Volume 4 — TO JAMES BOWDOIN.

[Collections of Massachusetts Historical Society, 6th ser., vol. ix., pp. 423-425.]

[PHILADELPHIA, Septr 3, 1778.]

DEAR SIR,—A few days ago I received a letter from your son in law Mr Temple dated New York, August 23d, requesting me by the first opportunity to inform you of his & Mrs Temple's arrival there, & that, for particular reasons he should be exceedingly happy if your affairs would permit you to meet them at Philadelphia, or as near it as might be convenient to you. He requested this of me, because excepting that letter & another to Mr President Laurens, he had not written a line since his arrival at N. Y., & he had still weighty reasons for declining it. He also desired me to cause it to be made as convenient as might be (at his expence) for Mrs Temple & her little boy, who had not been well since their arrival, to get to Philadelphia. His baggage which is both heavy & bulkey, he intended to get transported in a Flag, if any should be suffered to pass, to Boston, or some port as near it as might be, & hoped to see me soon in this city. His letter to the President was read in Congress. It was short and contained little more than to sollicit leave to come to Philada to pay his respects to Congress. This was refus'd upon the idea that he might be a secret emissary from the British Court. I think it is best for him that his request is not granted; for the jealousy of the people at large would, I believe, render his residence here very uncomfortable. A certain Doctor Burkenhout, who came from London in the same packett with Mr T——, is now in prison in this city, committed by the authority of this State, under the same suspicion. I took occasion to inform Congress from my own knowledge of Mr Temple, that although he had been formerly an officer of the Crown of Great Britain, and in the Customs,1 yet he had constantly given great offence to his brother Commissioners & other friends of that government, particularly Bernard & Hutchinson, by his attachment to those who espoused the liberties of America; that he went to England seven years ago, where, I understood, he had since lived the greater part of the time, entirely out of favor at Court & in private life. and that I had reason to think his connexions in Boston had long expected his return to spend his days there. Congress afterwards ordered the Secretary to inform Mr Temple, that if it was his intention to reside in any one of the United States, the same should be signified by him to the State in which he intends to reside, & the approbation of that State

obtaind before a passport could be granted to him. Thus the matter stands in all its particulars, a view of which I thought it proper you should be acquainted with. I wish Mr Temple had turned his attention first to Boston. It is probable he will now do it, and that you will receive a letter from him.

I am with the greatest sincerity,

Your affectionate friend, and humble servant,

1 Cf. Vol. i., page 316.

TO HANNAH ADAMS.1

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; the text is in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. iii., p. 53.]

PHILADELPHIA Sept 8th 1778

MY DEAR DAUGHTER

Your very dutiful and obliging Letter of the 28th of August came to my Hand yesterday and brought me the afflicting News of your Mothers Illness. When you tell me "the Doctor thinks she is on the mending Hand," and "he hopes she will be cleverly in a Day or two," I am apt to conclude her Disorder had not much abated when you wrote. I know "she is exceedingly 10th to give me the least Pain," and therefore I suspect she has dictated to you to make the best of it to me. "She begs of me not to make myself very anxious for her." This is a Request which it is impossible for me to comply with. I shall be very uneasy till I hear again from you. I pray God she may recover her Health and long continue a rich Blessing to you and me. I am satisfied "you do all that lies in your Power for so excellent a Mother." You are under great Obligations to her, and I am sure you are of a grateful Disposition. I hope her Life will be spared and that you will have the Opportunity of presenting to her my warmest Respects. I rejoyce to hear that your late Disorder was so gentle and that you have got over it. I commend you my dear, to the Care and Protection of the Almighty. That He may reward your filial Piety is the ardent Prayer of

Your very affectionate Father,

1 Later the wife of Thomas Wells.

TO JOHN BRADFORD.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADE Sept 8th 1778

