[Extract]
My Dear Sir/

Your much Esteemd favor of the 20^th Ulti^o.1 is now before me, . . .
As I am happy in agreeing with you in opinion in general I should be exceeding Glad if there was a coincidence in our sentiments respecting Privateering. I agree with you that the privateers have much distressed the trade of our Enemies, but had there been no privateers, is it not probable there wo^d have been a much larger number of Public ships, then has been fitted out? which might have distressed the Enemy nearly as much & furnished these states with necessaries on much better terms then they have been supplied by Privateers,—however I will not contend with you about the advantages or disadvantages that have been the consequence of that business, all I wish to convince you of is, that it is now attended with the most pernicious Consequences, which there wo^d be no need of my undertaking, if you were only to pass three months in this, or any other town where the spirit for Privateering rages with such violence as it does here,—no kind of Business can so effectually introduce Luxury, Extravagance, & every kind of Dissipation, that tend to the destruction of the Morals of people, those who are actually ingaged in it soon loose every Idea of right, & wrong, & for want of an opportunity of gratifying their insatiable avarice with the property of the Enemies of their Country will without the least compunction seize that of her Friends, thus far I am sure you wo^d agree with me had you the opportunity before mentiond of making your observations but perhaps you may say, these are evils attendent on this business, to society in General. I will allow that to be the case, but then it must be allowed they will operate with more violence in this Country in its present unsettled state then in a Country where all the Powers of Government can be vigorously exercised.—but besides these there are many other mischiefs that attend this business peculiar to these states in our present circumstances.—Some of the towns in this state have been obliged to give 400 Doll^s: Bounty (⅌ Man) to men to serve 3 or 4 months at Road Island² exclusive of whats allowed by the state[.] this is wholly owing to privateering—The Farmers cannot hire a laborer for less than 30 or 40 Dol^s: P^r month and in the Neighbourhood of this town 3 or 4 Dol^s ⅌ day & very difficult to be had at that, this naturally rises the price of Provision Indian Corn is not to be purcased under 6 Doll^s: p^r Bushel.—there is at this time 5 Privateers fitting out here which I suppose will take 400 men these must be by far the Greater part Country men, for the seamen are chiefly gone & most of them in Hallifax Goal.—³ besides all this You may depend, no public ship will ever be maned while there is a privateer fitting out,—the reason is plain,—those people who have the most influence with seamen think it their interest to discourage the Public service because by that, they promote their own interst, viz. Privateering, in order to do this effectually, every Officer in the public service (I mean in the navy) is treated with general contempt a man of any feeling cannot bear this, he therefore to avoid those indigneties quits the service & is immediately Courted to go a Privateering & highly caressed, by this means all the Officers that are worth imploying will quit the service, and you'll have the navy (if you think it worth while to keep up that show) Officered by Tinkers, Shoemakers & Horse-Jockeys,—and no Gent^n: worth employing will except a Commission—this you may depend will soon be the case unless Privateering is discouraged and the Business of the Marine in this department more attended too & conducted with more regularity, in short it would be much better to set fire to the ships now in port then pretend to fit them for sea, for as matters now are (if I am right ly informed & my author[i]ty is very good;) the public are at an amaizing Expence to procure men for privateers, for if they (the public Ships) get two men, one day, they are sure to loose four, the next, who take care to carry off with them the advanced pay &c—I think I have given you a long Chapter on Privateering, much longer then I intended when I began; I have said the more on the subject as it is the last time I shall trouble you with my sentiments of that business.—and as I have got to the end of the sheet shall conclude this long scrawl with my best wishes for Your Health & Happiness & with the fullest assurance that I am Your very affec^te. Friend &c