It is high Time, for me, I assure you; yet I will not go, while the present Fermentation lasts, but stay and watch the Crisis, and like a good Phisician assist Nature in throwing off the morbific Matter. The Bearer, Mr. Hare, is a Brother of the Gentleman of the same Name in this City, who has made himself so famous by introducing the Brewery of Porter into America. He wants to see our Country, Harvard Colledge, the Town of Boston, etc. If you can help him to such a Sight I should be glad. Can't you agree with him to erect a Brewery of Porter in Mass.? Your Barley and Water too, are preferable to any here. Upon the Receipt of yours and Mrs. Temple's Letters I communicated the Contents of them to Congress, who appointed a Committee to consider them, who reported that the Trees should be paid for as Wood. The President I suppose has communicated the Resolution upon it, which agrees with the Report. I should be glad to write Mrs. Temple an Account of this, but have not Time. You will be so good as to let her know it. I answered her Letter before her affair was determined.2 JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADams. [No signature.] ADAMS MSS. WATERTOWN, Sep. 19th, 1776 MY DEAR SIR, I wrote you in my last that we were about raising every fifth man of our Alarm and Train Band List to go to the aid of the Army at New York. Except from some remote Counties and Seaport Towns, we have now concluded that business. The orders are gone out and they are now executing. Only one Regiment of them are to be taken to go to Rhode Island." That there should be no failure in this business we were last night 1 Bishop (History of American Manufactures, 1. 265) states that “pale ale and porter were first made in this country about the year 1774." Robert Hare and Son (the chemist), with whom was associated J. Warren, of London, were the original makers of Hare and Twells' porter. The brew-house, in 1785, was in Callowhill Street, between Front and Second, Philadelphia. Robert Hare died in 1810. 2 A letter from Adams to Warren, dated September 8, 1776, is in Works of John Adams, IX. 440. 3 Resolves of the Mass. General Assembly, September 10, 1776. 4 The men drafted from Plymouth and Barnstable were to be sent to Rhode Island. Ib., September 13, 1776. adjourned to the 9th of October, that every member might go into his town, and give his assistance to spirit and encourage the men. The House chose me as a Major General to lead this detachment but I thought I could not at this time support the fatigue. They excused me and chose Lincoln. We have in the course of this Session, which has been unusually short,' attended as much as we could to the capital articles of manufacturing cannon, small arms, saltpetre, lead, etc., and laid an embargo on the exportation of Lumber, even from one port to another till the first of November, least it should fall into the enemy's hands, and furnish them materials for winter quarters.3 I rec'd yours of the 4th Instant by Mr. Hare, but have not had an opportunity of seeing him, and am now just setting out for home. If he tarrys till I return shall take care to see him. We have not yet made an addition to our Delegates, no body seems to be against it, many are indifferent about it, and those that wish to have it done, are at a loss where to find the men; so it is procrastinated and left to the next setting. I can easily conceive this is such a juncture as you would not like to leave Philadelphia. I hope such physicians as we most depend on wont leave us at this time. Tho' I am anxiously concerned for your health, I could wish to have you stay a little longer. I have a great curiosity to know what the message carried by Sullivan was. We have had reports that Congress had chose a Committee to treat with Lord and General Howe and tho' we liked the Committee, you being one of them, we did not approve the measure, and it has made more sober faces than the advantages gained by our enemies at Long Island, etc. My company are ready to set out and I must conclude. Your Friend, etc. I shall call on Mrs. Adams this day. [No signature.] 1 Journals of the House of Representatives (Mass.), September 14, 1777 2 From August 28. 3 Mass. Prov. Laws, v. 558. JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN Sept. 25, 1776 DR. SIR, This Express carries a new Plan of an Army1 I hope the Gen. Court without one Moments delay will Send Commissions to whole Corps of their officers, either by Expresses or Committees to New York, and Ticonderoga, that as many Men may be inlisted without delay as possible. It may be best to send a Committee with full Powers to each Place. There is no Time to be lost. I inclose you a sett of Articles as lately amended. Discipline I hope will be introduced at last. I am, JOHN ADAMS SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN PHILADA., Nov. 6, 1776 MY DEAR SIR, I just now receivd your obliging Letter of the 24th of October by the Post. I am exceedingly pleasd with the patriotick Spirit which prevails in our Genl. Assembly. Indeed it does them great Honor. I hope the Increase of Pay will be confind to the Militia to induce them to continue in the Army till a full Inlistment of our Quota for a new Army shall be compleated on the Encouragement offerd by Congress, which I have found since I left you is increasd by a suit of Cloaths annually. Congress could not account for the Delay of the Assemblies to send Committees to the Camp agreeable to their Recommendation, but by your Letter I am led to believe that the answer of our Assembly was among those Letters which were lately stolen from an Express on the Road. The Necessity of immediate Application to the important Business of inlisting a new Army inducd Congress to direct the Commander in Chief to give orders for that Purpose even though the Committees should not have arrivd. I am glad however that your Committee is gone to Head Quarters, for I am persuaded they will be very usefull. I hear with Pleasure that you have appointed a Committee of War. It has ever appeared 1 Journals of the Continental Congress, v. 762. 