people of that Town haveV always made themselves remarkeable & for which/ I think this Country is much obligd to them. 'b(They are suffering the Vengeance of Administration in the Common Cause of America.
8o THE WRITINGS OF [1774
RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF MASSACHUSETTS. MARCH i, 1774.'
[Journal of the House of Representatives , 7773, I774-> P- 2I9-]
Whereas Peter Oliver.2 Esq ; Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature, &c. hath declined any more to receive the Grants of this House for his Services, and hath informed this House by a Writing under his Hand, that he hath taken and received a Grant from his Majesty for his Services, from the fifth Day of July 1772, to the fifth day of January 1774; and that he is resolved for the future to re ceive the Grants from his Majesty that are or shall be made for his said Services, while he shall continue in this Province as Chief Justice :
Therefore, Resolved, That this House will not proceed to make a Qrant to the said Peter Oliver, Esq ; for his Services for the Year past.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MARBLEHEAD. 3
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 24 1774
GENTLEMEN
The Bearer of this Mr Wm Goddard has brot us Letters from our worthy Brethren the Committees of Correspondence of New York Newport and Provi dence, recommending to our Consideration the Expe-
1 On March I, 1774, the House of Representatives voted that Adams should prepare a resolution stating the reason for omitting the usual grant to Peter Oliver. He reported the same day, and his report was accepted.
2 For the articles of impeachment against Peter Oliver, see Massachusetts Gazette, March 3, 1774, and Anmtal Register, 1774, PP- 224-227.
3 Intended also for the Committees of Correspondence at Salem, Portsmouth and Newbury Port.
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 81
diency of making an Effort to constitute & support a Post throughout America in the room of that which is now establishd by an Act of the British Parliament. When we consider the Importance of a Post, by which not only private Letters of Friendship and Commerce but publick Intelligence is conveyd from Colony to Colony, it seems at once proper & necessary that such an one should be establishd as shall be under the Direction of the Colonies ; more especially when we further consider that the British Administration & their Agents have taken every Step in their Power to prevent an Union of the Colonies which is so necessary for our making a successful opposition to their arbitrary Designs, and which depends upon a free Communication of the Circumstances and Senti ments of each to the others, and their mutual Councils Besides, the present Post Office is founded on an Act of the British Parliament and raises a revenue from us without our Consent, in which View it is equally as obnoxious as any other revenue Act, and in the time of the Stamp Act as well as since it has been pleaded as a Precedent against us. And though we have appeard to acquiesce in it, because the office was thought to be of publick Utility, yet, if it is now made use of for the purpose of stopping the Channels of publick Intelligence and so in Effect of aiding the measures of Tyranny, as Mr Goddard informs us it is, the necessity of substituting another office in its Stead must be obvious. The Practicability of doing this throughout the Continent is to be considerd. We by no means despair of it. But as it depends upon joynt Wisdom & Firmness our Brethren of
82 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
New York are sollicitous to know the Sentiments of the New England Colonies. It is therefore our earnest Request that you would take this matter so interresting to America into your consideration, & favor us by the return of Mr Goddard with your own Sentiments, and as far as you shall be able to collect them, the Sentiments of the Gentlemen of your Town & more particularly the Merchants and Traders. And we further request that you would, if you shall judge it proper, communicate your Sentiments in a Letter by Mr Goddard to the Committees of Correspondence of New York & Philadelphia &c. It is our present opinion that when a plan is laid for the effectual Establishment and Regulation of a Post throughout the Colonies upon a constitutional Footing, the Inhab itants of this Town will heartily joyn in carrying it into Execution. We refer you for further particulars to Mr Goddard, who seems to be deeply engagd in this attempt, not only with a View of serving himself as a Printer, but equally from the more generous motive of serving the Common Cause of America. We wish Success to the Design and are with cordial Esteem,
Gentlemen,
Your Friends & fellow Countrymen,
TO ELBRIDGE GERRY. [J. T. Austin, Life of Elbridge Gerry, vol. i., pp. 36-39.]
BOSTON, March 25, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR,
While the general court was sitting I received a letter from you relating to the unhappy circumstances
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 83
the town of Marblehead was then in ; but a great variety of business, some of which was very import ant, prevented my giving you a convincing proof at that time, of the regard with which I am ever disposed to treat your favours. Besides, if it had been in my power to have aided you with advice, I flattered my self, from the information I afterwards had, that the storm, though it raged with so much violence, would soon spend itself, and a calm would ensue. The tumult of the people is very properly compared to the raging of the sea. When the
become headstrong, they generally will have their course : a direct opposition only tends to increase them ; and as to reasoning, one may as well expect that the foaming billows will hearken to a lecture of morality and be quiet. The skilful pilot will care fully keep the helm, and so steer the ship while the storm continues, as to prevent, if possible, her receiv ing injury.
When your petition was read in the house, I was fearful that our enemies would make an ill improve ment of it. I thought I could discover in the counte nances of some a kind of triumph in finding that the friends of liberty themselves, were obliged to have re course even to military aid, to protect them from the fury of an ungoverned mob. They seemed to me to be disposed to confound the distinction, between a lawless attack upon property in a case where if there had been right there was remedy, and the people's rising in the necessary defence of their liberties, and deliberately, and I may add rationally destroying property, after trying every method to preserve it, and
84 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
when the men in power had rendered the destruction of that property the only means of securing the prop erty of all.
