My hand and heart is full of it. There will be no abiding union without it. When the colonies come to be pressed with taxes they will divide and crumble to pieces. Will a government stand on recommendations? It is idle to suppose so. Will Canada ever join us without independence and government? They will not. Can we subsist, and support our trading people without trade? It appears more and more every day in the country and the army that we cannot. Nay, without a real continental government our army will overrun us, and people will by and by, sooner than you may be aware of, call for their old constitutions, and as they did in England after Cromwell's death, call in Charles the second. For God's sake let there be a full revolution, or all has been done in vain. Independency and a well planned continental government will save us. God bless you. Amen and amen.

J. H.

In another letter of the same writer on 15th May, is the following passage :—

I want to comment largely on independency, but have not time. Suffice it to say, in answer to some of our people's objections, who ever imagined it an objection to a man's emancipating from the care and government of his father at the age of twenty-one years, that he could not set up

for himself with so large an estate as his father's, or a house so spacious as the one he was about to leave? Or who ever supposed the son could not raise and support a family because, although he was of full age, he had not all the experience of the old man, whom he probably exceeded in the ability of enduring hardships and privation. You, sir, will improve the thought. It is our case, assuredly.

MR. GERRY TO MR. WARREN.

MY DEAR SIR,

PHILADELPHIA, MAY 1, 1776.

I am exceedingly desirous that measures of defence should be first attended to, and have place of every other undertaking, and shall be most happy to hear that the capital and its valuable harbour is well fortified, and something done for the other seaports; that your powder mills are at work; that manufactures of lead and sulphur are attended to, and preparation made for casting cannon; that the committees of correspondence throughout the colony are ordered to make returns of the manufactures of fire-arms, employed or unemployed, and that measures are taken to erect public works; that the established forces, whether continental or colonial, are well armed, equipped and ready for action. When this is done, and I think with a little assiduity it may be accomplished, the col

ony will be in a situation to receive the enemy; and they being informed thereof, as they generally are of our weakness or strength, will carefully avoid another visit.

I think it may be demonstrated that the eastern district alone is able of itself to declare independency. The colony of South Carolina have behaved nobly in taking up government, choosing a governour, &c.; and the convention of North Carolina have unanimously voted to follow their example.

Virginia is always to be depended upon; and so fine a spirit prevails among them, that unless you send some of your cool patriots among them, they may be for declaring independency before congress is ready.

I am glad you approve the proposal for instructions, and can with pleasure inform you that North Carolina has taken off from their delegates the restriction relative to this matter, and as I am informed, has left them at liberty to vote for a final separation from Great Britain.

Your friend as ever,

E. GERRY.

In a letter to the same gentleman on 20th May, among matters of a private nature Mr. Gerry again recurs to this interesting subject.

"I enclose you a Virginia paper just come in, by which you will see the spirit of another county

in that colony, exhibited in their instructions for independency.

In this colony (Pennsylvania) the spirit of the people is great, if a judgment is to be formed by appearances. They are well convinced of the injury their assembly has done to the continent by their instructions to their delegates. It was these instructions which induced the middle colonies and some of the southern to backward every measure which had the appearance of independency: to them is owing the delay of congress in agitating questions of the greatest importance, which long ere now must have terminated in a separation from Great Britain: to them is owing the disadvantages we now experience for want of a full supply of every necessary for carrying on the war. Alliances might have been formed, and a diversion been given to the enemy's arms in Europe or the West Indies, had these instructions never appeared. But they have had their effect; and while we endeavour to recover the continent from the ill consequences of such feeble politics, we ought to show the cause of such miserable policy. It appears to me that the eyes of every unbeliever are now open; that all are sensible of the perfidy of Great Britain, and are convinced there is no medium between unqualified submission and actual independency. The colonies are determined on the latter. A final declaration is approaching with great rapidity. May the all-wise Disposer of

events so direct our affairs that they may terminate in the salvation of these afflicted colonies.

Amidst all our difficulties you would be highly diverted to see the situation of our "moderate gentlemen." They have been more apprehensive of evils than any others, as we have frequently observed, and they have now the mortification to find that their measures for avoiding have but served to increase them. I sometimes think that Providence permitted them to clog the affairs of the colonies, that they may become in some degree desperate, and thus introduce into the circle of determined men those timid beings, whose constitution never admits of their defending freedom on the noblest principles, and are afterwards obliged to meet danger by the same motives that induced them to shun it. They are coming over to us, but I am sorry their counter influence so long prevented us from adopting the only means by which we could supply ourselves with the necessaries for defence.

MR. GERRY TO MR. WARREN.

MY DEAR SIR,

PHILADELPHIA, MAY 28, 1776.

Some days since I enclosed to our worthy friend Major Hawley sundry newspapers containing intelligence of importance, but not so