[Extract]

The letter you did me the honor of writing me dated October 19th ー came to hand but a few days past ー the notice taken of me by the Committee of Congress appointed to collect an account of hostilities &c. I own myself indebted to you for, and you may be assured that I shall do every thing in my power to forward that business: A Committee of both Houses of which I am one has been appointed in consequence of the Committee of Congress[es] letter being laid before them, and a circular letter is to be forwarded to the Selectmen & Committees of Correspondence in the several towns where hostilities have been committed, that we may be able to furnish your Committee, with a collected account of the damages sustained in those towns.

Is a sea coast of above 2000 Miles extent from whence two hundred sail of Privateers might this winter by the way of foreign ports at least, be launched out upon the British trade, still [to] be held in a state of neutrality under a notion that we are opposing Ministry & not the People of Britain, while our enemies are employing the whole force of the Nation to plunder and ruin us ー If the Congress remain silent on this head, will they take it amiss if a Colony, the first in suffering as well as exertions, should grant letters of Reprisal to those Persons only who have had their property seized & destroyed by the Enemy. I some time ago ventured a prophesy, that it would not be long before we realized our importance as a Maritim power, and the success attending our first Naval enterprises, are very encouraging presages of what is yet to come ー but if weak nerves and large estates should opperate to the preventing the whole force of the Colonies being exerted against the common enemy, the issue of so unequal & unheard of a war, may be easily augur'd.