It is probable that such improvement may have been made of the disorders in Marblehead, to preju dice or discredit our manly opposition to the efforts of tyranny ; but I hope the friends of liberty will pre vent any injury thereby to the common cause : and yet, I cannot but express some fears, that parties and animosities have arisen among the brethren ; because I have just now heard from a gentleman of your town, that your committee of correspondence have resolved no more to act ! I am loath to believe, nay, I cannot yet believe, that the gentlemen of Marble- head, who have borne so early and so noble a testi mony to the cause of American freedom, will desert that cause, only from a difference of sentiments among themselves concerning a matter which has no relation to it. If my fears are groundless, pray be so kind as to relieve them, by writing to me as soon as you have an opportunity. I shall take it as the greatest act of friendship you can do me. Indeed the matter will soon be put to the trial ; for our committee, without the least jealousy, have written a letter to your's, by Mr. God- dard, who is the bearer of this. The contents we think of great importance, and therefore I hope they will have the serious consideration of the gentlemen of your committee.
I am, with strict truth,
Your's affectionately,
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 85
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MASSACHUSETTS TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.1
[Seventy- Six Society Publications. Papers Relating to Massachusetts, pp. 186-192. A draft is in the Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library. A manuscript text, with autograph signatures, is in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.]
BOSTON, March 3ist, 1774.
SIR :
By the inclosed Papers you will observe the pro ceedings of the two Houses of Assembly in the late session with regard to the Justices of the Superior Court. The conduct of Administration in advising an annual Grant of the Crown to the Governor and the Judges whereby they are rendered absolutely de pendent on the Crown for their being and support, had justly and very thoroughly alarmed the appre hensions of the people. They clearly saw that this measure would complete the Tragedy of American Freedom, for they could conceive of no state of sla very more perfect, than for a Parliament in which they could have no voice to claim a power of making Laws to bind them in all cases whatever, and to exercise that assumed Power in taking their money from them and appropriating it for the support of Judges wfyo are to execute such laws as that parliament should see fit to make binding upon them, and a Fleet and Army to enforce their subjection to them. No dis cerning Minister could expect that a people who had. not entirely lost the Spirit and Feeling of that Lib erty wherewith they had before been made free, would tamely and without a struggle submit to be thus dis graced and enslaved by the most powerful and haughty
1 Signed by Samuel Adams, John Hancock, William Phillips and William Heath.
86 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
Nation on Earth. They heard with astonishment that his Majesty, their own sovereign as well as the sovereign of Britain, had been advised by his servants to signify his displeasure at the decent temperate and humble Petitions of their Representatives, for the re dress of this intolerable Grievance merely because they held up principles founded in nature, and con firmed to British Subjects by the British Constitution, and to the subjects in this Province by a sacred char ter granted to the inhabitants by his illustrious pre decessors for themselves their Heirs and successors forever. They regretted that the Influence of the good Lord Dartmouth upon whose exertions they had placed a confidence could not prevail to gain the Royal attention to their just Complaints being as sured that could his Majesty be truly informed, that the express intention of the Royal Charter was to establish and confirm to his subjects in this Province all the liberties of his natural born subjects within the Realm, to all Intents, Purposes and Constructions whatsoever, they should soon rejoice in the full re dress of their Grievances and that he would revoke his Grants to his Governor and Judges and leave the Assembly to support his Governor in the Province in the way and manner prescribed in the Charter accord ing to ancient and uninterrupted usage and conform able to the true spirit of the British Constitution.
The People however forbore to take any extraor dinary Measures for the Removal of this dangerous innovation, and trusted to the Prudence and forti tude of their Representatives by whose Influence four of the Judges have been prevailed upon to renounce
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 87
the Grants of the Crown and to declare their Resolu tion to depend upon the Grants of the Assembly for their future services. The Chief Justice has acted a dif ferent part. The House of Representatives have addressed the Governor and Council to remove him from his Office ; they have impeached him of High Crimes and misdemeanors, the Governor has refused, even though requested by the Council, to appoint a time to determine on the matter, and finally the House have Resolved that they have done all in their Power in their capacity to effect his removal and that the Governor's refusal was presumed to be because he received his support from -the Crown.
