amity and Commerce entered into between the Court of France and our Commissioners; which will without doubt be ratified by Congress.2 Mr. Collins will set off in a day or two. He will take with him One hundred and fifty thousand Dollars, and a Warrant on our Loan office for the same sum. I am afraid you will be disappointed; but this was not obtained without difficulty. Unless Comm'rs should be appointed to settle our accounts before you make another demand, and they are adjusted; or you should send your auditor with the vouchers for every article, and direct him to tarry until the accounts shall be liquidated, I am afraid any application would be fruitless. Permit me to desire that two of the Delegates, if they should not have come on before this reaches you, may be sent forward immediately; for my health, and the situation of my family oblige me to quit York Town. 252. SAMUEL CHASE TO THE GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND My Dear Sir YORKTOWN Sunday Morning On yesterday afternoon arrived here from France, Mr. Simeon 2 Deane (Brother to the Commissioner,) with Dispatches to Congress from our Commissioners to the 28. February. 3 I do most cordially and sincerely congratulate you on this most important Intelligence America has now taken her rank among the Nations and has it in her power to secure her Liberty and Independence. let us be grateful to our God for this singular unmerited mark of his favour and protection and continue to exert every means in our power to support the war. this can only be effectually done by speedy and liberal loans of money to the Continent and a respectable Army. Congress some time past recommended that subscriptions should be opened in each County.* Dear Jay 253. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS TO JOHN JAY.1 YORK TOWN. 3rd May 1778 I shall plague you with very few words. I congratulate you on our alliance with France. For particulars I refer you to our friend Robert. 2 Cf. nos. 248, note 3, 250, note 2, ante, 257, post. Ellery proceeds to summarize the treaties and the foreign news. 8 See the Journals, May 1, 2. [252]1 Arch. of Md., XXI. 64 (from a copy, presumably taken from the Royal Gazette); Royal Gazette, May 23, 1778. 2 The text has "Simeca". 3 Chase here summarizes the treaties. Cf. John Henry to Governor Johnson May 5 (dated "Apl. 5th "), Arch. of Md., XXI. 9; also nos. 248, note 3, 250, 251, ante. See the Journals, Dec. 3, 1777. Cf. no. 269, post. [253]1 Harvard Univ. Lib., Sparks MSS., no. 49, vol. III., p. 20. 2 See nos. 248, 249, 252, ante. 8 Robert R. Livingston. An extract of a letter from Morris to Livingston May 3 concerning the treaties is in N. Y. Pub. Lib., Bancroft Coll., Livingston Papers, II. 125. I enclose you a Newspaper containing a report I drew up on North's bills, which were sent us by the Genl: I have marked in the margin two clauses inserted by the house. You may find perhaps some difficulty to discover how they shew the wickedness or insincerity of the Enemy. The following clause (the reason of which you will see) was struck out "Your Committee etc. that in the present conjuncture of affairs, when the unalienable rights of human nature may probably become the subject of negociation, the wisdom of America, should be as far as possible collected, and therefore that the States be called upon to send a full and adequate representation to Congress upon the present Special Occasion". Sundry smaller alterations were made, as is the case in Matrimony, for better, for worse. We have recommended an act of grace with exceptions." How to make these exceptions will be a nice card, if Gentlemen have particular friends in the legislature. A word to the wise-I do not chuse to be explicit, but I shall set some sums to our numerical correspondent when I have time etc. Love to Sally. Adieu GOUV MORRIS 254. ROBERT MORRIS TO WILLIAM BINGHAM.1 MANHEIM IN PENSYLVANIA May 5th 1778 I am happy to tell you that Congress have granted an order for your drawing on the Commissioners at Paris for 100,000 Livres. I have often urged the necessity of your being reimbursed, but not attending Congress for some months past I could not do therein all I wished to do.2 I must before long return to my Duty in Congress again, altho' I have not half finished the business that caused me to retire." 255. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY Laurens) Dear Sir, YORK TOWN 5 May 1778. In a public Letter which I had the honor of writing to Your Excellency the 3d Inst. by Major Brice, I sent a number of hand Bills calculated for giving satisfactory information to the Public who were anxious to learn the * See the Journals, Apr. 22. The committee, of which Morris was chairman, was appointed Apr. 20, on Washington's letter of Apr 18. A report on that part of the letter which pertained to the cartel was made Apr. 21. The original of the report on Lord North's measures has not been found among the Papers of the Continental Congress, therefore it cannot be determined just what changes were made by the house. Cf. nos. 213, 215, 221, 227, 245, ante. The reference is to the resolve of Apr. 23 relative to pardons. [254] Copied from the original, then in possession of Mr. Stan. V. Henkels of Philadelphia. 