Westward of those limits, they would be content to confederate.* What do you think Sir of our proposing the Ohio as a boundary to the Westward, and agreeing that the Country beyond shd. be settled for common good and treated a new State on condition that compensation reasonable should be made us for Dunmores, Colo. Christians, and our late expeditions. This might perhaps be agreed to and be taken well as coming freely from us. When we consider the difficulty of republican laws and government piercing so far from the seat of Government and the benefit in point of oeconomy from having a frontier State to guard us from Indian wars and the expence they create, I cannot help thinking that upon the whole this would be our wisest course. We should then probably unmask those who found their objection to Confederacy upon the extensiveness of our claim, and by having that bond of Union fixt foreclose for ever the hopes of our enemies.

629. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS)
TO LORD STIRLING.1

My Lord

15th November [1778.]

I had the honor of addressing Your Lordship the 10th Instant by Dugan and last night of receiving your favor of the 11th with two New YorkGarrison Papers. such parts of Your Lordships intelligence as I know will be acceptable to Congress shall be communicated to the House tomorrow, accompanied by a necessary hint respecting publication.2

The false representations contained in the Newspapers of the several attempts made on the part of the Commissioners for treating with Congress, their account of the designs and desire of that body equally false, discover in those Commissioners and their Coadjutors a despair of Conquest, their business is therefore to blind the understandings of the Nation whom they have reduced to the verge of ruin and overwhelmed with disgrace. This subterfuge will not long screen them, the Nation will be better informed, and misfortunes will give an edge to their resent

ments.

Sir

630. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO THE PRESIDENT OF DELAWARE (CAESAR RODNEY).1

PHILADELPHIA 16th November 1778.2

17th You will likewise receive an Act of Congress for holding a general Thanks giving throughout these States on Wednesday the 30th

4 See nos. 424, 456, 599, 612, ante, 630, 638, post.

[629]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 165.

2 The Journals contain an erased entry under Nov. 16 recording the reading of letters from Stirling Nov. 11 and 13. These letters, together with a number of other letters from Stirling to Laurens, are printed in Hist. Magazine, II. 322.

[630]1 Copied from the original, then in possession of Mr. Stan. V. Henkels of Philadelphia; Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 180.

2 Samuel Holten's record in his Diary for this day is: "Congress Resolved themselves into a Com of the whole house to consider the state of our money and finances."

December next-and three Copies of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and of Alliance eventual and defensive between his Most Christian Majesty and these United States for the information and use of the State of Delaware. 18th Your Excellency's favor of the 15th this Morning presented to Congress afforded the House much satisfaction.*

3

You Sir, and the privy Council have done your parts. Congress confide on the General Assembly to Co-operate with you for the benefit of the Union particularly by acceding to the Articles of Confederation. The State of Jersey have Resolved to Ratify, we trust that Maryland and Delaware will not much longer be delinquents.

Dear Sir

631. JOSEPH REED TO WILLIAM IRVINE.1

PHILAD., Nov. 16th, 1778.

Tho I am very much engaged in other Business I cannot let Gen. Armstrong go to Carlisle without acquainting you of the Steps I have taken upon your Claim. On my Return from Camp I made due Inquiry and found that Gen. Hand had been promoted in the Manner then suggested viz. upon the Nomination of North Carolina. Being satisfied of this in making Report to Congress and recommending General Officers in the Name of the Committee I stated the several Facts which the Delegates of North Carolina admitted were truly stated, but declared they could not consent to receive Gen. Hand as their Officer. I then stated Col. Magaw and yourself as standing next in order of rank. That Col. Magaw being a Prisoner, if a Brigadier was indispensably necessary at present as Gen. Washington intimates you stood intitled, but in this case Col. Magaws Right should be saved either by Agreement between yourselves or by express Reservation, as it would be a great Injustice that a good Officer

8 Laurens wrote to each of the states Nov. 16, principally transmitting sundry acts of Congress. On the 17th, as here, he made an addition to each of these letters, mentioning the enclosure of copies of the treaties with France. Congress had passed an order Nov. 4 that 300 copies of the treaties be printed, and Harnett intimates (no. 642, post) that Laurens had distributed them too freely before the members of Congress were supplied. Cf. no. 657, post.

4 There is no record of a letter of Nov. 15 from Rodney, but the Journals record that a letter from him dated Nov. 13 was read Nov. 19, and this is probably the letter referred to. It states that with the concurrence of the privy council he had called the assembly to meet Nov. 23. In a letter of Nov. 4 Rodney had explained that the assembly which had been called together principally for the purpose of taking action upon the Articles of Confederation had, by the dispersion of the members, become dissolved, and Congress had requested him to call the assembly together again as soon as possible " (see the Journals, Nov. 6). The ratification by the Delaware assembly bears the date Feb. 1, 1779 (see the Journals, Feb. 16), and the signatures of the delegates were appended May 5. See nos. 599, 612, 628, ante, 638, post.

