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After some debate it was resolved by a majority of one State only not to put the Question. One State was accidentally unrepresented for a few minutes or it would have been carried in the Affirmative. The principal design of this letter is to request that you would urge the necessity of our returning to Philada in your next letter. By our Absence from Philada we not only depreciate the money there, but we likewise depreciate it by our residence here. The scarcity of Artificers, the want of sufficient number of boarding houses, the constant accession of Strangers who have business with the Congress and who create a fluctuation in the Quantity of provisions brought into the town have rendered the price of living, and transacting business of all kinds three times as high in this place as it is in many parts of the Continent, and Nearly twice as high as in Philadelphia. But there are other considerations which ought to influence us. Our return will have the same effect upon our politicks that General Washington's late successes have had upon our Arms. Its operation perhaps may not be confined to the Continent. It may serve our cause even in the Court of France."

Your letter produced another motion in Congress of greater consequence than the one just now mentioned, namely to raise the interest of money received into our loan Offices to 6 per Cent. It produced a very long, and serious debate. The question was postponed 'till Monday next at the request of Connecticut. There is good reason to believe from the part the several States took in the debate that it will be carried in the Affirmative by a majority of two or three States. Col. R. H. Lee has changed his mind upon this subject, and was one of the warmest Advocates for raising the interest upon the floor.3

We live here in a Convent, we converse only with one another. We are precluded from all opportunities of feeling the pulse of the public upon our measures. We rely upon the Committee of Philada to feel it for us, and we expect once more to hear thro' you how it beats upon the subject of returning to Philadelphia.

From Dr. Sir your Most humble Servt

BENJAMIN RUSH

345. THOMAS BURKE, ABSTRACT OF DEBATES.1

1777 Feb. 8th.

Motion for offering 6 per ct. in the Loan Office.2 For it, was agreed the necessity of money for carrying on the war, which four per cent had not yet procured, the expediency of borrowing on this interest to prevent further emissions, and of alluring moneyed men to embark in our interest. Against it.—that the public, being the only

2 The motion to adjourn to Philadelphia is not recorded in the Journals Feb. 8; see however the Journals, Feb. 17, 25, 27; also nos. 345, 347, 357, 359, 361-363, 368, 377, 378, 382-384, 387-389, 392, 393, post. Cf. nos. 282, 295, 304, 332, 340, ante.

3 See no. 326, note 8, ante. Cf. nos. 345, 346, 349, post.

[345] N. C. State Recs., XI. 389.

2 Another account by Burke of this debate is given under no. 346, post. See no. 326, note 8, ante; also nos. 349, 352, 357, 375, 382, 384, 385, post.

borrower, must get the money at the interest already offered, if there was any to be lent; that those who withheld money, only did it in hopes our necessity would compel us to give a higher interest, and that they would withhold it as long as they had any prospect of forcing us to offer higher interest; that the interest would be a heavy and unequal burthen on the State, because those who now possess the money would lay the rest under a heavy tax under the name of interest; that there was little money to be borrowed, because men speculated and found they could lay it out to better advantage; that the necessity for money made it more expedient to seek a more certain resource. The delegate of North Carolina could not be satisfied that Loan Office certificates, and bills of credit, where both had the same security for their redemption, were not in effect the same thing: he therefore thought Loan certificates another emission in bills of another denomination, with this unjust inequality, that one part of the community would thereby be taxed for the others. He also thought that much money would not be borrowed on them at any interest, unless it was for the more convenient purposes of exchange, and he thought it would give our enemies too convenient a machine for affecting our hopes and fears. He would vote against a Loan altogether if it were now the question, and the same reasons induced him to vote against the increase of interest. Question put, Aye 5, no 5. Aye,-New Hampshire, M. Bay, N. Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia. No.-Rhode Island, Connecticut, North Carolina, Georgia, S. Carolina.

2

346. THOMAS BURKE, ABSTRACT OF DEBATES.1

Feby 8th. An adjournment to Philadelphia was moved for and postponed A Resolve was moved for offering 6 pct. Interest in the Loan Office the Debate took up greatest part of the Day, and the determination was postponed at the request of Connecticut.

3

The Arguments chiefly were that money was absolutely Necessary for carrying on the War, that four per ct which was already offered could not procure it and it was therefore Necessary to Increase the Interest. that this mode was more eligeable than a farther Emission because it would draw out of Circulation that superfluous quantity which occasioned the Rise of all prices. that the alluring monied men to embark in one Common Interest with the other orders of men would greatly add to the Security of our Independence.

