With the warmest Wishes for their Prosperity, I am

Gentlemen

Your obedient hbl Servt

1 Boston Record Commissioners’ Report, vol. xxvi., p. 292.

TO ARTHUR LEE.

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

Boston Apr 21 1783

DR SR

I am indebted to you for several Letters which I have not acknowledged.  The Anecdote you gave me in one of them relating to a Mr Mercer & Colo Griffin in Virginia was very diverting to me.  The People in this part of the Continent would never have fixed upon the Names of La Le or A1 to hold up to a publick Assembly as the Heads of a British Interest in America.  It would not have been sooner believed here than another Story I have heard, that a certain french Politician of Consideration in America had expressd his high Displeasure with Mr S A for stiring up his Countrymen to attend to the Importance of our retaining a Common Right to the Newfd Ld fishery.  Many wonderful Tales are & will be told, some of which a Sight of the secret Journals of Congress would unravel.  I think the sooner those Journals are publishd the better.  The People at large ought to know what that illustrious Body has been doing for them and the Part each Member has acted.  We are now at Peace, God be thanked, with all the World—­and I hope we shall never intermeddle with the Quarrels of other Nations.  Let the U S continue in peace & Union, & in order to this Let them do Justice to each other.  Let there be no longer secret Journals or secret Comtees.  Let the Debates in Congress be open and the whole of their transactions publishd weekly—­this will tend to the speedy rectifying Mistakes & preserving mutual Confidence between the People & their Representatives.  And let Care be taken to prevent Factions in America, foreign or domestick.

Will you suffer me to recommend to you my good friends & excellent fellow Citizens Mr Appleton the Bearer of this Letter & his fellow Traveller Mr Wendel.  My Regards.

Adieu.

1 Laurens, Lee, Adams.

TO BENJAMIN LINCOLN.

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

Boston May 1 1783

MY DEAR SIR

Coll0 John Allan will deliver you this Letter.  This Gentleman soon after the Commencement of the late Hostilities, left his Connections in Nova Scotia which were respectable there & took a decided part with us against Great Britain.  In the Winter of 77 Congress appointed him Superintendent or Agent for the Indians in Nova Scotia & the Tribes to the Northward & Eastward thereof, with a Salary of 900 Dollars p Annum, & afterwards requested this State to furnish him from time to time with needful Supplies.  The State raised an Artillery Company for the Defence