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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 1 AUGUST 1774 - AUGUST 1775
Samuel Adams' Draft Letter to Thomas Gage

Sir [October 7-8, 1774]
The Delegates from his Majestys several Colonies of New Hampshire [ ] (1) assembled in general Congress in the City of Philadelphia take the Liberty of addressing you upon Subjects of the last

Page 159

OCTOBER 7, 1774

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Importance, to your own Character, Happiness and Peace of Mind to his Majestys Service to the Wellfare of that Province over which you preside and of all North America, and, perhaps, of the whole British Empire.
The Act of the British Parliament for shutting up the Harbour of Boston is universally deemd to be unjust and cruel; and the World now sees with Astonishment & Indignation the Distress which the In habitants of that loyal though devoted Town are suffering under the most rigid Execution of it.
There are two other Acts passed in the present Session of Parliament, the one for regulating the Government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay and the other entitled an Act for the more impartial Administration of Justice in the same Province; the former of these Acts was made with the professed Purpose of materially altering the Charter of that Province granted by his Majesties Royal Predecessors King William & Queen Mary for themselves their Heirs &c forever; and both or either of them if put into Execution will shake the Foundations of that free & happy Constitution which is the Birthright of the English Subjects, and totally destroy the inestimable Blessing of Security in Life Liberty and Property.
By your own Acknowledgment, the refusal of the People to yield obedience to these Acts is far from being confind to a Faction in the Town of Boston: It is general through the province. And we do now assure your Excellency, that this Refusal is vindicable, in the opinion of this Congress, by the Laws of Reason and Self preservation; and the People ought to be and will be supported in it by the united Voice and Efforts of all America.
We are fully convinced that the Town of Boston and Province of the Massachusetts Bay are suffering in the righteous Cause of America, while they are nobly exerting themselves in the most spirited opposition to those oppressive Acts of Parliament and Measures of Administration which are calculated to annihilate our most sacred & invalueable Rights.
It is with the deepest Concern that we observe, that while this Congress are deliberating on the most effectual Measures for the Restoration of American Liberty and a happy Harmony between the Colonies and the parent State, so essentially necessary to both, your Excellency is erecting Fortifications round the Town of Boston, whereby well grounded Jealousies are excited in the Minds of his Majesties faithful Subjects and apprehensions that all Communication between that Town & the Country will be cut off, or that this Freedom will be enjoyed at the Will of an Army.
Moreover we would express to your Excellency the just Resentment which we feel at the Indignities offered to our worthy fellow Citizens in Boston and the frequent Violations of private property by

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the Soldiers under your Command. These Enormities committed by a Standing Army, in our opinion, unlawfully posted there in a time of Peace, are irritating in the greatest Degree, and if not remedied will endanger the involving all America in the Horrors of a civil War! Your Situation Sir is extremely critical. A rupture between the Inhabitants of the Province over which you preside and the Troops under your Command would produce Consequences of the most serious Nature: A Wound which would never be heald! It would probably establish Animosities between Great Britain & the Colonies which time would never eradicate! In order therefore to quiet the Minds & remove the Jealousies of the people, that they may not be driven to such a State of Desparation as to quit the Town & fly for Shelter to their Friends & Countrymen, we intreat you from the Assurance we have of the peaceable Disposition of the Inhabitants to desist from further fortifications of the Town, and to give orders that a free & safe Communication between them & the Country may be restored & continued.

MS (NN). In the hand of Samuel Adams and endorsed by Adams: "This was offerd to the Committee of Congress to be reported as a Remonstrance to Genl. Gage."
1 Nearly two lines left blank for insertion of the other colonies. On October- 6, Congress received a letter from the Boston Committee of Correspondence concerning Gage's fortification of Boston. On the seventh, a committee composed of Thomas Lynch, Samuel Adams, and Edmund Pendleton was appointed to prepare a letter to Gage, which according to Secretary Thomson's journal was reported, amended, and adopted on the 10th. ,JCC, 1:55-60. But Samuel Ward noted in his diary that on October 8 the committee reported a draft which was recommitted, and it seems likely that this Samuel Adams draft formed the basis for the letter first reported by the committee. Adams' "Remonstrance," as he termed it, is harshly phrased and makes little attempt to soften the asperity of his charges. From the tone of his letter, it seems clear that the purpose of recommitting the draft reported to Congress was to substitute a milder letter reflecting a conciliators posture more in keeping with the general mood of Congress. It is possible that the John Adams draft letter of October 7-8 was penned at this time for the purpose of reaching a compromise acceptable to the majority of the delegates. The letter finally adopted by Congress is printed in the Journals with the proceedings for the 11th, JCC, 1:60-61. The document received by Gage, in the hand of Charles Thomson and signed by Peyton Randolph, is in the Gage Papers, MiU-C.

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