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measure was therefore adopted; " to add to the misfortune General Washington had before orderd forward a thousand men. Indeed both he and Congress were led into an opinion that General Putnam's Army consisted of between seven and eight thousand men. Had it been really the Case, probably no mischief woud have ensued. I was among the unbelievers

The Loss of the Forts and the River Defences will I flatter myself be speedily and effectually repaird; Congress being determined to spare no Expence which shall be thought necessary. They view the Importance of Hudson's River and the Merit of our State in as high a point of Light as yourselves coud wish; and I am confident that there is nothing your Delegates cou'd ask on this occasion which woud be withheld. General Gates is already invested with ample Powers for every Purpose necessary to our Security.R. . .

751. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.1 YORK TOWN 22d. Novem 1777.

Sir

8

The last I had the honour of writing to you was dated the 19th. Your Excellency's Letter of the 17th. instant was [sic] inclosed Copy of a Paper from Mr. Zantzinger and a Return of deficiences in Clothing for the Army came since to hand and have been presented to Congress—and by their order Committed to the Boards of War and Treasury from whom no Reports have yet come up, I am thereby left without Instruction for making the necessary reply.*

My present business is to forward to Your Excellency under this cover an Act of Congress of the 20th Inst. for appointing Commissioners for Indian affairs in the Western Frontier and for divers other matters the Last of which is a request that Your Excellency will send Colo William Crawford to Pittsburgh to receive Orders from General Hand." I have the honor to be with every respectful sentiment Sir Your Excellency's Most Obedient Servant

HENRY LAURENS
President Congs.

His Excellency

General Washington.

5 This doubtless refers to the order of Sept. 12 to Putnam, to despatch 1500 men to reinforce General Washington. See the Journals, Nov. 5, and letters of Hamilton and Putnam to Washington, Nov. 2 to 15, Letters to Washington (ed. Sparks), II. 24-42. See also W. F. Livingston, Israel Putnam, ch. XXIII.

6 Cf. no. 777, post.

[751]1 S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letters, 1776-1779, no. 20.

2 No. 744, ante.

See the Journals, Nov. 21, Dec. 1, 10.

The action taken by Congress, Nov. 25, upon a report of the board of war, was probably in consequence of Washington's letter of Nov. 17.

5 See the Journals, Nov. 20. Some account of Col. William Crawford (of Virginia) is in Appleton, Cyclo. Am. Biog. See also the Journals, 1776, 1777, 1778 (index). In 1782 he conducted an expedition against the Wyandot and Delaware Indians, was captured by them, and burned at the stake. See Pa. Arch., first ser., IX. 557, 576. An account of the expedition, by N. N. Hill, jr., is found in Mag. of Western Hist., May, 1885. See also no. 746, ante, no. 766, post.

Sir,

752. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO
HORATIO GATES.1

YORK TOWN 23d Novem. 1777.

Í had the honour of writing to you the 14th Inst: by the Express Fowler, since which Your favour of the [10th]' came to hand covering several Papers these were immediately Committed to the Board of War and remain in that Channel unreported upon, therefore I am not possessed of means even for filling the blank in the third Line above.

Congress having received various intimations of a breach of the Convention of Saratoga on the part of Lieutt. Gen Burgoyne and particularly a serious address on that head from the Executive power of New York, have judged it their Duty to the people to make the necessary enquiries and for this purpose have formed several Resolutions under date the 220 Inst. a Certified Copy of which I shall have the honour of conveying with this. it is only needful for me to add the Voice of Congress repeating what is specially contained in the Resolves that you will be pleased to return an answer as speedily as possible. . .

753. RICHARD HENRY LEE TO SAMUEL ADAMS.1

My dear Sir,

YORK the 23d. Novr. 1777.

. . The confederation is not yet returned from press but we expect it will in a day or two when it will be sent forward, and with it will come this letter. We have strongly pressed the speedy consideration and return of the Confederation, and we have urged the necessity of immediate and extensive Taxation, regulation of prices, and other Measures of finance, oeconomy, and effectual recruiting the army. I know my friend Mr. John Adams will say the regulation of prices wont do. I agree it will not singly answer, and I know that Taxation with Oeconomy are the radical cures. But I also know that the best Physicians sometimes attend to Symptoms, apply palliatives and under favor of the Truce thus obtained, introduce cause removing medicines. Let us for a moment check the enormity of the evil by this method, whilst the other more sure, but more slow methods secure us against a return of the mischief. The middle and southern States (particularly the insatiable avarice of Pennsylvania)

[752]1 N. Y. Hist. Soc., Gates Papers, XI.; Library of Congress, President's LetterBook, I. 37.

