Journal of Congress, is now published, and shall be forwarded to Williamsburg by the first opportunity. This Volume reaches no further than the 30th of december 1775. As our duty directs, so our inclinations lead to an immediate compliance with the desires of the House of Delegates, but we apprehend insurmountable difficulty in getting the manuscript journal, because the many secret articles cannot be exposed to a Copier, and neither the Secretary or ourselves have time to do it. The Printer has hitherto been delayed for want of paper, but now that is obtained, we shall urge the publication of the remaining Journal, and send it to you Sir, with all the dispatch in our power.2 We have the honor to be with esteem and respect Sir Your most obedient servants RICHARD HENRY LEE P.S. We shall endeavor to prevail with the Post Rider to take the Vol of Journal with him this Trip. Sir 499. ROGER SHERMAN TO OLIVER WOLCOTT.1 PHILADELPHIA May 21: 1777 . . A committee is appointed to consider what Honors are due to the Memory of Genll. Wooster. there are different accounts of the day of his death. Some say Thursday others Friday and others Saturday I wish that could be ascertained, and that I could be informed of his age. Sir 500. THE MASSACHUSETTS DELEGATES TO THE SPEAKER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (JAMES WARREN).1 PHILADELPHIA, May 21st 1777 Mr. Gorham and Mr. Russel, Agents of the Town of Charlestown, have presented to Congress a Petition from the Unfortunate Inhabitants of that Place, praying for a Compensation for their Losses. The Petition was drawn in very decent and handsome Terms, containing a lively Descrip 2 May 9 the Virginia house of delegates had "Resolved, that the Speaker be desired to write to our delegates in Congress, requesting they will send to this House a printed copy of their journals, as far as the same are printed, and also a manuscript copy of the journals to this time, so far as the same are allowed to be published." See also Jefferson to John Adams, May 16, in Jefferson's Writings (ed. Ford), II. 129. Cf. no. 507, post. The original signatures have been cut out and supplied in the margin. [499] Conn. Hist. Soc., Oliver Wolcott Papers, vol. I., no. 10. 2 The resolution in the Journals, May 19, gives the date of Wooster's death as May 2, which was Friday. See also the Journals, June 17. [500] Mass. Arch., CXCVII. 71; Library of Congress, Force Trans., Massachusetts Records, Letters, 1777. tion of the distresses to which the unhappy Petitioners were reduced, from a State of Ease and affluence; and the Gentlemen who presented the Petition have urged every motive which could either show the Justice and Policy of granting the Request, or which could move the humanity and Charity of those who heard it. These Endeavors of theirs have been seconded by your Delegates in Congress, but to no other Effect than to obtain a Committee to consider the Petition, whose Report altho' it expresses much Sympathy with that virtuous People in Affliction, contains a Denyal of their Request on account of the present condition of the Finances of the United States: as, the granting of Compensation even in Part, at this Time, would set a Precedent for so many and so great Demands, of a similar Nature that the public treasury would not be able to Spare so much from the necessary Calls of the War. There was a Great deal of Delicacy shown thro the whole debate upon this Subject. every one wished it was in the power of Congress to grant the desired Relief; most acknowledged the Justice of the Demand; but, all agreed that, at present it would be impolitic to grant it-except the delegates from the Massachusetts Bay. Upon a Motion that a Small Part of the Losses should be made up, such was the reluctance to giving a negative that the previous Question was moved and put; so that a present determination might not prejudice the Petitioners in any Future application. It may be doubtfull whether such petetions to Congress, from particular Corporations, or Independants in any State are proper. Perhaps it would be better that each State shd. ascertain the amount of its own Losses, in this Kind, and represent it to Congress; that so, in the End, some Adjustment may be made between the several States. That such an adjustment will, sooner or later, be made is not doubted by Us: because, neither Equity nor sound policy will admit that different states, contending in the same common Cause, having in View the same common Benefit, should be unequally loaded with expense, or suffer disproportionate Losses, but, as it is impossible to foresee what Course the War will take, or what State will be the greatest Sufferer, it is probable this question will be postponed untill the End of the War. In the mean Time, our Brethren and Neighbors, virtuously struggling together with us for every Thing that is valuable, and reduced from Prosperity to Adversity by the cruel Stroke of War, must not be left to suffer unnoticed. This would be plainly repugnant to the dictates of Humanity, to the Precepts of Christian Charity to the Rules of common Justice and the soundest policy;-a Chain of Motives which doubtless produced the Grants already made by the General Assembly of our State for the immediate Subsistence of these sufferers. But, as the unfortunate Petitioners were deprived of their necessary Tools and Materials for Business, it was remarked by the Gentleman who pleaded for them in Congress, that an advance sufficient to replace those Things would be a most essential Relief and by far the most economical in the end. And it was suggested that such Estates of disaffected Persons as may be sequestered or confiscated, throughout the Limits of our Union, might be a Fund, to insure the Loan of Monies, for compensating patriotic Sufferers. This, however, was not formally recommended. Each State is competent to the Business, if judged proper. Having reported this Affair as it has been conducted in Congress, we wish it to be communicated by you to the Honorable House, for any Emolument which their Wisdom may direct. We have the honor to be with much Respect, Sir, To the Speaker of the Honble. House JOHN HANCOCK JAMES LOVELL 501. RICHARD HENRY LEE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.1 Dear General PHILADELPHIA 22d. May 1777 The subject of your letter of the 27th. [17th]2 is a very important one, and whilst it deserves the greatest attention, is certainly involved in great difficulty. Of one truth however, I beg you Sir to be convinced—That no desire to get rid of importunity has occasioned these appointments, but motives military and political meerly. These Adventurers may be divided into three Classes, some who came early and without any recommendation but apparent zeal, with Commissions shewing that they had been in service. Others that brought with them recommendations from our good friend the Count D'Argoud General of Martinique, and from Mr. Bingham the Continental agent in that Island. A third Class includes those who come from France, generally 2 See the Journals, May 14, 16; see also no. 494, ante, and no. 512, post. [501]1 Letters of Richard Henry Lee (ed. Ballagh), I. 293; Memoirs of R. H. Lee, II. 17; Am. Phil. Soc., Lee Papers, I. 313. 2 The letter referred to is evidently that to Lee dated May 17, in Writings (ed. Ford), V. 369. See also Washington's letter to the President of Congress, May 16. ibid., V. 367. Washington's reply to Lee, June 1, is ibid., V. 403. Numerous other letters of Washington dealt with this question. The difficulties of Congress from the application of foreigners for military appointments had become acute some time before, and they were to become still more so. See, for instance, the Journals, Mar. 13, 14, 19, 21, May 8, 30, June 10, July 16, 17, Aug. 13, Sept. 8, Oct. 10, Nov. 7, 11, 14; also nos. 360A, 407, 410, 418, 489, ante, 508, 514, 521, 525, post. For some account of the matter, together with sketches of the principal foreign officers who served in the Revolution, see Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., I. 397 et seq. See also Balch, The French in America, ch. VIII; and Doniol, Histoire de la Participation de la France à l'Établissement des ÉtatsUnis d'Amérique. |