In answer it was urged that the Offering a higher Interest would not more certainly procure the money, for those who had it to lend would find no borrower but the public, and those who had not could not lend it on any Interest, that the Interest would be an Accumulating Debt (if it could be borrowed) under which the Country must Sink. that the States would be very unequally burthened because those who now possessed the greater part of the Money would lay the other States under a heavy Tax

[346]1 N. C. Hist. Soc., Chapel Hill.

2 See no. 344, note 2, ante.
3 See no. 345, ante.

to them under the name of Interest, that [when] there were in the Country no money Lenders [every] man found that every day's Occurrences [offered him] Opportunities of laying out his money to much greater advantage, that however Necessary the money might be it was still the more Necessary to fall on some Expedient that might procure it with certainty, that the Increase of Interest having been tried in many States without Effect very clearly proved money was not to be borrowed. North Carolina urged that it was a clear Truth that money was Necessary, it was equally clear that it was advisable to prevent further Emissions and to reduce the quantity in circulation if it was possible to Effect it. the Delegate declared that when he offered his thoughts before that Illustrious assembly he did it with the greatest Diffidence and deference that he should not trouble them with any on so abstruce and Intricate a Subject as the present, but that he perceived the matter had not Struck any other in the same point of View that it did him, that he felt himself Oppressed with the weight of the Question, and having the misfortune Singly to have the vote of one State to give he wished to do it on Established Principles, and the clearest conviction. he therefore beged their Indulgence and candor if he should offer objections which had been answered in some former Debates (for there had been many on that Subject) which he had not the Good fortune to Hear. he urged that he had not been able to derive any Satisfactory Information from the Debate that the money could be had by way of Loan on any Interest, or that money raised by way of Loan would not be a further Emission in Effect, that he perceived there were few or no money lenders in the Country, that Farmers and Gentlemen speculated, and reserved their [money] for purchases, and Merchants, always relyed on employing.

347. ABRAHAM CLARK TO THE SPEAKER OF THE NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY (JOHN HART).1

Dr Sir,

BALTIMORE Febry 8, 1777.

I lately heard the Assembly of New Jersey had met but cannot learn where 2 am therefore unable to give a proper direction. The four New England Colonies have had a meeting of Committees from their Legislatures to consult measures for their mutual defence and for regulating Trade and Commerce. Their proceedings are before Congress, and I expect will soon Obtain their Approbation, and recommendation will thereupon be sent to N. York, N. Jersey Pensa. and Maryland to appt. Comees to meet at Phila. for the purpose of regulating the Price of all Articles of Trade etc. the Southern States will also be desired to meet for that purpose. those matters if passed you will soon have notice of.3

[347] N. Y. Pub. Lib., Emmet Coll., no. 2862; N. J. Rev. Corr., p. 24; N. Y. Pub. Lib., Bulletin, vol. II., no. 7, p. 247.

2 See the postscript of this letter.

3 See no. 323, note 2, ante.

I am much alarmed with Genal Washington's Procl". of the 25th Janry. he hath assumed the Legislative and Executive powers of Government in all the states. I moved Congress to pass a Resolution I produced for preventing its fatal Consequences and the Establishing such a precedent. My motion was Comtd. and is now before the Come. I hope our Legislature will take proper Notice of it, whatever issue it may have in Congress, and not tamely Submit their Authority to the Controul of a power unknown in our Constitution; We set out to Oppose Tyranny in all its Strides, and I hope we shall persevere.

A Regulation for providing Carriages for the Army and to prevent as much as possible the Custom of impressing hath long been before Congress Comed, and recomed, and so it remains. I Wish you will not delay passing a Law for Regulating impresses of this kind. . . . . The Devastations of New Jersey by the Enemy will I think make it Necessary to prevent Cattle etc. running at large, as fences on the main road are mostly destroyed and cannot soon be made, and I think, no person ought to be compelled to fence agst. street Cattle at any Time. Mr. Sergeant talks of resigning and Mr. Stockton by his late proceedure cannot Act. I wish their places may be Supplied by such as will be reputable to New Jersey, not only by their integrity but Abilities.

The Tories in the two lower Counties of Maryland on the Eastern shore and Sussex on Delaware, are very troublesome and C[ollec]ting forces Aided by several Men of War in Delaware, but more Especially in Chesopeek Bay. The Militia and two Contin'. Regiments are marching Against them."

I expect Congress will soon remove from hence to Lancaster, tho' it is not yet determined. if that should happen I shall be greatly perplexed with the Chests. One Chief reason for removing is the Extravagant price of Living here, the poorest of board without any Liquor, a Dollar a day horse keeping 3/6 or 4/ Wine 12/ a bottle, Rum 30/ per Gall. and every

* See the Journals, Feb. 6, 27, and no. 397, post. Washington's proclamation of Jan. 25 is in Writings (ed. Sparks), IV. 297.

