that it would be waste of time to read what could give them no information, and these intended to vote for a Committee. the question for a Committee was over ruled by management in spinning out time to one o'clock, when a certain Order of the day to be taken up at that hour, and which cannot be postponed but by unamious consent, was peremptorily called for.

b By the device above mentioned

c' The President had frequently premonished Congress of his intention to resign the chair on the 31st of October when he should have served in it one whole Year agreeable to the Articles of Confederation; therefore on that day being Saturday he reminded the House of his several former intimations, and humbly intreated them to make choice of some other Member to fill the Chair on the following Monday.

The House discovered a general disinclination to the measure, and after some expostulation determined against a decisive opinion until Monday. On the intervening Sunday Morning, the first of November, a Newspaper, printed in the Garrison of New York, was put into his hands, and he was pressed to read a Letter published in that Paper by some Person who professed much personal regard for him, founded upon an old acquaintance and friendship, and expressing the Writer's astonishment that such a Man as he described the President to be, should sit at the head of that Banditti (or some term of the same import) the American Congress.

This circumstance embarressed the President. he had been extremely desirous of quitting the Chair but now became adverse to gratifying the Enemy, who seemed to have thrown the flattering Letter above mentioned in his way as a temptation. he therefore waited in silence till Monday for the final opinion of Congress.

On Monday he repeated his request that the House would proceed to the Choice of a new President; after some conversation and debate, the House were pleased to signify by the voice of a respectable Member, their perfect satisfaction with his whole conduct, and that it was their unanimous request, he would continue to sit as President for some time longer, which the President then chearfully complied with, and he confesses that he felt some degree of exultation in the thought of having it in his power by an event so honorable to himself, to demonstrate to his quondam friend in the Garrison, that he was not to be captivated by flattery."

3 Note b is upon the words, "my motion was quashed", second paragraph, p. 1204. Note c relates to the statement at the top of p. 1206. The index letter is attached

to the word "last" in line 3.

5 The other copy has here "deliberation".

The letter referred to appeared in the Royal Gazette, Oct. 14, and is signed "Verax". It is reprinted in Hist. Magazine, X. 316. The writer declares that the seats in Congress, as every one knows, are very differently filled from what they once were; the men of sense, character and property, have either abandoned that assembly, or have been drove out of it, and their places supplied by the indigent, the worthless, and the desperate". After expressing surprise that a man of Laurens's character would sit with such a body, he adds, "Was the united testimony of the whole Congress to be produced to his giving his approbation to that indecent and illiberal answer to Sir Henry Clinton's last letter, I would not believe them, unless I had his assurance."

7 See no. 598, ante, and no. 664, post.

8

d Alluding particularly to the manner in which the motion had been quashed, as well as to manners in general, which were well understood.'

Sir

664. PHILOPATROS [HENRY LAURENS] TO PHILALETHES
[JOHN PARKE?].1

Perhaps it is of little importance to the present World as it will be “ for the benefit of succeeding generations" to know from what motives or under what influence Mr. Laurens the late President of Congress submitted to continue in the Chair after the 31st October last, but since the circumstance has been alluded to and variously related in print by two Writers without the previous consent or knowledge of that Gentleman, and by neither of them exactly stated, I will, for your better information, recite to you in a few words the fact.

Mr. Laurens had frequently intimated to Members of Congress his intention of retiring from the Office of President on the day above mentioned when he should have served in it one Year, he had as often expressed his approbation of the inhibitory clause in the ninth Article of Confederation " that no Person be allowed to serve in the Office of President more than one Year in any term of three Years," and also his earnest desire to comply with it in the first instance. Agreeably to these sentiments he put Congress in mind on the 31st October being Saturday, that his Years service would expire upon the adjournment of that day. He humbly desired leave to retire, and intreated the House to think of a Member to succeed him. After some debate or conversation it was determined, without a vote, to deliberate on the subject in the interval between the Adjournment and the next intended meeting.

On Monday the 2nd November Mr. Laurens, not in the Chair but being called upon to take it, moved the members then present in the Congress Hall to proceed to the election of a President, declaring his abhorrence of all affected disqualifying speeches, that he meant to offer none such, although he was persuaded there were Gentlemen on the floor better qualified for the Office than himself, but that he was extremely desirous of being relieved as well as of shewing a proper observance to the restrictive Proviso in the Articles of Confederation.

