that a Question and give me an Answer. Why when you have packets of Importance to be sent to your Commissioners must they go through the hands of the Council of this State in Vessels provided by us. are your own Immediate Officers, Insufficient for such a purpose? if not it seemed a more regular Channel of Conveyance. if they are you may form a Board here of persons as Competent to that or any other purpose as the Council, and I will be ready to resign and make way for such an Appointment. I wont mention some other Instances because I wont be tedious. I own I am a proud fellow, but after all it is a subordinate passion to my Wishes for the Good of the Voyage. I am well pleased that you have given a Name to the New frigate at Salisbury, and that it is a New One.

I hope our Friend Adams is safe arrived we hear so, and believe it. twenty-two days after they were out, they took perhaps the richest prize that has been made this War. she was retaken on this Coast and Carried to Hallifax, within fourteen hours sail of this Port. she made some resistance. Our Friend would keep the Deck, and shew great Marks of Courage, tho the first Shot cut away the Mizen Topsail or Cross Jack Yard over his head. I suppose my Good Friend, Mr. Gerry, is now on the road, as General Hancock must have been with you some time ago. my Expectations of it for some time past have prevented my writeing to him. if he should be still detained with you, please to Assure him of my Invariable Friendship, and tell him the reasons I have not wrote him lately. I have only to Add, Compliments to all Friends, and am Assuredly Yours

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Did Coll Lee Receive the Jesuits Bark in safety.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL Adams 1

MY DEAR SIR,

BOSTON, June 28, 1778

The Navy was the principal Subject of a long and perhaps tedious Letter two days ago which I suppose will go

I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

with this. if it requires an Apology I will tell you it was wrote in perfect Composure, and good Humour and in Justification of the familiarity I used that it was wrote to you as a friend not as one of my Masters. I intend the Cheif Subject of this shall be the Army. the takeing of Burgoyne and his Army was certainly a glorious Event for America, but I cant help considering it as a Misfortune to us that this State was pitched upon as the place of their Captivity, especially as they are detained here so much longer than was at first expected. under every restriction that Whig Principles and true policy would dictate they would have many Oppertunities by their Arts and Intrigues to Encourage and Confirm the Ungodly, and to Shake the Confidence of the faithful. what then is to be Expected from an Excess of Complaisance productive of Unbounded Indulgence but a perfect Knowledge of our Country, a Conciliation of the Affections of our simple Countrymen to their Murtherers discord, and an Estrangement from their true Friends, the prevalence of Toryism and every evil work. One Regiment more only is yet removed to Rutland since you left us. was it ever Expected that there should be a free open Communication between Cambridge and Rutland and their Officers suffered to pass and repass at pleasure and to come into this Town. did you ever suppose that our General would dine with theirs on the Tyrants Birth day, and I presume of course drink his Health. did you Imagine that Politeness had risen to such a pitch that Gen'l Phillips and some of his officers were in return Invited on a party of pleasure down this Harbour, and that when he Excused himself because the officers of a Regiment to March to Rutland the day after that Appointed for the frolick were to dine with him on that day, the March was offered to be postponed to another, etc., etc. I do assure you my Friend an old Roman Republican would make an Awkward figure here in these days of refinement, and might Exclaim O Tempora, O Mores, till his Heart acked without any Effect. I wish for my part these Troops were properly treated and restrained or dismiss'd on their own Terms. We have no News but from the Southward. as all the Armies are said to be in motion we Expect great Events. have you a single Member that deserves the Character of Insolent, Overbearing, and dogmatical.

if not will vanity, Ambition, or popularity without Merit atone for giveing it. Will you in your next give me the Character of Mr. M[ar]ch[an]t. I am always pleased with your pictures. I trouble you no More at this Time than to desire your Care of the Inclosed Letters and to deliver them with my regards to the Young Gentleman they are directed to.

Adieu says your Friend,

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Capt. Burke hesitated about accepting Command of the Brigantine but has done it at last. the prejudices of the Officers here against him are great. as you have patronized him I hope he will turn out an honest man. he has desired a Court of Enquiry into his Conduct dureing his Captivity.

JAMES WARREN TO JOHN ADAMS

ADAMS MSS.

