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the War. An application from the State of Masstts, accompanied with information that Connecticut and Rhode Island were pursuing similar and equally improper means to compleat their levies, finding that these States urged as an excuse for their extraordinary bounties, the insurmountable difficulties which they met with in recruiting Men during the War, suggesting that Soldiers complained of such an engagement as a contract for perpetual servitude; The Cont. Congress thought proper to relax and shorten the terms of Enlistment, agreeable to the Resolve which I send you herewith and which the above will fully explain.* .

211. WILLIAM HOOPER TO JOSEPH HEWES.1

My dear Hewes

[November 16(?), 1776.]2

Accompanying this and inclosed in a letter to our Convention I send a Resolve of Congress, from which you will learn that the Congress have consented that whatever militia we may embody as far as 5000 are to be at the Continental Expence. If General Moore has begun works at the mouth of Cape fear river, His situation is perhaps as convenient where he is as elsewhere but should the Convention think proper to move him farther Southward the Militia will supply his place and compleat what he has begun. Would you believe it and yet what can surprize you upon that Score, G-y this day moved for leave to enlarge the bounty of the Masstts recruits. not satisfied with having been the occasion of altering the original plan of the new Army as devised by congress they are still attempting to have their hands deeper in our pockets, with a pretty excuse, that they would pay it themselves. Paltry subterfuge. Must it not have gone thro' the levies of all the states and the Continent pay it in the end. It met the opposition it deserved, and my blood still boils with a resentment that language will not find curses to express. I am wearied of Blood suckers. I care not how soon I am relieved from them.

Now for your own department. A House of rendezvous is opened. Biddle has all his Guns on board and by the latter end of this Week will be ready for Sea. The other Ships will be prepared as soon as possible and proceed upon business. The Congress have appointed Nixon and Wharton Commissioners to execute the order of the marine Committee and 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

5

* See the Journals, Nov. 12; also nos. 194, 197, 199, 201, ante, and nos. 211, 212,

213, 215, post.
[211] Furnished by the courtesy of Mr. James H. Manning of Albany.

2 The principal part of this letter was evidently written Saturday, Nov. 16; the latter part was probably written on a later day. It does not appear, for instance, that on the 16th the incorrectness of Searle's information had yet been discovered.

ante.

8 See no. 210, ante.

Elbridge Gerry. His motion is not recorded in the Journals. See nos. 197, 210,

5 John Nixon and John Wharton were appointed Nov. 13, Francis Hopkinson Nov. 18.

building more men of War and some of large force. Shall I undertake one for North Carolina?. . . .

I refer you to the Newspapers for Genl. Washingtons and 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 Sandyhook for this City["]—the people at first believed and 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 and Tories excepted declared their readiness to turn out as soon as matters were ascertained.'. . .

Pray hasten by every means in your power the recruiting Service amongst you we shall have difficulty enough this way to encounter. Urge the Convention to apply for Genl Washington for the Southern department if the Enemy go that Way. In my next I will tell you why or Rutledge will he leaves this on Thursday. You will judge this Scrawl is not for every body's perusal, but When Mr Johnston knows that 9 Colonies compose a Congress, that 9 only are here and I one of them, that every moment I am out of Congress belongs to Marine Treasury or Secret Committee, He will take this as you must a letter in Confidence and addressed to both of you. the time that this costs me is stolen from one duty to give to another.. . .

Believe me to be your's and your's Affectionately

WILL HOOPER

[P. S.] . . . . Your friends the portuguese have interdicted us from any Commerce with them and stiled us Rebels-for which they are a set of fools-What fine pickings amongst their Southern Cargoes as soon as we can justify a declaration of war against them that I hope and believe will be soon.

Sir,

212. WILLIAM ELLERY TO THE GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND (NICHOLAS COoke).1

PHILADELPHIA Novr. 16th. 1776.

By this Express you will probably receive a Resolve which Congress have been forced into by the additional Bounty and Pay which have

• See the Journals, Nov. 20.

7 See nos. 206, 208, 210, ante, and no. 212, post.

8 Cf. no. 215, post. The letter was brought to a conclusion here with "Yours affectionately", but not signed. The subscription and signature below are appended to a postscript on a separate sheet. There are two other additions after the signature.