After some debate and conversation a Member suggested that it would be highly improper to proceed unless the President would take the Chair. Mr. Laurens replied that in his opinion such formality was not necessary,

8 Note d refers to the expression, "the manner in which Business is conducted here", in the second line from the end.

The other copy of the notes has here, added in Laurens's own writing, “by the Members then present".

Concerning the resignation, see, further, nos. 664-668, 671, 672, 676, 677, 680, 683, 687, post. Cf. Wallace, Life of Laurens, pp. 302-315.

[664] S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Papers, Misc., (in the writing of Moses Young). Although this statement was evidently prepared for the press, it has not been discovered whether it was actually printed. It is without date and is accordingly given what seems to be its most appropriate place, namely, beside Laurens's notes on his resignation, which in part refer to the same episode. Nevertheless the article itself contains evidence that it could not have been written earlier than Jan. 23, 1779. See note 5, below.

3

nevertheless if Gentlemen thought it would be a means of facilitating business, he would comply. When he had taken the Chair, addresses and private Conferences ensued on the floor, altogether as impossible as it would be unessential to recapitulate; eventually an old and respectable Member who appeared to have been chosen and instructed for the purpose, addressed the President in terms of assurance that the House was entirely satisfied with his past services, and that it was their umamious request he would continue to sit in the Chair until the Articles of Confederation should be acceded to by all the States, or at least, for some time longer. It was this honorary, unanimous request" in which he aquiesced". Permit me now Sir to inform you how it came to pass that this "unanimous request" was omitted in the Journal. The Secretary of Congress had prepared the form of an Entry for the purpose; which he laid before the President for his approbation or amendment after a moments reflection Mr. Laurens replied to the Secretary that an Entry was unnecessary his sole view was to serve his Country, that he had no anxiety for obtaining complimentary Records. I will mention another circumstance, which will afford further satisfaction to a lover of truth.

Although there was not a full Congress on the 2nd November, yet comparatively and according to common acceptance, the House was not thin. This will appear by reference to the Journal.

The above, Philalethes, is a brief and true state of the Case in question, which will be confirmed to you by every Member who attended Congress on the 31st October and 2nd November 1778 if you will take the trouble of appealing to them.*

But I do not mean to charge either you or Common Sense with wilful or mischievous aberation from truth.

The History of the miraculous feeding a multitude of four or five thousand Persons with a few loaves and fishes is differently related by Matthew and Mark, yet both these Evangelists have been in full credit throughout Christendom upwards of 1700 Years, and will continue to be so to the end of time.

I am Sir

Your Most Humble Servant

PHILOPATROS.

[Endorsed :]

To Philalethes 5

2 This word is written above “unnecessary", but the latter is left unerased. This was probably intentional, as Laurens frequently employed in this way alternative words and phrases.

post.

3 Probably Samuel Adams. See Wallace, Life of Laurens, p. 302, and cf. no. 4 See nos. 598, 663, ante.

671,

5 In the violent newspaper controversy which Silas Deane's article in the Pennsylvania Packet of Dec. 5 set going, "Philalethes" was one of the chief protagonists of Deane, as Thomas Paine (using principally the pen-name "Common Sense") was his chief antagonist. The first article by "Philalethes" appeared in the Packet of Jan. 19, 1779, and a second in the issue of Jan. 23. Replies by "Common Sense" appeared in the issues of Jan. 21 and 26, respectively. These are all found in N. Y. Hist. Soc., Collections: Deane Papers, III. 292-335. The passages to which Laurens alludes are ibid., pp. 93, 305-306, the first being in the reply of "Common Sense" to Deane, printed

665. HENRY LAURENS, MEMORANDA.1

Resigned for good and sufficient reasons, which were read in Congress from the Chair.2

9th December 1778.

HENRY LAURENS.

10th. Offered to lodge in Congress the Paper containing the reasons for resignation above alluded to, and also the Books containing Copies of Official Letters written by me as President. some objections by Mr. Gouvr. Morris against the first-and the House came to no determination, both therefore remain for the demand of Congress.

10th Decem. 1778

HENRY LAURENS

666. JOHN FELL, DIARY.1

[December 9, 10, 1778.]

