Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
The Letter with which you honourd. me sometime since I have not before me. You therefore will not consider this as answer to it. As I have but a moment to write my letter must respect the great object of procuring a continental army as soon as possible. As I have thought constantly it now appears certain that the New England Men cannot (Be the offers what they may) be inlisted for an indefinite and uncertain time. Perhaps they may for three years, but the most likely time and which will most generally take is Two years. We must advance gradually and be content to do so. After they shall have served two years They will become habituated to the Manner of life and will easily engage again (if Needed).
Again as you have advanced the pay of the officers the Soldiers pay Must advance proportionably. This is certain. It is of infinite consequence that Congress in general should know that New England private soldiers discuss all this business of pay and establishments with as Much Minuteness accuracy and judgment as any of Our Legislative assemblies if Not More so. It is vain to attempt to put out their eyes. Let the Man be accursed who shall endeavour it. Light ever was the Mother of Liberty and Ignorance and Darkness of Slavery.
The Utmost endeavours Should be used to prevent rapacious Suttlers Abusing the Soldiers. This Must depend Much on the Wisdom and care of the General officers But the only sure way to Save the soldier from 320Abuses, is to Make such Allowances for the Soldiers subsistence as is fully sufficient for temparate reasonable men.
The comtee. of this court have wrote to Congress fully on these head; But we have this Moment received Advise that the Whole Mail containing those dispatches was taken Near Philadelphia and are probably now in Howe’s hand. I am your assured Friend,
The Generall Court of the Massachusets State have Apointed me with others a Comtee. to Erect or purchase an Air Furnace For Casting and Boring Cannon.1 Sd. Comtee. have Proceeded on that Bussiness and have gott the Furnace in some Considerable Forwardness at Tittiquat in Bridgwater.
In order to carry the Bussiness into execution A large Quantity of Pigg Iron is Necessary which to Obtain we Aprehend will be difficult at this time. We have therefore agreed with Mr. Stevenson to go in Person to Philladelphia to purchase it and get it Transported into this State. Sir my Personall Acquaintance with yow emboldens me to request of yow to lend your friendly aid and Advice to Mr. Stevenson as he is A Stranger in Philladelphia.2 I flatter my self that any assistance he may Stand in need of Consistant with your Character will readyly be granted. Whatever informality there may be in the manner I transact this busseness with your Honrs: your Known Candor encouradges me to hope that my well meant Indeavour will meet with a favourable reception.
I am Sr. with due respect your Honrs: most humle. and Obedient Sert.
Honble. Mr. Hancock is intreated to promote the Exchange of Carpenter,3 who will otherwise remain most probably a long Time with the Enemy, considering the late added Subjects of Cartel.
with respectful Complimts.
Hugh Orr was at this time representative to the legislature from the town of Bridgewater (Journals of the House of Representatives, 52, pt. 1:4).
RTP wrote a letter of introduction for Henry Stevenson. See below, RTP to Samuel and Robert Purviance, Dec. 5, 1776.
On Richard Carpenter, see John Hancock to RTP, Jan. 13, 1777.
This was a James Lovell who lived at Bridgewater, not to be confused with the James Lovell (1737–1814), who had been recently released as a prisoner of war and even more recently appointed to the Massachusetts delegation to the Continental Congress (Pruitt, Massachusetts Tax Valuation List of 1771, 630–631).