As the Papers inclosed contain so fully the Senti ments of the two Houses concerning this important matter, it is needless to make any observations thereon. The Assembly is prorogued and it is expected will soon be Dissolved. Doubtless the People who in general are greatly agitated with the conduct of the Governor, will at least speculate very freely upon a subject so interesting to them. They see with resentment the effect of the Governor's in dependency, That he is resolved to save a favorite (with whom he has a connection by the intermarriage of their children) and therein to set a precedent for future Independent Governors to establish any cor rupt officers against the remonstrances of the Repre sentative Body. They despair of any Constitutional remedy, while the Governor of the Province is thus dependant upon Ministers of State against the most flagrant oppressions of a corrupt Officer. They take it for certain that such a Governor will forever
88 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
screen the conduct of such an officer from examination and prevent his removal, if he has reason to think it is expected he should so do by those upon whos^e favor he depends. On the other hand his Majesty's Ministers, unless they are blinded by the plausible Colourings of designing men may see, that by the present measures the People are provoked and irri tated to such a degree, that it is not in the Power of a Governor (whom they look upon as a mere Instru ment of Power) though born and educated in the Country, and for a long time possessed of a great share of the confidence and affections of the People now to carry a single point which they the ministers can recommend to him. And this will always be the case let who will be Governor while by being made totally dependent on the Crown or perhaps more strictly speaking upon the Ministry, he is thus aliened from the People for whose good he is and ought to be appointed. In such a state what is to be expected but warm and angry Debates between the Governor and the two Houses (while the Assembly is sitting instead of the joint consultation for the public Wel fare) and violent commotions among the People ? It will be in vain for any to expect that the people of this Country will now be contented with a partial and temporary relief, or that they will be amused by Court promises while they see not the least relaxation of Grievances. By the vigilance and activity of Committees of Correspondence among the several towns in the Province they have been wonderfully enlightened and animated. They are united in sen timent and their opposition to unconstitutional Meas-
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 89
ures of Government is become systematical, Colony communicates freely with Colony. There is a com mon Affection ***** *
whole continent is
now become united in sentiment and opposition to tyranny. Their old good will and affection for the Parent Country is not however lost, if she returns to her former moderation and good humor their affection] will revive. They wish for nothing more than per- * manent union with her upon the condition of equal '. liberty. This is all they have been contending for/ and nothing short of this will or ought to satisfy them. When formerly the Kings of England have encroached upon the Liberties of their Subjects, the subjects have thought it their Duty to themselves and their Posterity to contend with them until they were restored to the footing of the Constitution. The events of such struggles have sometimes proved fatal to Crowned Heads — perhaps they have never issued but Establishments of the People's Liberties. In those times it was not thought reasonable to say, that since the King had claimed such or such a Power the People must yield it to him because it would not be for the Honor of his Majesty to recede from his Claim. If the People of Britain must needs flatter themselves that they collectively are the Sovereign of America, America will never consent that they should govern them arbitrarily, or without known and stipulated Rules. But the matter is not so considered here : Britain and the Colonies are con sidered as distinct Governments under the King. Britain has a Constitution the envy of all Foreigners,
90 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
to which it has ever been the safety as well of Kings as of subjects steadfastly to adhere. Each Colony has also a Constitution in its Charter or other Insti tution of Government ; all of which agree in this that the fundamental Laws of the British Constitution shall be the Basis. That Constitution by no means admits of Legislation without representation. Why then should the Parliament of Britain which not withstanding all its Ideas of transcendant Power must forever be circumscribed within the limits of that Constitution, insist upon the right of legislation for the people of America without their having Re- : presentation there ? It cannot be justified by their own Constitution. The Laws of Nature and Reason abhor it ; yet because she has claimed such a Power, her Honor truly is concerned still to assert and ex cise it, and she may not recede. Will such kind of reasoning bear the test of Examination ! Or rather will it not be an eternal disgrace to any nation which considers her Honor concerned to employ Fleets and Armies for the Support of a claim which she cannot in Reason defend, merely because she has once in anger made such a Claim? It is the misfortune of Britain and the Colonies that flagitious Men on both sides the Water have made it their Interest to foment divisions, Jealousies, and animosities between them, which perhaps will never subside until the Extent of Power and Right on each part is more explicitly stipulated than has ever yet been thought necessary, and although such a stipulation should prove a lasting advantage on each side, yet considering that the views and designs of those men were to do infinite
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 91
mischief and to establish a Tyranny upon the Ruins of a free constitution they deserve the vengeance of the public, and till the memory of them shall be erased by time, they will most assuredly meet with the exe crations of Posterity.
Our Lieutenant Governor Oliver is now dead.1 This event affords the Governor a Plea for postponing his voyage to England till further orders. Had the Government by the absence of both devolved on the Council, his Majesty's service (which has been fre quently pleaded to give a Colouring to measures de structive of the true Interests of his Subjects) would we are persuaded, have been really promoted. Among other things the Grants of the House which in the
o
late session were repeated for the services of our Agents would have been passed. There is a degree of Insult in the Governor's refusal of his consent to those Grants, for as his refusal is grounded upon the Hopes that our Friends will thereby be discouraged from further serving us, it is as much as to say that there will be no Agents unless the Assembly will be content with such as he shall prescribe for their choice. The House by a Message urged the Gover nor to enable them to do their Agents Justice but in vain. This and other instances serve to show that the Powers vested in the Governor are exercised to injure and Provoke the People.
We judge it to be the expectation of the House of Representatives that you should warmly solicit the Earl of Dartmouth for his Interest that as well as other instructions which are grievous to us, more
1 Cf. Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles, vol. i., pp. 436, 437.
92 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
particularly those which relate to the disposition of our public that which
restrains the Governor from consenting
to the Agents may be recalled.
And his Lordship ought to consider his Interest in this particular not as a personal favor done to you but as a piece of Justice done to the Province ; and in the same light we strongly recommend it to your own Consideration especially as we hope for a change in the Government.
We now write to you by the direction of the House of Representatives to the Committee of Correspondence, and are with very great Regard,
In the name of the Committee
Sir, Your most humble servants,
TO JAMES WARREN. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON March 31 1774
MY DEAR SIR
I have been for some time past waiting for the Arrival of a ship from London, that I might have something of Importance to communicate to you. No ship has yet arrived. I cannot however omit writing to you by our worthy Friend Mr Watson, by whom I recd your obliging Letter of the 27 Instant.
