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Prospect of a union. I am I am. I am the eastern educational radio network. There's a prospect of a union a view of the American Revolutionary period and a series of readings from the letters of the second president of the United States John Adams and his wife Abigail. I am I am. Part 8 the olive branch of peace in
June of 1775 before the delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia John Adams nominated General George Washington to be appointed commander in chief of the American forces. No other name was considered. And on June 23rd Washington left for the American camp surrounding the besieged British in Boston. Until this time the men were supplied insufficiently and hired by state government and apparently both officers and men had little idea of army discipline organization or hygiene. Washington was not pleased with this situation. And August 20th he wrote. The people of this government have obtained a character which they by no means deserved. Their officers generally speaking are of the most in a different kind of people I ever saw. I have already broke one colonel and five captains for cowardice and for drawing more pay and provisions and they had men in their companies. There is two more colonels now under
arrest and to be tried for the same offenses. In short they are by no means such troops in any respect as you are led to believe of them from the accounts which are published. But I need not make myself enemies among them by this declaration although it is consistent with truth. I dare say the men would fight very well if properly officer although they are an exceedingly dirty and nasty people. Had they been properly conducted at Bunkers hill or those that were there properly supported the regulars would have met with a shameful defeat and a much more considerable loss that they did. It was for their behavior on that occasion that the above officers were broke for I never spared one that was accused of cowardice but brought him to immediate trial. General Washington's judgment of the American performance at Bunker Hill is in retrospect too harsh. The British losses of which he complains were so exorbitantly high that they cost the British
commander General Gage his job. Perhaps more importantly the British expected that all Americans would be cowards not just three colonels and five captains. British military strategy had been faulty at Bunker Hill and continued to be so in the months that followed with complete command of the Seas. The only actions they undertook were in significant provisioning raids which is Abigail Adams said served chiefly to give the Americans much needed experience Braintree July 25th 1775 dearest friend. This is the twenty fifth of July. Ok just not made any attempts to march out since the battle at Charlestown. Our army are restless and wish to be doing something to rid themselves in the land of the vermin and locusts which infect it. So as I wrote you last the company stationed upon the coast spot in this town Weymouth and Hingham were ordered to Nantasket to reap
and bring off the grain which they accomplished. All except a field of two which was not ripe and having whale boats they undertook to go to the lighthouse and set fire to it which they affected in open day and in their sight of several men of war. Upon their return came down upon them eight barges one cutter one schooner all in battle array and poured a whole broadsides upon them. But I manned all reached the shore and not one life lost two only slightly wounded in their legs. They marched up the hill and drew into order and hopes the Marines would land. But they chose rather to return without a land and gauge meant so to start they will burn the town down as soon as our forces leave it. I had this account from Captain Denton who with his company where there are these little skirmishes seem trifling but they serve to and you are our men and harden them to danger. I hear the rebels are very wroth at the destruction of the lighthouse. There has been an offer from gage to send the poor of Boston to Salem by water
but not complied with on our part. They returned for answer they would receive them upon the lives Dr. Tough saw a letter from Deacon Yule in which he mentions the death of John Cotton. So it is very sickly in town. Every vessel is now obliged to enter and clear out as though she was going a foreign voyage. No one happened and it is suffered to partake but obliged to wait till the army are supplied. And then if one remains there are allowed to purchase it. An order has been given out in town that no person shall be seen to wipe their faces with a white handkerchief. The reason I hear is that as a signal of mutiny. General begoing lives in Mr. Samuel Quincy's house. A lady who lived opposite says she saw raw meat cut and hacked upon her mahogany tables and her beautiful damask curtain and cushions exposed to the rain is that they are of no value. How much better to the Tories
