Mercy Otis Warren: Selected Letters

24. To James Warren, January [20], 1776

January 10 1776 Sir, My Anxiety for the Daughter of a brother who has not only stood high on the Affection & Esteem of his Friends, but was Early Distinguished for his generous Exertions in the Cause of his injured[?] Country by the Enemies of America & the Malignant Foes of Every Individual who Asserted her Rights, induces me to Ask the Favour of you to convey the Enclosed Letter into Boston & be kind Enough to let me know its success. Perhaps a Weak Infatuated Woman who has heretofore Brought innumerable Dificulties upon her own Family May still Detain this lovly Girl till they are all involved in one Common Ruin.1 But if she complys, your Humanity will lead you to pay some Attention to the safety of the Child till she can be conveyed to Plimouth & the same principle in your Breast Makes it Needless to Appoligize for giving you this trouble. But if from the Circumstances of the times you think There is an impropriety in making the Attempt you will postpone it to some more Convenient season. I am sir with Much Esteem your obliged friend & humble servant, M Warren jtp3, rc 1. mow refers to one of the daughters of jo2, most likely Elizabeth, who eventually married a British officer. The “Weak Infatuated Woman” probably means Ruth Cunningham Otis, jo2s wife, a person much disliked by mow and the other Otises. 24 to james warren [While the first hostile actions of the Revolution took place in Massachusetts, an expeditionary force, under the direction of General Richard Montgomery, made its way to Canada with the hope of seizing Quebec and thereby securing the northern frontier. The British badly defeated the Americans there and killed Montgomery among others on December 31, 1775. Once word reached Plymouth, mow decided to reach out to the war 62
to james warren, january 1776 widow, Janet Livingston Montgomery, sister to Chancellor Robert Livingston of New York, an important figure in the politics of New York State. The letters that follow include a cover letter written to jw and the Letterbook draft of a letter written to Janet Montgomery (which jw forwarded to her). Further exchanges with Janet and with her sister, Catherine Livingston, followed over the next two decades.] Jan [20] 1776 Compassion is all we can offer to the Distressed & Commiseration is at all times due to our fellow Men under the common misfortunes of Life but when others are Rendered unhappy by their Interests being Closly Interwoven with ours[?] the obligation is Enl—[?]. This Consideration Induces me to think it A Duty to Endeavour to console the Bleeding Breast of a Widow, Robed of the Companion of her life in supporting the Common Cause of America. Yet I am not certain I should have Attempted this friendly office had it not been proposed & urged by my Good Neighbour & friend mrs. L——p,1 but I have only two objections in my mind: the one Least you should [??] me for my scribling humours[?]; the other from Difidence whither I could Execute the Attempt in a manner pleasing to the Eye of A stranger[?]. If you think the Last is done when you peruse the inclosed & will be very moderate in the first I shall be obliged if you will seal & Direct & by some safe hand transit to mrs Montgomery, who if she has the same tender feelings with your Marcia2 will think herself obliged for this Billet of Condolence. Mr Adams mr Lothrop or some of your Acquaintance will Readily take Charge of it. I thought it not improper just to name mr Otis in the manner I did as I have heard him speak of Dining frequently at judge Livingstons & I believe this very Lady was the very agreable miss Livingston dressed in the Manufactures of America to Entertain the Congress at her brothers table when they met at N York 1775.3 I am quite Impatient [??] nor hear so seldom from you Not one Word since the 17th . I know tis for want of opportunities. [no signature] mwp2, draft to james warren, january 1776
63 1. Ellen Lothrop. 2. Marcia, like aa’s Portia, was a Romanized pen name she used in correspondence with her husband and the Adamses. Rosemarie Zagarri suggests mow borrows it from the wife of the Roman orator Hortensius, without further comment. See A Woman’s Dilemma: Mercy Otis Warren and the American Revolution (Wheeling, Ill.: Harlan...