good Character rather than to the Master of the Vessel. Possibly there may be some Exceptions; But I have Reason to think that a Cargo which arrivd about a Fortnight ago, consisting as I am told, chiefly of Rum and Sugars which were scarce Articles, was sold at least 30 pCt under what it would have fetchd, if it had been under the Direction of a Person acquaintd in the Place; and Flour is purchasing by the Person who bo't the Cargo, and I suppose expects an Allowance therefor, at an unlimitted Price. I am perswaded, if you had by a previous Letter directed a Cargo to be procurd, you might have had it 20 pCt cheaper. If the Board should be of my Mind, I know of no Gentlemen whom I would more freely recommend than Messrs Samuel and Robert Purvyance. They are Merchants of Character, honest and discrete Men, and warmly attached to our all-important Cause.

But I get out of my Line when I touch upon Commerce. It is a Subject which I never understood. Adieu my dear Friend. Believe me to be yours,

S. A.

P.S. I forgot to tell you that, a fair Occasion offering, I movd in Congress that the Eldest son of our deceasd Friend Genl. Warren might be adopted by the Continent and educated at the publick expense. The Motion was pleasing to all and a Committee is appointed to prepare a Resolve. A Monument is also proposd in Memory of him and Genl. Mercer whose youngest Son is also to be adopted and educated. But these things I would not have yet made publick.1

JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

BALTIMORE, Feby. 3, 1777

DEAR SIR After a very tedious Journey through the severest Weather, and over very bad Mountains in one Part of it, and perfect Mortar in the other Part, I am arrived in good Health and Spirits at Baltimore.

Congress is Sitting, and by the best Information I can obtain I Journals of the Continental Congress, VII. 243.

from our Friends, are very well united and much more Spirited than ever.

The Recruiting Service goes on as every Body tells me from Boston to Baltimore, very well, and it is here said, in Virginia. I cannot sufficiently express the Sense I have of the indispensible Importance that our State should be the earliest and most exemplary in compleating our Quota. It may be depended upon, that our State is the Barometer at which every other Looks. If the Mercury rises there, it will rise in every other Part of the Continent, if it falls there, it will fall everywhere.

By all that I can gather, the British Ministry have sollicited for Cossacks. The Success is doubtfull. But it is the opinion of a Man in England whose Intelligence has heretofore proved extreamly exact that the Ministry will be able to obtain near Twenty thousand Recruits in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and Germany. If this Conjecture is right, there is great Reason to Suppose that they will not Venture upon So dangerous a Step as that of procuring Siberians. Their late great Succeses will in their Opinion render them unnecessary.

But in all Events, it is our Wisdom, our Prudence, our Policy, our Cunning, our Duty, our every Thing, to destroy those who are now in America. They are compleatly in our Power and if We do not embrace the Opportunity, We shall not only in dust and ashes repent of our Sloth, but it will be but Justice that We should Suffer the wretched Consequences of it. I am Sure our brave New Englandmen can break the Force at Newport, and even the main Body at Brunswick may be imprisoned. But an Army is wanting. Don't let it be wanting long.

Congress will do and have done what they can, but if the States will not execute the plans and Resolutions of Congress, what is to be expected?

New England I find is now in higher Estimation than it has been. Our Troops have behaved nobly, and turned the Fortune of the War. Pray let us keep up our Credit as I am sure We can. Adieu, my dear Friend.1

[No signature.]

I Another letter, of the same date, is in Works of John Adams, 1x. 450.

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

BALTIMORE, Feb. 11, 1777

MY DEAR SIR, I beg Leave to inclose my Account of Expences from the 26th of April, 1775, to the 27th of August, 1776, amounting to [blank]. I intended to have laid it before the House of Representatives when I was last in New England; but the sudden Adjournment of the General Assembly in September and my Hurry in preparing for my Journey hither, after its sitting again in October, prevented my attending to it.

When I set off from Lexington after the memorable Battle there I had with me only the Cloaths upon my Back, which were very much worn, those which I had provided for myself being in Boston, and it was out of my Power then to recover them. I was therefore laid under a Necessity, in order to appear in any kind of Decency of being at an extraordinary Expence for Cloathing and Linnen after my Arrival in Philadelphia, which I think makes a reasonable Charge of Barrils, Leonards, and Stilles Bills in my Account.