[631] Hist. Magazine, VIII. 129.

2 Edward Hand was made a brigadier-general Apr. 1, 1777, a promotion which was vigorously protested by the North Carolina officers (see vol. II., p. 325 n.). Just when the proceedings to which Reed next alludes took place is not certain, but presumably about the middle of October, when the report of the committee of conference, of which Reed was a member, was under discussion. The report was brought in Oct. 9 and taken into consideration Oct. 12.

should lose his Right by the mere Fortune of War. The Generosity of your own Mind I am sure will lead you to approve this Rule of my Conduct. Thus the Matter stands-Carolina says she will not have Genl. Hand. Pennsylvania should say and I trust will, that having nominated him she must be bound by her Nomination or the Rights of others will be invaded. Gen. Hand's Merit as an Officer is not questioned, it is a Question more affecting to the States of Carolina and Pennsylvania, than a personal Question.

I have not now the Honour of a Seat in Congress but as far as lays in my Power shall convey the Sentim'ts I have expressed to those who succeed me and hope they will have their due Weight.*

Dear Sir,

632. HENRY LAURENS TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.1

PHILADELPHIA 20th Novem 1778

I feel myself doubly honored by your favor of the 14th Inst. from the confidence of General Washington in the free communication of his sentiments and in the coincidence of his Ideas with my own, upon a question, on the wise decision of which the Inheritance, possibly the establishment, of the freedom and Independence of these States, seems to depend. The respect Sir, which I owe you demands an immediate reply, and yet the variety of avocations in which I am engaged, do not afford me moments for arranging or expressing my thoughts suitably to the importance of the subject; I am nevertheless encouraged to proceed without hesitation from a conviction, that, were I to deliver my opinions at full length I should be obliged to borrow Your Excellency's words, which I have the honor of assuring you Sir, are in more than one Instance, repetitions of my own, and that in every other, one excepted, our sentiments on this momentous discussion exactly accord.

I believe and upon good ground, the scheme for an expedition into Canada in concert with the Arms of France originated in the breast of the Marquis de lafayette, encouraged probably by conferences with Count d'Estaing and I also believe it to be the offspring of the purest motives so far as respects that origin, but this is not sufficient to engage my concurrence in a measure big with eventual mischiefs.

As deeply as my very limited time and faculties had suffered me to penetrate, I had often contemplated our delicate connection with France, and although it is painful to talk of ones own foresight, had viewed and

3 Cf. no. 559, ante. According to the arrangement of Pennsylvania officers Nov. 12, 1777, Magaw preceded Irvine (see the Journals).

The matter was brought before Congress Jan. 26, 1779, in a letter from Reed, who had become president of Pennsylvania. The committee to whom the letter was referred made a report May 11, upon the question of Pennsylvania's right to additional brigadiers, and on May 12 Irvine was chosen a brigadier. There still remained a question of rank as between Irvine and Hand (see the Journals, Jan. 29, Feb. 29, 1780), which was not adjusted until July 4, 1780 (report of board of general officers, in Washington Papers). Irvine's letter, read in Congress Jan. 29, 1780, and mentioned in proceedings of Feb. 29, is in the Washington Papers under Jan. 23, 1779.

[632] Library of Congress, Letters to Washington, XXIX. 122; Letters to Washington (ed. Sparks), II. 233.

foretold fifteen Months ago the humiliating state to which our embrio independence would be reduced by courting from that Nation the loan of more Money than should be actually necessary for the support of the Army and of our unfortunate Navy.

I was one of the six unsuccessful opponents to the resolution for borrowing Money from France for paying the Interest of our loan Office certificates. We have in this single article plunged the Union into a vast amount of debt, and from neglecting to exert our very small abilities or even to show a leading disposition to cancel any part of the former demand against us, our Bills for that Interest are now floating in imminent danger of dishonor and disgrace. Fully persuaded of the true value of National honor I anxiously wished to support our own by a propriety and consistency of conduct and I dreaded the consequences of subjecting our happiness to the disposal of a powerful Creditor, who might upon any specious grounds, interpret National honor to our destruction. I warned my friends against the danger of Mortgaging these States to foreign powers. Every Million of livres you borrow implies a pledge of your Lands, and it is optional in your Creditor to be repaid at the Bank of England with an exorbitant Premium, or to collect the Money due to him in any of your Ports and according to his own mode whenever National Interest shall require the support of pretended National honor. Hence Your Excellency will perceive what were my feelings, when the propositions for subduing Canada by the aid of a french fleet and Army were first broached to me. I demurred exceedingly to the Marquis's scheme and expressed some doubts of the concurrence of Congress, this was going as far as I dared consistently with my Office or considering him as a Gentleman of equal honor and tenacity. I trusted the issue of his application to the sagacity of Congress, the business was referred to a Committee who conferred with the Marquis, their Report was framed agreeable to his wishes, but the House very prudently determined to consult the Commander in Chief previously to a final determination, and although Your Excellency's observations are Committed, I am much mistaken if every Member in Congress is not decided in his opinion in favor of them. If the prosecution of so extensive a project is from the present state of our Army and funds impracticable on our part, it becomes altogether unnecessary to discuss the point in a Political view. And I trust the Marquis will be satisfied with such reasonings in apology for our desisting from the pursuit of his favorite enterprise as our circumstances will dictate.2