MY DEAR SIR

I have lately had the pleasure of receiving two Letters from you, one by Capt Manly and the other by yesterdays Post. The latter makes mention of some Notice you had receivd "from a warm Friend to you & me" that "Cap Mc Niel was making Misrepresentations at Philade to your Disadvantage." I have a particular Reason for my Curiosity in wishing to know who this Friend is. If I had that Knowledge I might perhaps see Grounds of Suspicion that the Design was far different from that of giving you a friendly Hint. I assure you I have heard Nothing here to your Disadvantage. If Capt McNiel is the Person I am to understand to be your Enemy, I will tell you that he has called on me not more than twice or thrice, since he arrivd here, and that he has not mentiond your Name to me nor any thing relating to your Department, nor indeed any thing that would tend to bring you to my Thoughts. I know not in what Part of the City he lives. I suppose he is preparing to meet the Marine Committee to whom his Petition is referrd. When it may be proper for me to give my Opinion, I intend to do it, with Freedom & Impartiality, not feeling my self interrested in the Party Disputes which I perceive there are in Boston between two Men, neither of whom in my opinion has derivd much Honor from the Decisions of the Courts Martial respecting them. If I shall hear any thing said to your Prejudice here you may depend on my letting you know it; being determind if possible to prevent your suffering an Injury which one of your Friends at least thinks he has in being stabbd in the dark. I intend to write you more fully of these Matters at another Time. At present I can only add a Request that you wd be so kind as to deliver the inclosd Letter to my Daughter and forward the other which is from my Servant to his Friends in Milton. My dear Mrs A, I am informd is very unwell.

I am with the most friendly Regard to your Family,

very affectionately,

Yours,

TO JAMES WARREN.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.}

PHILAD Sept 12 1778

MY DEAR SIR

Your obliging Letter of the 25 of Augt by the Post came duly to my hand. As you again mention Cap Manly, I will speak of him to you with Candor. I never saw him but once, viz last Spring in Boston, till he came to this City. I had preconceivd an opinion of his Bravery, in speaking of which you tell me "no Caution ought to be used," though I have never yet been pointed to a single Instance of it. I confess his Appearance in Boston did not strike me most agreably. He was in the Midst of a Crowd, who were shouting his Entrance into the Town; and like some of his Superiors, he seemd to be intoxicated with popular Applause. I had other Apprehensions, but I give you my most charitable Thoughts. I retaind however an opinion of him; for I concluded, that Huzza for the brave M, would be a sufficient Inducement to him to lay a Pop Gun Schooner alongside the Eagle, if good Fortune should throw her in his Way. You think "his Judgment and Abilities would not be equal to others in the Direction of more Ships than one." Here lies the Difficulty. Consider his Rank in our little Navy & judge how soon the Time may perhaps must come when he may have the Command of more Ships, if you give him the Command of one. Having said this to you & to no one else, though I have heard the same thing mentiond by others, you will not conclude that I am here deeply engagd in a Party against him. Some I know will, or will pretend to form this Conclusion, not from real Regard to the Merit of M., the Honor of our Navy or the great Cause we are engagd in, but from a different Motive and very inferior to either.

I am glad that Landais "rises in your Esteem"— that "other Captains are convincd he is Master of his Business which with his agreable Manners & Disposition forcd Conviction of the Judiciousness of his Appointment." I fancy now that I shall soon be dischargd the shameful Imputation of having been "his chiefe Patron here." I have a particular Reason now to urge that every possible Exertion may be made to get his and all the other Ships manned. Last Evening a Letter from Governor Trumbull was read in the Committee, strongly recommending a Captain for the Ships at Norwich, who, added to great Qualifications, can readily get Men for her. I mentioned Manly as having the Character of a brave and very popular officer, and read those Parts of your last Letter to me which related to him. I am convincd that he need not impute his being overlookd to any other Cause than the Decree of the Court Martial which acquitted him with Honor.

The Rhode Island Expedition is at Length finishd. Our Cause is not dishonord though we did not succeed to our Wishes. Congress has approvd the Retreat—thankd Genl Sullivan & his brave Troops and applauded the patriotick Exertions of New England. Major Genl Hancock was unluckily at Boston & missed the Laurel! In my opinion it is in a great Degree impolitick at this Juncture to suffer an Odium to be cast on the Count D'Estaing. If there should be a Disposition to do it I am perswaded Men of Discretion & Influence will check it. The Tories will try their utmost to discredit our new Alliance. And he who not long ago expressd his Opinion that "a Connection with France will ruin America" will not fail to promote a Jealousy if he can thereby establish his Popularity. Such a Man should be critically watchd on this Occasion. Adieu my Friend.

TO SAMUEL PHILLIPS SAVAGE.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; a portion of the text is printed in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. iii., p. 40.]

