We are &c,

TO THE MARQUIS DE LA FAYETTE.

[Ms., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

Boston June 1780

MY DEAR MARQUISE

Yesterday your very obliging Letter of the 30 of May was brought to me by Mons Guinard.  The Succour coming from France will be so seasonable and important, that if America is not wanting to her self, she will have it in her Power, by the Blessing of Heaven, to gratify the utmost of her Wishes.  His most Christian Majestys Expectation from us must needs be great, and Gratitude to so generous an Ally, as well as a due Attention to our own Safety, Interest & Honor, lay us under the strongest Obligations to be in Readiness to cooperate with the greatest Advantage.  I have long been fully sensible of your most cordial & zealous Attachment to our great Cause; and to your personal Representations to his Majesty, in Addition to the Benevolence of his Royal Heart, I will take the Liberty to attribute his Design to afford us such Aid and for so long a Time as may put it in our Power to employ all our Resources against the Enemy.  It fortunately happend that the General Assembly of this State was sitting when the Letter & Inclosures from the Committee of Congress came to the President of the Council.  They were immediately laid before the Assembly, & I have the Pleasure to assure you that the filling our Battalions by an immediate Draft furnishing the Army with Provisions and every other Measure for the fulfilling the just Expectations of your Sovereign & of Congress on this most important Occasion are the Objects of their closest Attention.  I had for several Months past been flattering my self with the Prospect of this Aid.  It strongly impressd my Mind from some Circumstances which took place when you was at Philadelphia the last year.  But far from Certainty I could only express to some confidential Friends here, a distant Hope, tho, as I conceivd, not without some good Effect.  At least it servd to enliven our Spirits and animate us for so great a Crisis.  If it were possible for one to be forgetful of our all important Cause for a Moment, my particular Friendship for you would be a prevailing Inducement with me, to make my utmost feeble Exertions to prevent your Disappointment after the great Pains you have taken to serve us.  I have Endeavord, & shall continue those Endeavors while I stay here, to brighten the dark Side of the Picture which your Imagination has painted in one part of your Letter before me.  God forbid that we should be obligd to tell our friends when they arrive, that we have not a sufficient Army to cooperate with them nor provisions to feed the few Soldiers that are left.  I think I may venture to predict that this State will comply with the Requisitions from her, to give the utmost Respectability to our Army on so promising an Occasion.  I was in the Council Chamber when I receivd your Letter & took the Liberty of reading some parts of it to the Members present.  I will communicate other parts of it to some leading Members of the House of Representatives as Prudence may dictate, particularly what you mention of the officers Want of Cloathing.