it is now too much the reverse. I know very well you cannot avoid it sometimes and I shall always pay attention to them when you do recommend, hitherto I have got all of them Appointments but really they are flocking over in such Numbers from every Port and by every Ship that I don't know what we shall do with them (all this in Confidence) and when you recommend any of them to the Secret Committee of Correspondence dont put those letters under my Cover but give them directed to the Committee or else they fasten on me at once in this way each Member will have his Chance for the Trouble.2. . .

My dear Sir,

361. JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN.1

BALTIMORE, Feb. 17, 1777

I have the melancholly Prospect before me of a Congress continually changing, untill very few Faces remain, that I saw in the first Congress. Not one from South Carolina, not one from North Carolina, only one from Virginia, only two from Maryland, not one from Pennsylvania, Not one from New Jersey, not one from New York, only one from Connecticutt, not one from Rhode Island, not one from New Hampshire, only one, at present, from the Massachusetts. Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Sherman, and Coll. Richard Henry Lee, Mr. Chase and Mr. Paca, are all that remain. The rest are dead, resigned, deserted or cutt up into Governors, etc. at home.2.

Congress have this day voted to return to Philadelphia tomorrow Week.

362. JOHN HANCOCK TO ROBERT MORRIS.1

BALTIMORE Febry 18, 1777

My Dear Sir Yesterday I rec'd Directions from Congress, to Adjourn on Tuesday next, 25th inst, from the Town of Baltimore to the City of Philadelphia, this I dare Say will afford you pleasure, and I am to Request that immediately on Receipt of this you will please to issue orders to Mr. Hiltsheimer for four good cover'd Waggons, with four good Horses and a Sober Driver to each, to be Sent to me, with all possible Dispatch to Convey Down to Philada the Public Papers etc. do let them be well Chosen and I beg your immediate attention to this.2. I Judge I shall be in Philada by Saturday week. God bless you.

.

2 See no. 136, ante; also the Journals, Mar. 13, 14, 19, and nos. 407, 410, 418, post. [361]1 Warren-Adams Letters, I. 293.

2 There is further comment on the new state governments and new delegations. [362] Copied from the original then in possession of Mr. Stan. V. Henkels of Philadelphia; Henkels, Catalogue, no. 1183, item 9.

2 In a letter written later the same day Hancock says: "Pray do hurry on the waggons I wrote you for this morg. I cannot move without them, nor can Thompsonfour will be enough-do let them be good and well Cover'd, with good horses and drivers." N. Y. Hist. Soc., Collections: Revolutionary Papers, I. 419; copy, from the original, in possession of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The removal to Philadelphia was a few days later suspended. See the Journals, Feb. 25, and nos. 377, 382-384, post. Cf. nos. 344, note 2, 359, note 10, ante.

363. FRANCIS LEWIS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK

Dear Sir

CONVENTION (ABRAHAM TEN BROECK).1

BALTIMORE 18 Febry. 1777

I have repeatedly wrote pressing letters backed by resolves of Congress for a full representation of our State, but have as yet not been honoured with an answer. Permit me still to remind you that in my opinion our State may suffer for the want thereof. for Instance, the General has recommended to Congress the promotion of three Majors Generals from Brigadiers, and Ten Brigadiers from Colonels, and has given in a list of some persons as a hint to Congress; the mode and persons has occasion'd many days debate, and is this day to be brought on again, and notwithstanding many declarations to the contrary, Colonial prejudices sway the minds of individuals, that each state appear interested in the debates, for promotion in the line of their respective State [s]3 from this Sir you may judge how the State of New York is circumstanced, having no vote in this, and many other weighty points, and which I hope the Honble Convention will speedily rectify. . . .

I am also to informe you that Congress have appointed the 25th. Instant for the day on which they will adjourn to the City of Philadelphia,* so that the Delegates you shall send to Congress may meet them there.

364. THOMAS BURKE, ABSTRACT OF DEBATES.1

Feb. 12th to 19th 1777.