Altho we have had no Arrival from Londn directly to this place, we have heard from thence by the way of Philadelphia as you have observd in the News papers. The Account they first receivd of our opposition to
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 93
the East India Act, as it is called, particularly the transactions at Liberty Tree, they treated with Scorn & Ridicule ; but when they heard of the Resolves of the Body of the people at the old South Meeting house, the place from whence the orders issued for the removal of the Troops in 1770, they put on grave Countenances. No Notice is taken of America in the Kings Speech. Our Tories tell us to expect Regiments [to be] quarterd among us. What Measures an injudicious Ministry, (to say the least of them) will take, cannot easily at present be foreseen ; it will be wise for us to be ready .for all Events, that we may make the best Improvement of them. It is probable that Mr Hutchinson will make the Death of his Brother Oliver a plea for postponing a Voyage to London, and if Troops should arrive it may be best that he should be here. — I never suffer my Mind to be ever much disturbd with Prospects. Sufficient for the Day is the Evil thereof. It is our Duty at all Hazards to preserve the publick Liberty. Righteous Heaven will graciously smile on every manly and rational Attempt to secure that best of all his Gifts to Man, from the ravishing Hand of lawless & brutal Power.
Mr Watson will inform you, what Steps [the] Com6 of Correspondence have taken with regard to the Establishment of a Post Office upon constitutional Principles. Mr Goddard, who brot us Letters from New York, Newport & Providence relating to that Subject, is gone with Letters from us to the principal trading Towns as far as Portsmouth. I will acquaint you with the State of the Affair when he returns, and
•94 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
our Com6 will I doubt not, then write to yours. The Colonies must unite to carry thro such [a] Project, and when the End is effected it will be a pretty grand Acquisition.
I refer you also to Mr Watson, who can inform you respecting one of your Protecters who has been in Town. The Tryumph of your Tories as well as ours will I hope be short. We must not however boast as he that putteth off the Harness. H — n is politically sick and [I] fancy despairs of returning Health. The " law learning " Judge I am told is in the Horrors and the late Lieutenant (joynt Author of a late Pamphlet intitled Letters &c.) a few Weeks ago " died & was buried "- —Excuse me from enlarging at present. I intend to convince you that I am " certainly a Man of my Word"— In the mean time with Assurance of unfeigned Friendship for Mrs Warren and your agre- able Family, in which Mrs Adams joyns, I remain
Yours Affectionately,
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF MARBLEHEAD.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library; a text, with slight modifications, is in J. T. Austin, Life of Elbridge Gerry, vol. i., pp. 39-42.]
BOSTON April 2d 1774
GENTLEMEN
Yesterday we receivd your Letter dated the 22d of March, wherein we have the disagreeable Intelligence of your " having resignd the several offices in which you have acted for the Town " of Marblehead, and
'Addressed to "Azor Orne Esqr & other Gentlemen of the Committee of Correspondence for Marblehead."
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 95
that you shall " accept them no more — without mate rial Alteration in the Conduct of the Inhabitants."
When we heard of the unhappy Circumstances of that Town — The Contest that had arisen to so great a Degree of Violence on Account of the Hospital lately erected there, it gave us great Concern and Anxiety, lest it might issue to the Prejudice of the Common Cause of American Freedom. We were apprehensive that the Minds of the Zealous Friends of that good Cause, being warmly agitated in such a Controversy, would become thereby disaffected to each other, and that the Advantage which we have hitherto experienced from their united Efforts would cease. We are confirmd that our Fears were not ill grounded, by your relinquishing a Post, which, in our Opinion, and we dare say in the Opinion of your Fellow Townsmen you sustaind with Honor to your selves and Advantage to your Country. But Gentle men, Suffer us to ask, Whether you well considerd, that although you derivd your Being as a Committee of Correspondence from that particular Town which appointed you, yet in the Nature of your office, while they continued you in it you stood connected in a pe culiar Relation with your Country. If this be a just View of it, Should the ill Conduct of the Inhabitants of Marblehead towards you, influence you to decline serving the publick in this office, any more than that of the Inhabitants of this or any other Town ? And would you not therefore have continued in that office, though you had been obligd to resign every other office you held under the Town, without Injury to your own Reputation ? Besides will the Misfortune
96 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
end in this Resignation ? Does not the Step natur ally lead you to withdraw your selves totally from the publick Meetings of the Town, however important to the Common Cause, by which the other firm Friends to that honorable Cause may feel the Want of your Influence and Aid, at a time when, as you well ex press it "a fatal Thrust may be aimed at our Rights and Liberties," and it may be necessary that all should appear, & "as one Body" oppose the Design & de feat the Rebel Intent? Should not the Disorders that have prevaild and still prevail in the Town of Marblehead, have been a weighty Motive rather for your taking Measures to strengthen your Connections with the People than otherwise ; that you might in Conjunction with other prudent Men, have employed your Influence & Abilities in reducing to the Exer cise of Reason those who had been governd by Pre judice and Passion, & they have brought the Contest to an equitable & amicable Issue, which would cer tainly have been to your own Satisfaction. If Diffi culties stared you in the Face, it is a good Maxim Nil desperandum ; and are you sure that it was im practicable for you, by Patience and Assiduity, to have restored " Order & Distinction " and renderd the publick offices of the Town again respectable ?
It is difficult to enumerate all the Instances in which our Enemies, as watchful as they are inveter ate, will make an ill Improvement of your Letter of resignation. And therefore we earnestly wish that a Method may yet be contrived for the Recalling of it consistent with your own Sentiments. We assure our Selves that personal Considerations will not be
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 97
sufferd to have an undue Weight in your Minds, when the publick Liberty in which is involvd the Happi ness of your own as well as the Children of those who have ill treated you, & whom to rescue from Bondage will afford you the most exalted Pleasure, is in Danger of suffering Injury.
We wish most ardently that by the Exercise of Moderation & Prudence the Differences subsisting among the good People of Marblehead may be settled upon righteous Terms. And as we are informd that the Town at their late Meeting did not see Cause to make Choice of other Gentlemen in your Room in Consequence of your declining to serve any longer as a Committee of Correspondence, we beg Leave still to consider & address you in that Character.
