Not haveing anything worth troubling you with for sometime have been silent. The late Affair of Ticonderogia, makes us all sick. I have been of Opinion for sometime itt would have been best iff itt had been evacuated last spring and come down lower by which means the laboring Oar would have fell more on the Enemy, but to give itt up with such immence stores and charge we have been att, is beyaund all con-293seption. I cant Care to dwell on so disagreeable a subject and so say no more.

I have a Vessell that went away a little before the Lexington Affair and things soon after became more dificult. I ordered the Master iff he should here that the dificulties still remaind, he might imploy the Vessell in freighting from Spain to any Other places and Accordingly he imployed her in that way as was the case of many Others. I have heard he went from Spain with a freight to London and back to Spain Again, in consequence of which I suppose he took Out a New regester to cover his Vessell. I have wrote to London and sundry times to my friends Gardoquis in Bilbao and inclosed letters to the Master to purchase a load of Salt in Spain or Portugal and to come directly home—but have no Account whether he ever received my letters. I have wrote the Master upon supposition that he had got a british regester to distroy itt and come without any, but since I have thought of Another method, which think may be supported, on principle of justice and patreoticism, and am inform'd has been countenanst by the Honbl. Continental Congress in order to get One's Interest into this part of the world, and that is to have two setts of papers—but what I think will Answer my purpose, is Only to have a Certifycate from the Congress sertifying liberty for the Vessell to return into any of these states with a load of Salt, and that no Arm'd Vessell in any of the United states should stop or hinder her in prosecution of her returning home.

I had thoughts to have Applyed to Our goverment, which might easily be effected but then there Authority extends no further than Our Own state wereas One from Your body would extend through the United states.

The Vessell is a schooner of 100 Tons called the Success, Ignatius Webber Master. I have had often upwards (say upwards of Twenty times) Three thousand bushels salt, which att this time would be a publick benifit. I think there need but a very little wrote upon the Matter, iff any charge Attending itt to the under Clerks iff you will pay itt, will Account with you. You will send two as itt is Nessesary these times to have a duplecate.

PS I have just returned from Weymouth where have been a day or two. I forward you a letter from Mrs. Adams.1 Mr. Cranch is as busey as a bee and seems to be in his Elliment about his New farm. I find a letter from you by Mr. Hewes.2 I have not seen the Gentleman 294yet, but shall take proper Notice of him.—Yesterday there was an Account come that How's fleet had saild. Att present we here nothing more so that we suppose they are gone your way.

I Observe what you say about salt and the Necessity of the Importation. I have not time to say any thing on that subject as the post is near going but will let you know in my next the dificulty we labour under here in the Navigation way, & are Yours,

I dare say before this Time you have interpreted the Northern Storm; if the presages chill'd your Blood, how must you be froze and stiffend at the Disgrace brought upon our Arms unless some warmer passion seaze you, and Anger and resentment Fire your Breast.

How are all our vast Magazines of Cannon, powder, Arms, cloathing, provision, Medicine &c. to be restored to us—but what is vastly more, How shall the Disgrace be wiped away? How shall our lost Honour be retreaved? The reports with regard to that fortress are very vague and uncertain. Some write from thence, that there was not force sufficent to defend it, others say it might have stood a long Siege. Some there are who ought to know why and wherefore we have given away a place of such importance.

That the inquiry will be made I make no doubt, and if Cowardice, Guilt, Deceit, are found upon any one How high or exalted soever his station, may shame, reproach, infamy, hatred, and the execrations of the publick be his portion.

I would not be so narrow minded as to suppose that there are not many Men of all Nations possessd of Honour, Virtue and Integrety; yet tis to be lamented that we have not Men among ourselves sufficently qualified for War to take upon them the most important command.

It was customary among the Carthaginians to have a Military School, in which the flower of their Nobility and those whose talants and ambition prompted them to aspire to the first dignities, learnt the art of War. From among these they selected all their general officers, for 295tho they employd mercenary Soldiers, they were too jealous and suspicious to employ foreign Generals.

Will a Foreigner whose Interest is not naturally connected with ours, (any otherways than as the cause of Liberty is the cause of all mankind), will he act with the same Zeal or expose himself to eaquel dangers with the same resolution for a Republick of which he is not a member as He would have done for his own Native Country? And can the people repose an eaquel confidence in them, even supposing them Men of integrety and abilities, and that they meet with success eaquel to their abilities. How much envy and Malice, is employd against them; and How galling to pride, How mortifying to Humane Nature to see itself excelld.

I have nothing new to entertain you with, unless it is an account of a New Set of Mobility which have lately taken the Lead in Boston. You must know that there is a great Scarcity of Sugar and Coffe, articles which the Female part of the State are very loth to give up, expecially whilst they consider the Scarcity occasiond by the merchants having secreted a large Quantity. There has been much rout and Noise in the Town for several weeks. Some Stores had been opend by a number of people and the Coffe and Sugar carried into the Market and dealt out by pounds. It was rumourd that an eminent, wealthy, stingy Merchant (who is a Batchelor) had a Hogshead of Coffe in his Store which he refused to sell to the committee under 6 shillings per pound. A Number of Females some say a hundred, some say more assembled with a cart and trucks, marchd down to the Ware House and demanded the keys, which he refused to deliver, upon which one of them seazd him by his Neck and tossd him into the cart. Upon his finding no Quarter he deliverd the keys, when they tipd up the cart and dischargd him, then opend the Warehouse, Hoisted out the Coffe themselves, put it into the trucks and drove off.

It was reported that he had a Spanking among them,1 but this I believe was not true. A large concourse of Men stood amazd silent Spectators of the whole transaction.2

Your kind favour received dated july 11, favourd by the Hon. Mr. Hews, left at my unkles in Boston. Tis not like he will make an Excursion this way, if he should shall treat him in the best manner I am able.—What day does your post arrive, and how long are Letters travelling from me to you? I receive one from you every week, and I as regularly write one but you make no mention of receiving any, 296or very seldom. In your Hurry do you forget it, or do they not reach you. I am very well for the time, not yet 3 weeks since my confinement and yet I think I have wrote you a very long Letter.

Adieu, your good Mother is just come, desires to be rememberd to you. So does my Father and Sister who have just left me, and so does she whose greatest happiness consists in being tenderly beloved by her absent Friend and subscribes herself ever his