PHILE Sept 14—78

DR SR

I recd your favor of the 3d with the News papers inclosd. I note well the Contents. Our Boston Papers never fail to mark all the Movements of Great Men & to give Honor where Honor is due. The spirited Exertions of our Major Generals to be sure ought properly to be noticed. Some of them have had the good Fortune never to be out of the Way of making a Figure, while others are wisely following the unpopular Steps of Fabius or Count Daun. The Marquis La Fayette every one acknowledges, made surprizing Dispatch in going to Boston and returning to R I; but he was sadly mortified in not being present in the Action on that Island. He did all that Man cd do Impossibilities are not to be expected. But he arrivd in Season to take a distinguishd Share in the well timed & well conducted Retreat. In Him we indeed see an Instance of a young Nobleman "of Rank & fortune foregoing the pleasures of Enjoyment of domestick Life and exposing himself to the Hardships and Dangers of a Camp," not in his own but a foreign Country, "in the glorious Cause of freedom."

Congress requested the President to write to him & in their Name acknowledge his Zeal & spirited Services on this Occasion by which he has given a fresh proof of his Attachment to our Common Cause. I am sorry to hear there is a Disposition in some persons in Boston to cast an odium on the french Admiral for his leaving Rhode Island. In my Opinion it is at this Juncture impolitick in the Extreme. Even if his Conduct was thought to be blameworthy Prudence I think would dictate Silence to us. Men of Discretion and Influence will surely by all means check such a Disposition.

The Tories will try their utmost to discredit our new Alliance. You know how much depends upon our cultivating mutual Confidence. It is not in the Power of undisguisd Tories to hurt our Cause. Injudicious tho honest Whigs may & too often do injure it. Those whose chief aim is to establish a Popularity in order to obtain the Emoluments of places or the Breath of Applause will think they may serve themselves by declaiming on this Subject, or prompting others to do it; and they will not fail doing it though they essentially wound their Country.

If there be any of my virtuous & publick spirited fellow Citizens who pay the least Regard to my opinions I wish they would particularly regard what I say on this Occasion.

I have written in haste and must break off abruptly.

TO —————.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADE Sept 21, 1778

MY DEAR SIR/

I beg you not to impute my omitting hitherto to acknowledge your Favor of the 4th of July to Negligence. I have frequently thought of its Contents; and although I was not able to obtain what you wishd for, I think you will not doubt my Sincerity when I assure you that whenever it shall be in my Power to render you substantial Service I shall do it with the utmost Cheerfulness. It is the Opinion of Gentlemen here that the Appointments of Auctioneers to make Sale of such Prize goods as fall to the Share of the Continent should be made by the Authority of the particular States where such Goods may be forfeited.

Your Letter was deliverd to me by Capt Manly. I am informd by some of my Boston Friends that he speaks of me with a Degree of Bitterness, supposing that I prevented his having another Ship. This gives me not the least Disquietude. He may have been taught to believe it, by Persons who care but little for him and less for the Honor of our Navy or the great Cause we are contending for. Neither he nor his Friends could be at a loss for the true Cause of his Disappointment, if they would advert to the Judgment of the Court Martial which acquitted him with Honor. What a strange Inconsistency was there in that Court, in recommending Cap Manly for another Ship, and at the same Time holding up so great a Deficiency in his Conduct as the neglecting to prepare Signals for a Fleet under his Direction, and in general his Want of Experience. This was said by many; and it ought to be satisfactory to Cap Manly, that though I clearly saw the Justice of the Remark, I was silent. In this, it is possible, I was not altogether blameless. I have never felt my self disposd to take a Side in the Disputes which I understand have run high between Partizans of Manly & McNiel. I think Neither of them can derive much Honor from the Decisions of their respective Courts Martial. I wish for the Credit of our Country that both had behavd more to the Satisfaction of the Publick. One of them is still here. I suppose he is preparing to meet the Committee to whom his Petition is referrd. When it may be proper for me to speak my Mind his Friends & his Enemies may be assured I shall do it with Candor & Freedom. In doing this I expect to be justified, by sensible & honest Men. If I stand fair with them, you well know, how unsolicitous I am whether others are pleasd or not.

There is another Matter of greater Consequence which I wish to mention to you. I am informd there are Persons in Boston disposd to make a popular Clamor against the french Admiral for leaving Rhode Island. I cannot help remonstrating to my Friends against it as in a great Degree impolitick. Even if it should be thought he had taken a wrong step, it is our Wisdom at this Juncture to forbear criminating him. The Tories will try their utmost to discredit our new Alliance. They cannot succeed but by making injudicious Whigs their Instruments. There are two things from which I am more apprehensive than I am from the joynt Efforts of all our Enemies, viz the intemperate and misplacd Zeal of our honest Friends, and an insatiable Desire in others who are called Friends to establish a Popularity in order to obtain the Splendor or Emoluments of Places, or that vanity of vanities the Breath of Applause.