We are with unfeigned Respect,
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 215-220.]
BOSTON, April 4th, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR, — My last letter to you I delivered to the care of Dr. Williamson, who sailed with Capt. —in December last. The general assembly has since been sitting, and the important subject of the judges of the superior court being made depend ent on the crown for their salaries, was again taken up by the house of representatives with spirit and firmness. The house had in a former session passed divers resolutions expressing their sense of the dangerous tendency of this innovation, and declar ing that unless the justices should renounce the sal-
VOL. III. — 7
98 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
aries from the crown, and submit to a constitutional dependence upon the assembly for their support, they would proceed to impeach them before the gov ernor and council. One of them, Mr. Trowbridge, very early in the session, in a letter to the speaker, expressed his former compliance with that resolve, which letter was communicated to the house and voted satisfactory. The other four had taken no notice of the resolve. The house therefore having waited from the 26th of January, which was the first day of the session, till the ist of February, then came to a resolution, that unless they should conform to their order on or before the fourth of the same month, farther proceedings would be had on such neglect. The effect of this resolve was, that three of them, viz: — Hutchinson, (a brother to him who is called governor), , — , made similar de
clarations to that of Trowbridge, which were also voted satisfactory. Mr. Justice Oliver, who is a brother of the lieutenant-governor, and is connected with the governor by the marriage of their children, came to a different determination; which occasioned a controversy between the governor and the two houses, inserted at large in the enclosed papers. Therein you will see that the governor has treated the petitions, complaints, and remonstrances of the re presentative body, with haughty contempt. The people view it with deep resentment as an effect of his independency; whereby he is aliened from' them, and become a fitter instrument in the hands of the ministry to carry into effect their destructive plans. They are irritated to the highest degree, and despair
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 99
of any constitutional remedy against the oppressions of a corrupt officer, while the governor, be he who he may, is thus dependent on ministers of state. They have ever since the trial of Preston and his soldiers been murmuring at the conduct of the superior court, and the partiality which many say is so clearly dis covered in causes between revenue officers and the government, abettors, and other subjects. Indeed, the house of representatives two or three years ago passed a resolution that such conduct in several in stances had been observed, as appears in their printed journals. To give you some idea of what the temper of that court has been, a lawyer1 of great eminence in the province, and a member of the house of repre sentatives, was thrown over the bar a few days ago, because he explained in a public newspaper the sentiments he had advanced in the house when he had been misrepresented ; and a young lawyer of great genius in this town, who had passed the regular course of study, (which is more than can be said of the chief-justice) has been and is still refused by the governor, only because he mentioned the name of Hutchinson with freedom, and that not in court, but in a Boston town-meeting some years before. And to show you from whence this influence springs, I must inform you that not long ago the governor, the lieutenant-governor, and three of the judges, which make a majority of the bench, were nearly related ; and even now the governor has a brother there, and is brother-in-law to the chief-justice. Such combi nations are justly formidable, and the people view
1 Joseph Hawley, Esq., of North Hampton.
ioo THE WRITINGS OF [1774
them with a jealous eye. They clearly see through a system formed for their destruction. That the parliament of Britain is to make laws, binding them in all cases whatsoever; that the colonies are to be taxed by that parliament without their own consent; and the crown enabled to appropriate money for the support of the executive and arbitrary powers; that this leaves their own assembly a body of very little significance; while the officers of government and judges, are to be totally independent of the legislature, and altogether under the control of the king's ministers and counsel lors; and there an union will be effected, as dangerous as it will be powerful; the whole power of government will be lifted from the hands into which the consti tution has placed it, into the hands of the king's min isters and their dependents here. This is in a great measure the case already ; and the consequences will be, angry debates in our senate, and perpetual tumults and confusions abroad ; until these maxims are en tirely altered, or else, which God forbid, the spirits of the people are depressed, and they become inured to disgrace and servitude. This has long been the prospect in the minds of speculative men. The body of the people are now in council. Their opposition grows into a system. They are united and resolute. And if the British administration and government do not return to the principles of moderation and equity, the evil which they profess to aim at preventing by their rigorous measures, will the sooner be brought to pass, viz:- — the entire separation and independence of the colonies.
Mr. Gushing obliged me with a sight of your letter
//*
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 101
to him of the 226. Dec. last. I think I am not so clearly of opinion as you seem to be, that " the decla ratory act is a mere nullity, " and that therefore " if we can obtain a repeal of the revenue acts from 1 764, without their pernicious appendages, it will be enough. " Should they retract the exercise of their assumed power, you ask when will they be able to renew it ? I know not when, but I fear they will soon do it, unless, as your worthy brother in Virginia in a letter I yesterday received from him expresses him self, " we make one uniform, steady effort to secure an explicit bill of rights for British America. " Let the executive power and right on each side be therein stipulated, that Britain may no longer have a power or right to make laws to bind us, in all cases whatso ever. While the claim is kept up, she may exercise the power as often as she pleases ; and the colonies have experienced her disposition to do it too plainly since she in anger made the claim. Even imaginary power beyond right begets insolence. The people here I am apt to think will be satisfied on no other terms but those of redress ; and they will hardly think they are upon equitable terms with the mother country, while by a solemn act she continues to claim a right to enslave them, whenever she shall think fit to exercise it. I wish for a permanent union with the mother country, but only on the principles of liberty and truth. No advantage that can accrue to America from such an union can compensate for the loss of liberty. The time may come sooner than they are aware of it, when the being of the British nation, I mean the being of its importance, however strange
102 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
it may now appear to some, will depend on her union with America. It requires but a small portion of the gift of discernment for any one to foresee, that provi dence will erect a mighty empire in America ; and our posterity will have it recorded in history, that their fathers migrated from an island in a distant part of the world, the inhabitants of which had long been revered for wisdom and valour. They grew rich and powerful ; these emigrants increased in numbers and strength. But they were at last absorbed in luxury and dissipation ; and to support themselves in their vanity and extravagance they coveted and seized the honest earnings of those industrious emigrants. This laid a foundation of distrust, animosity and hatred, till the emigrants, feeling their own vigour and independence, dissolved every former band of con nexion between them, and the islanders sunk into obscurity and contempt.