fair than the Whigs. Suppose this worthy man was put in with all confidence that nothing should be hurt as to be going on. I am not master of language sufficient to give you a true idea of the horrible wickedness of the man. His designs are dark his dissimulation of the deepest dye for not content with deceiving mankind he practices deceit on God himself by assuming the appearance like Hutchinson of great attention to religious worship when every action of his life is totally apparent to all ideas of true religion virtue or common honesty and abandoned infamous gambler a broken fortune and the worst most testable of the Bedford gang who are wholly bent on bloody tyranny and spoil. And therefore the darling favorite of our unrivalled ruler Lord Bute. The character of how is not drawn much more favorably but Clinton's general
character very good and just said he does not relish the service he is sent upon. I'm ready to believe this of Clinton as I've never heard of any speeches of his since his arrival. Now scarcely any mention of him that such characters as the going and House should engage in such a cause is not to be wondered at. But really to be lamented when a man possessed of one spark of virtue should be drawn aside and disgrace himself and posterity by adding one more to the already infamous list. Your address meets with general approbation here. You're petitioning the king again pleases. Forgive me if I say that timid and weak. Those persons who were esteemed the luke warm and who think that no works of supererogation can be performed to Great Britain. What's the other say you heap coals of fire upon the heads of your enemies. You know you are considered
here as the most perfect body if one member is by any means rendered incapable of acting. To suppose the deficiency will be made up. The query is right your president left the Congress so long as to make it necessary to choose another member. Whether he declined returning to you again. Suppose you have a list of accounts so it was generally thought the gauge would make an attempt to come out either Election Day or upon the fast but I could not believe we should be disturbed about that. Even the devils believe and tremble. And I really believe they are more afraid of the Americans prayers than their swords. I believe you will not complain that I do not write often and often lengthy and often when you're tired tell me I need not say how much I want to see you but no one will credit my story of your returning in a month. I hope to have the best proofs to convince them. It cannot need any to convince
you how sincerely I am your most affectionate Porsha Braintree July 16th 1775. Dearest friend I have this afternoon the pleasure of receiving your letter by your friend Mr. Collins and K. and an English gentleman whose name I do not remember. It was next to seeing my dearest friend Mr. Collins could tell me more particularly about you and your health than I've been able to hear since you left me. I rejoice in his account of your better health and of your spirits though he says I must not expect to see you till next spring. The appointment of the generals Washington and lead gives universal satisfaction. The people have the highest opinion of Lee's abilities. But you know the continuation of the popular Bres depends much upon favorable events. I had the pleasure of seeing both the generals and the ADA camps soon after their arrival at of being personally made known to them. They very politely expressed their
regard for you. I was struck with General Washington. You had prepared me to entertain a favorable opinion of him but I thought the one half was not told me. Dignity with ease and complacency. The gentleman and soldier took agreeably blended in him. Modesty marks every line and feature of his face. Those lines of Dryden instantly occurred to me. Mark his majestic fabric. He's a temple sacred by birth and built by hands divine. His soul's the deity that lodges there known as the pile unworthy of the god. General Lee looks like a careless Hardy veteran and from his appearance brought to my mind his namesake Charles twelfth King of Sweden the elegance of his pan far exceeds that of his person. There's been a little expedition this week to Long Island. There's been before several
attempts to go on but three men of war lay near and cutters all round the island so that they could not succeed. A number of whale boats lay at Germantown. Three hundred volunteers commanded by one Captain Tupper came on Monday evening and took the boats went on and brought off 70 odd sheep 15 head of cattle and 16 prisoners 13 of whom were sent by simple sapling to mow the hay which they had very badly executed. They were all asleep in the house and died when they were taken. There were three women with them. Our heroes came off in triumph not being observed by their enemies. This spirited up others they could not endure the thought that the house and barn should afford them any shelter. They did not destroy them the night before for fear of being discovered. Captain Wild of this town was about twenty five of his company Captain Gould of Weymouth with as many of his and some other volunteers to the amount of an underage