Adieu my Friend,

TO MRS. ADAMS.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADE Sept 28 1778

MY DEAR BETSY

Your Letter of the 16th which I just now receivd, is like cool Water to a thirsty Soul. It gives me inexpressible Pleasure to have it under your own Hand, that you are in the Way of Recovery from a dangerous Disorder. I earnestly pray God to restore you to perfect Health; and let me intreat you, my Dear, to be very careful of your self.

I exceedingly regret the LOSS which the Town has sustaind by the Death of Dr Eliot & Dr Greenleafe. In Times so degenerate as these are, it is much to be lamented that Men of such Exemplary Piety and Virtue are taken away. I hope the Depravity of Manners is not so great as to exclude all Hopes of Childrens rising up and serving God and their Country in the Room of their Fathers. May Heaven grant us a Time of Reformation!

I think you have done well in putting your Servant Boy Job an Apprentice to a Sail Maker. I hope you will injoyn it on him to let you see him often, that you may give him your Advice, and tell him it is my Desire that he would attend to it. I love the Boy, and am still of opinion, that if he is properly mannagd he will make a good Citizen.

Remember me to my Daughter, Sister Polly and the rest of my Family & Friends, and accept of the best Wishes of

your most affectionate,

Write to me by every opportunity.

TO WILLIAM COOPER.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADE Sept 30 1778

MY DEAR SIR

I have the pleasure of committing this Letter to the Care of your youngest Son who having been unfortunately taken in the Brig Resistance, was sufferd to come to this City to be exchangd for the Purser of the British Ship Mermaid who is now in N York on his Parole. This Exchange I effected without Delay; and procured from the Navy Board here an Advance of fifty Dollars, for which he is to account with the Eastern Navy Board in the settlement of his Wages. I apprehended this Sum would not be sufficient to discharge the Expence of his Board in this very expensive place & carry him through his Journey & therefore I advancd him forty Dollars more, taking his Draft upon you which you will please to repay to Mrs Adams in Boston.

I introducd your Son to your old Friend the President who receivd him with great Courtesy. Upon my hinting to the President that if he had publick Letters to send to Boston, this young Gentleman would take good Care of them, and it would be the Means of providing him with an Horse for his Journey, he very politely told me he should be glad [to] serve him in that Way, He as well as Monsr Girard having Letters which mt be as well sent by him as by any other Person. I assure you it is not Flattery to tell you that I am exceedingly pleasd with your Son. His modest Assurance is very engaging. If his Life is spared and his Morals well fixed, I think he will make an excellent Citizen. That the Children of N England may rise and serve God & their Country in the Room of their Fathers is the most ardent Prayer of

your cordial Friend,

TO SAMUEL PHILLIPS SAVAGE.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADE Oct 6-78.

MY DEAR SIR

I receivd your favor of the 23d of Septr by yesterdays Post. You tell me that Boston is become a new City, and explain your self by mentioning the exceeding Gayety of Appearance there. I would fain hope this is confind to Strangers. Luxury & Extravagance are in my opinion totally destructive of those Virtues which are necessary for the Preservation of the Liberty and Happiness of the People. Is it true that the Review of the Boston Militia was closd with an expensive Entertainment? If it was, and the Example is followed by the Country, I hope I shall be excusd when I venture to pledge myself, that the Militia of that State will never be put on such a Footing as to become formidable to its Enemies. I am told that such a Practice is contrary to the Letter of the Militia Act. I trust then I was misinformd when I was told that it was countenanced by those who of all Men ought to pay the most sacred Regard to the Law. Are we arrivd to such a Pitch of Levity & Dissipation as that the Idea of feasting shall extinguish every Spark of publick Virtue, and frustrate the Design of the most noble and useful Institution. I hope not. Shall we not again see that Sobriety of Manners, that Temperance, Frugality, Fortitude and other manly Virtues wch were once the Glory and Strength of my much lov'd native Town. Heaven grant it speedily!

Adieu.

TO JAMES WARREN.