Several days of this week were consumed in debates on the appointment of General Officers.2 The debates were perplexed, inconclusive and irksome. The Delegates of several States were desirous of fixing a rule of promotion, and several were offered and rejected. Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina desired that each State should recommend officers in proportion to the men they furnish: three Battalions, one Brigadier, nine [battalions], one Major General. This was rejected. It was then proposed to promote General Officers as they stood in rank, and rejected. To all the rules a saving was added, that the Congress might deviate from any, in favour of merit eminently distinguished and generally acknowledged.

North Carolina argued that some rule should be observed, and entered on the Journals. That the Congress would be an object of very jealous

[363] N. Y. State Lib., Revolutionary Papers, VIII. 367; Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., II. 358. 2 See nos. 268, 292, 329, 330, ante; also no. 402, post.

3 See the Journals, Feb. 7, 18-21, and nos. 364, 365, 372, 376, 392, 419, 599, post. Cf. no. 327, ante.

See nos. 359, 362, ante. Congress are about return to Philadelphia. I believe they will adjourn thither next week." Whipple to Langdon, Feb. 18, Force Transcripts, Whipple, p. 285. The resolve had already passed the preceding day. The date given to Whipple's letter may however be an error.

[364] N. C. State Recs., XI. 380.

2 See no. 363, note 3, ante; also Gouverneur Morris to Washington, May 27, 1778, in the next volume of these Letters.

apprehension, unchecked and unlimited as it is, if the officers of the army held their honor at the precarious pleasure of a majority. Officers hold their honor the most dear of anything. Setting them aside when they were entitled to promotion would wound that honor very sorely. Their attention would therefore be entirely to that authority which had so much power to wound it, or to cherish it. This policy was always observed by monarchs, and the end was to keep the army dependent on them: but such policy was unbecoming in Congress, who ought to give no room for jealousy. The rule of succession is most familiar to officers, and therefore most agreeable to them; but the proportion would give greatest satisfaction to the States, and the satisfying them was of greatest importance and ought to be adopted.

At length it was proposed to resolve, that regard be had to the rank, to the quota, and to merit. It was agreed to, but no notice was taken of it in the nomination or appointments. N. Carolina did not vote for Major Generals; because the delegate found, no rule was observed, and he knew nothing of the merit of any officers in nomination, and did not choose to give a vote in Congress, for which he could give no reason.

365. BENJAMIN RUSH, DIARY.1

Feby 19 1777

Upon the question for referring the appointment of three major generals to the general officers of the army 2 it was said in the negative Dr Rush

I have heard the congress more than once called a republic. I love to realize the idea, and I hope it will inspire us with the virtuous principles of republican goverments. One of the most powerful and happy commonwealths in the world Rome called her general officers from the plough and paid no regard to rank, service or seniority. We have of late been successful it is true, but I despair of our country being saved 'till the instrumentality of military wisdom and virtue are employed for that purpose, and these can never be had 'till we use a soverign power in calling them forth where ever we find them. It is to no purpose to talk of the practice of despotic princes. They promote acording to seniority it is true, but they possess an absolute power of recalling, disgracing, or breaking their general Officers as soon as they make them, and we find they are fond of exerc[is]ing this power upon the least neglect, inattention, or want of Success. The case is different with us. A general may loose a battle or a province, and we possess no power to recall or to displace him. If the motion is passed I shall move immediately afterwards that all the civil power of the continent may be transferred from our hands into the hands of the army, and that they may be proclaimed the highest power of the people.

[365] Library Company of Philadelphia, Ridgway Branch, Rush MSS. 2 See no. 363, note 3, ante.

Dr Wetherspoon.

Mr President, I am against the motion. It will produce faction, and disputes among your generals. I once left the honors of the college over which I preside to the choice of the senior class, But it produced so much confusion and ill blood, that I was obliged to resume that power again, and have since excercised to the satisfaction of my pupils as well as my

own.

Col Richd Henry Lee.