5 See the Journals, Oct. 2, 10, 1776, Jan. 11, 22, 30, Feb. 22, 1777.

6 See nos. 290, 291, ante. The allusion to Stockton's "late proceedure" is doubtless to a step taken during his imprisonment, the nature of which has been left in obscurity. From a statement made to the editor by the late Mr. William Nelson of Paterson, N. J., it is understood that he had at one time seen a document which revealed the nature of Stockton's act. Since the foregoing was put in type there has come to light a letter from John Witherspoon to his son, David Witherspoon, written from Philadelphia, Mar. 17, 1777, which casts additional light upon the case of Richard Stockton. The pertinent passage is as follows: "I was at Princeton from Saturday s'en night till Wednesday. Your uncle is well. Old Mr. Serjeant is dead of the Small Pox. Judge Stockton is not very well in health and much spoken against for his conduct. He signed Howe's Declaration and also gave his 'Word of Honour that he would not meddle in the least in American affairs during the War. Mrs. Cochran was sent to the Ennemies Lines by a Flag of truce, and when Mr. Cochran came out to meet his wife he said to the Officers that went with the Flag that Judge Stockton had brought evidence to General Howe to prove that he was on his Way to seek a protection when he was taken, this he denies to be true yet many credit it, but Mr. Cochran's known quarrel with him makes it very doubtful to candid persons." Catalogue, no. 5 (April, 1922) of the George D. Smith Estate (item 102).

7 See nos. 335, 341, ante, 443, 463, post.

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8" Lancaster perhaps written inadvertently for Philadelphia. Cf. nos. 344, note 2, 346, ante, 386, 396, post.

thing else in proportion and likely soon to rise. I am Dr Sir, with great Regard to your House,

John Hart Esqr:

Your Obedt. and Humb. Servt.

ABRA: CLARK

P. S. The Price of living I only gave you as a piece of intelligence and not to Opperate in our favour, as upon Recollection I feared you might look upon it as interested.

I pd. for bringing one Chest here £ 22: Msrs Scudder and Patterson Consenting. at Writing thus far I hear you are sitting at Haddonsfield.

348. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (JOHN HANCOCK) TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSEMBLY.1

Gentlemen,

BALTIMORE, Febru" 8th, 1777.

I have been honour'd with your favrs of Decemr 30th: and Janu3 13th: which I laid before the Congress. I hope before this the Honl. Council have rec'd my Letter of Janu3 10th: which they will find a full answer to yours of 30th Decemr. brought by Mr Throop, to which I beg leave to Refer you, and therefore need not Add anything more on that Subject.2 The Removal of Congress from Philada. and the consequent Stagnation of all Business for a Season, has Occasion'd the Delay in forwards the Money, so much wanted in our State. However by this Oppory Three hundred thousand Dollars is Sent to the Deputy Pay Master Gen'l. in Boston for the purpose of paying the Bounties and Defray the Expences of Raising the New Levies in the Eastern Departments subject to the Warrants of General Ward, to whom I write by this Oppor[tunit]y. One hundred thousand Dollars is also Sent to the State of Connecticut and One hundred thousand Dollars to the State of New Hampshire for the same purposes.

I am exceedingly sorry, that we have not untill now been able to comply with your Requisition, long since made for Money, in consequence of your Advances for the Service of the Continent..

349. BENJAMIN RUSH, DIARY.1

Feby. 10. on motion to raise the interest of money to 6 per cent for loan office tickets, it was said in the negative—

I That there was no other way of laying out money.

9 Cf. nos. 260, 262, 282, 295, ante.

[348] Mass. Arch., CXCVI. 197; Mass. Hist. Soc., Hancock Letter-Book, VI. 142; Library of Congress, Papers Cont. Cong., no. 58, pt. II., f. 137.

2 See the letter of Jan. 10, no. 301, ante. A letter of Jan. 13, from the Massachu

setts council, was received Jan. 28.

8 See the Journals, Jan. 10, 18, 20; cf. no. 326, ante. Hancock's letter to General Ward is in Henkels, Catalogue, no. 1297, item 507. The deputy paymaster-general was' Ebenezer Hancock.

[349] Library Company of Philadelphia, Ridgway Branch, Rush MSS.

2 The motion was made Feb. 8, but the discussion was continued on the 10th. See the Journals, p. 103, note 1. Cf. nos. 345, 346, ante. See nos. 326, note 8, 344-346, ante, 357, 375, 382, 384, 385, post.

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