obtained leave to go on and destroy the hay together with the House and bond at an open day in full view of the men of war. They set off from the moon so-called covered by a number of men who were placed there. Went on. Set fire to the buildings and hey. A number of cutters immediately surrounded the island fired upon our men. They came off with a heart and continued to fire upon them. The bullets flying in every direction and the men of war boats supplying them with small arms. Many in this town who were spectators expected every moment our men would all be sacrificed for Sometimes they were so near is to be called to and damned by their enemies and ordered to surrender. Yet they all returned in safety. Not one man even wounded upon the moon we lost one man from the cannon on board the man of war. On the evening of the same day a man of war came and anchored near a great hill and two cutters came to pick rocks. It occasion an alarm in this town and we were up
all night. They remained there yet but I'm not ventured to land any men. Every article here in the West India way is very scarce and dear. In six weeks we shall not be able to purchase any article of the kind. I wish you would that basket me one pound of pepper and two yards of black calum in CO for shoes I cannot wear leather if I go barefoot. The reason I mention bass may make a fine profit lays in a stock for himself. You can hardly imagine how much we want. Many common small articles which are not manufactured amongst ourselves but we will have them in time. Not one pin is to be purchased for love nor money. I wish you could convey me a thousand by any friend traveling this way to Barry provoking to have such a plenty so near us. But $10 like not able to touch. I should have been glad to have laid in a small stock of the West India articles but I cannot get one
copper. No person thinks of paying anything and I do not choose to run in debt. I endeavor to live in the most frugal manner possible but I many times distressed. We have not yet been much distressed for grain. Everything at present looks blooming. Oh that peace would once more extend her olive branch the olive branch of peace even radical colonists who no longer thought that peace was possible could draw back at the prospect of complete separation from Great Britain. The divided heart of the Second Continental Congress was reflected in two documents adopted on July 6 and July 8th the olive branch petition which Abigail said will please the timid and the weak began most gracious sovereign we your Majesty's faithful subjects in the colonies and continued beseeching His Majesty
most respectfully for a redress of grievances. The other document a declaration of the causes and necessity of taking up arms was stronger in its language although it too denied any design for an independent sea of the colonies. Both radical and moderate delegates to the Congress signed these documents but the depth of their disagreement increasingly strained their personal relations. John Adams was constantly irritated by the moderate John Dickinson author of the olive branch petition. A certain great fortune and piddling genius Adams called him in a letter to John James Warren. Philadelphia 24 July 1775. Dear Sir I am determined to write freely to you this time. A certain great fortune and piddling genius whose fame has been trumpeted so loudly has given a silly cast to our whole doings. We are between a hawk
and a buzzard. We ought to have had in our hands a month ago the whole legislative executive and judicial of the whole continent and have completely modeled a constitution to have raised a naval power and opened all our ports wide to have arrested every friend of government on the continent and held them as hostages for the poor victims in Boston and then opened the door as wide as possible for peace and reconciliation. After this they might have petitioned negotiated addressed etc. if they would. Is this extravagant or is it wild is it not the soundest policy. Philadelphia July 24th 1775 my dear it is now almost three months since I left you in every part of which my anxiety about you and the children as well as our country has been extreme. The business I have had upon my mind has
been as great and important as can be intrusted to one man and the difficulty and intricacy of it is prodigious. When fifty or sixty men have a constitution to form for a great empire at the same time they have a country of fifteen hundred miles extent to fortify millions to arm and train a naval power to begin an extensive commerce to regulate numerous tribes of Indians to negotiate with a standing army of twenty thousand men to raise pay victual and officers. I really shall pity those fifty or sixty men. I must see us along. Rice has wrote me a very good letter and so has taxed for which I thank them both. Love to the children. I wish I had given you a complete history from the beginning to the end of the journey of the behavior of my compatriots. No mortal tale could be equal it. I will tell you in future but you shall keep it secret. The
fidgets the whims the Caprice the vanity the superstition the irritability of some of us is enough to these two letters were intercepted and published on both sides of the Atlantic. Adams became notorious as an arch advocate of Independence. Parodies of the letters were circulated of which one began a paraphrase upon the second Epistle of John the Roundhead to James prologue a tour of the rum parliament. Dear devil. Adams became far more famous for these letters than for any previous activity. The letters were not as shocking to his fellow delegates as they might have been had King George accepted the olive branch petition. His refusal even to read it further moved the Congress along the road John Adams had already traveled. When he spoke of establishing a constitution and beginning a naval power his relations with John Dickinson were completely broken as an entry for September
