_________________________________________________________________ 1Cf., page 109. His name appears as "Morton" in Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts, vol. v. He was deputy secretary under Adams. TO JOSEPH HAWLEY. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.] PHILADE July 9 1776-- MY DEAR SIR/ I should sooner have acknowledgd the Receipt of your Letters dated at Northampton & Springfield the 17th and 22d of May, had I not expected that before this Time I should have had the pleasure of seeing and conversing with you--but Business here has been so pressing and important, that I have not thought it consistent with my Duty as yet to absent myself. Our repeated Misfortunes in Canada have greatly chagrind every Man who wishes well to America. I dare not at present communicate to you what I take to have been the real Causes of these Disasters. Some of them indeed must be obvious to any Man who has been attentive to that Department. Our secret Enemies have found Means to sow the Seeds of Discord & Faction there and Heaven has sufferd the small Pox to prevail among our Troops. It is our Duty to try all Means to restore our Affairs to a good Footing but I despair of that being effected till next Winter. To be acting merely on the defensive at the Time when we should have been in full possession of that Country is mortifying indeed. The Subject is disgusting to me. I will dismiss it. How[e] is arrivd, as you have heard, with his Troops at New York. The People in this Colony & the Jerseys are in Motion and if the New England Militia joyn our Army with their usual Alertness & Spirit, I have no doubt but the Enemy will meet with a warm Reception. A few days may probably bring on Event which will give a favorable Turn to our Affairs. The Congress has at length declared the Colonies free and independent States. Upon this I congratulate you for I know your heart has long been set upon it. Much I am affraid has been lost by delaying to take this decisive Step. It is my opinion that if it had been done Nine months ago we might have been justified in the Sight of God and Man, three Months ago.1 If we had done it then, in my opinion Canada would [by] this time have been one of the united Colonies; but "Much is to be endurd for the hardness of Mens hearts." We shall now see the Way clear to form a Confederation, contract Alliances & send Embassadors to foreign Powers & do other Acts becoming the Character we have assumd. Adieu my Friend. Write to me soon. _________________________________________________________________ 1The first thirteen words of this sentence are crossed out in the draft. TO RICHARD HENRY LEE. [MS., American Philosophical Society; a draft is in the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library; and a text is in R. H. Lee, Life of R. H. Lee, vol. i., pp. 182-184.] PHILADA July 15 1776 MY DEAR SIR