needful at this important Crisis, I shall not be so presumtuous as to offer anything but my fervent Wishes that the Enemies of America may hereafter forever tremble at the Wisdom, the firmness, the prudence and the justice of the Delegates, departed from our Cities, as much as ever the Phocians or any other petty State did at the power of the Amphytiones. . . . JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN BRAINTREE, July 17, 1774 DEAR SIR, Among many other agreeable Things which occurr'd to me on my Return from my eastern Circuit, I found your Letter of the fourteenth Instant. Your sentiments always inspire and animate me; but never more upon any Occasion, than on this. I believe with you that the Confidence of the People in the Congress, is so great, that they will Support its Decisions, as far as possible. And indeed, It may well be expected, that many Men of Sound Judgment, will be of that Assembly. But, what avails, Prudence, Wisdom, Policy, Fortitude, Integrity, without Power, without Legions? When Demosthenes, (God forgive the Vanity of recollecting his Example) went Ambassador from Athens to the other States of Greece, to excite a Confederacy against Phillip, he did not go to propose a Non-Importation or Non-Consumption Agreement !!! You "presume the greater Part of the Number will be Masters in Politicks" "Prophets replete with the true Spirit of Prophecy." I hope it will be so. But I must say I am not one of those Masters. I must be a scholar. I feel my own insufficiency for this important Business. I confess myself ignorant of the Characters which compose the Court of Great Britain as well as of the People who compose the Nation; at least I have not that minute and accurate knowledge of either which an American Senator ought to have of both. I have not that Knowledge of the Commerce of the several Colonies, nor even of my own Province which may be necessary. In short, as comprehensive Knowledge of Arts and Sciences, especially of Law and History, of Geography, Commerce, War and of Life, is necessary for an American Statesman at this Time as was ever necessary for a British or a Roman Senator, or a British or Roman General. Our New England Educations are quite unequal to the Production of such great Characters. There is one Point in which most Men seem to be agreed vizthat it is in our Power so to distress the Commercial and Manufacturing Interests in G. Britain, as to make them rise up and become importunate Petitioners for us, to the King, Parliament and Ministry. But others deny this. Some of the higher Tories say that all we can do of this Kind will be despised-ridiculed-and that they can live longer without us than We can without them. That the distresses We can occasion would be of but a few Individuals, and the Clamours or Miseries of these will be disregarded as Trifling Considerations in Comparison of the Loss of the Obedience of the Colonies, etc., etc., etc. That nothing Short of such Distresses as should produce Convulsions would effect any Thing at all. However I have no Faith in these Doctrines. The National Debts and Taxes are so excessive, that it seems to me impossible, the People should bear the Loss of so great a Part of their Trade. But what do you think of a non-Exportation to Great Britain? Is it expedient to advise to a general Non-Exportation? Will not Such a Measure hurt ourselves? What will be the Consequence? Must not Fish, Rice, Wheat, Tobacco, etc. etc. etc. perish on our Hands, or must not Thousands of Families perish who once lived by raising and producing those Commodities in America? Your Maxim, that We have nothing to expect from their Justice But everything to hope from their fears I have ever thought is just as "any of Solomon"; But I confess I have grown more Scrupulous of late than ever more disposed to discuss, examine and minutely weigh every political Position, than usual. I have employed the best Force of my Understanding, in considering this Apophthegm; and the Result is that We have indeed nothing to expect from their Justice. The Ministry, the beggarly prostituted Voters, high and low, have no principles of public Virtue on which we can depend, and they are interested to plunder us. But I am not so clear that we have everything to hope from their Fears. They are a gallant brave high Spirited People Still; and if any Means can be found to make the Chastisement of the Colonies popular, a Minister, who means nothing by serving in a public Station but to make a Fortune in Wealth and Titles, may push a Measure to dreadful Extremities. Yours JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARren JOHN ADAMS BRAINTREE, July 25, 1774 DR SIR, -There never was I believe, a greater Contrast, than I perceive, between the Noise and Hurry of Queen Street, and the Serene Retreat, which I enjoy here. No Clients disturb me, no Politicians interrupt me, no Tories vex me, no Tyrants govern me, I had almost said No Devils tempt or torment me. The chaste Pleasures of Agriculture engage me as much [as] Cards, or Assemblies ever did a fair Lady. You can Sympathize with me, in all this. You live in a Land of Rain this Year, as well as I, and it is our infinite Consolation to us both, to