It may perhaps be necessary to say something of the Charge of Horsehire in the last Article. When I left Watertown in September, '75, two Horses were deliverd to me out of the publick Stable by Order of the Honble. Council, for my Self and my Servant. They were very poor when I took them, and both tired on the Road as you will observe by my Account. One of them afterwards died in Philadelphia, which obligd me to purchase another in that City; and with this Horse I returnd to Boston the last Fall. His being my own Property, having purchasd him without Charge to my Constituents I think gives me a Right to make a Charge of horse hire, which is left to be carried out in a Sum which shall be thought just and reasonable. Mr. A[dams] tells me he is obligd to pay seven pounds 10/ for the Hire of each of his horses to Philadelphia. The other horse I left at Boston (being worn out) to be disposd of as should be judgd proper.

I shall take it as a Favor if you will present the Account to the Honble House and acquaint the Committee to whom it may be referrd with the Reasons of the Charges above mentiond: and make any other Explanations which you may judge necessary.

Mrs. A. has the Vouchers, to whom I beg of you to apply for them in Person before you present the Account. I wish it may be settled as soon as the House can conveniently attend to it. If an Allowance for my Services is considerd at the same Time, which I have a particular Reason to wish may be done, you will please to be informd, that I sat off from Lexington to Worcester, on the 26th of April, '75, and returnd to Watertown on the 14th of August following. And again I sat off from Watertown on the first of September, '75, and returnd to Boston on the 27th of August, '76. I have troubled you with this Epistle of Horse hire and Shop Goods at a Time when, no doubt, your Attention is called to Affairs of the greatest Concern to our Country. Excuse me, my dear Friend, for once, and be assured that I am your affectionate,

S. A.

PHILADA., March 25, 1777

DR. SIR, The foregoing Letter I have detained for want of such Conveyance as I wishd for. Your two Letters of the and— of Feby I have receivd, and have Time at present only to acknowledge the Receipt of them, the Bearer being just now going. I cannot however omit sending you the agreeable Intelligence that a Vessel arrivd yesterday in this part with ten thousand Stands of Arms. This is indeed a very timely Supply.

Mrs. A. will give you her Reasons, if you will ask her, why an Allowance should be made as soon as it can be done with Convenience, for my Services. This I suppose may be done altho' any Circumstance should prevent the Adjustment of my account of Expense, which I do not foresee. Adieu.

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES Warren

S. A.1

BALTIMORE, Feb. 16, 1777

MY DEAR SIR, - A few days ago, a small Expedition was made by the Authority of this State aided by a Detachment of Conti

1 A letter from John Adams to Warren, February 12, 1777, is in Works of John Adams, IX. 452.

nental Regulars, to suppress the Tories in the Counties of Somerset and Worcester on the Eastern Shore of Chessepeak, where they are numerous and have arisen to a great Pitch of Insolence.1 We this day have a Rumour that one of their Principals, a Doctor Cheyney, is taken and we hope to hear of the Business being effectually done, very soon. In my Opinion, much more is to be apprehended from the secret Machinations of these rascally People, than from the open Violence of British and Hessian Soldiers, whose Success has been in a great Measure owing to the Aid they have receivd from them. You know that the Tories in America have always acted upon one System. Their Head Quarters used to be at Boston - more lately at Philadelphia. They have continually embarrassed the publick Councils there and afforded Intelligence, Advice, and Assistance to General Howe. Their Influence is extended throughout the united States. Boston has its full Share of them, and yet I do not hear that Measures have been taken to suppress them. On the Contrary, I am informd that the Citizens are grown so polite, as to treat them with Tokens of Civility and Respect. Can a man take Fire into his Bosom, and not be burnd? Your Massachusetts Tories communicate with the Enemy in Britain as well as New York. They give and receive Intelligence, from whence they early form a Judgment of their Measures. I am told they discoverd an Air of insolent Tryumph in their Countenances, and saucily enjoyd the Success of Howe's Forces in Jersey before it happend. Indeed, my Friend, if Measures are not soon taken, and the most vigorous ones, to root out these pernicious Weeds, it will be in vain for America to persevere in this generous Struggle for the publick Liberty.

General Howe has declared that he intends that General Lee shall be tried by the Laws of his Country. So he is considerd as a deserter from the British Army. You know the Resolution of Congress concerning this Matter. It is my Opinion that Lt. Colo. Campbel ought immediately to be secured. He is to be detained as one upon whom Retalliation is to be made. Would you believe 2 Andrew Francis Cheney. 4 Archibald Campbell.

1 Archives of Maryland, xvI. 157, 175.

3 Journals of the Continental Congress, vII. 16.