Part 30

Your Honors

most obedient

& very humble servant,

1 President of the Council of Massachusetts.

TO MRS. ADAMS.

PHILADELPHIA Decr 13 1778

MY DEAR BETSY,

Captn. Johnson will deliver you this Letter, which incloses a Publication in the last Tuesdays Paper. You will easily guess which of the Massachusetts Delegates it is intended for. The Design of it is to represent Mr Temple as a British Emissary and that Delegate as listening to his Proposals of Accommodation with Great Britain, and thus to beget a Suspicion of him in the Mind of the Minister of France, with whom he has the Honor of being on friendly Terms. That Delegate has been so used to the low Arts of Tories in his own Country, as to have learnd long ago to treat them, wherever he sees them, with ineffable Contempt. He does not think it worth his while to satisfy the Curiosity of the Writer, but he can assure his Friends, that he had never called on Mr T but once and that was to show him the way to Mr President Laurens' House, to whom he had Letters to deliver, one of which was from the Council of Massachusets Bay. As a Delegate from that State, he could do no less than show such a Piece of Civility to Mr T, and he is determind, notwithstanding the apparently friendly Hint, to treat him as he thinks proper. Indeed he has been told by a real Friend, that there are Persons in Pay to watch his Words and Actions. He thankd his Friend, and told him that such kind of Intimations were not new to him. It might be well or ill grounded, & he was perfectly indifferent about it. He had a private Conversation a few Days ago with Monsieur --------, in which the Subject of the Hint beforementiond was brought up. That Personage was pleasd to say, that he well knew the Character of the Delegate before his Arrival in America, and that there was no Reason to doubt of his Attachment to the joynt Interest of France & America-- that he had sufficient Proofs of it to prevent any ill Impressions being made on his own Mind; with other Expressions of Friendship & Confidence. ---- ---- Between our selves, I can not say I am not embarrassd with Mr Ts Arrival here; He is highly recommended, and I believe him to be an honest American. But the Time & Manner of his leaving England fix a Suspicion in the Minds of well disposd Men, which cannot easily be removd; and his Residence at the Court of America, if I might so express it, gives bad Men a Sort of Occasion, to say that Congress, notwithstanding all they have publickly given out, are secretly treating with the Ministers of Great Britain through their Emissaries in America, than which Nothing can be more contrary to Truth. I do not care therefore how soon Mr T thinks of returning to New England.

It is diverting enough to hear the different Language held forth concerning me, by a kind of Men whom I despise beyond Expression. In New England they say I am averse to an Accommodation with Great Britain, and make that an Exception against me. In Philadelphia I am chargd, indirectly at least, with a frequent Exchange of Visits with the Companion of Berkenhout, Lord Lindsay, Governor Johnston & the Son of Lord Bute, with a View of secretly bringing about an Accommodation with that King and Nation which I have solemnly abjurd. What is there which Malice joynd with a small Share of Wit will not suggest! I am not apt to conceal my Sentiments. They are far from being problematical. They are well known here & at Boston; and I can trust my Consistency in the Judgment of every honest and sensible Man that is acquainted with me. The Censure of Fools or Knaves is Applause.

Mr Silas Dean has lately publishd a Paper here filled with Insinuations and Assertions without any Evidence to support them, against Dr Lee. I have long ago formd my Opinion of both those Gentlemen, and have never yet seen Reason to alter it. I have sent the Paper to my Friend General Warren. I wish you would invite him to a Dish of Tea, and desire him to let you see it and my Letter which inclosd it. You may read this Letter to him and other Confidential Friends, but dont let it go out of your own Hands.

I never was in better Spirits than at present.--My Love to my Daughter, Sister Polly & the Rest of our Family & Friends. Adieu my dear Betsy,

Your very affectionate,

I forgot to tell you that last Friday Mr President Laurens having dischargd the Duties of his Station for more than one year with Fidelity & to the Acceptance of the Members, resignd the Chair, and John Jay Esqr a Delegate from New York was chosen in his Room. To this Gentleman I chearfully gave my Vote.

Mrs Clark and her Sister Miss Daily in whose house the Massachusetts Delegates are agreably scituated present their respectful Compliments to you.

TO THE COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MARINE COMMITTEE, PHILADELPHIA, December 15, 1778.

SIR,--

Pursuant to the direction of Congress and the request of the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, I have the honor of transmitting to the Council of Massachusetts Bay a declaration under the hand and seal of that Minister, promising a reward to every vessel that shall take or destroy a vessel of the enemy loaded with masts or spars, and destined to the ports of Halifax, Newport, or New York. It is the particular desire of the Minister that this declaration may be addressed to that Honorable Board, to the end that the same may be made known in such a manner as their wisdom shall direct.

I am, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,1

1 Signed by Adams as chairman of the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress.

TO JAMES BOWDOIN.

PHILADE Decr 19th 1778

MY DEAR SIR

Mr Temple1 was so obliging as to deliver me your Letter of the ---- of November. The Day after his Arrival in this City, I offerd him my Service and introduc'd him to Mr President Laurens, to whom he had Letters of high Recommendation, and among others from the Council of Massachusetts Bay. The President read these Letters publickly in Congress. I did not fail to communicate the Contents of those which I was honord with to individual Members. But the Time of his leaving England, his coming in a Packet, the Company which came with him, and the greater Indulgencies granted to him in New York than had been allowd to others fixed a suspicion of him in the Minds of well disposd Persons which could not be removd. Those of a different Character took Occasion to insinuate that whatever Congress might give out publickly to the Contrary, they were secretly listening to Terms of Accommodation offerd by the British Ministers through their Emissaries in America. The Minister Plenipotentiary of France could not but be attentive to these Suggestions. In a private Conversation with him at his House the other Day, when no one was present with us, Mr Temples Name was mentiond. He said he knew not his personal Character--he understood that he was well recommended, but as he was under the violent Suspicions of the People here, his Residence so near the Congress might make improper Impressions on the Minds of Persons abroad. It may reasonably be supposd that he is determind to merit the Character at his own Court, of a vigilant & faithful Minister. Mr Dean who appears to be inimical to my truly patriotick Friend A Lee Esqr has endeavord to raise the like Suspicions of him that he has a predilection for the Court of London because he showed Civilities to his Friend Ld Shelburne in France. Such is the force of prejudice in the Minds of some Men or their total Want of political Understanding. I was my self, pointedly, though not by Name, called upon in a publick Newspaper, to be cautious of making too frequent Exchanges of Visits with J T Esqr. You know much I have been used to despise Publications of this Kind & I despise them still. But in the present Instance I confess I was embarrassd, being under the Necessity of violating my own Inclination to pay all due Respect to a Gentleman, whose personal Merit I had formerly been acquainted with, and who was so honorably mentiond by some of my most virtuous & dignified fellow Citizens, or on the other hand of prejudicing the Character which as a publick Man I ought to maintain in the Minds of Congress, of the Minister of France and of the People. I have done Mr Temple the most substantial Acts of Friendship in my Power, though I could not have the Pleasure of so much Conversation with him as I wishd & intended to have. He leaves this City suddenly. I am inclind to believe that the President of this State as well as the Chief Justice, with both of whom I have this day had the pleasure of dining, are satisfied in the Uprightness of Mr Temples Intentions. Having given you a candid State of things, I conclude with assuring you that I am with every Sentiment of Regard,

Your affectionate Friend

& very humble Servant,

1 Cf. page 54.

TO JOHN WINTHROP.