2 The "Plan of an Attack upon Quebec", which is found in the Journals under Oct. 22, in connection with the instructions to Franklin, was ordered by Congress to be submitted to General Washington for his observations upon it, and this was done by the committee of foreign affairs, Oct. 27 (letter signed by Richard Henry Lee and James Lovell, Library of Congress, Washington Papers). Washington submitted his observations at length in a letter of Nov. II, and in a private letter to President Laurens, Nov 14 (that to which Laurens is here replying), he made further observations which he did not deem wise to include in his official letter. In a letter to Schuyler Nov. 20 he also discussed the military aspects of the undertaking. (These letters are in Washington's Writings, ed. Ford, VII. 239, 260, 265; the last two also in Writings, ed. Sparks, VI. 106, 114.) Washington's letter of Nov. II was read in Congress Nov. 19 and referred to "the committee on the letters from the Marquis de la Fayette ", whose report

The immense debts which we are involved in abroad and at home demand the most serious attention and call for an exertion of the collected wisdom of all these States in order to secure what we have saved from the ravages of the Enemy. I am very short sighted, if there be at this time any incouragement for attempting distant conquests.

I have been uniformly averse from every proposition which tended to dissipate our strength and to accumulate our debt. Events have confirmed my opinion, and at this Instant taking in view all circumstances I have doubts of the Policy and more of the success of the pending expedition against East Florida. Congress will probably recommend to the States to raise a Tax of near 20 Millions the ensuing Year. this I hope will have a good effect, by returning many of us to first principles from which we have been too long wandering this almost intolerable burthen will rouse and animate our fellow Citizens, they will probably send Men of abilities to investigate Causes, to enquire into expenditures and to call delinquents for unaccounted Millions to severe reckonings, they will do what they have hitherto shamefully neglected, pass necessary Laws for this purpose. This heavy Tax and the prospect of increasing impositions will show our constituents the necessity for consolidating our strength, as well as the impropriety and danger of new extensive Military enterprizes. Virtue and patriotism were the Motto of our Banners when we entered this Contest. where is virtue, where is Patriotism now? when almost every Man has turned his thoughts and attention to gain and pleasures, practising every artifice of Change Alley or Jonathan's, when Men of abilities disgracefully neglect the important duties for which they were sent to Congress, tempted by the pitiful Fees of practicing Attornies, when Members of that Body artfully start a point, succeed, and then avail themselves of the secrets of the House, commence monopolizers and accumulate the Public debt for their private emoluments; I believe many such tricks have been acted. the particular instance which I allude to cost these States a large Sum of Money without putting the Criminal to the expence of a blush-When Men in almost every important public department are actually concerned in Commerce incompatible with the strict duties of their respective Offices, when the most egregious delinquents meet with support in Congress and escape examination-I

was brought in Dec. 5 and was adopted. The committee originally appointed, Sept. 14, to prepare the instructions to Franklin consisted of Gouverneur Morris, Chase, Drayton, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee; that first designated to report on the Lafayette letters, Oct. 13, consisted of Morris, Lee, Witherspoon, and Adams, to whom Drayton was immediately added, while Witherspoon was added to the committee on instructions. As Chase had left Congress, this made the two committees identical in personnel. When the instructions were under consideration some amendments were offered by William Duer, which brought it about that Duer was added to the committee on that subject (Oct. 24). It also thus came about that, while the instructions to Franklin are recorded in the Journals under Oct. 22, they were not finished until Oct. 26, and actually bear that date (see the Journals, pp. 1041 n., 1064 n.). The committee report of Dec. 5 was transmitted to Washington, and in consequence of a suggestion from him Dec. 13 (Writings, ed. Ford, VII. 285, ed. Sparks, VI. 134) he was called to Philadelphia for a conference (see the Journals, Dec. 17, 18, 24). An immediate outcome of the conference (Dec. 24Jan. 31) was the adoption, Jan. 1, 1779, of a report recommending the abandonment of the Canadian expedition. Cf. Sparks, Life of Gouverneur Morris, I. 189, and Jay, Life of Jay, I. 83. See also no. 602, ante, and no. 661, post.