Be pleased Sir to return me the letter of Gen. Maxwell when you have done with it. Sir I am, with due regard, Sir Your most obedient and very humble Servt. 501. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY Laurens) 4th Sept. [1778.] This will be conducted by Josiah Tatnell Esqr. a Gentleman late of the State of Georgia decended from an Ancient and very respectable family in South Carolina, and himself no less respected in both those States, his political determinations excepted. Mr. Tatnal was lately made Prisoner of War by the Count d'Estaing's Squadron; the Honorable the Minister Plenipotentiary of France has permitted him by a writing of his hand subscribed and sealed to go into New York in order to work his discharge by the releasment from thence of a Subject of His Most Christian Majesty in Exchange. this paper and also a Copy of his parole Mr. Tatnal will produce for your inspection. Congress have directed me to give this Gentleman a Pass through Jersey, which he will also shew you, and as Mrs. Tatnal with a little family are under his charge I request you Sir, to do me the favor of facilitating their passage. Congress have also permitted Captain William Nicholls late Commander of the British Packet Eagle to go into New York for the like purpose of effecting a proper Exchange which you will prescribe and determine upon, and will also take Captain Nicholl's Parole and restrict the term for his absence in failure of his attempt, in which I would wish you to be very pointed, because from my particular application this indulgence has been obtain'd. Your Predecessor in Office the Honorable Mr. Boudinot will say much in favor of Captain Nicholls' conduct during his parole confinement within this State. I have known the Captain some five or six years, and have from thence a regard for him.2 Sir 502. HENRY LAURENS TO WILLIAM MAXWELL.1 5th Septr. [1778.] I had the honor of paying my respects to you the 26th Ulto. in a private address. this is intended also as a private, having received no Commands from Congress respecting your late Letter.2 [501] Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 61. Addressed, “Colo. John Beaty Com. Genl. of Prisoners Princetown". 2 The Journals contain no mention of the cases of Tatnall and Nichols. [502]1 S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letter-Book, Mar.-Sept., 1778, p. 295. Addressed to General Maxwell at Elizabeth (New Jersey), "by Mr. Tatnall". 2 The letter referred to is probably the letter of Aug. 25 to Richard Henry Lee (see no. 487, ante), which Lee says was laid before Congress. The Executive Council of this State lately ordered Doctor Berkenhout who came from within the Enemie's Lines at New York thro' your Head Quarters into this City where he had remained some days without explaining himself or the nature of his errand to the Vice President of the State, the President of Congress, or to any Magistrate, to be apprehended and committed to Goal, where he now lies, under suspicion of being a Spy. from the contents of a Paper found in his custody it appears he had a design of offering himself to Congress as a private negociator for terms of peace consistent with Independence between these United States and Great Britain, and 'tis certain that upon his journey hither, he in conversation with a Gentleman in Jersey assum'd the Character of Agent or Commissioner from the Court of Great Britain to Congress. In a letter to Congress written since he has been in confinement, in terms which appear to be extremely equivocal he claims no public Character, says" he came hither under the sanction of a Pass from an American General", complains of the hardship of being imprisoned "in a Country which he had been taught to revere as the asylum of liberty" and requests to be permitted to return from whence he came.3 Congress have declined interfering in this business, but I am particularly requested by a Gentleman of the Council to enquire of You, Sir, what were Dr. Berkenhout's pretensions of business or Character when he apply'd to you for a pass and under what authority or permission he gained access to you. I have also to request you to inform me if you can possibly learn how many ships of the Line which lately went out of the Hook under the command of Lord Howe in order to divert our attack [under?] Count d'Estaing returned after the Storm into New York. a very sensible Man, a deserter from the Enemy, assures me, the Eagle and 3 or 4 more capital Ships were driven on shore on Long Island and totally lost, that Lord Howe returned in a frigate which bore his flag, and hitherto I have seen no other names in the New York Papers of his Lordships squadron but the Isis, Renown, and Prescott, which gives an air of truth to the deserters narrative. This is an interesting subject if you will make the necessary enquiry and communicate the result together with every particular information you can collect of the State of the British Fleet you will thereby render a favor which will oblige me very much, and of which I will embrace all opportunities for making proper acknowledgements.