16 and Adams diary describes. 1775 September 16 Saturday walking to the statehouse this morning I met Mr. Dickinson on foot in Chestnut Street. We met and passed near enough to touch elbows. He passed without moving his hat or head or hand. I bowed and pulled off my hat. He passed heartily by the cause of his offenses the letter no doubt which Gage has printed in Draper's paper. I shall for the future pass him in the same manner. But I was determined to make my bow that I might know his temper. We are not to be up on speaking terms nor bowing terms for the time to come. 3 September 16th Sunday 1775. I set myself down to write with a heart depressed with the melancholy scenes around me. My letter will be only a bill of mortality.
So thanks be to that being who restrained us the pestilence that it is not yet approved mortal to any of our family though we live in daily expectation that Patty will not continue many hours of general Putra faction seems to have taken place and we cannot bear the house only as we're constantly cleansing it with hot vinegar. I have no idea of the Distemper producing such a state as hers till now. Yet we take all possible care of shifting her bed every day. Two of the children John and Charles I've sent out of the house finding it difficult to keep them out of the chamber nappy continues well. Tommy is better but entirely stripped of the hardy robust countenance as well as of all the flesh he had. Save what remains were to keep his bones together. Jonathan is the only one who remains in the family but White has had a turn of the disorder.
Mrs Randall has lost her daughter Mrs. Brackett hers. Mr. Thomas they are his wife. Two persons belonging to Boston have died this week in this parish. And I know of eight this week who've been buried in this town. I hear Mr. Tudor has been dangerously sick but is now upon the recovery. Mr. Robert is very low indeed scarcely able to walk a step. We have been four Sabbaths without any meeting. Thus does pestilence travel in the rear of war. To remind us of our entire dependence upon that being who not only directed the arrow by day but as also at his command. The pestilence which walk is in darkness so uncertain and so transitory are all the enjoyments of life. There were not for the tender connections which bind us here. Would it not be folly to wish for a continuance here. I think I shall
never be wedded to the world. And were I to lose about a dozen of my dearest connections I should have no further relish for life. But perhaps I deceive myself and know but little of my own heart to bear and supper's our portion here and unto him who mounts the whirlwind and directs the storm. I will cheerfully leave the ordering of my lot and whether adverse or prosperous days should be my future portion I will trust in his right hand to lead me safely through and after a short rotation of events takes me in a state immutable and happy. You'll think me melancholy it is true I am much affected with the distress scenes around me but I have some anxieties upon my mind which I do not think it prudent to mention at present to any one. Perhaps when I hear from you I may have my next letter tell you.
In the mean time I wish you would tell me whether the intercepted letters have reached Philadelphia and what effect they have there. There is a most infamous versification of them I hear sent out. I have not been able to get it. As to politics there seems to be a dead calm upon all sides. Some of the Tories have been sending out their children Colonel Chandler's sent out his children to Mr. Winslow is sent out his daughter people appear to be gratified with the remonstrance address and petition and most earnestly longed for further intelligence. God helps them that helps themselves as King Richard said. And if we can obtain the Divine Aid by our own virtue fortitude and perseverance we may be sure of relief. Tomorrow will be three weeks since you left home and all which time I've not heard one word from you. Patience is a lesson I have not to learn. So can wait your own time but hope it will not be long. Now my anxious heart is relieved of
you. I need not say how sincerely I am your affectionate Porsche. Philadelphia. October 1 1775 my dear this morning I received your two letters of September 8 and September 16th. What shall I say. The intelligence they contain came upon me by surprise as I never had the least intimation before that any of my family was ill excepting in a card from Mrs. Warren received a few days ago in which she informed me that Mrs. Adams had been unwell but was better. You may easily conceive the state of mind in which I am at present uncertain and apprehensive. At first I suddenly thought of setting off immediately for Braintree and I have not yet determined otherwise. Yet the state of public affairs is so critical that I am half afraid to leave my station although my presence here is of no great consequence. I feel I tremble for you. Poor Tommy.