BOSTON, N. England, July 1st, 1778 SIR, I have wrote you several long Letters since you left us, some of which you will doubtless by the Enemy be releiv'd from the trouble of reading. My last was by Capt. Barnes about fourteen days ago, at a time when we had reason to be anxious for your safety. Two days ago for the first time we were Ascertained of the safe Arrival of the Boston and of your being in Paris. This Intelligence we have by a Packet from France in forty-six days, which brought public and private Letters. I am told there are Letters from you tho' I have not the Honour and Happiness of being Numbered among those to whom they are directed. I suppose the public Letters that go by this Conveyance with the Gazettes we shall Inclose will give you all the News of this Country. Great Expectations are formed here from the Circumstances and Situation of our own Army, and that of the Enemy. We have no Cruisers on our Coasts at this Time they are all Called into Hallifax where they are in the Horrors from the Apprehension of a French Fleet said to be in these Seas, tho' we have yet no particular Account of them. By this Means our prizes and

Merchantmen have a fine Chance to get in, and they succeed Accordingly. This Vessel goes of so suddenly that I fear Mrs. Adams will not hear of this opportunity to write. If she does not it may be some satisfaction to you to be Informed that she is well. I am obliged to Conclude and am Your Assured Friend and Humble Serv't,

J. WARREN

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

BOSTON, July 5, 1778

MY DEAR SIR, I have wrote you very lately and very lengthy. if they come so fast as to be Troublesome, you will give me Notice and I will stop my hand. The Army was the principle Subject of my last. I will now in turn give you a few more of my Sentiments with regard to the Navy. The Manning and dispatch of your Ships here depend very much on the Character of the Commanders. all we can do seems to little purpose, unless the Captains and Officers are popular, and such as the Seamen have a Confidence in. Capt. Burke may be a good Officer, but there are suspicions subsisting and a certain unpopular air and manner in his Behaviour that has Occasioned those Men who Intended to go in that Brigantine to leave her, and I fear in spite of every thing I can do it will be long before she goes to Sea. This Appointment seems to be a matter of Speculation, and as the Service is retarded by it gives great occasion for the observations of the Speculators. but Nothing has afforded a more ample subject for those People and for the resentment of the Navy Officers than the late Appointment of Capt. Landais to the Alliance. I am afraid this will be productive of much Confusion and Mischief. he is an Ingenuous and well Behaved Man. I am pleased to see him taken Notice of, but this Appointment seems to be marked with some degree of Enthusiasm. you have certainly Exceeded his Expectations if not wishes, and have you done Justice to some Exceeding good officers here, who have older Commissions than his, and with their I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.

Familys been long starving on their bare pay. Manley, Olney, and Waters have reason to suppose themselves Neglected, especially the first, as he was made acquainted that the Marine Committee (as they wrote us) Intended that Ship for him if he was Honourably acquitted by a Court Martial. Capt. Landais when he went from here seemed to Expect no more than some kind of Superintendency in the Construction of Ships. there are two very good Lieutenants in that Ship but I am told they will both leave her and the service. I fear he will never man her unless with Frenchmen and I suppose that would hardly be Agreable to Congress. she is much the finest Frigate you have had. however my Exertions shall not be wanting more especially as I find there is an Opinion that you was his chief Patron. Capt. Manley will hand you this. he is a Blunt, Honest, and I believe Brave Officer. he was first in the Service, and merited much by his Conduct. I hope therefore he will be continued and satisfied, more especially as he is extreemly popular with Officers, and Seamen, and can Man a Ship with dispatch when a Man as deserving could do nothing in that way, which is an Object you must attend to or be content to have your Ships lay in Port. Capt. Barry's Character stands high, and his Conduct is agreable. I think therefore we shall have but little difficulty in Maning his Ship tho' he is a Stranger.

Capt. McNeil is gone to make you a Visit. his Address is Insinuating, and his Assurance great. he may tell you fine Storys, but be Assured he has had as fair and Impartial a Trial as a Man ever had, and as much Tenderness and delicacy both in the prosecution and Sentence as he ought to wish for. We have frequently wrote for an Establishment for Pursers, and Pilots. the Service suffers for want of it. do see it done both with regard to wages and prize money, and Expedite the other Business we have wrote about perticularly send us Money. We Celebrated the 4th of July here yesterday with great parade and festivity. we have no News here we long to hear how matters stand with the Army and where the French Fleet are. I am with regards to all Friends Yours Assuredly,

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