and in the wisest manner, that it may last as long as the nature of things will admit. But I beg leave to say something more, though with some risk that it will be thought visionary and romantic. I do expect, Mr. President, a progress, as in every other human art, so in the order and perfection of human society, greater than we have yet seen; and why should we be wanting to ourselves in urging it forward? It is certain, I think, that human science and religion have kept company together, and greatly assisted each other's progress in the world. I do not say that intellectual and moral qualities are in the same proportion in particular persons; but they have a great and friendly influence upon one another, in societies and larger bodies. There have been great improvements, not only in human knowledge, but in human nature; the progress of which can be easily traced in history. Every body is able to look back to the time in Europe, when the liberal sentiments that now prevail upon the rights of conscience, would have been looked upon as absurd. It is but little above two hundred years since that enlarged system called the balance of power, took place; and I maintain, that it is a greater step from the former disunited and hostile situation of kingdoms and states, to their present condition, than it would be from their present condition to a state of more perfect and lasting union. It is not impossible, that in future times all the states on one quarter of the globe, may see it proper by some plan of union, to perpetuate security and peace; and sure I am, a well planned confederacy among the states of America, may hand down the blessings of peace and public order to many generations. The union of the seven provinces of the Low Countries, has never yet been broken; and they are of very different degrees of strength and wealth. Neither have the Cantons of Switzerland ever broken among themselves, though there are some of them protestants, and some of them papists, by public establishment. Not only so, but these confederacies are seldom engaged in a war with other nations. Wars are generally between monarchs, or single states that are large. A confederation of itself keeps war at a distance from the bodies of which it is composed. For all these reasons, Sir, I humbly apprehend, that every argument from honour, interest, safety and necessity, conspire in pressing us to a confederacy; and if it be seriously attempted, I hope, by the blessing of God upon our endeavours, it will be happily accomplished. 642. CORNELIUS HARNETT TO THE GOVERNOr of North CAROLINA (RICHARD CASWELL).1 Dear Sir: PHILADELPHIA Nov. 28th 1778. The President before any of the members could be supplied with the printed Treaties with France sent them to all the Governors of the several States; I take the liberty (fearing some accident may have prevented your receiving one) to enclose one to your Excellency. These Treaties [642]1 N. C. State Recs., XIII. 304. ought to have been thrown out to the public immediately, but Congress out of their great wisdom thought otherwise. This business was done after the return of the North Carolina Delegates. Mr. Burke and myself stayed and sat in Congress as long as we were authorized by the State to give a vote. Your Excellency must also have been informed by Mr. Blount, when the requisition was made for 500,000 Dollars, no Delegate of North Carolina was or could be present with propriety. We have however patched up this business; 400,000 dols. have been sent on to accomplish the first business, and 150,000 to Mr. Blount exclusive of the other sum towards forwarding the Southern expedition. The President has no doubt informed you of the views of Congress, should the enemy not think proper to make an attack on Charles Town. I am not at Liberty at present to communicate it, as the injunction of secrecy is not yet taken off. Genl. Howe is ordered to Head Quarters. The little ridiculous matter he has been concerned in in South Carolina, with regard to a female, has induced the Delegates of Georgia and South Carolina to desire his recall. Congress complied with their request, but do not intend to enter into the private amours of their Generals. I hope our friend (should the War continue) will have an opportunity of displaying his abilities (which Congress acknowledge) in the field of Mars; as well as of Venus. . . . . 643. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) My Lord 29th November [1778.] Inclosed with this Your Lordship will find a Letter which I have written by Order of Congress to Rear Admiral Gambier, and which I request you to send in to New York by a Flag without delay, it may be necessary to intimate that this is in Answer to the Letter from the Admiral which Your Lordship transmitted to me a few days since, and in which there is 2 See no. 608, ante, no. 657, post. The French minister brought to the attention of Congress Nov. 20 the irregularity of publishing the treaties prior to the exchange of ratifications (see the Journals, Nov. 20, and Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., II. 843); and in the conference July 12, 1779, he reported the surprise of the French court that this had been done without the previous knowledge and consent of that court. See ibid., III. 244-248, and the Journals, July 14, 1779; also James Lovell to Samuel Adams July 13, 1779, in the next volume of these Letters. 3 See the Journals, Oct. 20, and nos. 480, 505, 523, 542, 546, 552, ante. 66 5 Cf. no. 542, ante. See also Howe to the President of Congress Nov. 24, in N. C. State Recs., XIII. 498. In the passages that follow Harnett discourses upon the evils of frequent changes in the delegation. By changing your members often", he remarks, "you must of course know, as I am convinced every man of sense must, that it will take a young man of Genius, ability and application, three months at least to make himself well acquainted with the business of Congress and after he has accomplished it, in a few months, another is appointed, who has the same process to go through before he can be made useful to his State, let his abilities be ever so great and uncommon." At the same time he declares his intention " never more to return in the Character my Country has been pleased to honor me with, unless I am forced into it". Cf. nos. 523, 531, 606, ante. See also vol. II., no. 747. [643] Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 192. an implied menace of retaliation for the confinement of Lieut. Hele and others who with a Cargo of Manifestos under sanction of a Flag of truce very lately shipwreck'd on the Coast of New Jersey. The subject in dispute will not warrant the Act and the means we are possessed of for retorting tenfold will probably shew the Admiral that his threats are. altogether futile and therefore I am under no great apprehension of a seizure on your Lordship's Messengers, at the same time the hint is not useless 2 Dear Sir 644. WILLIAM WHIPPLE TO JOSIAH BARTLETT.1 PHILADELPHIA 30th Nov. 1778 I have not received a line from New Hampshire since my arrival here. Mr. Frost who arrived the 25th inst Bro't with him an act impowering one Delegate to represent the State had it been sent some time before the State would not have been so long unrepresented and his coming rendered the Act less necessary. The Treaties of Alliance etc with France are printed I sent one Book to the President last week, and shall send one to you by the first convenient opportunity.2 Nothing material has happened since your departure. the business of finance goes on very slowly however some of the principal Questions have passed the Committee of the whole which leeds me to hope we shall make a considerable progress in this important business in a few days. Col Allen is here he tells me the Green Mountain Assembly have renounced the 16 towns and wrote to New Hampshire on the subject Young Whealock is also here but I have not seen him-he seems to avoid me. I shall write fully on this subject shortly. . . 2 See the Journals, Nov. 9, 25, 28, Dec. 3. The letter to Admiral Gambier, embodied in the Journals Nov. 28, was printed in the Pennsylvania Packet Dec. 5, and in the Royal Gazette Dec. 16. A draft is in the Library of Congress, U. S. Revolution, and a copy is in the President's Letter-Book, II. 191. Gambier's letter of Nov. 15 is in Almon's Remembrancer, 1778-1779, p. 203; the reply, Nov. 28, is ibid., p. 303. For the case of Lieut. Christopher Hele, whom the correspondence chiefly concerned, see the note under Fell's Diary, Jan. 12, 1779, in vol. IV. With regard to the manifestos, see no. 568, note 2, ante. Stirling's reply to Laurens, Dec. 1, read in Congress Dec. 5, is found in Hist. Magazine, II. 323. [644]1 Library of Congress, Stauffer-Morgan Collection of Signers of the Declaration of Independence; Hist. Magazine, VI. 76. 2 See no. 630, ante. 3 Ethan Allen. Samuel Holten records in his Diary under Nov. 26: Mr. President and his son, the vice Prest. of this State, Baron Steuben, Genl. Reed, Colo. Frost, Colo. Lee, Dr. Scuder, Mr. Hudson and Colo. Allen dined with us." The Colonel Lee of the party was doubtless Francis Lightfoot Lee. "Mr. Hudson" may have been Richard Hutson, delegate from South Carolina. This was Lieut.