* See the Journals, Dec. 23 and 30. News of this tenor had appeared in America as early as the preceding July. See Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., I. 659, 786, 1024, and the letter of the committee of secret correspondence to Silas Deane, Oct. 1, Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., II. 157. Cf. Beaumarchais to the committee, Sept. 15, Deane to Morris, Sept. 17, Carmichael to the committee, Nov. 2, and Franklin, Deane, and Lee to the Portuguese ambassador, Apr. 26, 1777, ibid., II. 146, 148, 184, 307, respectively. See also nos. 223, 252, post.

[212]1 R. I. Arch., Letters to the Governors, 1776, p. 106; Staples, R. I. in Cont. Cong.,

P. 99.

been offered by some of the New-England States, and the additional Bounty which hath been offered in One of them. This Measure is condemned by many Members of Congress, and by our General. It will they say necessitate the other States to do the same, which will greatly enhance the Continental Debt and Expense; or we must have an Army doing the same Services for different Rewards which would occasion Jealousies, Envyings and Discord among the Soldiers to the great Injury of the public Service. As We have only offered an Additional Bounty We are less culpable in the Estimation of those who condemn the Deviation from the Original Resolve than any of the Transgressors. It is now in the Option of Soldiers to inlist for Three years without the Grant of Land, or during the War with it. This Alternative, with the retiring of the Enemy will I hope answer the Purpose.2

Thursday last a gentleman of Credit in the Jersey informed Congress by Letter, that the preceding Morning he saw about 100 Sail of Ships standing out from the Hook to the Southward, with the Wind at North West. Yesterday he came to this City, and acquainted Congress that he saw the Fleet bear away, after he had wrote, and sail Eastward until they sunk below his Horizon. That they were headed by Two Frigates, and their Rear was guarded by a large Ship..

213. WILLIAM WHIPPLE TO JOSIAH BARTLETT.1

1

[PHILADELPHIA, November 16, 1776.]

2

A committee from the Massachusetts Gen'l Court arrived at the Camp about a fortnight ago to commission the officers etc. As that Gen'l Court had raised the pay of their soldiers 20/ per month, the General choose the matter should be layed before Congress before they proceeded to business, accordingly one of committee came here. this affair has perplexed Congress exceedingly, all the Southern States think the incouragement to the Soldiers much too great before and if this committee are permitted to follow their instructions the pay of the whole army must be raised. This by no means could be consented to. Congress have therefore revoked their Resolution for Inlisting the army during the war, and recommend the inlistment for three years only, as you'll see by the Resolution transmitted by the President. I Heartily wish this may have. the desired effect. I really think they (the Massachusetts) were very wrong in raising the monthly pay. if they supposed the encouragement given by Congress insufficient, why could they not have increased the Bounty, or have pursued some measure, that would not have effected the whole army? This affair has caus'd more perplexity and uneasiness than any thing that has happened in my time.

2 Cf. nos. 194, 197, 199, 201, 210, 211, ante, and nos. 213, 215, post. See also the resolve of Nov. 21.

8 See nos. 206, 208, 210, 211, ante. A passage in which Ellery speaks of the additional news in General Greene's letter of Nov. 12 is here omitted.

[213]1 Henkels, Catalogue, no. 698, item 53.

2 George Partridge. See nos. 194, 197, 201, ante.

See Whipple's earlier discussion of this affair, Nov. 8, no. 197, ante.

214. WILLIAM WHIPPLE TO JOHN LANGDON.1

My Dear Sir:

PHILADELPHIA, 16th Nov. 1776.

You have here inclosed the late Resolutions of Congress so far as they have gone respecting the navy. I hope for some further alterations, but you know things of this sort must be done by degrees; the incouragement now given to Officers and men in the Navy are in my Opinion, as great as they can possibly Expect, and I hope will be to their entire satisfaction.2.

