Papers of John Adams, volume 3
1775-07-05
Philadelphia,
The bearers of this letter, Mr. Stephen Collins and Mr. John Kaign, are of the peaceable society called Quakers or Friends, yet they are possessed of liberal sentiments, and are very far from being enemies to American principles or practices.2 They are warm, zealous friends of America, and hearty well wishers to her councils and arms, and have contributed much to promote both in this province.
We have an infernal scoundrel here, a certain Col. S——, who comes over full of plans and machinations of mischief. He has had the most unreserved and unlimited confidence of Lord Dartmouth, during the whole of the past winter, and it seems for some time before; and together with a contemptible puppy of a parson, V——, has been contriving to debauch, seduce, and corrupt New-York. The ministry have given him a commission in the woods as surveyor, and another to be governor of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. He is permitted to roam about, upon his parole of honour not to transgress certain limits, but is doing mischief.3
The colonies are not yet ripe to assume the whole government, legislative and executive. They dread the introduction of anarchy, as they call it.
In this province, indeed in this city, there are three persons, a Mr. W——, who is very rich and very timid;4 the provost of the college, who is supposed to be distracted between a strong passion for lawn sleeves and a stronger passion for popularity, which is very necessary to support the reputation of his Episcopal college;5 and an I—— P——, who is at the head of the Quaker interest: these three make an interest here which is lukewarm; but are all obliged to lie low for the present.6
I am greatly obliged to you for your letters, which contain the most exact accounts we have been able yet to obtain. We are to the last degree anxious to learn even the most minute particulars of every engagement.
I want an exact list of all the officers in our army, if it can possibly be obtained.
I wish I could know exactly what powder you have. We are trying our possibles to get it; but one would not have conceived it possible that the colonies should have been so supine as they have been.
55A large building is setting up here to make saltpetre, and we are about trying what can be done in the tobacco works in Virginia.
This day has been spent in debating a manifesto setting forth the causes of our taking arms. There is some spunk in it. It is ordered to be printed, but will not be done soon enough to be enclosed in this letter.7
New York Review and Atheneum Magazine, 2:220–221 (Feb. 1826).)
See note 7 (below).
This is one of several letters that were to serve in part as introductions for Stephen Collins and John Kaighn of Philadelphia. In a letter to AA of 4 July, JA gives a brief sketch of each, and AA in a letter to JA of 16 July mentions meeting Collins and Kaighn and gives her impressions of them (
Adams Family Correspondence
, 1:238, 245–251).
For Col. Philip Skene see JA to Joseph Warren, 21 June, note 2 (above). Rev. McFingal. In London in 1774 Vardill was ordained a priest in the Anglican Church. He remained in England in an effort to have King's College made a university, an effort that proceeded successfully until the war intervened. Vardill, who never returned to America, served as a spy in the British service from 1775 to 1781. His most important accomplishment was the theft, in 1777, of a packet of dispatches from Silas Deane to the congress containing all of the confidential correspondence between the American Commissioners and the French Government between March and Oct. 1777 (
DAB
; Lewis Einstein, Divided Loyalties, Boston, 1933, p. 51–71).
JA's reference to a ministerial plot to subvert the government of New York through Skene and Vardill was probably based on documents examined by JA's committee appointed to deal with Skene. Only two such documents appear in the records of the congress, and Skene reputedly destroyed private papers relating to his mission; yet Eliphalet Dyer of Connecticut, citing private letters from London, also wrote about Skene's purpose of undermining New York's government (PCC, No. 51, I; Doris Begor Morton, Philip Skene of Skenesborough, Granville, N.Y., 1959, p. 39; Dyer to Joseph Trumbull, 8 June, in Burnett, ed., Letters of Members
, 1:115). An unsigned letter dated “London, March 4, 1775.” that may have been carried by Josiah Quincy Jr. on his last voyage, states that “a Major Skene, and a Parson Vardell, a native of New York, are to be sent over thither with propositions of advantages for the college, the city, and the Province, and with a list of profitable places for individuals, sufficient, as they conceive,—with the favorable disposition which they are persuaded pervails there,—to draw off that city from the common cause, and attach them to government. They are determined to spare no promises and temporary douceurs to effect their purpose” (MHS, Procs.
, 4 [1858–1860]: 229).
Although Dyer does not mention him, Vardill's involvement in such a scheme would seem plausible, his personal participation being prevented only by the war's outbreak. Indeed, in a memorial dated 16 Nov. 1783 to the Parliamentary commission formed to compensate loyalists, Vardill noted that his service to the crown had begun very early and had included an effort “to secure to Government the Interest of two Members of the Congress by the promise of the Office of Judges in America,” which failed only because of the Battle of Lexington. In addition, he stated that the new charter for King's College and his appointment as Regius Professor of Divinity were intended as payment for such services “and to give the Loyalists at New York a Proof of the Attention and Re-56wards which would follow their Zeal and Loyalty . . . and he was ordered to acquaint the President and College with this instance of Royal Patronage” (Einstein, Divided Loyalties, p. 409, 412).
DAB
). On 23 July
JA wrote to AA that “this Province Adams Family Correspondence
, 1:252–253).
Sermon on the Present Situation of American Affairs (T. R. Adams, American Independence
, No. 196). He was against independence, and because of his resulting unpopularity, he spent most of the war on Barbados but returned after the peace to resume his activities with the college, probably his chief interest. His desire for “lawn sleeves,” that is, a bishop's place, was never fulfilled (
DAB
).
