_________________________________________________________________ 1A marginal postscript, in the autograph of Adams, reads: "Pray deliver the inclosd, if your Leisure will admit with your own hand."
TO JAMES WARREN.
[W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., pp. 452-454; an incomplete text.]
[PHILADELPHIA, December 4, 1776.]
It affords me singular pleasure to be informed that our General Assembly is now sitting in Boston. I have been of opinion that the public business could be done with more despatch there than elsewhere. "You have appointed a committee of war," with very extensive powers, "and appropriated to their disposition two hundred thousand pounds to purchase everything necessary to carry on the war with vigor next year." I heartily rejoice to hear this. I hope the committee are men of business, and will make a good use of the powers and moneys they are intrusted with. Let me tell you, that every nerve must be strained to resist the British tyrant, who, in despair of availing himself of his own troops which lately he so much prided himself in, is now summoning the powers of earth and hell to subjugate America. The lamp of liberty burns there and there only. He sees it, and is impatient even to madness to extinguish it. It is our duty, at all hazards, to prevent it.
But I am sensible I need not write you in this style. You and the rest of my countrymen have done, and I have no doubt will continue to do, your duty in defence of a cause so interesting to mankind. It is with inexpressible pleasure that I reflect that the mercenary forces of the tyrant have for two years in vain attempted to penetrate the Eastern Colonies; there our enemies themselves, and those who hate us, acknowledge that the rights of man have been defended with bravery. And did not South Carolina nobly withstand the efforts of tyranny? She did. Virginia too, and North Carolina, have in their turn acted with a spirit becoming the character of Americans But what will be said of Pennsylvania and the Jerseys? Have they not disgraced themselves by standing idle spectators while the enemy overran a great part of their country? They have seen our army unfortunately separated by the river, retreating to Newark, to Elizabethtown, Woodbridge, Brunswick, and Princeton. The enemy's army were, by the last account, within sixty miles of this city. If they were as near Boston, would not our countrymen cut them all to pieces or take them prisoners? But by the unaccountable stupor which seems to have pervaded these States, the enemy have gained a triumph which they did not themselves expect. A triumph, indeed! Without a victory! Without one laurel to boast of! For Bunker's Hill they fought and bled. They sacrificed their bravest officers, and we wished them twenty such victories. But the people of the Jerseys have suffered them to run through their country without the risk of even a private soldier! They expended their ammunition at trees and bushes as they marched! But I hear the sound of the drum. The people of Pennsylvania say of themselves, that they are slow in determining, but vigorous in executing. I hope that we shall find both parts of this prediction to be just. They say, We are now determined, and promise to bring General Howe to a hearty repentance for venturing so near them. I have the pleasure to tell you that, within a few days past, they have made a spirited appearance. In spite of Quakers, Proprietarians, timid Whigs, Tories, petit-maitres, and trimmers, there is a sufficient number of them in arms resolved to defend their country. Many of them are now on the march. Heaven grant they may be honorable instruments to retrieve the reputation of their countrymen and reduce Britain to a contemptible figure at the end of this campaign.
I am glad to hear our harbor looks so brilliant. I HOPE IT IS
FORTIFIED AGAINST EVERY ATTEMPT OF THE ENEMY NEXT SPRING.
In your letters, you ask me two important questions. I dare not repeat them. With regard to the last you will understand me when I tell you, let not your mind be troubled about it.
TO MRS. ADAMS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]