9. Wednesday Hon'ble Henry Laurens Esqr. Resign'd his Chair as President of Congress 2

1778, Decr. 10th. Thursday. Hon'ble John Jay Esqr. was Elected President in the Room of Mr. Laurens Resign'd for Mr. Jay 8 States, Mr. Laurens 4. Virginia not Represented. Dined with Mr. Laurens

in the Packet Dec. 15, the second in the defense of Deane by "Philalethes", in the Packet Jan. 23. In a letter to Laurens Dec. 15 Paine explained that his object in saying what he did concerning Laurens's offered resignation, Oct. 31, and the proceedings in Congress thereon was to prevent the enemy from drawing unjust conclusions from an accidental division in the house (see Conway, Life of Thomas Paine, I. 125).

In the second reply of "Common Sense" to "Philalethes" mentioned above (Packet Jan. 26) is this remark: "I am told that the writer or assistant writer of the piece signed "Philalethes" is believed to be a person of the name of Parke, and that he is subject at times to fits of craziness" (N. Y. Hist. Soc., Collections: Deane Papers, III. 326). Professor Wallace also, in his Life of Laurens (p. 332 n.), identifies "Philalethes" with "Colonel Parke". He was probably Col. John Parke (1754-1789), who is credited with an able reply to the notorious letter of the Rev. Jacob Duché to Washington (included in an appendix to the spurious publication, Letters from General Washington to several of his Friends; see Moore, Correspondence of Henry Laurens, p. 59, and Ford, Spurious Letters Attributed to Washington, p. 13). In 1786 he published a volume of poems, chiefly translations from the classics, but including some original productions, which was dedicated to Washington (see Appleton, Cyclo. Am. Biog., and Allibone, Dictionary of Authors). His Ode to Washington" (an adaptation from Horace) and his "Virginia: a Pastoral Drama on the Birth-Day of an Illustrious Personage and the Return of Peace, February 11th, 1784", have been reprinted as Magazine of History Extra, no. 91.

[665]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 211. These memoranda are the last entries in the Letter-Book kept by President Laurens, and both are in his own hand.

2 See nos. 659, 663, 664, ante, and no. 680, post. [666]1 Library of Congress, Journals and Diaries.

2 Samuel Holten's Diary records under Dec. 9 and 10 the resignation of Laurens and the election of Jay.

date.

3 With the first entry on a new page Fell customarily set down, as here, the full

Dear Sir,

667. JOHN JAY TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
(GEORGE CLINTON).1

PHILADELPHIA 10 Decr. 1778..

Many unavoidable Delays prevented my arrival here till Sunday evening last.

Yesterday Mr. Laurens resigned the Chair, and this morning Congress were pleased to appoint me to succeed him. This Circumstance was unexpected. Let your public Letters be public ones. I mean that public and private matters should not be mixed in the same Letters.

Commodore Wynkoop's memorial has been presented and committed. You shall have the earliest intelligence of its Fate."

The Season for bringing on the affair of Vermont is not yet arrived, nor can I divine what will be the Issue of it. I can only say that my Endeavors shall not be wanting to bring it to a Termination satisfactory to New York. . .

668. JAMES DUANE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK

Dear Sir,

(GEORGE CLINTON).1

PHILADELPHIA, 10th. Dec'r, 1778.

Mr. President Laurens, who has been in the Chair 13 months yesterday resigned, sated with honor, and worn down with fatigue. A respect as to the Confederacy had an influence on this measure. You remember this grand instrument of our federal union restrains the same member from serving more than a year at one time.2

A great majority of Congress immediately determined that one of the New York Delegates should succeed in the Chair. We held up General Schuyler, which seemed to be very agreeable. On account of his absence, Mr. Jay was prevailed on to take the chair with a resolution on his part to resign in favor of General Schuyler as soon as he attends.3 I hope we shall be able to contrive the means of his executing the particular commission with which he is intrusted. On this subject we have not yet conferred any further than to learn to my utter astonishment that he is not possessed of the Maps and papers reported by a Committee of Convention to justify our claims. I entreat your Excellency to forward one of the

[667]1 Clinton Papers, IV. 360.

2 Cf. no. 668, post. See also Correspondence of Jay, I. 184.

8 See the Journals, Dec. 10, 1778, May 4, 1779.

[668]1 Harvard Univ. Lib., Sparks MSS., XII. 53.

2 See the speech of resignation in the Journals (Library of Congress edition), Dec. 9; also Laurens's comments, no. 663, ante. Cf. nos. 671, 676, 677, 680, 683, 687, post.

8 Cf. no. 603, ante. Gouverneur Morris wrote to Clinton the same day, "The weight of his personal Character contributed as much to his Election as the Respect for the State which hath done and suffered so much or the Regard for its Delegates which is not inconsiderable" (Clinton Papers, IV. 360).