ca!" On June 17th he presided over the meeting at Faneuil Hall to
consider the Boston Port Bill, and at the same hour was elected
Representative to the first Congress at Philadelphia (September 1) by
the Provincial Assembly held in defiance of the government. Returning
thence, he engaged in newspaper debate on the political issues till the
battle of Lexington.

Shortly after, he again journeyed to Philadelphia to the Congress of May
5th, 1775; where he did on his own motion, to the disgust of his
Northern associates and the reluctance even of the Southerners, one of
the most important and decisive acts of the Revolution,--induced
Congress to adopt the forces in New England as a national army and put
George Washington of Virginia at its head, thus engaging the Southern
colonies irrevocably in the war and securing the one man who could make
it a success. In 1776 he was a chief agent in carrying a declaration of
independence. He remained in Congress till November, 1777, as head of
the War Department, very useful and laborious though making one dreadful
mistake: he was largely responsible for the disastrous policy of
ignoring the just claims and decent dignity of the military commanders,
which lost the country some of its best officers and led directly to
Arnold's treason. His reasons, exactly contrary to his wont, were good
abstract logic but thorough practical nonsense.

In December, 1777, he was appointed commissioner to France to succeed
Silas Deane, and after being chased by an English man-of-war (which he
wanted to fight) arrived at Paris in safety. There he reformed a very
bad state of affairs; but thinking it absurd to keep three envoys at one
court (Dr. Franklin and Arthur Lee were there before him), he induced
Congress to abolish his office, and returned in 1779. Chosen a delegate
to the Massachusetts constitutional convention, he was called away from
it to be sent again to France. There he remained as Franklin's
colleague, detesting and distrusting him and the French foreign
minister, Vergennes, embroiling himself with both and earning a cordial
return of his warmest dislike from both, till July, 1780. He then went
to Holland as volunteer minister, and in 1782 was formally recognized as
from an independent nation. Meantime Vergennes intrigued with all his
might to have Adams recalled, and actually succeeded in so tying his
hands that half the advantages of independence would have been lost but
for his contumacio