2 See the Journals, Apr. 16. 3 See nos. 74, 109, 128, 133, 194, ante, 267, 348, 508, post. II. [255]1 Library of Congress, Letters to Washington, XXIII. 90; S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letter-Book, Mar.-Sept., 1778, p. 93; Letters to Washington (ed. Sparks), 117; Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., II. 570. recent intelligence from France. One article of this has been questioned, respecting the King of Prussia's promise-the only part of the performance that can be called mine. I believe my authority is good. Mr. Izard under the 16th Febry informs me, "the King of Prussia has given the most explicit and unequivocal assurance that he will be the second power in Europe to acknowledge the Independence of America ".* tis true our Commissioners in their public advices are not so express nor are they in my opinion so full and clear in some other respects, as they might have been.. Last Night I had the honor of receiving Your Excellency's favor of the last of April and am happy in finding a confirmation of my sentiments, respecting persons proper for treating with the expected deputation from our Adversary. I fear the determination, where only this point can be determined, will be contrary. Be it so, thank God we have here some Men of abilities and Integrity. I hope we shall make a judicious choice." The Act of Congress of the 22d April will blot out Pages of the British Instructions. the Commissioners from that side will perceive a necessity for taking a new departure from the Tower of Independence and what happened in France on the 6th of Febry will oblige them to shape a new The long and as I humbly think, unnecessary, delay of the Army arrangement is very afflicting. I know it must give extreme pain to Your Excellency. It is improper for me to touch upon the Causes, especially when it is so well known that Congress have been engaged in very much important business. the Plan introduced for that part of it which is intended to establish an half pay for Officers during Life, I have been 2 See no. 249, ante. 3 This is no doubt the something "false" to which Wolcott alludes in his letter of May 9 (no. 261, post). Cf. no. 257, post. 66 .... 4 Izard's letter to Laurens Feb. 16 is in Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., II. 497. His statement was no doubt made from knowledge of two letters to Arthur Lee from Baron Schulenberg, Prussian secretary. In a letter of Dec. 18, 1777, Schulenberg says: "I can assure you, sir, that his majesty will not be the last power to acknowledge your independency; but you must feel yourself that it is not natural that he should be the first, and that France, whose commercial and political interests are more immediately connected with yours, should set the example" (ibid., p. 456). In a letter of Jan. 16, 1778, he makes a more definite committal : The king will not hesitate to acknowledge your independence whenever France, which is more interested in the event of this contest, shall set the example" (ibid., p. 472). An extract of the first letter was transmitted by Lee to the committee of foreign affairs Jan. 5 (ibid., p. 465), and the whole of the second was embodied in a letter to the committee Feb. 10 (ibid., p. 491); but Lee's letters and their enclosures had not yet, apparently, been received by Congress, hence the inclination of Congress to question the correctness of Izard's statement. (Cf. no. 274, post.) By Mar. 19 Arthur Lee had become Apprehensive that the war, which is likely to break out in Germany, will prevent the King of Prussia from declaring so soon, and so decidedly, as he promised" (Wharton, II. 516); and by May 21 John Adams was writing to Samuel Adams, "The King of Prussia is yet upon the reserve concerning America, or rather forgetting his promise, has determined not to acknowledge our independence at present" (ibid., p. 591). See, further, William Lee's letter of Sept. 28, 1779 (ibid., III. 346). For a view of the whole subject, see an article by P. L. Haworth, "Frederick the Great and the Revolution", in Am. Hist. Rev., IX. 460. 5 66 Cf. nos. 223, 224, 242, ante. Washington's (private) letter to Laurens Apr. 30 is in Writings (ed. Ford), VI. 508, (ed. Sparks), V. 350. 6 Cf. nos. 222, 242, 247, ante, and nos. 266, 267, 282, 287, post. Washington's reply to this letter, May 29, is in Writings (ed. Ford), VII. 33, (ed. Sparks) V. 383. uniformly averse from, and in a Committee of Congress delivered my objections. these appear to me at this moment of more weight because they have not been removed by the reasonings which have been offered against them and I may without vanity think myself not obstinate. I am open to conviction and always without murmuring submit to a Majority. I view the scheme as Altogether unjust and unconstitutional in its nature and full of dangerous consequences. 