JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS.1 ADAMS MSS. DEAR SIR,- It always give me pleasure to hear of the Existence and Health of my Friend and his Family, and more especially to have it from his own hand. The partiality discovered in yours of the 13th Instant is a strong Evidence of Friendship. I am sorry it should give you any Uneasiness, if the Elections you refer to are not just such as you and I should approve. I am inclined to think they would not have been mended in the way you now think of. The drudgery of Application with some little Experience may qualifie a man to make a tolerable, or at least not a disagreeable figure in any small Circle, but nothing can supply the want of those Abilities, and that perticular Genius that alone must support his Character in the other Station, and perhaps be necessary to preserve even his Memory from Contempt if not Infamy. I have therefore no uneasiness myself, but what arises from pride, which in an Officer may assume the Title of military Honour, and may reduce me to the Dilemma of either forfeiting my Character by not doing my duty, or lessening it by doing it under certain Circumstances. I am pleased to find your Town makes such a Figure in the military way. The Spirit is catching, and spreads into every Corner, and bids fair to cherish the seeds, and support the Stock of a rising Empire. The last Vessel from England arrived here last Fryday, left Bristol 8th. November. I am told the Master says, that near twothirds of the Members chosen are new ones,2 that the general Expectation was that the American Grievances would be redressed. He dined in Company with Mr. Burke two or three days before he came away, who was in high Expectation of a Committee from your Congress, which was looked for every day, and that Doctor Franklin had postponed his Voyage to America on the same Account. However they may be disappointed in this, I presume before now they have seen your demands. Extending so far beyond the repeal of the Acts of the last Session, that it will be hard work I At Braintree. 2 See "The General Election of 1774" in Trevelyan, The American Revolution, Pt. 1. 210. to Cure the wounds, without leaving a Splinter behind, and I hope if there be one left, it will rankle till extracted. Will the Continent be satisfied short of their demands? I hope not, but sometimes hope with fear and trembling. I have been extreamly engaged since my return, as a Citizen and Soldier. Civil and military matters engage my whole Attention, and engross all my Time. To execute the Resolves of the Congress, to settle my military matters, and prevent the feuds and dissentions that generally arise from the Folly of some, and the Ambition of others, is my whole Business, and has superceded the delightful Study of Agriculture, and scarce left a Trace in my mind of Tull's fine Phylosophical System of Vegetation. If those matters continue, I may as well beat my plow shares into Swords, and pruning Hooks into Spears. I am sorry to find you half resolved not to attend our Anniversary. Your Company would give me the greatest pleasure, and add much to the festivity of the day. . . . JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS. ADAMS MSS. PLYMOUTH, January 15, 1775 MY DEAR SIR,- I admire the Votes and Resolves of the Maryland Convention. They breath a Spirit of Liberty and Union which does Honour to them, and indeed the whole Continent. I am greatly puzzled to determine what Consequences the united force of all these things will produce in Britain. They must be infatuated to a degree I can hardly conceive of, if these things make no Impression, and yet in general I think, or rather fear, they will not. I am upon the whole much of the Opinion of your friend Chase,' that we have but little room to hope for a favourable Event, and that now is the Time, the exact Crisis, to determine the point, and the sooner the better, before the Tories here can compleat their efforts to disunite and embarrass. They are more assiduous than Satan was with our first Parents, and equal him in deceit and Falsehood, and with many find Success.' No Stone is left un I See Adams to Warren, January 3, 1775, in Life and Works of John Adams, Ix. 352. 2 Samuel Chase (1741-1811). turned to effect their purposes. By that means we are continually perplexed, which added to the Contemplation (from one time to another) of a War at last, is (as you say) a state as bad as can be. The time for the setting of our Congress draws nigh. I am impatient to hear that you are a member, and shall be unhappy if you are not. What reason can be given that the question for assuming and exercising Government has not been stated and agitated in the publick Papers. Has any particular policy prevented? It seems to me it would have had good effects on the other Colonies. They may hardly believe it so necessary as we know it to be, while so little is said about it. The Tories it is observed hold up their heads lately whether from Encouragement taken from the late publications, or a Spirit of delusion diffused among them by the infernal Junto at Boston, I know not. Inclosed are for your Amusement two acts of a dramatic performance. Composed at my particular desire they go to you as they came out of the hand of the Copier, without pointing or