not having Time to finish them Resolved that the farther consideration of
them be deferred till Monday next. I have been particular in transcribing the
Proceedings of this day 25. of November 1775, because, [they] contain the true Origin and Formation of the American
Navy, and as I had at least as great a share in producing them as any Man
living or dead, they will shew that my Zeal and
Exertions afterwards in 1798. 1799. and 1800, at every hazard and in Opposition
to a more powerfull and a Party than
that against me in 1775, was but a perseverance in the same Principles, Systems
and Views of the public Interest.
On Tuesday November 28.
1775.
The Congress resumed the Consideration of the Rules and
Orders for the Navy of the
United Colonies, and the same being debated by Paragraphs were
agreed to as follows: These Regulations are to be found in the 262. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10. 11th. Pages of the Journals of Congress for 1775. They are too
long to transcribe. They were drawn up in the Marine Committee and by my hand,
but examined, discussed and corrected by the Committee. In this place I will
take the Opportunity to observe, that the pleasantest part of my
Labours for the four Years I spent in Congress from 1774 to
1778
[i.e. 1777] was in this naval Committee.
Mr. Lee, Mr. Gadsden, were sensible
Men, and very
chearful: But Governor
Hopkins of
Rhode Island, above seventy Years of Age kept us all alive. Upon
Business his Experience and judgment were very
Usefull. But when the Business of the Evening was over, he
kept Us in Conversation till Eleven and sometimes twelve O Clock. His Custom
was to drink nothing all day nor till Eight O Clock, in the Evening, and then
his
Beveredge was
Jamaica Spirit and Water. It gave him Wit,
Humour, Anecdotes, Science and Learning. He had read Greek,
Roman and British History: and was familiar with English Poetry particularly
Pope, Tompson
[Thomson]
and Milton. And the flow of his Soul made all his reading our
own, and seemed to bring to recollection in all of Us all We had ever read. I
could neither eat nor drink in those days. The other Gentlemen were very
temperate. Hopkins never drank to excess, but all he drank was
immediately
not only converted into Wit, Sense, Knowledge and good
humour, but inspired Us all with similar
qualities.
Page 2
This Committee soon purchased and filled five Vessells. The first We named Alfred in honor
of the founder of the greatest Navy that ever existed. The second
Columbus after the [Discoverer] of this
quarter of the Globe. The third Cabot, for the Discoverer of this
northern Part of the Continent. The fourth Andrew Doria in memory
of the Great Genoese Admiral and the fifth Providence, for the Town where she
was purchased, the Residence of Governor Hopkins and his
Brother Eseck whom We appointed first
Captain. We appointed all the officers of all the Ships. At the Solicitation of
Mr. Deane We appointed his Brother in
Law Captain Saltonstall.
Sometime in December, worn down with long and uninterrupted Labour I asked and obtained Leave to visit my State and my
Family. Mr. Langdon did the same, Mr.
Deane was left out of the Delegation by his State and some others of
the naval Committee were dispersed, when Congress appointed a Committee of
twelve one from each State, for naval Affairs, so that I had no longer any
particular Charge relative to them: but as long as I continued a Member of
Congress I never failed to support all reasonable measures reported by the new
Committee.
It is necessary that I should be a little more particular, in relating the
Rise and Progress of the new Governments of the States.
On Fryday June 2.
1775.
Journals of Congress, page 112. The President laid
before Congress a Letter from the Provincial
Congress Convention
of Massachusetts Bay dated May 16. which was read, setting forth
the difficulties they
labour under, for want of a
regular form of Government, and as they and the other Colonies are now
compelled to raise an Army to defend themselves from the Butcheries and
devastations of their implacable Enemies, which renders it still more necessary
to have a regular established Government, requesting the Congress to
favour them with explicit Advice respecting the taking
up and exercising the Powers of civil Government, and declaring their readiness
to submit to such a general Plan as the Congress may direct for the Colonies,
or make it their great Study to establish such a form of Government there, as
shall not only promote their Advantage but the Union and Interest of
all America.
This Subject had engaged much of my Attention before I left
Massachusetts, and
Page 3
and been frequently the Subject
of Conversation between me and many of my Friends Dr.