2 The House of Representatives passed a resolve for appointing a Board of War, October 24, and on October 30 named the following members: James Bowdoin, George Whitcomb, to me to be necessary and it must be attended with happy Effects. While we are taking such Measures as I trust will be effectual to put a stop to and totally defeat the Designs of the open Invaders of our Rights, are we not too inattentive to the Machinations of our secret and perhaps more inveterate Enemies? Believe me, it is my Opinion that of the two, the latter are by far the more dangerous. I hope you have not many of these among you, Some I know you have. Measures are taking here to suppress them. Nov. 9th. Mr. Partridge1 arrivd in this City the last Evening, having been dispatchd by your Committee at Genl. Washington's Head Quarters, who have consulted with the General concerning the Augmentation made by our Assembly of the Pay of the Troops to be raisd by our State. The General advisd them to lay the Matter before Congress. We intend to bring it on this day. I have strong Doubts whether it will succeed here. Men must be prevaild upon to inlist at some Rate or other, and I think it must be confessd that our State have shewn a laudable Zeal for the publick Service. But if the other States which are to have Troops in the Army should not consent to give the same Encouragement, it may cause great Uneasiness among them. I am the more ready to believe it will not be well receivd in Congress because a proposal made not long ago by the Maryland Convention for them to offer to their Men Ten Dollars in Lieu of the 100 Acres of Land was rejected. Nov. 11. On Saturday last Congress considerd the Business on which Mr. Partridge is here. A Comte. was appointed who have this day reported against your Resolution and the Report is agreed to, but as the Resolution must be known to the Soldiers, it has greatly embarrassd us. A Motion was made to limit the Duration of the Inlistments, which after Debate was postpond and is to be determind tomorrow. If the present Encouragement offerd by Congress is continued only for a limited Time of three Joseph Palmer, Henry Bromfield, Samuel Philips Savage, James Prescott, Samuel Alleyne Otis, Jonathan Jackson and Jonathan Glover. 1 George Partridge (1740-1828). He brought a letter from Timothy Danielson, chairman of the Massachusetts Committee sent to headquarters. 2 It was referred to a committee composed of James Wilson, Edward Rutledge and George Wythe, and their report is in Journals of the Continental Congress, VI. 944. or four years, it certainly would be very great. I will inform you further of this Affair tomorrow. Nov. 12th. The Motion I yesterday mentiond has been this Day considered and Congress have resolvd upon an Alternative; that is, so far to reconsider their former Resolution as to admit of Inlistments for three years with the Bounty of 20 Dollars and the Suit of Cloaths annually, or during the War, with the Addition of the 100 Acres of Land; and our Committee is desired not to offer the further Encouragement of 20/ You will have a Copy of this Resolution sent to you by the President. Would it not be proper to send immediate Instructions to your Committees at the several Camps to settle the Affair of Officers, and exert themselves in the most important Business of procuring a new Army? I am affectionately yours, SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN S. A. PHILADA., Novr. 16th, 1776 MY DEAR SIR, I have already wrote to you by this Conveyance. The Express having been delayed till this Time affords me an Opportunity of congratulating you and my other Friends on the Retreat of General Carleton with his whole Force from Crown Point into Canada, an Account of which we had the day before yesterday in a Letter from General Gates.1 Yesterday we had a Letter from a Gentleman 2 living on the Sea Coasts of New Jersey, acquainting us that near 100 Sail of the Enemies Transports, with a 50 or 60-Gun Ship and two Frigates, were seen coming from Sandy Hook and steering Eastward [southward]. We had also a Letter from Genl. Greene, who informs that he had Intelligence by a Gentleman of good Credit who came from Staten Island, that Ten Thousand of the Enemies Troops were embarqued, and it was given out that they were destind to South Carolina. It is said that Lord Dunmore is to take the Command, from whence one would suppose they are bound to Virginia. Some I Dated November 5. Printed in Force, American Archives, 5th ser., III. 526. 2 James Searle, of Long Branch, New Jersey. Ib., 669. 3 Dated November 12. Ib., 652. Justice Mesereau was his informant. |