vernment, send them to me, and I promise to return you a positive answer.

I think proper to advise you that the sloop Molly, Captain Conway, master, loaded with flour, coming from Maryland, on the account he was pursued by an English man-of-war, not only obtained permission to anchor here, but to sell his cargo of flour. Give to your vessels a letter for me, and I will procure you all that they will want, or to be introduced, or to sell or to purchase those goods.

You may assure your countrymen they have good friends in this country, who think that the sacred fire of liberty stands no where else now, but in the North of America, and that the brave people to which the Divine Providence has trusted it, will continue it a fire for future generations.

I am, honourable gentlemen, your most humble servant, and a devoted friend to your country.

P. BEGOZZAT

To the Honourable Committee of Safety, Province of New-Hampshire.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO TALBOT COUNTY COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN: Having information that there were one or two barrels of bullets, and a quantity of gun-flints, belonging to this Province, at Mr. John Leeds's, in your County, which were lodged there about thirty years ago, we request your inquiry into the matter; and if you find it true, that you will take them under your care, and send them to the Council of Safety in this city by the first safe conveyance. We are, &.c.

To the Committee of Observation for Talbot County.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAINS KENT AND HENRY.

GENTLEMEN: The regard and zeal which you and the companies under your command have manifested in the publick cause, in so readily complying with the resolve of the Convention, and expeditiously marching to the assistance of our friends and neighbours of Virginia, give us real satisfaction, and convince us, that as the nature of the service requires it, the same spirit will induce you and your companies to continue in it for the time mentioned by the Convention, although by the terms of the inlistment they were obliged only to serve till the first of March; this, we assure you, we sincerely wish, and it is likewise our desire and opinion that you continue to keep your men in a body till they return to, and reach their respective Counties, to which time they are to continue in pay.

As it may be convenient and necessary for you, after your men have been one month in service, to draw for their pay, we hereby authorize you to do it, on the Treasurer of the Eastern-Shore, to whom we shall send directions to pay your orders.

We are persuaded you will think, with us, that as you go as auxiliaries, it will be proper and necessary that you act under the directions and orders of the officer of the Colony of Virginia, having the command in the places where you shall be stationed; but, in case there should not be an officer appointed for that purpose, and there should be a necessity for the two companies acting together, it is then our opinion that Captain Kent should take the command of both companies, and, also, of that of Dorchester County, if that company should, as we are not without hopes it will, march down as directed.

Should any thing occur to you that may be further necessary for your companies, on the service in which they are engaged, you will be pleased to acquaint us with it as soon as you can, and all proper attention shall be given to what you may desire. We are, &c.

To Captains Kent and Henry, of the Minute Companies, in Virginia.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO WILLIAM HINDMAN.

SIR: We have given a power to the Captains Kent and Henry, now in Virginia, as soon as the companies under their command have been one month in the service, to draw for their pay. We desire you will, on their orders being delivered to you, immediately comply with them.

As it may be necessary for the publick service to have the enclosed letter to them delivered with all possible despatch, we request you will send off some trusty person with it, as soon as you can, and charge the publick with the expense of the messenger. We are, &c.

To William Hindman, Esq., Treasurer of the Eastern-Shore.

COLONEL SMALLWOOD TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Woodyard, February 14, 1776.

DEAR SIR: In my way down, called on Mr. West and viewed his gun-locks, some of which are tolerable good, but not equal to the English musket-locks; those at seven shillings and six pence are good at the price, and might answer the Militia. At this critical time, I think it would be well to engage the whole, as they are a very scarce article.

Knives will be much wanting in the . . . . . . . . . . purchased out of their pay, or allowed by Council, &c. He has two hundred and thirty-one cutters, which you will judge of the expediency of taking.

I am, with much regard, sir, your very obedient, humble servant,

W. SMALLWOOD.

To the Honourable Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, President of the Council of Safety.

THOUGHTS ON GOVERNMENT, IN A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN TO HIS FRIEND.*

MY DEAR SIR: If I was equal to the task of forming a plan for the government of a Colony, I should be flattered with your request, and very happy to comply with it; because, as the divine science of politicks is the science of social happiness, and the blessings of society depend entirely on the constitutions of Government, which are generally institutions that last for many generations, there can be no employment more agreeable to a benevolent mind than a research after the best.

Pope flattered tyrants too much when he said,

"For forms of Government let fools contest,

That which is best administered is best."

Nothing can be more fallacious than this. But poets read history to collect flowers, not fruits; they attend to fanciful images, not the effects of social institutions. Nothing is more certain from the history of nations, and nature of man, than that some forms of Government are better fitted for being well administered than others.

We ought to consider what is the end of Government, before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree, that the happiness of society is the end of Government, as all divines and moral philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man. From this principle it will follow, that the form of Government which communicates ease, comfort, security, or, in one word, happiness, to the greatest number of persons, and in the greatest degree, is the best.

All sober inquirers after truth, ancient and modern, Pagan and Christian, have declared that the happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue. Confucius, Zoroaster, Socrates, Mahomet, not to mention authorities really sacred, have agreed in this.

If there is a form of Government, then, whose principle

*QUINCY, July 21, 1811.—In the Winter of 1776, there was much discussion in Congress, concerning the necessity of independence, and advising the several States lo institute Governments for themselves, under the immediate authority and original power of the people. Great difficulties occurred to many gentleman, in making a transition from the old Governments to new; i. e. from the Royal to Republican Governments.

In January, 1776, Mr. George Wythe, of Virginia, passing an evening with me, asked what plan I would advise a Colony lo pursue, in order to get out of the old Government and into a new one. I sketched in words a scheme, which he requested mo to give in writing. Accordingly, the next day I delivered to him the following letter. He lent it to his colleague, Richard Henry Lee, who asked me to lot him print it, to which I consented, provided he would suppress my name; for, if that should appear, it would excite a Continental clamour among the Tories, that I was erecting a battering ram to demolish the Royal Government and render independence indispensable.—[John Adams.]