2 Gates's letter of Nov. 10 was read in Congress Nov. 18.

3 See the Journals, Oct. 31, Nov. 3, 6, 8, 19, 21, 22, Dec. 1, 12, 17, 18, 23, 26, 27, 1777, and Jan. 2, 3, 8, 12, 13, 1778; also nos. 756, 779, 782, 786, 791, post. The letter from the New York council of safety, dated Nov. 5, read in Congress Nov. 18, is in Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., I. 1075.

[753] N. Y. Pub. Lib., Samuel Adams Papers; Letters of Richard Henry Lee (ed. Ballagh), I. 353.

2 See nos. 738, 746, 749, ante, nos. 754, 760, 765, 766, post.

See the report on the letter of Stephen Hopkins and the proceedings of the committees of the Eastern states, the Journals, Nov. 22, 26, 27 (see also ibid., Aug. 18, Sept. 10, Oct. 27, Nov. 13). Cf. nos. 723, 736, 738, ante, nos. 754, 760, 764, 765, 772, post. See also Dyer to Trumbull, Mar. 12, 1778, in the next volume of these Letters.

having refused to join in the plan formerly, rendered the experiment on your part inconclusive and partial; therefore I do not think Mr. Adams's argument drawn from that trial quite decisive against the Measure. I incline to think that the necessity of the case will now procure its adoption universally, and then we shall see what great things may be effected by common consent. The American conduct has already shattered and overset the conclusions of the best Theorists, and I hope this will be another instance.

Two days ago I moved the immediate recall of Mr. Deane, which was agreed without dissent,* and tomorrow is appointed for choosing a Commissioner in his place. Our friends Mr. John Adams and Mr. Denny are in Nomination, with some others. This appointment was strongly pressed on me in Congress, but my dear friend, rigid as you are in these matters, I am sure you would have admitted my apology. I feel the obligations of public duty very powerfully, but when these duties can be better discharged by others, why may not the private ones be suffered to prevail? Why may not chari liberi have their weight, when such a sacrifice is not necessary for the public service. I remember that in some points our opinion differed respecting Mr. Deane, but I feel myself obliged to think that he has pursued his best judgement for the good of his Country when he made those distressing contracts, and perhaps his peculiar situation compelled him to carry them further than he might otherwise have done. Be this as it may, after Congress had so strongly determined concer [n]ing these, it would have been out of all character to have continued him. Yet this is a matter of great delicacy and I am not well satisfied with the whole of it. If our friend Mr. Adams should be chosen, I have earnest hopes that he will accept. The loss of time that will attend his refusal, independant of other considerations, renders it of much consequence that he should not refuse. .

754. RICHARD HENRY LEE TO THE PRESIDENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE (MESHECH WEare).1

YORK the 24th of November 1777

Dear Sir, We have finished the confederation and it will go forward to the States in a few days, with strong exortation to consider and return it quickly. In this great business dear Sir we must yield a little to each other, and not rigidly insist on having everything correspondent to the partial views of every State. On such terms we can never confederate. If we take a view of the World, we shall find that numbers are by no means a just criterion to fix the relative riches of States. Of old times * See the Journals, Nov. 21, Dec. 8. Cf. nos. 565, 586, ante, nos. 760, 766, 768-770, 5 Francis Dana. See note 6, below.

post.

• See the memorandum of Henry Laurens, Nov. 21, in the Journals (Ford), p. 947, note I; also no. 769, note 8, post. Adams was elected Nov. 28.

7 See no. 559, ante.

[754]1 Mass. Hist. Soc., C 81, A 14; Library of Congress, Force Trans., Weare, p. 48; Letters of Richard Henry Lee (ed. Ballagh), I. 359.

take Tyre and Scythia-Germany and Carthage. In Modern look at Holland and Poland-England and Germany. But the truth is that let wealth flow into a Country from whatever cause, it will forever reflect value upon the lands of that Country, and they rise in value in proportion to the influx of wealth. Thus the value of lands in England has doubled and trepled as commerce has brought wealth into the Island. For my own part, I doubt extremely whether Virginia will not pay more by the pres [e]nt Mode than if it had been determined by numbers. But I am satisfied that the mode now fixt is the most just, and so fiat justicia, ruat Coelum. We have recommended extensive taxation, sinking the provincial currencies, and regulating prices. I think that if the States will vigorously execute the recommendations of Congress, we shall, under providence, be a safe and happy people.2. . . .

