TO STEPHEN SAYRE.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
Boston 23 Novr 1770
SIR
Capt Scott being detaind by a contrary Wind, and the General Assembly being now prorogud,1 I have an Opportunity of writing in Addition to my Letter of the 16 Instt & by the same Conveyance.
As soon as I heard of the Death of our worthy Friend Mr De Berdt, I was determind, if the House should come to the Choice of an Agent, to give my Vote for yourself; and I was confirmd in my Resolution when I found by your Letter of the 5 June2 that such an Appointmt would be agreable to you. But being afterwards told by a Friend of yours that you were desirous yourself that Dr Lee might be chosen, which by no means lessened my Opinion of your Merit, & having also a great Opinion of Dr Lee, I thought myself happy in a Conclusion that your Inclination perfectly coincided with my own Judgment. At the same time, such was my Opinion of your honest Zeal for the Rights of America and of your Ability to defend them that I could with equal Satisfaction have voted for Mr Sayer. I am perfectly of your Opinion that no man shd be the object of our Choice who holds any place at the Will of the present Administration; how far the House have been influencd by this Principle you are able to judge.
You will observe by the inclosd papers, to how great a degree ministerial Instructions are enforcd here. They not only prescribe to the Assembly which ought to be free the forms of Legislation in the most essential Parts, but even annihilate the Powers of the Govr vested in him by Charter.3 Could it possibly be imagind that a man who is bone of our Bone, & flesh of our flesh—who boasts that his Ancestors were of the first Rank & figure in the Country, who has had all the Honors lavishly heapd upon him which his Fellow Citizens had it in their power to bestow, who with all the Arts of personal Address professes the strongest Attachmt to his native Country & the most tender feeling for its Rights. Could it be imagind htat such a Man shd be so lost to all sense of Gratitude & publick Love, as to aid the Designs of despotick power for the sake of rising a single step higher.
“Who would not weep if such a Man there be
Who would not weep if H——-n were he.”
Aut Caesar aut nullus, is inscribd on the Hearts of some Men who have neither Caesars Learning nor Courage. Caesar three times refusd the Crown; His Heart & his Tongue evidently gave each other the Lye. Our modern GREAT MAN, would fain have it thought that he has refusd a Government, which his Soul is every day panting after & without the Possesion of which his Ambition & Lust of Power will perpetually torment him.
The Intelligence in Your Letter of the 18 Sept which I have just now with pleasure receivd, does not at all surprize me—”His former Letters” “wrote before Bernard embarkd for England” “have been equally oppugnant to the Form of your Govt”—And yet this very Man gives out, that in six months, the Province will be convincd that his Letters are written in defence of our Charter! So I remember Bernard himself, not long before his own Letters returnd, declard to both Houses of Assembly, that if he was at Liberty to make publick the Letters he had written to the several Boards in favor of the Province, his Enemies wd blush.—Why does not this Man make his Letters publick? Would not a Roman Senator have seizd the opportunity of appeasing the Jealousys of the angry Citizens? But the Body of the people are contemptible.4 This People who know not the Law are accursed, said a haughty Jewish priest. It has been his Principle from a Boy, that Mankind are to be governd by the discerning few—and it has ever since been his Ambition to be the Hero5 of the few.
I have long since been of your Opinion that few great Men in Britain are entitled to an American Confidence—They will all in their Turns clamour for us while it is their Interest so to do.—It is the Business of America to take Care of herself—her salvation as you justly observe depends upon her own Virtue. Arts & Manufactures aided by Commerce have raised Great Britain to its present Pitch of Grandeur. America will avail herself by imitating her. We have already seen her troops and AS WE HAVE A PROSPECT OF A WAR I hope I may safely tell you that our YOUNG MEN begin to be ambitious of making themselves perfect Masters of the Art MILITARY. Amidst the innumerable Evils which we complain of from the bad policy of YOUR Ministry, this is the happy Effect of Britains transplanting her Arms in America.
1The prorogation, on November 20, was until January 23, 1771; the next session actually began April 3, 1771. 2Delivered by Richard Cary. A copy is in S.A. Wells, Samuel Adams and the American Revolution, vol. i., pp. 293, 294. 3At this point the words “Good God!” are crossed out. 4Before alteration, this sentence read: “But the Body of the people are too contemptible to be favord with a Sight of them.” 5Originally “Head.”