[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILAD 11 Octobr 1778

MY DEAR SIR

In the inclosd Newspaper you will see certain Queries calculated to impress on the Minds of the people the Idea of Dr Lee's having held a criminal Correspondence with a Person known to be at the same time in the Service & under the Direction of the British Ministry. I hope it will not be in the Power of this Querist to do essential Injury to so eminent a Patriot; who took the earliest & most decisive Part in opposition to the Measures of the British Court, and whose invariable Attachment to the Liberties of our Country never was, and I think cannot be justly suspected. Yet it may be necessary to guard against it; for I plainly though silently saw when I was last in Boston a Malevolent Disposition towards Dr Lee, in a certain Gentleman, who, till he is better known, will have a great Influence in the Massachusetts State. The Instance you may recollect, as you was knowing to it in the Time of it. I then supposd it to proceed from his having strongly attachd himself, and for a Length of Time to a Circle of Men, and imbibd their Prejudices, who are far remote from the Connections of Dr Lee, and who differ widely from them in the Adoption of publick Measures regarding either Politicks or Morals.

You may remember that some time ago, in a Letter1 I informd you that I had much to say to you about Mr D; of whom I had long formd my Opinion & had not seen Reason to alter it. I have hitherto said Nothing to you about him; because I knew it would lead me to Subjects of great Delicacy, which, if exposd to the Enemy, as they would be if my Letter should fall into their Hands, might disgrace, or otherwise be prejudicial to our publick Affairs. This Caution prevents my communicating to you many things of which I wish to unburthen my Mind.

Mr D was originally taken up by a secret Committee of Congress appointed to procure from France the necessary Supplys for carrying on the War. By them he was sent to that Country in the Character of a mere Merchant. About that Time another Committee was; appointed, whose Business it was to form a Correspondence abroad, and particularly to feel the political Pulse of France in Hopes of forming a Connection with that powerful Nation. This Committee also took up Mr D; and he carried Letters from Dr F to some Men of Eminence, which might enable him in some Measure to penetrate into the Disposition of the Court of France towards America. With these Views Mr D was sent to France. He was to be Agent to the secret Come of Commerce. To the secret Come of Correspondence he was to be the Inquisitive Man or Intelligencer. He had no political Powers whatever; and yet he sent us over, Majors, Colonels, Brigadiers & Majors General in Abundance & more than we knew what to do with, of his own creating, till at length Mr Du Coudray arrivd with the Commission (or an Agreement signd by Mr D in behalf of the United States, that he should have one) of a Major General, with the Command of our Artillery; together with his Suite of about 70 Gentlemen of different Ranks. All this was done, as I said before without any Authority. Congress was exceedingly embarrassd; being 10th to discredit their Commissioner (for before the Arrival of M Du Coudray he was commissiond joyntly with Mess Franklin & Lee) I say being 10th to discredit him by disannulling the Convention, and at the same Time judging it dishonorable as well as unsafe for America to ratify it. This however was agreed to in a Come of the whole House. Not having the records before me, I do not recollect whether it was confirmd in the House; but Du Coudray soon after died, his Suite or most of them returnd with Gratifications & Mr D was recalled. After which he was directed to return speedily and give an Accot of the State of our Affairs in Europe.

This has given an Occasion to his Friends to hide the true Reason of his being recalled, & to hold up in the News Papers an ostensible one, supposing it to be more for his Reputation.

Our Affairs even in France wore a gloomy Aspect during the last year until the News of our Army at the Northward being completely victorious. This was the decisive Language which commanded our Success in the Cabinet of France. To this we are indebted for the Acknowledgmt of our Independence, the Treaty and the french Fleet. Mr D is complimented with having procurd this Fleet, and his "spirited Exertions" like those of other Great Men have been puffd off in the News Papers. Unthinking Men may be amusd with a Golden Snuff Box &c. After all they are mere Things of Course, especially in the Honey Moon of National Matrimony.

Since Mr Ds Return as well as before, there have been Suggestions of his Misconduct in France; and among other things, of his Misapplication of publick Money. I cannot say whether these Suggestions are well grounded or not. Congress is devoting every Hour to an Enquiry into the Grounds of them which can be spared from an Attention to other great Affairs, particularly the Finances. The Conduct of an honest Man will bear the strictest Scrutiny. If the Friends of Mr D have any Suspicions of his being tardy, I am inclind to think they will be more apprehensive of a Detection from the Vigilance & Integrity of Dr Lee than any thing else. On such occasions it is not unusual for the most unblemished of Characters & sometimes the Lives of the best of them to be sacrificd in order to prevent "Transactions dark & mysterious" from being brot into open Light.

I have written this Letter in Confidence & shall continue the Subject when I can find Leisure. Adieu.

1 Cf. page 47.