Adams Family Correspondence, volume 4
1780-10-15
I closed a long Letter to you only two days ago and sent it to Cales,1 but as no opportunity is omitted by me, I embrace this, as Col. Flury was kind enough to write me on purpose from Newport to inform me of it, and to promise a carefull attention to it. Yet I feel doubtfull of its safety, the Enemy seem to be collecting a prodigious force into these seas, and are bent upon the destruction of our Allies. We are not a little anxious for them, and cannot but wonder that they are not yet reinforced. Graves Fleet, Arbuthnots and Rodneys, all here. With such a superiority, can it be matter of surprize, if Mr. de Ternay should fall a sacrifice? My own Mind I own is full of apprehension, yet I trust we shall not be deliverd over to the vengance of a Nation more wicked and perverse than our own. We daily experience the correcting and the defending Arm. The enclosed paper will give you the particulars of an infernal plot, and the providential discovery of it—for however the Belief of a particular Providence may be exploded by the Modern Wits, and the Infidelity of too many of the rising generation deride the Idea, yet the virtuous Mind will look up and acknowledge the great first cause, without whose notice not even a sparrow falls to the ground.
I am anxious to hear from you. Your last Letter which I have received was dated in June the 17. I have wrote you repeatedly that my Trunk was not put on Board the Alliance. That poor vessel was the sport of more than winds and waves, the conduct with regard to her is considerd as very extrodanary. She came to Boston as you have no doubt heard. Landay is suspended—the Man must be new made before he can be entitled to command. I hope Capt. Sampson arrived safe, he carried the resolve of Congress which you wanted.
7As to our domestick affairs Mr. Henormous Taxes. —Our
State affairs are thus. Hvery great Majority—the Senate will have to choose the Leiut.
Governour —our constitution is read with great admiration in New York and pronounced by the
royall Governour to be the best Republican form he ever saw, but with sincere hopes that it
might not be accepted. How will it be administered is now the important Question?
I request you would write to me by the way of Bilboa and Holland. I have sent you a set of
Bill
yours.
Thus in MS, but AA unquestionably meant Cadiz since the long letter she had “closed” two days before must have been that dated 8 Oct., above, sent by “a vessel going to Spain.”
The following list has been repunctuated for clarity.