DAB
; Isaac Sharpless, Political Leaders of Provincial Pennsylvania, N.Y., 1919, p. 212–213).
The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms was adopted by the congress on 6 July (
JCC
, 2:127–157).
1775-07-05
I have had the pleasure of seeing several of your Letters in which you Complain that your friends are Rather remiss With Regard to writing you which I think inexcusable at a time when the Liberties of all America and the fate of the British Empire Depend, in a Great Measure on the Result of your Deliberating for if that Respectable Body of which you are a Member, fails, (Either from want of Early inteligence or from any other Cause at this important Crisis) to pursue the wisest Measures what but innevitable Distruction to this Country must follow.
Could I have hoped it was in my power to Give you Either pleasure or Inteligence I should Long Ere this have taken up my pen and added one more to the Triumverate of your friends for be assured there are very few who Can with more sincerity subscribe their names to the List. But as I write in Compliance with Mr. Warrens Request, I must tell you his Application to public affairs Leave him Little time to Attend to the Demands of private friendship. And Could you Look into a Certain Assembly you would not wonder his time is wholly Engrossed or that we ardently wish you may soon be here to assist in the public Counsels of your own Distressed province.
57I shall not Attempt to Give you a Description of the ten fold Difficulties that surround us. You have doubtless had it from better Hands. Yet I cannot forbear to drop a tear over the inhabitants of our Capital most of them sent Naked from the City to seek Retreat in the Villages, and to Cast themselves on the Charity of the first Hospitable Hand that will Recive them. Those who are Left behind are Exposed to the daily insults of a Foe Lost to that sense of Honour, Freedom and Valour once the Characteristic of Briton, And Even of the Generosity and Humanity which has Long been the Boast of all Civilised Nations. And while the plauges of Famine, pestilence and tyrany Reign within the walls the sword is Lifted without and the Artilery of war Continually thundering in our Ears.
The sea coasts are kept in Constant Apprehensions of being made Miserable by the Depredations of the once formidable Navy of Briton Now Degraded to A level with the Corsairs of Barbary.
At the same time they are piratticaly plundering the lies, and pilfering the Barders to feed the swarms of Veteran slaves shut up in the town. They will not suffer a poor fisherman to Cast his hook in the ocean to bring a Little Relief to the Hungry inhabitants without the pittiful Bribe of a Dollar Each to the use of Admiral Grieves
The Venal System of the Administration appears to the Astonishment of Every Good man in the Corruption, Duplicity And meaness which Runs through Every Department, and while the faithless Gage will be Marked with Infamy for Breach of promiss (by the Impartial Historian) will not the unhappy Bostonians be Reproached with want of spirit in puting it out of their own power to Resent Repeated injuries by giving these arms into the Hand which would have been better placed in the Heart of A Tyrant. And now they are forbidden Even to Look out from thier own house tops when He sends out his Ruffians to Butcher their Brethern, And wrap in flames the Neighboring towns, but I think this Advertisement was as Great a mark of timidity as the transaction was of a savage Ferosity. The Laws of Gratitude surely Demanded that they should spare that town at Least whose inhabitants from a principle of Humanity saved the Routed troops of George the third from total Distruction after the Battle of Lexington.
But Nothing that has yet taken place is more Regreted than the Death of your Friend the Brave, the Humane, the Good Dr. Warren. And though he Fell Covered with Laurels and the Wing of Fame is spread over his Monument we are Almost Led to Enquire why the 58useful the Virtuous patriot is Cut off Ere He Reaches the Meridian of his days while the Grey Headed Delinquent totters under the Weight of Accumulated Guilt And Counting up his scores is still Adding Crime to Crime till all Mankind Detest the Hoary Wretch,1 yet suffer him to Live to trifle with the Rights of Society, and to sport with the Miseries of Man.
The people hear are universally pleased with the Appointment of the Generals Washington and Lee. I hope the Delegates of the united Colonies will continue to act with Dignity to themselves and in a Manner which will promote the Glory Virtue and Happiness of America. Let not the indiferent Nor the sanguinary Conduct of any individual damp the ardor of such as are Ready to fly to our assistence and Generously to sacrifice the Enjoyments of Domestic Life in support of freedom, and the Inherent Rights of their Fellow Men.
Your friend Dr. Cooper has just informed me that Dr. Eliot is Confined on Board a man of War and several of the inhabitants of Boston imprisoned.2 The Crime of the first was the praying for Congresses Continental and provincial, and that of others was wishing success to American arms. Sad Reflections on the times into which we are fallen Crowd fast upon my Mind, but I will not Longer Call of
I have been happy Enough to spend a Considerable part of the present Week with your amiable partner who assured me a Line from me would be agreable And to whom I will show this before I Close it, and if she thinks I have interrupted you too Long I will yet suppress it and only send all my Good Wishes by Every other Hand to whom you will Condescend
P.S. The Reason of my spending a week at Watertown and Braintree is Mr. Warrens being Detaned from home a Great Number of Weeks. I hope the time is not far Distant when both you and he may Retire with Honour to the Calm Enjoyments of private Life.
Gen. Thomas Gage.
The report that Mrs. Warren had that Rev. Andrew Eliot of the New North Church was confined because of his opposition to the British was erroneous (Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates
, 10:128–159).