Sir,

215. OLIVER WOLCOTT TO MATTHEW GRISWOLD.1

PHILADELPA, 18. Nov. 1776

The establishing the New Army is a Subject of the most interesting Nature, and I fear will be attended with much Dificulty, notwithstanding all the Encouragment offerd the Men for inlisting, the Service the People have been called to has been hard. They have suffered much for the Want of Many Things, and have been too much exposed to the Oppressions of Harpys who for Triffles have stript them of their Wages. These Evils I hope in future will in a good Measure be remedied, as the men are to be cloathed, and it is now the Deliberation of Congress how they shall be regularly and in the cheapest Manner supplyed in the suttling Way. and I hope also the Medical Department will undergo a Reform of Men at least, if not of Measures, that not so much Complaint which I fear has been too well grounded, may be heard respecting the Conduct of that Department, but after all that can be done I still fear that the int[er]esting Business will go on slowly, and sorry I am that the late Encouragment for that purpose was not earlier made. Congress apprehend this matter may become more embarrassed by what the Massachusetts have done in raising the pay, and which I now understand has been adopted by Connecticut. it is the opinion of Gentlemen here, and so of Genl. Washington and of all the other Genl. Officers, that no Army can subsist together under different continental pay, and also if the Massachusetts Plan had been adopted by Congress (and which would enhanch an Expence which it is tho't we are not well able to bear) they could not be certain that any other plan would take Effect, if particular States might at their pleasure offer Troops other pay. in a Word they say that such Conduct must immediately Subvert any continental Regulation for this

[214] Letters by Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, and Others, p. 55; Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., III. 705 (extract).

2 See the Journals, Oct. 10, 11, 30, Nov. 6, 7, 13, 18, 20. Cf. no. 196, ante. [215] Furnished by the courtesy of Mr. Wolcott G. Lane, of New York.

2 See, for instance, the Journals, Sept. 25, Oct. 9, 10, 16, 31, Dec. 1. Cf. nos. 182, ante, 233, post.

3 See section VIII. of the Articles of War, Sept. 20 (the Journals, p. 794), also the Journals, Nov. 8, 9. Cf. nos. 203, ante, 261, post.

The allusion is probably to the quarrel, at this time brewing, between Dr. Morgan and Dr. Shippen. See their correspondence with Congress, Washington, and others, in Force, Am. Arch., passim, and the Journals, passim, especially Sept. 17, 25, Oct. 9, Nov. 26, 28, 29, Dec. 5.

purpose, and if therefore permitted it would be altogether ineffectual to make any Military Establishment whatsoever.

One of the Gentlemen of Massachusetts, appointed to assist in providing their Quota, was sent by Genl. Washington here before he entered on the Business of his appointment. You will perceive that the Measure adopted by Massachusetts has been reprobated by Congress, the Gentleman has gone back with this Errand to Genl. Washington where I understand the Gentlemen from Connecticut are upon this Business. I think it is Very unhappy that the Massachusetts took this step, without advice. R Island I understand has offered their Men a large additional Bounty which may be much less Mischeivous, as it is but a temporary business, and Wheither Connecticut will not be finally oblidged to take some such step I cannot say, tho' I know many Gentlemen here and I believe a considerable Majority will equally reprobate this Measure as the Other, and if it is done it must be certainly at the Colony's expence. Such a thing has been mentioned in Congress, but it gave many Gentlemen much Offence, as they Said that every Other State must be oblidged to do the like. I mention these Difficulties hoping that the Wisdom of the Colony will be able to obviate them, tho' to me they are too perplexing to point out any particular Way in which it can be done, but it is certain We must have an Army otherwise We shall be reduced to the most Unhappy Condition. A Lottery is agreed upon by Congress, that with the Loan Office may Effect something considerable to reduce the Currency, but yet I think something more extensive must Very shortly be adopted to establish the Finances." you will hear sooner than I can inform you that an offer is made to the Men to inlist for three years, with the same Encouragments as before exclusive of the Land Reward. At present the Congress are pritty thin. there have not been but nine Colonies represented in Congress since the first of this Month, which is the lowest Number necessary to make one. N York will this day be added, and Delaware and Maryland, who have been lately attending to the affairs of their Goverment will be here in a few days. Georgia Members are Waiting for New Powers which will be probably soon recd. At present there is none with me from Connecticut. Col Williams returned the 13th. int I expect Mr. Sherman here dayly.".

216. SAMUEL CHASE TO THE MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.1 PHILADELPHIA Nov. 19th 1776.

Gentlemen,

I arrived here yesday afternoon.

I have seen our Commissioners. Congress in answer to the three P[r]opositions from our State for Raising

5 Cf. nos. 194, 197, 199, 201, 210-213, ante.

The lottery was resolved upon Nov. 1. For further action, see index to the Journals. Concerning the loan office, see the Journals. Oct. 3, 7, Nov. 13, 15. A beginning was made toward formulating further plans on Dec. 5 and 6. Cf. no. 203, ante. 7 Cf. no. 211, ante.

8 See no. 240, post.

9 Cf. nos. 222, 244, 260, post.

[216]1 Md. Hist. Soc., Red Book, IV. 50; Arch. of Md., XII. 459; Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., III. 762.

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