Boston, Sept: 15th 1774. 9 o’Clo’ PM Dear Sir,

Yesterday I wrote a few lines to your Bror: J. Adams, almost without Pen or Ink; if he shou’d not be able to read it, the loss will not be great, for it may serve to light a Pipe, or—; & this may serve for like purpose.1 In this time of great & public distress, I shou’d not trifle in this manner, did I not depend upon your having all our public affairs transmitted you by much abler hands; however, this will shew that I have not forgot our old Friendship, & serve to assure you of its continuance. Since mine of yesterday, we of the County Comtee. for Suffolk, have endeavored to obtain of his Excellency, an answer, whether he wd. receive our 2d Address in form, a Copy of wh. had been delivered to him by the Secretary; but after several fruitless attempts, about an hour since, the Deputy Secretary came to me, not meeting with our Chairman, & verbally inform’d me, “that the Secretary had waited upon the Govr., who desired him to acquaint the Comtee. that, as he had several times been addressed upon the same subject, & had answer’d as fully as he was able, he beg’d the favor of being excused receiving any more addresses upon that business.” This 3is the substance, as near as I can recollect, of Mr. Cotton’s messge. Our 1st address, with the Govrs. answer, you will doubtless have among the Papers by this conveyance.2

Last Night, the Cannon at the North-Battery were spiked by persons who came in Boats from the Men of War; but this day they have been drill’d.

Our People in the Country are busy making Carriages for Cannon &c. &c., so that preparations for war are carrying on as if the last reason of States was soon to be tried. May God preserve Our rights without that severe trial; but if it must be, let us shew ourselves men. The Country people, as ’tis said, have turn’d Paddock’s Field pieces into Dung, & have carried them into their Fields; what Crop they will produce is only written in the prophecies. Adieu my dear Friend, may God direct you all to the wisest & best measures. I shall obtrude no farther upon your precious time, but only to assure you that I remain yr. Friend

J: Palmer

ps. The Towns back of Casco-Bay, have all come into a non-consumption agreemt., but Falmouth refused to join; in consequence of wh., for 3 days preceeding the date of the Letter, no one article of any sort had been carried from the Country into the Town of Falmouth.

RC ; addressed: “To Robert Treat Paine Esqr: Philadelphia”; endorsed.

1.

For this letter, see The Papers of John Adams, ed. Robert J. Taylor et al. (Cambridge, Mass., 1977), 2:166.

2.

Palmer was moderator of the county meeting that passed the Suffolk Resolves. The meeting members, describing themselves as “being greatly, and in their Opinion justly alarmed, at the formidable Appearances of Hostility, now threatening his Majesty’s good Subjects of this Country,” on Sept. 10 demanded the removal of the British ordnance, the restoration of the entrance to the town, “an effectual stop to all Insults and Abuses in the future,” and the establishment of the inhabitants “in that State of Peace and Tranquility, in which every free Subject ought to live.” The officials mentioned were Gov. Thomas Gage (1721–1787), Provincial Secretary Thomas Flucker (1719–1783), and Deputy Secretary John Cotton (1728–1775).

Boston Sept: 15:th 1774 Dr:Bror:,

When I consider the surprizing Importance of that most high & honorable Body, of which you have the honour of being a member; I feel 4that profound reverence which a good Catholick has, when he Enjoys the Communion of the Saints above. And having this Season of Grace let me freely say that when I think of the great as well as most evident End of all Civil Government, I look back with Detestation on the State of the Governmt: of Massachusetts Province, ever since Our last Charters. It is impossible that the Interests or Advantages of Great Britain should not freequently interfere with the Interests & Advantages of the Colonies; while she sets Governours &c. over us. If the King of France had such Power over the Kings of England, as to Oblige them at their Coronation, to Govern the English Nation at all times according to his the King of France’s directions or Instructions, I am sure Great Britain would cease to be a free People.

Every One is well Acquainted with the present Aims of Great Britain upon the Colonies, & I am pleas’d that those demands are so unsufferable as they are. I don’t believe she will Attempt, with force & Arms to Conquer all the Colonies which Oppose her Measures, but this is now the unshaken Faith of Our Tories, if we can believe them. If the Colonies have it now in their power (wch. I suppose to be the Case) to make reasonable Terms of Accommodation with Great Britain I assure my self & friends it will be done by the August Provincial Congress.

Tom. Boylston,1 told me very seriously the other day that he was sure, The Colonies might sell Great Britain if they pleas’d to do it. In hope of the Glory of the Colonies, I am glad King William’s Charter is Annihilated by G. Britain: & it will now be our own Fault, yes & an unpardonable Fault in us, if we take up with any thing short of Our Old charter, but for my own part though a good Churchman, I believe in the Congress as much as I do in the Holy Catholick Church. Good Mr: Cary’s2 being well Acquaintd. with all our present Circumstances, prevents saying any thing on that head.

Thanks be to GOD, who has Joyn’d the Colonies together and Cursed be all those who would seperate ’em.

That is the prayer of Faith that is in me yr. Bror:

Benja. Kent

RC ; addressed: “To Robert Treat Paine Esqr. Philadelphia favr. Mr. Cary”; endorsed.

1.

Thomas Boylston (1721–1798), a cousin of John Adams, was according to Abigail Adams an “eminent, wealthy, stingy Merchant.” The British blacklisted Boylston in 1775, but two years later Boston women stormed him protesting the inflated price of his coffee. He then left the country and settled in England ( Adams Family Correspondence , 1:213, 231–232, 2:295).

5 2.

Richard Cary (1746/7–1806) of Charlestown, Mass., held a commission in the British army before the Revolution but apparently sold it about 1772. He was a merchant and spent time in New York, Philadelphia, and the South between 1773 and 1775, when he joined the American forces. Although he was an aide-de-camp to General Washington with the rank of lieutenant colonel, Cary left the service at the end of 1775 and spent the rest of the war in St. Croix running the British blockade of the colonies ( Sibley’s Harvard Graduates , 15:371–373).