Winthrop, Dr. Cooper, Colonel Otis,
the two Warrens,Major Hawley and others
besides my Colleagues in Congress and lay with great Weight upon my Mind as the
most difficult and dangerous Business that We had to do, (for from the
Beginning I always expected We should have more difficulty and danger, in our
Attempts to govern ourselves and in our Negotiations and connections with
foreign Powers, than from all
the Fleets and Armies of
Great Britain). It lay therefore with great Weight upon my mind:
and when this Letter was read, I embraced the Opportunity to open myself in
Congress, and most earnestly to
intreat the serious
Attention of all the Members and of all the Continent to the measures which the
times demanded. For my Part I thought there was great Wisdom in the Adage when
the Sword is drawn throw away the Scabbard. Whether We threw it away
voluntarily or not, it was useless now and would be useless forever. The Pride
of
Britain, flushed with late
Tryumphs
and Conquests, their infinite Contempt of all the Power of
America,
and with an insolent, arbitrary Scotch
Faction
with a Bute and Mansfield at their head for a Ministry, We
might depend upon it, would force Us to call forth every Energy and resource of
the Country,
and to seek the friendship of
Englands Enemies, and We had no rational hope but from the Ratio
Ultima Regum et Rerum publicarum. These Efforts could not be made without
Government, and as I supposed no Man would think of consolidating this vast
Continent under one national Government, We should probably after the Example
of the Greeks, the Dutch and the Swiss, form a Confederacy of States, each of
which must have a
seperate Government. That the Case
of
Massachusetts was the most urgent, but that it could not be long
before every other Colony must follow her Example. That with a View to this
Subject I had looked into the Ancient and modern Confederacies for Examples:
but they all appeared to me to have been huddled up in a hurry by a few Chiefs.
But We had a People of more Intelligence, Curiosity and
Enterprize, who must be all consulted, and We must
reallize the Theories of the Wisest Writers and
invite the People, to erect the whole Building with their own hands upon the
broadest foundation. That this could be done only by Conventions of
Representatives chosen by the People in the several Colonies, in the most exact
proportions. That it was my Opinion, that Congress ought now to recommend to
the People of every Colony to call such Conventions immediately and set up
Page 4
Governments of their own, under their own Authority: for the People
were the Source of all Authority and Original of all Power. These were new,
strange and terrible Doctrines, to the greatest Part of the Members, but not a
very small Number heard them with apparent Pleasure, and none more than
Mr. John Rutledge of
South Carolina and Mr. John Sullivan of
New Hampshire.
Congress however ordered the Letter to lie under onthe
Table for farther Consideration. On Saturday June the 3d 1775. The Letter from
the Convention of the
Massachusetts Bay dated the 16th. of May, being again read, the
Subject was again discussed, and then Resolved That a Committee of five Persons
be chosen, to consider the same and report what in their Opinion is the proper
Advice to be given to that Convention. The following Persons were chosen by
ballot, to compose that Committee, viz. Mr. J.
Rutledge,Mr. Johnson, Mr.
Jay, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Lee.
On Wednesday June 7.
1775.
On motion resolved, that Thursday the 20th. of July next
be observed throughout the twelve united Colonies, as a Day of
Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer; and that Mr. Hooper,
Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Paine, be a
Committee to bring in a resolve for that purpose.
The Committee appointed to prepare Advice in Answer to the Letter from the
Convention of
Massachusetts Bay, brought in their report, which was read and
ordered to lie on the Table for Consideration.
On Fryday June
9th. 1775.
The report of the Committee on the Letter from the
Convention of
Massachusetts Bay being again read, the Congress came into the
following Resolution:
Resolved, That no Obedience being due to the Act of Parliament, for altering
the Charter of the
Colony of Massachusetts Bay, nor to a Governor or Lieutenant
Governor who will not observe the directions of, but endeavour to subvert that Charter, the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor of that Colony are to be considered as absent and their
Offices vacant; and as there is no Council there and the Inconveniences arising
from the Suspension of the Powers of Government are intollerable, especially at a time when
General Gage hath actually levyed War, and is carrying on Hostilities against his
Majestys peaceable and loyal Subjects of that
Colony; that in order to conform as near as may be to the Spirit and Substance
of the Charter, it be recommended to the provincial Convention to write Letters
to the Inhabitants of the several Places, which are intituled to representation in Assembly, requesting them
to chuse such Representatives,