I wish the learned Doctor would distinguish between the practice of children and men. Our generals would certainly make a judicious choice, and would not be governed by the principles which actuate boys at schools. Mr. John Adams.

Mr President, I differ from the gentleman who spoke last. There are certain principles which follow us thro' life, and none more certainly than the love of the first place. We see it in the forms on which Children sit at Schools. It prevails equally to the last period of life. I am sorry to find it prevails so little in this Assembly. I have been distressed to see some members of this house disposed to idolise an image which thier own hands have molten. I speak here of the superstitious veneration that is sometimes paid to Genl Washington. Altho' I honour him for his good qualities, yet in this house I feel myself his Superior. In private life I shall always acknowledge that he is mine. It becomes us to attend early to the restraining our army. This we shall find the next difficult thing to prevent: the depreciation of our money. I have no fears from the resignation of Officers if junior Officers are preferred to them. If they have virtue they will continue with us. If not, thier resignation will not hurt us.*

366. BENJAMIN RUSH, DIARY.1

[February 20, 1777.]

Congress received a letter Feby 20th 1777 from Genl Lee a prisoner in New York (written by permission of Lord and general Howe) requesting a conference with two or three members of congress upon matters of the last importance to himself, and his opinion to Ameri[c]a. upon which it was said by

Dr Rush.

Mr President, In considering of the propriety of this request it becomes us I to attend to the present situation of the Court of Britain, 2ly to the conduct and charecters of Lord and general Howe, and 3 to the conduct, and charrecter of general Lee. I The court of Britain is alarmed with the fear of a french war. They wish to terminate the present war in america by a negociation as well as by the sword. They have no terms to

8 Adams's remarks to this point are quoted by Rush in his Memorial, p. 104. 4 Cf. no. 372. post.

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

offer us. They mean only to deceive and divide us. 2 Lord and genl Howe were chosen as fit instruments for seducing and deceiving the colonies. They have practised many Arts for that purpose. Witness the conference they extorted from the congress thro' Genl Sullivan last summer. They have been told by the reinforcement of tories that lately joined them its effect upon the people of America, and they expect thro' a better instrument (Genl Lee) to produce greater and worse effects by a conference with the members of congress set on foot at their request by the general. 3 General Lee with all his great qualities possesses the weakness of being easily imposed upon. His charecters of men are dictated by caprice or passion. I have seldom known him give a true charecter of any man. He is fond of negociations and conferences. He tried to bring about an interview with Genl Burgoyne at Cambridge for that purpose. He urged a second interview with Lord Howe last summer. I beleive Genl Lee to be honest and sincerely attached to our cause, but some people suppose he threw himself in the way of being taken prisoner. Considering all these things I maintain that a compliance with the general request would be impolitic, and highly dangerous to the union and safety of the united States.

Mr. Jno Adams.

Mr President, I am against the proposed conference. It will do mischief. The last conference with Lord Howe did no good. The Whigs were alarmed with it, and the tories complained that the reason why it did not end in a negociation was because improper men were sent, and because the congress did not relax eno' from its dignity. I admire Genl Lee for his military talents, but he possesses an unbounded Share of Vanity. This Vanity led him to correspond with Genl Burgoyne, and induced him to propose himself as one of a committee to confer with Lord Howe. His Lordship has no terms to offer us. The kings Speech is decisive against us. It lets loose all the dogs of war and corruption upon us, But it carries a remedy to its terrors along with it. it holds out the probability of a war wth. France.

Mr Chase.

I am against the conference, but I move for the publication of Genl Lee's letter to the congress in order to satisfy our constituents who have heard that it contains propositions of peace.

Mr. Middleton.

I am against the conference for the reasons that have been given. Lord Howe has made use of Genl. Lee as a decoy duck to take in the colonies. I am against the publication of the General ['s] letter to the congress, Unless you publish with it his letter to Genl Washington in which he requests the company of his Aiddecamp and his dogs.

Col Harrison.

I suspect Lord and General Howe have offered Genl Lee his life on condition of his bringing About this conference which is designed to

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