* Memo. Sent the Secretarys Letter to Wm. [John] Temple Esq. under cover to Genl. Maxwell 3 Berkenhout's letter was read in Congress Sept. 5. See nos. 487, 498, 500, ante, and nos. 564, 566, 635, 671, 697, post. See also Pa. Col. Recs., XI. 567, 568, 576; Pa. Arch., VI, 742. Cf. Henry Marchant to Governor Greene, Sept. 6, in Staples, R. I. in Cont. Cong., p. 199. 503. RICHARD HENRY LEE TO ARTHUR LEE.1 PHILADELPHIA Sept. 6, 1778 My dear Brother Congress has not yet taken up the consideration of foreign affairs, but they soon will, I expect in a few days, when I will write you more fully. We are very anxious here to know that Spain has acceded to our Alliance, and it would be very pleasing that Holland had determined to open Trade with us. 504. SAMUEL HOLTEN, DIARY.1 1 [September 7, 1778.] 7. Congress sit late. We received intelligence from Genl. Sullivan respecting the battle and retreat from Rhode Island. I think Gen. Sullivan conducted as well as could be expected. 505. JOHN PENN TO THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA Dear Sir: (RICHARD CASWELL).1 PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 7th 1778. When I was at New Bern last and was informed that several Gentlemen of the Assembly proposed to ask more money for the purpose of raising Troops for the Grand Army, I was against it and gave my advice that application should be made to Congress for whatever money was necessary for public use, giving them as a reason that I thought it more for the interest of North Carolina to be indebted to the United States, than the reverse that all the other States were occasionally supplied with money, and I was authorized to say (to the Treasury Board) that they would have money by the 10th of May; besides what money was made in our State was confined there. I also knew that no Governor or State when I left Congress was treated with more respect than your Excellency and those you presided over. I therefore had no doubt you would have received whatever money was necessary for marching the Troops without delay. Judge then Sir, of my surprise and chagrin when I found by your letter, which I got a few days ago which I most sensibly felt the indignity offered the State, I belonged to, by the little respect that was paid to her first Magistrate, and loudly complained of it in Congress. The members seem much concerned and resolved to grant us the sum you wrote for, indeed they appeared willing to do every thing that tends to our interest.2 [503]1 Univ. Va. Lib., Lee Papers; Letters (ed. Ballagh), I. 433. [504]1 Essex Inst. Hist. Colls., LV. 171. [505]1 N. C. St. Recs., XIII. 214. 2 See the Journals, Aug. 31, Sept. 5; also the letter of Penn, Harnett, and Williams to Caswell, Sept. 8, in N. C. State Recs., XIII. 216. Cf. no. 480, ante, and nos. 523, 542, 546, 552, post. The letter of Caswell to which Penn refers is in N. C. State Recs., XIII. 207, dated Aug. 13. We shall send off the money as soon as we can, which will I expect be in a short time. Congress are obliged to meet twice a day, business still increases, in short unless persons are appointed not members to do some of it we must all be ruined.3 If the Assembly did not discharge the soldiers it is the wish of Congress that they may be kept in Carolina, under the officers until your Excellency can hear from them.* 506. WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON TO JOHN LAURENS.1 Dear Sir: PHILADELPHIA, September 7th, 1778. We have had but little information with respect to the operations of the French fleet during their expedition against Lord Howe. General Sullivan forgot to inclose a copy of D'Estaing's letter to him immediately upon his return to Rhode Island. We have no account of the names of the officers who signed the protest, nor of the answer of the general officers to General Sullivan's third proposition to them, immediately upon the departure of the French fleet for Boston; nor of the precise time when the fleet sailed for and arrived at Boston. These, you know, are of importance to me. The stationary nature of the camp at White Plains may enable you to inform me on this point, and on those relative to Monmouth. 