The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-28
DIscoNrENT.
Revelations from Private Letters Written in Early Days of Republic

Written in Early Days of Repuoi1c Boston Transcript.
 Boston has always been an exposed point in times of war, not only because of its situation directly on the sea, put also because 1t has always been lead ing and distinguished city, plucky ana az xressive in National spirit To capture Boston would put a great humiliation on the country. As a matter of fact, for eign invader has never set foot in our streets since the British army Of oc- equation cooped up here after the battle of Bunker Hill by the Yankee com nandos, marched down to Long Wharf and took ship for Halifax, at the very beginning of the Revolution. But three years later. in the darkest middle or the Revolutionary War, one William Donni- son, writing to Dwight Foster at Provl- Hence, observed:
 we are not capable of carrying the war over the Atlantic, therefore, In that respect they have the advantage, their fleet commands our coasts and thereby accessible to their troops we are wholly exposed, and they in safety. This me tropolis may be taken at any time with three ships of the line and 5000 troops and. furthermore. the half of the people wish their coming!'
 { That Is a sad revelation of this old let-
 
 monthly bulletin, from the historical man. rscripts in the library's unpublished co., lection. We are apt to confuse the whole mass of citizenship. in the perspective of over hundred years, with the patriots: but it must always % remembered that the patriots were that class for the most part, for various wellafounded reasons, not considered the best of Boston society. The people with fiile houses and fu.ni- tLre and equipments were naturally sa'is- ned with things as they were. and indeed were very loath to see confusion preci- pitated by merely ethical or "sen1rnen- taP' or .'academic" considerations. ', An other. letter in this collection, written to Dwight Foster from New Jersey from Park of Artillery near Morristown," to be precise) dated a year later, pictures q frightful state of discontent among the Pennsylvania soldiers there, who con- tended that they were being kept beyond the term of enlistment Provisions were short, and, what was more ominous still the country round about was murmuring against the protraeted war and its d's- turbance of business and industries and longing for what this officer describes as . general pascifcation.-This however distant is most devoutly to be wished on cur part that some effectual remedies may be applied to the many disorders too apparent, Aronn the present ulSpoSltlon' or our People, in our Constitution. A con- siderable revolution must take place: The want of Public Virtue, or perhaps the oe- signs of the intriguing part of the Com munity, will make 1t inevitable.'
 Not even all the officers of Washing tons host were heroes as seen under the revelations of such private letters. Hero Is Capt Joshua Barney. writing from Bal timore in 17S9 six years after the peace, to MT. Robert Lewis, lat the Presidents of the U. s.. New York" He says he does not know how to turn himself. and if he does go anywhere in search of the where withal to support his family. 1t must be to join some power at war. and god knows l have had enough of that already-I do not complain of that dear, good man our