[Philadelphia, November 16] 2
[Extract]
Now for your own department. A House of rendezvous is opened, Biddle has all his Guns on board & by the latter end of this Week will be ready for Sea 3 — The other Ships will be prepared as soon as possible and proceed upon business.4 The Congress have appointed [John] Nixon & [John] Wharton Commissioners to execute the orders of the marine Committee & compleat any Shipping begun or to be begun in Philadelphia, a third will next Week be named to assist them. Things go on swimmingly now in the marine Way — on Tuesday next We take up the propriety of building more men of War and some of larger force — Shall I undertake one for North Carolina? ...
I refer you to the newspapers for Genl W ashingtons & Howes Movements, the people here have been horridly frightened, The Council of Safety a set of water Gruel Sons of B——s told the people a damned Lie "that they had certain information that 100 Ships had left Sandy hook for this City ["] — the people at first believed & trembled, the tories grinned — Rumour trumpeted it for a day — Searle from Shrewsbury from whom the report originated was mistaken, the transports seen were empty bound for England, I can with pleasure however assure you that upon this alarm all ranks of people Quakers & Tories excepted declared their readiness to turn out as soon as matters were ascertained. . . .
[P. S.] Your friends the portuguese have interdicted us from any Commerce with them & stiled us Rebels — for which they are a set of fools — What fine picking amongst their Southern Cargoes a~ soon as we can justify a declaration of War against them — that I hope & believe will be soon