courage? Recollect the time when he was oblig'd to abandon his Troops, by which he had hoped to awe the People: It was then, if Fancy deceived me not, I observ'd his Knees to tremble. I thought I saw his face grow pale (and I enjoyd the Sight) at the Appearance of the determined Citizens peremptorily demanding the Redress of Grievances. Did he then discover such an intrepid mind, as a man must be possessed of who can reduce a free People to slavery? I confess, we have, as Wolfe expressd it, a Choice of Difficulties; but they rather make one fretful than desperate. If the People are at present hushd into Silence, is it not a sort of sullen Silence, which is far from indicating your Conclusion, that the glorious Spirit of Liberty is vanquishd and left without hope but in miracles. It is the Effect of a mistaken Prudence, which springs from Indolence or Cowardice or Hypocricy or I know not what, in those who should point out to them the constitutional Methods of Opposition to arbitrary Power. Too many are affraid to appear for the publick Liberty, and would fain flatter themselves that their Pusilanimity is true Prudence. For the sake of their own Ease or their own Safety, they preach the People into paltry Ideas of Moderation: But in perilous times like these, I cannot conceive of Prudence without Fortitude; and the Man who is not resolvd to encounter and overcome Difficulties when the Liberty of his Country is threatend, no more deserves the Character of a Patriot, than another does that of a Soldier who flies from his Standard.

I expect that many who to gain the popular applause have bore the name of Whigs, will adore the rising Sun: They will fawn and flatter and even lick the Dust of their Masters feet: But you and I acknowledge no Master; and I trust there are more than seven Thousand who will scorn to bow the Knee of Servility.

I joyn with you in resolving to persevere with all the little Strength we have and preserve a good Conscience: It is no Dishonor to be in a minority in the Cause of Liberty and Virtue: When the Multitude desert that Cause, we will look down upon them with all that Contempt, which our Caesar has been wont to cast upon them when they were virtuous and free. Magna est Veritas et praevalebit. Our Sons, if they deserve it, will enjoy the happy Fruits of their Fathers Struggles.

The horrid Massacre of the 5th of March, 1770, is to be commemorated on Tuesday the 2 of April next, by an Oration to be deliverd at Faneuil Hall by Mr. James Lovel.1

Mrs. Adams joyns in Compliment to Mrs. Warren. I am sincerely Your Friend,

SAM ADAMS

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES Warren

BOSTON, April 13, 1772

MY DEAR SIR, I had the pleasure of receiving your Letter of the 4th Instant.

The Session began with a motion made by a friend of mine, that a Message go up to the Govr to pray him that in Consideration of the many Inconveniences that attend the sitting of the Court at Cambridge, he would be pleasd to remove it to its ancient usual and only convenient Seat, the Court house in Boston. This we opposd with firmness as tacitly giving up our own main principles. There were 57 members and we obtaind a Majority against the Question of Nine Members including myself who acted as Moderator, Mr. Speaker Cushing being absent. The other particulars together with the Speech and Answer you will see in the inclosd paper. The Tories I believe are greatly disconcerted, as I hope they always will be.

I am much obligd for your Care in procurng for me a Boy. I shall be ready to receive him about the middle of next month and shall take the best care of him that shall be in my Power till he is 14 years old, perfecting him in his reading and teaching him to write and cypher if capable of it under my own Tuition for I cannot spare him the time to attend School. Will strictly regard his Morals and at the End of the time I will if his parents shall desire it, seek a good place for him to learn such a Trade as he and they shall chuse.

I Then Usher of the Grammar-School. This oration, the first of a series of commemoration addresses, was printed in a quarto, with appropriate mourning borders, by order of the Town of Boston.

2 The motion is printed in the Journals, April 8, 1772, but the name of the mover is not

1

My dear Mrs Adams 1 joyns with me in expressing the sincerest thanks to Mrs Warren for her kind Letter of Condolence. To mingle Sorrows is the part of a friend only. Those who are not possessd of the inextinguishable Principle of real friendship are Strangers to the pleasure of sharing in Affliction. What is Life without Friendship! To partake in the Joys of the rude World is often dangerous but seldom satisfactory. The Tears of sincere friendship are refreshing like gentle Showers after a scorching Drought and always produce the harvest of solid Comfort.2

I write in great haste. Hope to see you soon your affectionate friend,

SAMUEL ADAMS

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

BOSTON, November 4, 1772

MY DEAR SIR, — I have not at present time or Inclination to take up your thots in complaining of Tyrants and Tyranny. It is more than Time that this Country was rid of both. Your Colleague and the Newspapers will inform you of the Transactions of this Town at a late Meeting, and your opinion of Hutchinson, if it is necessary, may be confirmd. The Town thought it proper to take, what the Tories apprehend to be leading Steps. We have long had it thrown in our faces, that the Country in general is under no such fears of Slavery, but are well pleasd with the measures of Administration, that the Independency of the Governor and Judges is a mighty harmless and even a desireable Manoeuvre. In order to ascertain the Sense of the People of the province a Committee is appointed, of which our Patriot Otis is Chairman, to open a free

1 Elizabeth Wells (1736-1806).

4

2 Hannah Winthrop wrote to Mercy Warren, June 22, 1772, "I think it surprising that Candidates for another state and even those dignified with high stations and vested with power can be willing to be so blinded by ambition and love of domination as to give up the heartfelt satisfaction of making happy, and losing the esteem of their fellow men. The General Court is indeed carried to Boston but done with so ill a grace as entirely destroys all the Merit of it."