May I whisper in your ear that you paid a compli ment to the speaker when you told him you " always spoke under the correction of his better judgment. " I admire what you say to him, and I hope it will have a good impression on his mind ; that we shall be re spected in England exactly in proportion to the firmness and strength of 'our opposition.
I am sincerely your friend,
As Capt. Wood is now about to sail, there is not time to have copies of the papers ; I will send them by the next opportunity. In the mean time I refer you to Dr. Franklin, to whom they are sent by this vessel.
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 103
TO ARTHUR LEE. [R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 220, 221.]
BOSTON, April , 1774.
MY DEAR SIR, — Capt. Wood being still detained, I have the opportunity of acknowledging your favour of the 22d Dec. last,1 which is just now come to my hand. As Mr. Gushing received your letter of the same date near three weeks ago, I am at a loss to conjecture the reason of my not receiving it at the same time.
I do not depend much upon Lord Dartmouth's inclination to relieve America, upon terms which we shall think honourable ; upon his ability to do it, I have no dependence at all. He might have said with safety, when called upon by Lord Shelburne, that he had prepared a plan to pursue at the hazard of his office ; for I have reason to believe it was grounded upon the hopes that we could be prevailed upon, at least impliedly, to renounce our claims. This would have been an acceptable service to the ministry, and would have secured to him his office. No great ad vantage can be made against us from the letter which you mention to Lord Dartmouth from the two houses of our assembly; for upon a review of it I think the most that is said in it is, that if we are brought back to the state we were in at the close of the last war, we shall be as easy as we then were. I do not like any thing that looks like accommodating our language to the humour of a minister ; and am fully of your opinion that " the harmony and concurrence of the colonies, is of a thousand times more importance in our dispute,
1 R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. i., pp. 238-249.
jo4 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
than the friendship or patronage of any great man in England."
At the request of our friend, Mr. Hancock, I beg your acceptance of an oration delivered by him on the fifth of March last. I intend to write to you again very soon ; in the mean time I remain your assured friend,
TO JOHN DICKINSON. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON April 21 1774
SIR/
I take the Liberty to inclose an Oration deliverd on the last Anniversary of the 5th of March 1770, by Mr Hancock ; which I beg you to accept as a Token of my great Regard for you. This Institution in a great Measure answers the Design of it, which is, to preserve in the Minds of the People a lively Sense of the Danger of standing Armies. We are again threat- ned with that great Evil ; the British Ministry being highly provoked at the Conduct of the People here in destroying the East India Companys Tea. They shut their Eyes to what might appear obvious to them, that the Governors Refusal to suffer it to repass our Castle, compelled to that Extremity. The Disappointment of the Ministry, and, no doubt, the Govrs aggravated Representations, have inflamed them to the highest Degree. May God prepare this People for the Event, by inspiring them with Wisdom and Fortitude ! At the same time they stand in Need of all the Counte nance that their Sister Colonies can afford them ; with
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 105
whom to cultivate and strengthen an Union, was a great object in View. We have borne a double Share of ministerial Resentment, in every Period of the Strug gle for American Freedom. I hope this is not to be attributed to our having, in general, imprudently acted our Part. Is it not rather owing to our having had constantly, Governors and other Crown officers resid ing among us, whose Importance depended solely upon their blowing up the flame of Contention ? We are willing to submit our Conduct to the Judgment of our Friends, & would gladly receive their Advice.
Coll Lee the Bearer of this Letter and Mr Dalton his Companion, are travelling as far as Maryland. They are Gentlemen of Fortune and Merit ; and will be greatly disappointed if they should miss the Pleas ure of seeing the common Friend of America, The Pennsylvania Farmer. Allow me, Sir, to recommend them to you, and to assure you that I am with great Sincerity,
Your affectionate Friend and humble serv1,
TO ELBRIDGE GERRY. [J.T. Austin, Life of Elbridge Gerry, vol. i., pp. 45, 46.]
BOSTON, May 12, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR,
I duly received your excellent letter of this day, while I was in town-meeting. I read it there, to the great satisfaction of my fellow townsmen, in as full a town-meeting as we have ever had. I think you and the worthy colonel Orne must by no means refuse to come to the general assembly. Every consideration
io6 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
is to give way to the public. I cannot see how you can reconcile a refusal to your own principles. Excuse my honest freedom. I can write no more at present, being now in committee of correspondence upon matters of great importance. This waits on you by Mr. Oliver Wendel, who is one of a committee of this town to communicate with the gentlemen of Salem and Marblehead, upon the present exigency. I am, in haste, your friend,
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF PORTSMOUTH,
NEW HAMPSHIRE. [MS., Public Record Office, London. l]
BOSTON 1 2th May 1774.