Sir

755. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA (RICHARD CASwell).1 YORK 25th. Novemr 1777

My present duty is to Convey a Resolve of Congress of this date in which your Excellency is requested and enabld to perform an essential Service to the United States, by appointing proper persons for Purchasing and others for manufacturing in the State in which you preside certain articles of Leather for the use of the Army

Congress have been encouraged to give your Excellency this trouble by the Delegates from North Carolina and have only in view the general Interest of these States. Nothing therefore is needful for me to add but a reference to the Resolve.2 . . .

Dear General

756. JAMES LOVELL TO HORATIO GATES.1

YORK 27 Novг. 1777.

This present Carryer will perhaps throw you into a dilemma. We want you in different places, but most of all in a third which you are not called to ballance about. We want you most near Germantown.

2 Cf. no. 753, ante.

[755]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, I. 39; N. C. State Recs., XI. 685. 2 See the Journals, Nov. 25.

[756]1 N. Y. Hist. Soc., Gates Papers, XI.; N. Y. Pub. Lib., Bancroft Coll., Revolutionary Papers, III. 227 (copy).

2 Gates was elected a member of the board of war Nov. 27. A memorandum of Henry Laurens (Papers Cont. Cong., no. 19, III. 165), "Nom. 24 Board of War Maj. Gen. Gates Richd Peters Esq.", shows that Gates and Peters were nominated the same day on which the resolution was adopted to enlarge the board. In a letter to Gates, Nov. 17 (Gates Papers, vol. XI.), Lovell says: 'Prepare yourself for a jaunt to this Place. Congress send for you. I have ten thousand things to tell." See nos. 757-761, post.

3 That is, to supplant Washington. Doubtless this was the principal one of the "ten thousand things" which he wished to talk about. In the Samuel Adams Papers (N. Y. Pub. Lib.) is a letter from Jonathan D. Sergeant to Lovell, dated Nov. 20, wherein Washington is denounced for his feebleness and for "such blunders as might have disgraced a soldier of three months' standing". Adams has taken great pains to obliterate the signature. Cf. nos. 689, 700, ante.

I hope the last Express did not cause any Uneasiness to you, as the drift of the Proceedings of Congress was by no means intended to throw any slur on your acceptance of the Convention; But to come at a true idea of Burgoyne's Conduct.*

We hear his men have behaved so as to oblige the Guards to fire upon them. This information however is not well authenticated.

Upon a motion made sometime ago Genl. Schuyler is permitted to tarry and look after his private affairs and St Clair is permitted to do the same upon se[e]ing his name in a council of war at what is generally by the inconsiderate, called the grand army." Since our Resolve was forwarded, I see Kalb Knox and St Clair are a council reporting for the Evacuation of red Bank as incapable of bearing a Siege.

Such kind of Counsel seems to be the relish of this Quarter. . [P. S.]

27 Nov. 1777.

We are sending Confederation Taxation and Confiscation forward to the States, with strong recommendations as to cloathing the Soldiers at prices proportionate to their pay, the Surplus Charge to go against the Continent. I hope these measures together will make our Currency meliorate and content the army.

Dear Sir

757. ELBRIDGE GERRY TO JOSEPH TRUMBULL.1

YORK IN PENNSYLVANIA Novr 27, 1777

Congress have lately established a new Board of War, upon a Salary of 2000 Dollars per Year for each Member. General Gates is appointed president, General Mifflin, Colo Trumbull, Colo Pickering, and Mr Peters are Members.2 three of the Gentlemen have accepted, there remain but two to give their answers, General Gates and yourself. I doubt not, that the first will be in the affirmative, and hope that you will follow the Example, as thereby a prospect will be afforded, of introducing Oeconomy and Discipline into our army, and affairs in general, without which America cannot be free and happy. You was unanimously appointed, and from the Experience wch. Gentlemen have had since you left the Department of Commissary General, of the Incompetency of their Friends to fill the Office, I doubt not that You would have had the offer with the Power of Appointing *3 of the D C Generals of purchases, had You been here to have executed it and there had been a Certainty of your

4 See the Journals, Nov. 22, and no. 752, note 3, ante.

5 See the Journals, Nov. 14, and nos. 734, 743, ante.

This note is found on a separate half sheet of paper, on the back of which appears a part of the address and Gates's endorsement. See the Journals, Nov. 22, 26, 27; cf. no. 754, ante, no. 760, post.

[757]1 Conn. Hist. Soc., Joseph Trumbull Papers.

2 See the Journals, Oct. 16, 17, Nov. 7, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 27; also nos. 700, 720, 743, 748, ante, nos. 758-761, 773, 776, post.

3*I form my Opinion from the Temper of the House when it was proposed. [Note in the original.]

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