see the Wisdom and Benevolence of Heaven, counteracting the Folly, the Malice and Madness of our Tyrants. It would do your Heart good to see me, mowing, raking, carting and frolicking with my Workmen, as unconcernd as if No Port Bill or regulating Bill or Murder Bill, had ever existed. I catch myself however, now and then, among the Hay Cocks bestowing most hearty Execrations, on a few Villains who have dignified themselves by Superlative Mischief to their native Country the British Empire and the World. The Demise of the French Crown,1 is a great Event in the Political System of Europe, and of Consequence, must be a mighty Link in the Chain of Causes in American Politicks. I am not enough acquainted with the State of the French, Spanish and German Courts to predict with any Confidence, what Revolutions will Succeed the death of Lewis 15th. But if two young Fellows at the Head of the German Empire, and the French Monarchy, both warm and active dont make Mischief in Europe it will be a Wonder. I Louis XV died of smallpox, May 10, 1774. V I remember when I was young and sometimes amused myself with Poetry and Criticism I used to see it frequently prescribed as a Rule to consider how Homer or Virgill or Horace or Ovid would have imagined or expressed a Thing. But I believe it required almost as much Genius and Skill to Say how they would imagine or express a Thing, as they had themselves. I can't help, applying this Rule sometimes to Politicks, and enquiring what Plans would be adopted at the Congress, if a Sully, a Cecil, a Pitt or a Ximenes, a Demosthenes or a Cicero were there or all of them together. I am at no Loss, at all, to guess. [torn] pretend to Skill and Capacity like [torn] Gd knoweth—I dont compa [torn] an atom to the Globe. But is it easy to believe they would propose Non Importation? Non Exportation? Non Consumption? If I mistake not, Somewhat a little more Sublime and Mettlesome, would come from Such Kind of Spirits. However Patience, Prudence, Resignation [torn] Candour and all that, must [torn] [Amer]ican Plans. We must fast a[nd pray, learn to] bear and forbear. We must [have that charity which] suffereth long and is kind, which be[areth all things and] hopeth all things.1 . . . HANNAH WINTHROP TO MERCY WARREN MY DEAR Friend, CAMBRIDGE, Sept. 27, 1774 The frequent Manuvers of an arbitrary G[enera]l with his disciplined Troops which spread alarms thro the Country and Occasion great Commotion among a poor, oppressd, devoted, tho I hope determined People, often fill a Female heart with Tears. The preparations on Boston neck, the Assembled multitude lately at Cambridge 2 with many other Circumstances give me a painful I These sentences have been filled in from 1 Corinthians XIII, 4–7. 2 Rowe, Diary, 285, notes on September 7, "The General has Doubled the Guards at the Neck and I believe designs to Fortify it"; on September 10, "The 59th Regiment came from Salem and encamped on the West Side of Boston Neck." On Sunday, the 14th, some officers of the navy spiked the guns of the North Battery. The assemblage at Waltham, Watertown and Cambridge was caused by the conduct of General Brattle, who made a "flimsy Recantation" and the people dispersed on the following day. This and the insults to Hallowell, a commissioner of customs, led Gage to reinforce the troops on the Neck. Idea of the Horrors of Civil War, and with you I cant help anticipating the distresses Consequent thereon; but that Centre of all Consolation to which you point me-That grand Superintendant of the Universe is the only firm Foundation for us to Build our hopes upon, our Cause is righteous. Let us Posses our Souls in Patience. By Capt. Scot who has Lately arrivd we are told by the representations of Mr. H[utchinso]n the people of England are made to believe we are perfectly acquiescent under the new model of Government and other Cruel Acts. How can this Insulted People any longer forbear bursting forth with rage and desperation! Must not that heart be truly Infernal that Could Meditate such Acts of barbarity and even persuade people to believe they are Acts of Mercy and goodness! after this what is not the heart of Man Capable of? The Merchants of London are pouring in Loads of English goods. If the united Virtue of American Delegates is not exerted for our help, we are we must be ruind. The dissolution of all Government gives a dreadful Prospect, the fortifying Boston Neck, the huge Canon now mounted there, the busy preparations, the agility of the Troops, give an Horrid prospect of an intended Battle. Kind Heaven avert the Storm! I hope Coll. Warren intends to meet the General Assembly. I hear the Constitutional Council Intend to Resume their Seats. . . . I have Lately receivd great pleasure from an ingenious Satire on that Female Foible Love of dress in the Royal American Magazine. I have heard the Author guessd to be Miss Mercy Scollay, and the Gentleman who requested it Dr. Warren. I am not enough acquainted with that Lady's Poetic Talents to judge whether they are equal to that elegant production. Mr. Winthrop joyns in the Sincerest regards to Coll. Warren and you. I subscribe your Affectionate HANNAH WINTHROP I Printed in the June number, p. 233. |