-Col. John Wheelock. See the Journals, Nov. 28 (p. 1174 n.), and nos. 646, 660, 672, 673, post. 645. SAMUEL ADAMS TO THE President of the MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL (JEREMIAH POWELL).1 Sir, PHILADELPHIA Decr I, 1778 Since my Arrival here in July, I have availd my self of the Practice of the Delegates of every State, by applying to Congress for a Warrant on their Treasury for a Sum of Money to pay the extravagant, though necessary Expence of living. I purpose to repeat this Application, as there may be occasion for it, until I shall be directed differently or to the Contrary; and shall credit the Sums so receivd in my next Account. Sir, 646. THE NEW YORK DELEGATES TO THE GOVERNOR OF PHILADELPHIA, Ist Decembr. 1778. .2 It gives us particular Pleasure that we are at Liberty to transmit to your Excellency several Copies of the Treaties of Amity and Commerce between his most Christian Majesty and the United States. Your Excellency will see how totally groundless have been the suspicions propagated by our Enemies respecting these Treaties. They will appear to be founded on perfect Equality, and in every Respect liberal and reciprocally beneficial. It is the Direction of Congress that no Impression of them be made untill their further order. We have not yet the Pleasure of Mr. Jay's Company. Mr. Ethan Allen has lately presented a Paper to Congress, as an act of what they call the Assembly of the State of Vermont. It is calculated to shew that the New Hampshire Towns on the East side of Connecticut River which Joind in the Revolt had retracted and seperated from the Towns on the west side. The Design of this flimsy artifice is obvious: but it was a little unreasonable for the Projectors that only two days after the Production of this Paper, Lieut. Col. Wheelock presented a Remonstrance from the Revolted Towns on the East side of the River, complaining that Allen had no authority to make the before mentioned Declaration; that they utterly renounced it and adherd to their Revolt from New Hampshire. This Incident renders ridiculous the Plan which Allen and his adherents boasted of as decisive. When Mr. Jay arrives we hope this important Subject 3 [645]1 Writings (ed. Cushing), IV. 93; N. Y. Pub. Lib., Samuel Adams Papers. [646]1 Clinton Papers, IV. 321. 2 A part of this letter here omitted relates to the transmission by Abraham B. Bancker (cf. no. 648, post) of 100,000 dollars granted by Congress. See Clinton Papers, IV. 294, 356, 393. 3 See no. 644, ante, and nos. 660, 668, 673, post. Clinton's reply to this letter, Dec. 17, is in Clinton Papers, IV. 393. A later letter of the same day from Clinton transmitted the address of Ira Allen to the inhabitants of Vermont, dated at Dresden, Nov. 27 (ibid., pp. 396-398). will be taken up, notwithstanding Congress is pressed by a variety of Objects which call for attention and Dispatch.. We have the Honour to be, with the utmost respect, Sir, Your Excellency's most Obedient humble Servants JAS. DUANE, FRA' LEWIS, Sir 647. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO PHILIP SCHUYLER.1 2nd December [1778.] Divers considerations have prevented hitherto Congress from entering upon that of the proceedings of the General Court Martial in your case, but it is to be taken up tonight, and I am going immediately after this Letter is finished to attend the House for that purpose." Sir, 648. JAMES DUANE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK (GEORGE CLINTON).1 PHILAD. 2d Decem'r 1778. I deliver❜d Congress the Depositions your Excellency charged me with, respecting the Breach of the Convention of Saraghtoga by that part of Genl Burgoine's army which was permitted to return into Canada. It is the desire of Congress that this perfidious proceedure may be exposed in the fullest Light, and they therefore request that your Excellency will endeavour to procure further Evidence, and, if possible one of General Carlton's proclamations or orders requiring those Troops to join their respective Corpses. One thousand Dollars in Specie are now delivered to Mr. Bancker for the purpose of making the necessary discoveries, to be employed in such manner as your Excellency shall be pleased to direct; when it is expended you will be pleased to remit the account to the Treasury board that you may be properly discharged. I did not think it necessary to send the Cont. money directed to be paid into your Hands, for the above purpose. It therefore waits your disposal in the Treasury.2 [647]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 195. Addressed, “Major General Schuyler for the Commissioners of Ind'n Affairs Albany by Patrick Maher ". 2 See no. 652, post. [648]1 Clinton Papers, IV. 391. 2 See the Journals, Nov. 30. Clinton's reply, Dec. 17, is in Clinton Papers, IV. 392. See also his letter to John Tayler, Dec. 14, ibid., p. 365. |