'tis an unhappy dilemma to which we seem to be reduced- provide for your Officers in terms dictated to you or lose all the valuable Soldiers among them-establish a Pension for Officers make them a seperate Body to be provided for by the honest Yeomanry and others of their Fellow Citizens many thousands of whom have equal claims upon every ground of Loss of Estate health etc. etc. and [or ?] lose your Army and your Cause. that such provision will be against the grain of the People has been unwarily testified by its Advocates whom I have heard converse upon the subject, indeed they have furnished strong ground for opposition against an immediate compliance with the demand. If we cannot make Justice one of the Pillars, necessity may be submitted to at present, but Republicans will at a proper time withdraw a Grant which shall appear to have been extorted. I have ever detested and never practiced Parliamentary Jockeyings for procrastinating an unpalatable business, which as a silent auditor and spectator I have within some time past known to be alternately adopted. I most sincerely wish this of the Army had been wisely attended to. the high Esteem I, from gratitude, bear for Your Excellency whose sufferings from a contrary conduct I know must have been great, as well as my love of dispatch makes me wish it, and I lament that in some degree we are likely to be more indebted to the Policy and deep projects of other Men for our deliverance than to our own Wisdom and fortitude. 256. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY Laurens) My dear Sir, 5th May 1778 Congress have Resolved to appoint you, and you are accordingly appointed Inspector General of the Main Army with the Rank and Pay of Major General, the former to commence the day of your arrival here.2 When the Secretary enables me, by sending in the Act Certified, I will transmit the necessary Commission. . God bless you. I am with an affection which by every Act I endeavor to prove your faithful friend. [256] S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letter-Book, Mar.-Sept., 1778, p. 91. Addressed to him at Valley Forge, "by Mr. Drayton". 2 See the Journals, May 5. To a copy of the resolve, transmitted to Washington May 6, Laurens appended the following note: "I think the Pay is to commence from the Baron's arrival in America, some of the Gentlemen are of the same opinion, which shall be enquired into and adjusted if the minute above is erroneous (Library of Congress, Washington Papers). The resolve reads, "from the time he joined the army and entered into the service of the United States ". D'r Sir 257. WILLIAM ELLERY TO WILLIAM VERNON.1 2 The marine Com'ee of wh'ch I am a member last Even'g in conformity to a resolution of Congress, met and determined to send Six Vessils to carry important despatches to France, the said Vessils to be under the directions of the Com'ee of Foreign affairs. As the Letters for your Navy board is not yet written and Capt. Collins is about to set out immediatly, I take this oppty. to request you upon receipt hereof forthwith to send off an express to Bedford to Capt. Rathburn of the sloop Providence, w'ch is one of the Vessils Pitched upon for this business, if he shou'd not have sail'd, directing him not to proceed to Sea untill he shall have recd. Orders from the Com'ee of foreign affairs w'ch will soon be transmitted to him, and he is most implicitly to obey. I most heartily congratulate you on the Treaties of Alliance Amity and Commerce w'ch were executed the 6th day of Febry. last at Paris, and unanimously ratified by Congress the 4th Inst't. I have only time to say that those Treaties are magnanimous and founded in our Independency, equality and reciprocity. Inclosed is a hand bill published imprudently and without the knowledge of Congress, but wh'ch contains some truths." a respectable Army in the Field this Campaign and the War will be PS dont let the occation of the sloop Provid [enc]e being detained be known to any one, no not even to the Capt. of her himself. you will let the Navy board in Boston know that you have stopped the Sloop Provid[enc]e otherwise upon the receipt of the Letter of the Commi'ee mr. Warren may send off an express to Bedford." 258. HENRY LAURENS TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY Dear Sir, (WILLIAM LIVINGSTON).1 6th May [1778.] Congress have Ratified the Treaty or Treaties and a Committee have prepared some what for public information by authority in which many, probably all, of the articles relative to Commerce and for regulating Marine conduct will be included.2 [257]1 R. I. Hist. Soc., Publications, vol. VIII., no. 4, p. 45. 2 The letter to the navy board bears, however, the date May 5 (Paullin, OutLetters, I. 234). See no. 297, note 3, post. The instruction with regard to the Providence was repeated in a letter of May 9 (ibid., p. 240). Cf. the letter of June 19 (ibid., p. 260). 3 John Collins. See nos. 219, 251, ante. 4 John Peck Rathburne. See no. 255, ante, and no. 261, post. See a letter from William Storey, clerk of the navy board at Boston, to Vernon Apr. 29, R. I. Hist. Soc., Publications, vol. VIII., no. 4, p. 44. [258]1 S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letter-Book, Mar.-Sept., 1778, p. 99. 2 See nos. 259, 260, post. |