GENTLEMEN
I am Desired by the freeholders and other Inhab itants of this Town to enclose you an attested copy of their Vote passed in Town meeting Legally Assembled this day — The Occasion of this meeting is most Alarming : we have receiv'd .a Copy of an Act of the British Parliament — which is inclosed, wherein it appears that the Inhabitants of this Town have been Tryed condemn'd and are to be punished by shutting up the Harbour and otherways, without their having been called to Answer for, nay, for ought that appears without their having been accused of any crime committed by them, for no such crime is alleged in the Act — the town of Boston is now Suf- f- fering the stroke of Vengeance in the Common cause of. America, I hope they will sustain the Blow with
1 The copy from which the text is printed was an enclosure in a letter of Governor Wentworth, dated June 8, 1774.
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 107
Becoming Fortitude, and that the Effect of this cruel act Intended to intimidate and subdue the Spirits of all America will by the joint efforts of all be frustrated. The people receive this Edict with indignation ; it is expected by their Enemies, and fear'd by some of their Friends, that this town singly will not be able to support the cause under so severe a Tryal — as the very Being of every Colony considered as a free people depends upon the event a thought so Dishonor able to our Brethren cannot be entertain'd as that , this town will be left to struggle alone.
' Your Hum6 S*
THE TOWN OF BOSTON TO THE COLONIES.1 [MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON May 13th : 1774
I am desired by the Freeholders and other Inhab itants of this Town to inclose you an Attested Copy of their Vote, passed in Town Meeting legally assem bled this day.2 The Occasion of this Meeting is most alarming : We have receivd the Copy of an Act of the British Parliament (which is also inclos'cl) wherein it appears that the Inhabitants of this Town have been tryed and condemned and are to be punished by the shutting up of the Harbour, and other Ways, without their having been called to answer for, nay,
1 The letter was signed by Adams, but only the annotations at the end are in his autograph. Another draft is also in the Committee of Correspondence Papers. The final text of the letter as sent to the Committee of Correspond ence of Connecticut, with the subscription and signature in the autograph of Adams and the body of the letter in the autograph of Thomas Cushing, is in Emmet MS., No. 344, Lenox Library, and is printed in Bulletin of New York Public Library, vol. ii., p. 201.
^Boston Record Commissioners' Report, vol. xviii., pp. 173, 174.
io8 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
for aught that appears without their having been even accused of any crime committed by them ; for no such Crime is alledgd in the Act.
The Town of Boston is now Suffering the Stroke of Vengeance in the Common Cause of America. I hope they will sustain the Blow with a becoming for titude ; and that the Effects of this cruel Act, in tended to intimidate and subdue the Spirits of all America will by the joynt Efforts of all be frustrated. The People receive this Edict with Indignation. It is expected by their Enemies and feard by some of their Friends, that this Town singly will not be able to support the Cause under so severe a Tryal. As the very being of every Colony, considerd as a free People depends upon the Event, a Thought so dis honorable to our Brethren cannot be entertaind, as that this Town will now be left to struggle alone.
General Gage is just arrivd here, with a Commis sion to supercede Govr Hutchinson. It is said that the Town of Salem about twenty Miles East of this Metropolis is to be the Seat of Government — that the Commissioners of the Customs and their numerous Retinue are to remove to the Town of Marblehead a Town contiguous to Salem and that this if the Gen eral shall think proper is to be a Garrisond Town. Reports are various and contradictory.
I am &c. Sent to the Com6 of Correspondence for
Connecticutt ^ by Mr Revere — and in that sent New York I to Philadelphia there were Cop-
New Jersey f ies of the Vote of the Town
& Philadelphia J inclosd for the Colonies to the
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 109
Southward of them which they were desired to forward with all possible Dispatch with their own Sentiments.
to
Rhode Island ) p
Providence f
Portsmouth p Ditto
to Peyton Randolph Esqr to be communicated by him to the Gentlemen in Virginia which was sent by Mr Perez Moulton as far as Philadelphia to be thence forwarded by the Post.
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF BOSTON TO THE
COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE OF PHILADELPHIA.1
[MS., Committee of Correspondence Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON May 13 1774
GENTLEMEN
We have just receivd the Copy of an Act of the British Parliament passd in the present Session whereby the Town of Boston is treated in a Manner the most ignominious cruel and unjust. The Parlia- ament have taken upon them, from the Represen tations of our Governor & other Persons inimical to and deeply prejudiced against the Inhabitants, to try, condemn and by an Act to punish them, unheard ; which would have been in Violation of natural Justice
i Intended also for the Committees of Correspondence of New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Portsmouth. An endorsement upon the draft also states that it was written with the concurrence of the Committees of Correspondence of Charlestown, Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Roxbury, Dorchester, Lexington, and Lynn. Cf. Proceedings, Bostonian Society, 1891,
PP. 39. 40.
