Instance is not limitted in these States, I cannot see how it can be fixed at a certain Rate in New England without Danger of injuring the Importer, or altogether preventing the necessary Supply of Bread. The Committees of the middle States I am told are now met, and if they should agree to regulate the Prices of their produce it may put it in the power of our Gen Assembly to fix them at such Rates as to enable the Merchants to supply the Town without Loss to themselves. I observe what you have written concerning the Supply of the Army with your Mannufacture. Such Matters are out of my Line, but you may assure your self I shall endeavor to promote your Interest as far as it may be in my Power, for I am, Your unfeigned Friend, TO MRS. ADAMS. [MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.] PHILADA April 1st 1777 MY DEAR BETSY I wrote to you the Week before last by the Post and since by a Mr Vose of Boston. I wish to hear of your having receivd both those Letters, especially the last for a Reason which must be obvious to you if you have seen its Contents. We have receivd the important Intelligence from New Hampshire of the Arrival of a Vessel from France with near twelve thousand Stands of Arms and a great Quantity of Powder &c. I congratulate my Country on the occasion. By this Vessel I have a Letter from my much esteemed Friend A. L. I will recite to you some Passages in his Letter because I recollect with how much Pleasure you used to read those which I formerly receivd from him, and because I think the Spirit with which he writes and the intelligence containd in his Letter, will afford Satisfaction to you and the Circle of our Friends. "It is certain, says he, that the Peace of Europe hangs upon a Cobweb. It is certain that, Portugal & Russia excepted, all Europe wishes us Success. The Ports of France, Spain and the Mediterranean are open to us on the Terms of Neutrality. We have already receivd a Benevolence in this Country, which Will enable us to Expedite and augment the Stores necessary for your Defence." The Benevolence he refers to, is a voluntary Loan of a Sum of Money in France, without Interest, and to be paid as soon as it can conveniently be done after a Peace shall be establishd. You may now remember what I wrote you from Baltimore in December last. I think we shall soon reap the happy Fruits of the Determinations of Congress at that time. My Friend tells me "It is with Pleasure he revives a Correspondence which the particular Situation of Affairs has so long interrupted." His Letter is dated in Paris the 21st of January. I had before written to him on the 2d of the same Month, being then fully satisfied that mine, if no ill Accident happend, would find him in that Place. I then observd to him that our Country had called him to act in a more enlarged Sphere. He soon after informs me that he had "obeyed the Call of Congress into THE IMMEDIATE SERVICE of our Country." What this Service is our Friends will conjecture.