Letter written to your late Governor Henry which I affirm I never saw nor heard of till I lately met with it in reading the History1--This is a Digression to which a Man of my years is liable. Who will succeed the present President for it is the Lot of Man to die? Perhaps the next and the next may inherit his Virtues. But my Friend, I fear the Time will come, when a Bribe shall remove the most excellent Man from Office for the Purpose of making Room for the worst. It will be called an Error in Judgment. The Bribe will be concealed. It may however be vehemently suspected & who, in Times of great Degeneracy will venture to search out and detect the corrupt Practices of great Men? Unless a sufficient Check is provided and clearly ascertained for every Power given, will not the Constitution and the Liberties of the Citizens for want of such Checks be finally subverted. A Gentleman of this Place who has suffered much for his Attachment to our Cause I conceive has Documents in his Hands which would be of Importance in the Settlement of the Eastern Boundary of the United States which appears to have been encroached upon by the British. I wrote so long ago as last April to Mr Dalton respecting this Gentleman; but have never received an Answer. He I suppose is able to give you an Account of Mr Boyd the Name of the Gentleman referred to. I wish you would converse with Mr Dalton upon the Subject. The Vice President however is probably able, and undoubtedly disposed to give you the fullest Account. I am sincerely yours P. S. Pray write to me and let me know the State of your Health, & pay my affectionate Regards to your Brother the Doctor. 1 William Gordon, History of the American Revolution, (3rd Amer. edit.) vol. ii., p. 306. 1790 TO THE LEGISLATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS. MAY 28, 1790.1 [W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. in., pp. 288, 289; a text is in the Massachusetts Archives.] MR. PRESIDENT,-- Having been regularly informed that a majority of the late electors in the several towns and districts within this Commonwealth have honored me with their suffrages for the office of Lieutenant-Governor, I now present myself before the two branches of the General Court to be qualified as the Constitution directs. I do the more readily obey this repeated call, because I cannot help flattering myself that it has proceeded from a persuasion in the minds of my fellow-citizens of the attachment of my heart to their rights and liberties, and my earnest desires that they may be perpetuated. My fellow-citizens may be assured that I feel that attachment and the strength of those desires. The first of my wishes, as they respect this life, is for our country; and the best of my feeble abilities shall be ever employed for her prosperity.