Dec 31. 1770
Sir.
Our friend Mr.Sayre, has done me the favor, of communicating to me, your very obliging invitation to a correspondence. I accept the honor with great pleasure, because I have long respected your character, tho your person was unknown to me. It will always make me happy to submit my sentiments, on the present state of politics, so very alarming to public liberty, to one, with whom I flatter myself I shall entirely harmonize in views of public good.
I do not know, in what words to express the very grateful sense I feel, towards you in particular, & the House of Representatives in general, for the unmerited & unsollicited mark you have given of your confidence in me. Suffer me only to say, that if any thing on earth could stimulate or augment my wishes & endeavors to assert & defend the rights of America & of Massachusetts Bay; it would be the confidence & approbation of which I particularly honor & admire.
It would be peculiarly unfortunate, if when the foes of Liberty & virtue, are conspiring together, manifestly to subvert the Constitution
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the friends of freedom should stand single & ununited, to fall [illegible] sacrifices in an unavailing struggle. And certainly, contemptible as they are who meditate our ruin, they set us an example of secrecy, union & perseverance which highly deserves our imitation. Nothing escapes of the conferences between Lord Hillsborough & Governor Bernard; their designs are kept perfectly secret, & by the instructions to the wretched, because prostituted, Hutchinson, they seem determined to fix an hermetic seal on all the springs of their movements with you.
I have great comfort however in perceiving, with what sagacity your House develops their designs, & the firmness with which you oppose them. Even the plausibility of a Hutchinson, is not equal to the task of evading that vigilance, which marks the Representatives of your Province to be the real Guardians of the People’s Rights. In that truly respectable & patriotic House, you, Sir, stand eminently distinguished; & as a friend to liberty, I have been long obliged to you for your wise & spirited exertions in its behalf, without having had an opportunity of offering you my thanks. Do me the favor of accepting them now, & be assured, Sir, that whatever may be the event of this contest, they who have stood honestly forth, in defence of the liberties of their country, will have their reward, in the applause, at least, of all the worthy part of mankind.
The infraction of the non-importation associations, has operated here like an opiate on all,
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but the enemies of America. It has either [illegible] their expectations, or quieted their apprehensions, so as to make them believe the American opposition entirely annihilated. It is plain however that our enemies are not so deceived, since they are strengthening the hands of oppression with you, & taking every precaution to render their despotic system as permanent as it is pernicious. We have therefore little to expect now from the public, & still less from the leading men in this nation. From this number I am [illegible] however, in truth, to except Lord Chatham Ld Shelburne Ld Camden & Col. Barre, who very sincerely wish, so I well know, to restore to us our violated rights & the Constitution as we formerly enjoyed it. My Ld Chatham asserted in a late debate, that here was some one in the Court greater than the K— himself; & our misfortune is, that this all-powerful one is our determined foe. Hinc prima male labes, from this scotch foundation, flow all over waters of bitterness. It therefore becomes us to be as determined to be free, as the ruling powers here are to make us slaves.
Two evils have arisen, from the manner in which the Associations have been dissolved, that I am much afraid are irremediable. The loss of all character with the public here, & the destruction of that confidence & harmony among the Colonies, so essentially necessary to unite their efforts & render them successful in the common cause. To regain the opinion of the public here, & re-unite the affections & operations of the Colonies, is a task however arduous that must be undertaken. I can hardly think, that the best plan of opposition will otherwise succeed. Would it not be useful, to establish a correspondence between the leading men of the provinces; that you might harmonize
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in moving any future measure in the different Assemblies, for the general good? Unanimity among yourselves, will render you formidable & respected here.
I observe, that they who write here in the public Papers, against your town, are furnished with very speedy & accurate intelligence on all political affairs with you; which they communicate in such portions & manner, as may best prejudice the public, & promote their purposes. I have often lamented the want of authentic information to refute them, where from the general complexion of their story, I conjecture it was fraudulent & false. It will not however answer to hazard one’s conjecture on this ground; because being once wrong, would fix mistrust on every future attempt. I shall therefore be always obliged to you, for such intelligence as will enable me to detect their falsehoods & defend the province & the town, from their unjust aspersions.
The character you have given of Mr. Hutchinson, is exactly conformable to the idea I had entertained of him. A lust of power, not worthy being dignifyd with the name of ambition is the animating principle of his conduct, & duplicity, the mould in which he casts it. His public acts, shew him to be a devoted tool of the present Administration; & I could not brand my bitterest foe, with a more odious & more infamous appellation.
My lord Sandwich, homo omnium quos terra sustinet sceleratissimus, is made Secretary of State on the resignation of Ld Weymouth. The cause of his resignation, is conjectured to be the accommodation that is contriving with Spain, too infamous it seems even for him to countenance. Madame Barre has gained the entire [illegible] in the French Cabinet, in consequence of which Choiseul, who was in for peace, is unplaced. Upon the whole, I believe it will hardly be in the power of our abject ministers, to avoid a war; & if so, America will for the present suffer no further oppression. Indeed, if she is wise, then will be the time to insist upon a Bill of Rights, before she sends again her blood & treasure, to increase that power, which is turned to her destruction.
I have the honor, Sir, to be with great respect
Yr most Obedt. Humble servt.
Arthur Lee