I hope by this time however he has recovered his plump cheeks and his fine bloom. By your account of Patty I fear. But still I will hope she has been supported and is upon the recovery. It is not uncommon for a train of calamities to come together fire sword pestilence famine often keep company and visit a country and a flock. I'm so far from thinking you melancholy that I am charmed with that admirable fortitude and that divine spirit of resignation which appears in your letters. I cannot express the satisfaction it gives me nor how much it contributes to support me. You have alarmed me however by mentioning anxieties which you do not think it prudent to mention to any one. I am wholly at a loss to conjecture what they can be if they arise from the letters. Be assured that you may banish them forever. These letters have reached Philadelphia but have produced effects very different from those which were expected from the publication of them. These are facts I will explain to you some
time or other. As to the versification of them if there is a wit or humor in it laugh it will nature sneer if mere dullness. Why you may even yawn or nod. I have no anger at it. Nay even scarcely contempt it is impotent. As to politics we have nothing to expect but the whole wrath and force of Great Britain. But your words are as true as an article God helps them who help themselves. And if we obtain the Divine Aid by virtue fortitude and perseverance we may be sure of relief. It may amuse you to hear a story a few days ago in company with Dr. suply. Somebody said there was nobody on our side but the Almighty the doctor who was a native of Switzerland and speaks but broken English quickly replied. That is enough. That is enough. And turning to me says he it puts me in mind of a fellow who once said that Catholics have on their side the pope and the King of France and the king of Spain
and the king of Sardinia and the King of Poland and the Emperor of Germany and so forth and so forth. But as to them devils the Protestants they have nothing on their side but God Almighty. Prospect of a union is produced and written by Elizabeth Spiro for WFC are the four college radio station of Amherst Smith and Mount Holyoke colleges and the University of Massachusetts from whose faculties the cast of prospect of the Union was
drawn. Stephen Coyle was hurt as John Adams and Beverly Mae as Abigail Marjorie Kaufman was the narrator. The letters of John and Abigail Adams were taken from the Adams Family correspondence published by the Harvard University Press. The song Free American Day was written by Dr. Joseph Warren. And was recorded by Sawyer as Minute Man from the collection of early American songs of John and Lucy Allison. This program was distributed by national educational radio. This is the national educational radio network.
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Series
Prospect of a union
Episode
Olive branch of peace
Producing Organization
WFCR (Radio station : Amherst, Mass.)
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-6w96bp62
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/500-6w96bp62).
Description
Episode Description
This program presents dramatic readings from the correspondence between John and Abigail Adams.
Series Description
A first-hand account of the founding of the United States, described through the correspondence of John and Abigail Adams.
Date
1968-01-23
Topics
History
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:54
Credits
Narrator: Kaufman, Marjorie
Producing Organization: WFCR (Radio station : Amherst, Mass.)
Writer: Spiro, Elizabeth
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 68-6-8 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:41
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Citations
Chicago: “Prospect of a union; Olive branch of peace,” 1968-01-23, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 28, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6w96bp62.
MLA: “Prospect of a union; Olive branch of peace.” 1968-01-23. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 28, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6w96bp62>.
APA: Prospect of a union; Olive branch of peace. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6w96bp62