3 The meeting was held October 28, and the proceedings are given in the Boston Gazette, November 2, 1772.

4 The committee consisted of twenty-one persons. A notice was issued as a handbill of a town meeting to be held November 20.

Communication with every town. A State of Rights with the violation of them is to be reported by this Committee, and transmitted to each Town. I wish our Mother Plymouth would see her way clear to have a Meeting and second Boston by appointing a Committee of Communication and Correspondence. The sooner this is done, I think, the better. I have receivd Letters from Marblehead, Newburyport, etc. fraught with manly Resentment. Whenever the friends of the Country shall be assured of each others Sentiments, that Spirit which is necessary will not be wanting. I have scribbled in great haste and am without Ceremony. Your friend,

Pray write me by the first opportunity.

SA AMS

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

BOSTON, Nov. 27, 1772

MY DEAR SIR, I herewith inclose you a printed Copy, as far as it is workd off, of the Proceedings of this Town. The Selectmen of Plymouth will have it sent to them as soon as the Printers can finish it. The Tories are taking all imaginable Pains, to disparage it in the Minds of the other Towns. I am under no apprehensions with Regard to Plymouth. The Copy of your Petition was very acceptable to me; I have publishd it in three of our Papers, and the Friends of Liberty are highly pleasd with the Spirit of it. I am very desirous of knowing the consequent Proceedings of the Town though I doubt not but you have acted your part well. There is a Peice in Drapers paper under the Signature I. H.2 said to be wrote

I A petition for a meeting, signed by a hundred of the reputable inhabitants of Plymouth, was presented to the selectmen on November 13, 1772. The meeting was not held until November 24, when a standing committee of communication, with James Warren as chairman, was named. The petition will be found in the Boston Evening Post, November

23, 1772.

2 Printed in the Massachusetts Gazette, November 26, 1772. It is dated H-ng-m, Nov. 24, 1772, and contains the following reference to Plymouth: "I expect some of your writers will say that a doting old Fellow has published what he supposes to be the Mind of one Tory Town only, and that the country in general and his neighbouring Town of Plymouth in particular is of another mind. But it is a mistake, Mr. Draper, for as for the Town of Plymouth, I know many of the best Men in Plymouth who never would sign their Petition for a Town-Meeting; and if I was to speak my Mind I should say it was handed to them from a Town forty Miles off by a certain Creed-maker, who I hear drew up the circular Let

in Hingham; If I could believe this, I should think it was the genuine Production of Deacon H-y's Genius, it is much like the Rant which you and I have heard. I rather think however it was "fabricated" in the Cabal. You are particularly interested, in behalf of your Town, to take Notice of it. The same paper impudently "reports" that there were not twenty men at the Town meeting besides the Selectmen and some of the Committee when the Letter was passed, which you may rely upon to be false, as hundreds who were present can testify. You know the Tories have a "scurvy trick of lying" to serve the Purposes of Despotism. The Town of Roxbury have appointed a Committee of Nine to take into Consideration the proceedings of this Town, five of this Committee re said to be Whigs, on the other side are Isaac Winslow and the Mr. Mayo, who was foreman of the Grand Jury who cleard the Soldiers, and afterwards was advanced to the Rank of Major of the Regiment, though our Friend Heath (who is of this Committee) thought himself, and in the Opinion of Major Genl. Brattle was, degraded thereby. Cap. Heath' bids me expect that matters will go right at the adjournment of their Meeting. On his Zeal and Integrity as well as good Sense you know we may rely. I hear that Marblehead is to have a Meeting next Week. I have received favorable accounts from our worthy friend Mr. Gerry,' and hope for good Tidings from thence.

ter that is to be sent from the Metropolis to all the Towns in the Province. And I am well informed that nothing is like to be acted in any of the Towns below Plymouth relative to those Matters." A reply from Plymouth was printed in the Boston Gazette, December 21, 1772.

1 "It is reported with some Confidence, that when the Vote passed for sending the Letter of Correspondence, which was about ten o'clock Friday Evening, there was not twenty Men present, beside the Gentlemen Selectmen and some of the Committee, and that not Ten Persons voted for it. The country ought to be satisfied whether the Report be true or false." In the Gazette of December 7 is a reply signed by six Selectmen asserting that "there was a very respectable number of the inhabitants, who attended the meeting through the day; and when the letter, which had been twice read and amended in the meeting, was accepted and voted to be sent, it appeared to us, and we are well satisfied, that there were not less than three hundred inhabitants present, and in the opinion of others the number was much larger." See also "Candidus" in the Gazette of December 14, 1772.

2 (1709- ).

4 William Brattle (1706

).

3 Joseph Mayo, of Roxbury.

5 William Heath, afterwards Major-General. He was now the representative of Roxbury in the General Assembly.

6 The meeting was held on December 8, and the resolutions are printed in the Boston Gazette, December 14, 1772.

7 Elbridge Gerry.