no THE WRITINGS OF [1774
even if they had an acknowledgd Jurisdiction. They have orderd our port to be entirely shut up, leaving us barely so much of the Means of Subsistence as to keep us from perishing with Cold and Hunger; and it is said, that [a] Fleet of British Ships of War is to block up our Harbour, until we shall make Restitu tion to the East India Company, for the Loss of their Tea, which was destroyed therein the Winter past, ^ Obedience is paid to the Laws and Authority of 1 Great Britain, and the Revenue is duly collected. This Act fills the Inhabitants with Indignation. The more thinking part of those who have hitherto been in favor of the Measures of the British Government, look upon it as not to have been expected even from a barbarous State. This Attack, though made immedi ately upon us, is doubtless designd for every other Colony, who will not surrender their sacred Rights & Liberties into the Hands of an infamous Ministry. Now therefore is the Time, when all should be united
v^ r^,
in opposition to this Violation of the Liberties of all. Their grand object is to divide the Colonies. We are well informd, that another Bill is to be brought into Parliament, to distinguish this from the other Colonies, by repealing some of the Acts which have been complaind of and ease the American Trade ; but be assured, you will be called upon to surrender your Rights, if ever they should succeed in their At tempts to suppress the Spirit of Liberty here. The single Question then is, Whether you consider Boston as now suffering in the Common Cause, &. sensibly feel and resent the Injury and Affront offerd to her? If you do, (and we cannot believe otherwise) May
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. in
w£ not from your Approbation of our former Con duct, irr Defence of American Liberty, rely on your suspending your Trade with Great Britain at least, j which, it is acknowledgd, will be a great, but ne- • N
cessary Sacrifice, to the Cause of Liberty, and will effectually defeat the Design of this Act of Revenge. If this should be done, you will please to consider it will be, though a voluntary Suffering, greatly short of what we are called to endure under the immediate hand of Tyranny.
We desire your Answer by the Bearer ; and after assuring you, that, not in the least intimidated by this inhumane Treatment we are still determind to maintain to the utmost of our Abilities the Rights of America we are, Gentlemen,
your Friends & Fellow Countrymen,
TO JAMES WARREN.
[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 4th ser. , vol. iv., pp. 390-392 ;
a draft, with several variances, is in the Samuel Adams Papers,
Lenox Library.]
BOSTON, May 14, 1774.
MY DEAR SIR,
This Town has received the Copy of an Act of the British Parliament, wherein it appears that we have been tried and condemned, and are to be punished, by the shutting up of the harbor and other marks of revenge, until we shall disgrace ourselves by servilely yielding up, in effect, the just and righteous claims of America. If the Parliament had a Right to pass such an edict, does it not discover the want of every moral
ii2 THE WRITINGS OF 1774]
principle to proceed to the destruction of a commu nity, without even the accusation of any crime com mitted by such community ? And for any thing that appears, this is in fact the case. There is no crime alleged in the Act, as committed by the Town of Boston. Outrages have been committed within the Town, and therefore the community, as such, are to be destroyed, without duly inquiring whether it de served any punishment at all. Has there not often been the same kind of reason why the Port of London should be shut up, to the starving of hundreds of thousands, when their own mobs have surrounded the Kings Palace ? But such are the councils of a nation, once famed and revered for the character of humane just and brave.
The people receive this cruel edict with abhorrence and indignation. They consider themselves as suf fering the stroke ministerial — I may more precisely say, Hutchinsonian vengeance, in the common cause of America. I hope they will sustain the blow with a becoming fortitude, and that the cursed de sign of intimidating and subduing the spirits of all America, will, by the joint efforts of all, be frustrated. It is the expectation of our enemies, and some of our friends are afraid, that this Town, singly, will not be able to support the cause under so severe a trial. Did not the very being of every sea-port town, and indeed of every Colony, considered as a free people, depend upon it, I would not even then entertain a thought so dishonorable of them as that they would leave us now to struggle alone.
I enclose you a copy of a vote, passed by this Town
1774] SAMUEL ADAMS. 113
at a very full meeting yesterday, which stands ad journed till Wednesday next, to receive the report of a committee appointed to consider what is proper further to be done. The inhabitants in general abhor the thought of paying for the tea, which is one condi tion upon which we are to be restored to the grace and favor of Great Britain. Our Committee of Cor respondence have written letters to our friends in the Southern Colonies, and they are about writing to the several towns in this Province. The merchants of Newburyport have exhibited a noble example of public spirit, in resolving that, if the other sea-port Towns in this Province alone, will come into the measure, they will not trade to the southward of South Caro lina, nor to any part of Great Britain and Ireland, till the harbor of Boston is again open and free ; or till the disputes between Britain and the Colonies are settled, upon such terms as all rational men ought to contend for. This is a manly and generous resolu tion. I wish Plymouth, which has hitherto stood foremost, would condescend to second Newburyport. Such a determination put into practice would alter the views of a nation, who are in full expectation that Boston will be unthought of by the rest of the conti nent, and even of this Province, and left, as they are devoted, to ruin. The heroes who first trod on your shore, fed on clams and muscles, and were contented. The country which they explored, and defended with their richest blood, and which they transmitted as an inheritance to their posterity, affords us a super abundance of provision. Will it not be an eternal disgrace to this generation, if it should now be sur-
VOL. III. 8.
ii4 THE WRITINGS OF [1774
rendered to that people who, if we might judge of them by one of their laws, are barbarians. Impius haec tarn culta novalia miles habebit f Barbarus has segetes ? If our brethren feel and resent the affront and injury now offered to this town ; if they realize of how great importance it is to the liberties of all America that Boston should sustain this shock with dignity ; if they recollect their own resolutions, to defend the public liberty at the expense of their fortunes and lives, they cannot fail to contribute their aid by a temporary sus pension of their trade.
I am your friend,
TO SILAS DEANE.1
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a text, with variations, is in Correspondence of Samuel B. Webb^ W. C. Ford, vol. i., pp. 23, 24.]
BOSTON May 18 1774
SIR
The Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston have had before them a Letter signd by yourself in behalf of the Committee of the Honbl House of Deputies of the Colony of Connecticutt, and I am desired by our Committee to return