507. JOSIAH BARTLETT TO THE PRESIDENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE (MESHECH WEare).1 Hon'd Sir PHILADELPHIA Septr 8th 1778 I have Received your favors of the 8th and 19th ulto and must inform you that I can see no prospect at present of my being able to procure money to be advanced and sent to our State by Congress and for the reasons I mentioned to you and to Colo. Nicholas Gilman in my letters of the 3d and 4th of last month. when I Receive answers to those letters I shall Conduct my Self in that matter according to your Directions. The Delegates of Massachusetts Bay took an order on their own Treasury for 300,000 Dollars to be advanced to them out of the money they were to raise for the use of the Continent, but as I was Doubtful whither a Similar order on our Treasury would answer your end, I Did not move for it, as I make no Doubt you will make use of the money raised by taxes in our State if necessary for the public Service.2 3 Cf. nos. 109, 199, 274, 471, ante, 602, 603, post. No record of such a decision by Congress is found in the Journals. [506] Moore, Materials for History, first ser. (Correspondence of Henry Laurens), P. 124. post. 2 See the Journals, Aug. 28, and nos. 485, 486, 490, ante, 510, 511, 518, 519, 578, [507] Copied from the orginial, then in the possession of Mr. Stan. V. Henkels of Philadelphia. In the Dartmouth College Library, Bartlett Correspondence, vol. I., is a draft of this letter, endorsed by Bartlett, Substance of a Letter to President Weare Sept. 8th 1778". 2 See no. 447, ante, and no. 560, post. I have Communicated to Several of the N: E: Delegates what Relates to some of the Towns of our State Joining themselves to the State of Vermont (as they are pleased to Call themselves) my present opinion is, that it will be best to lay the matter before Congress for their Direction, but I shall Consider more of it, and take further advice before I proceed. Those Delegates to whom I have Communicated the affair, seem surprised at the ungenerous and impolite Conduct of vermont, and I have reason to Believe they will find few or none in Congress that will Justify their Conduct or Espouse their Cause.3 I have Reced a Copy of the appointment of Delegates to attend Congress the first of November next, and I must beg leave inform you That I can by no means attend Congress after the last of october next. By reason of Mr. Wentworth's Sickness I have not Recd. the least assistance from him, and am obliged to attend so Closely to public business without any interval of Relaxation, that it will be necessary for my Constitution of body and mind to be relieved then, if I am able to hold out till that time. I hope Sir you will give Mr. Whipple and Frost notice and that they will be here Seasonable as the State will not be Represented after that time till they arrive. Mr. Wentworth left this place the 21st ulto and is by this time I hope nearly arrived home I am Sir, with great Respect Your most obedient Servant JOSIAH BARTLETT. My Dear Sir 508. ROBERT MORRIS TO JAMES DUANE.1 2 1 PHILADA. Septr. 8th. 1778 Many important Scenes have occurred since we parted, often have I wished for opportunities of Consulting you on whose judgement and Friendship I cou'd safely rest my self. Duer in many instances supplied your place and a Worthy honest Fellow he is, that Man deserves the Esteem and Confidence of his constituents in the highest degree, for his only fault is an over zeal and anxiety in their affairs. They have an able advocate in my namesake and really the representation in Congress from N York does honour to the State. You called on me to give my feeble Voice in support of your representation of the Indian affairs and in bringing forward the Tryal of General Schuyler and had I attended Congress, I certainly shou'd have promoted the points you wished all in my power because I did then as I do now think them just and reasonable, the first have not produced all the evils you expected especially to N York and the latter is I hope brought about by this time. I make no doubt our Friend Genl. Schuyler will be acquitted with honour and I shall rejoice very sincerely with you whenever it happens ante. 8 See the Journals, Sept. 16, and nos. 543, 597, 644, 646, 660, 673, post. Cf. no. 469, [508] N. Y. Hist. Soc., Duane Papers, VIII. 208; N. Y. Pub. Lib., Bancroft Coll., American Papers, III. 261 (copy). 2 Gouverneur Morris. |