marking. If you think it worth while to make any other use of them, than a reading, you will prepare them in that way, and give them such other Corrections and Amendments as your good Judgment shall suggest. . . .1 JAS. WARREN Is it consistent with prudence that we should hold our Sessions at Cambridge? I am not more subject to fear than others; but if we mean to do anything important, I think it is too near the whole strength of our Enemies. If not, I shall repent leaving my own fire side at this severe Season. I shall be glad to hear from you before you leave Home. MERCY WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS. ADAMS MSS. PLIMOUTH, January 30, 1775 SIR, - The very polite introduction to yours of Jan. 3d. I consider not only as a Compliment far beyond any merit I can presume to claim, but as resulting in some Measure from that partial Byas I The Group, a Farce. These two acts were printed in the Boston Gazette, January 23, 1775. which ever leads us to view through the most favourable Medium whatever regards those we consider in the Light of Friendship. But when assured that I think myself both honoured and obliged whenever Mr. Adams takes up the Pen to favour me with a Line, I hope he will again attempt to grasp it hard enough to gratify me further in the same way. More especially as I am about to submit a casuistical query to his Decision, in whose judgment I place great Confidence, both from the Ability and Rectitude of Mind which guide its Determinations. Personal Reflections and sarcastic Reproaches have generally been decryed by the wise and the worthy, both in their Conversation and Writings. And though a Man may be greatly criminal in his Conduct towards the Society in which he lives. How far, sir, do you think it justifiable for any individual to hold him up the Object of public Derision. And is it consistent with the Benevolent System of Christianity to vilify the Delinquent, when we only wish to ward of the fatal Consequences of his Crimes. But though from the particular Circumstances of our unhappy time, a little personal Acrimony might be justifiable in your Sex, must not the female Character suffer. (And will she not be suspected as deficient in the most amiable part thereof, that Candour and Charity which ensures her both Affection and Esteem,) if she indulges her pen to paint in the darkest shades, even those whose Vice and Venality have rendered contemptible. Your undisguised Sentiments on these points will greatly oblige a person who is sometimes doubtful whether the solicitations of a beloved Friend may not lead her to indulge a satirical propensity that ought to be reined in with the utmost Care and Attention. But such are the multiplied injuries the Community receives, from a set of unfeeling, unprincipled Hirelings; such the Discord sown by their wicked Machinations, and such the Animosity of parties, that may we not all with some Reason apply to ourselves, what a noble Author has put into the Mouth of the celebrated Pope when meeting the admired Boileau in the Elysian Shades, that neither of them could boast that either their Censure or their praise was always free from partiallity; and that their pens were often drawn against those with whom it was more shameful to contend, than honourable to vanquish. I know not what may be your opinion of a late Composition, but as it was so readily ushered into Light, and by a Gentleman of your Discernment offered to the publick Eye, you cannot wonder if I presume you thought it might in some small degree be beneficial to society. If so the Author must be highly gratified, and will be even better pleased with picking some useful Flower from the Foot of Parnassus, than if she were able to ascend the utmost Heights, and gather the Laurel or the garland from its summit, when the glowing Beauties have no tendency either to correct the Manners of others, or to improve the Virtue of her own Heart. Your Criticism, or Countenance, your Approbation or censure, may in some particulars serve to regulate my future Conduct. In your last to Mr. Warren you seem to be quite weary of a state of suspence. It is painful, it is vexatious. How many years have the hopes of the contending parties been alternately rising or sinking with the Weight of a Feather, and yet little prospect of a period to their Employment. How much longer, sir, do you think the political scale can hang in Equilibrium. Will not Justice and Freedom soon preponderate till the partizans of Corruption and Venality, even backed with the Weight of ministerial power, shall be made to kick the Beam. You will not think it strange that the timidity and tenderness of a Woman should lead her to be anxious for the Consequences of every important step, and very solicitous for the termination of those Disputes which interrupt almost every social Enjoyment and threaten to spread Ruin and Desolation over the fairest possessions. But if you, sir, will candidly excuse this interruption, I will no longer call off your Attention from more momentous affairs. Yet let me add my fervent Wishes that you and the other Gentlemen of the ensuing Congress may be endowed with Wisdom and Resolution equal to the Difficulties of the Day, and if you attempt to repair the shattered Constitution, or to erect a new one, may it |