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Browsing: Papers of John Adams, Volume 5
Docno: ADMS-06-05-02-0219
Recipient: Adams, John
Date: 1777-12-22
From Henry Marchant
[dateline] Providence Decr. 22d. 1777
[salute] Dear Sir
Tho' we are withdrawn from the Grand Congress and are about Eighty miles Assunder,
yet I would hope to hold a little litterary Congress this Winter. I am retired upon
my Farm in the Wood. The Publick Cause however now and then draws me out—but I have
not that Chance of knowing how the Ship sails as you have, and I would beg now and
then You would give me an Extract from the logbook.
I was somewhat mortified in being left behind You, it seemed an additional one [mortification?], as Mr. Ellery arrived at Congress a few Days after you set out, so that I was just
deprived of { 364 } your Company—and had none other but my Servant the whole Journey. I arrived safe however
in fourteen Days, The Weather and riding having been generally very good.
We have but a poor Account of the Attempt upon Long Island,1 I fear it will prove more so than we yet hear of. The Addition of the New England
Troops to the main Army has not yet proved of that Benefit we could have wished. I
expect nothing further will be done this Winter.
Winter Quarters are to be looked for. This will give the Enemy an Opportunity of making
Excursions, and gaining Supplies. I could wish New England would Undertake the Work
and send 20,000 millitia upon Delaware by March. So that a Home stroke may be early
given. This may be done. And by New England it must be done, if at all.
The Sooner the better. It will not do to drag on this War. Pray think. Pray set all
into Action.
In the mean Time we hope in this Quarter we shall not be left to be sacrificed by
our Brethren. The Time of your Troops on this Station is nearly expired. No Provision
is made to replace them. We have wrote your Councill upon the Subject, but nothing
is done. 3500 Regular Troops are now upon Rhode Island, about 20 Ships of War in the
Harbour. They have doubtless many marines on Board. I must beg your Assistance upon
that Subject.
Our Assembly have appointed a Committee to meet at New-Haven the 15th of January agreable
to Recommendation of Congress.2 They have also passed the following Resolution.
In the lower House
Decr. 20th. 1777
Resolved that Henry Ward, Henry Marchant, Rows[e] J. Helme, and Wm. Channing Esqrs. be appointed to draft a Bill for confiscating and
making Sale of all the Real and personal Estate of such of the Inhabitants of this
State and other Persons who have forfeited the same and the Right to the Protection
of this State, and to invest the Monies arising from the Sales in Continental Loan
office Certificates to be appropriated as shall be hereafter directed by the Legislative
Authority of this State agreable to the Recommendation of Congress of the 22d. of
Novr. last3 and to make Reports to the next Session of this Assembly.
voted and passed
per Ordr. J. Lyndon Clerk
{ 365 }
per Ordr. J. Lyndon Clerk
This my Friend is an Important, as well as a Delicate and to me difficult Subject.
I must beg your Assistance in it and that you would make such a Draft and inclose
to me, with some Thoughts and Observations upon the Subject.
To work out How the Subject is to be activated, by what Process. The Causes of Confiscation.
How far it shall affect Life. How far taint the Blood. How affect entailed Estates.
How affect the Heirs &c. of such as have acted an Inimical Part but have died before
the passing this Act. Whether such as early left the State and sought Protection with
our Enemies shall be liable &c. &c.
I must again urge your kind Assistance, and that as soon your Leisure can possibly
permit you.
I have not now Time to add but that I am in Hopes of frequent Lines from you. Let
the Sons keep up the sacred Flame.
Youl please to direct to me
near Little Rest
South–Kingstown
State of Rhode Island &c.
South–Kingstown
State of Rhode Island &c.
I take it we are still priviledged in the Article of Postage. I am dear Sir, Your
sincere Friend,
[signed] H. L. Marchant
RC (Adams Papers); docketed: “Mr Marchant”; in another hand: “December 22nd 1777.”
1. An attempted raid made on 10 Dec. in which two American colonels were captured, one
a commander of a continental regiment, the other of a Connecticut militia unit, as
well as most of their men when their ship ran aground as it was being chased (Washington, Writings, ed. Fitzpatrick, 10:212, note; Howard H. Peckham, ed., The Toll of Independence, Chicago, 1974, p. 45).
2. The congress recommended to each state an amount of money to be raised by a levy on
its citizens for the benefit of the United States. Additional recommendations included
the ending of emissions of paper and even scaling down the amount in circulation,
keeping courts open for the recovery of debts, opening subscription lists for the
sale of loan certificates, and meeting in regional conventions for the purpose of
controlling wages and prices (JCC, 9:953–958).
4. See John Russell Bartlett, ed., Records of the Colony of Rhode Island . . ., 10 vols., Providence, 1856–1865, 8:341, where the date of passage is given
as 19 Dec.
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2016.
http://www.masshist.org/apde2/
http://www.masshist.org/apde2/