The Captain applied to me in York town, for a commission for his own ship, and for one or two which he said he intended to equip and to form a little squadron. Congress is not inclined to grant commissions for vessels in distant States unless special descriptions are previously laid before them. Your Excellency will be capable of judging of the propriety of Captain Cottineau's pretensions and will act as you shall think for the benefit of the public. At this critical moment 'tis highly probable demands will be made on your Excellency for all that remains after Captain Cottineau shall be supplied."

I take the liberty of enclosing to your Excellency two of the latest newspapers.

I am anxious that Congress should resolve to hold no conference with men who have dared to tempt them with bribes of gold, and I trust that through the endeavors of some diligent patriots in the House, those men will be compelled to return the bearers of their own impeachment, will be held up to the severe resentments of their much injured countrymen, and their names transmitted to posterity in characters which will render their memory infamous.3

D'r Brother

433. JONATHAN ELMER TO EBENEZER ELMER.1

PHILADA. 23d: July 1778

The complaints of the Officers of the Army which you mention I acknowledge are in general but too well founded. But when you reflect upon the rapid progress of our political affairs, the multiplicity of business Congress have had to transact, and the many difficulties they have had to surmount; I am convinced you will readily perceive that Congress is often unjustly complained of. The depreciation of our paper Currency is irremediable at present, as it arises in a great measure from the superabundency of it in circulation. But as our affairs now begin to wear a smiling aspect, and as we are beginning to sink our bills of credit by Taxes, the value of our money will indubitably soon begin to appreciate. This in my opinion ought to afford some satisfaction to those who are at present sufferers in the Service of their Country.

I have very little reason to believe that any new regulations respecting the medical department in the Army will take place this Campaign, Congress having too much business on hand of a more general and important nature, to attend to that matter.

Dr. E: Elmer 2

2 See N. C. State Recs., XII. 593, 599, 614, 700, 734, 738.

3 See no. 430, ante, and nos. 442, 443, post.

[433]1 Collection of the late Garrett D. W. Vroom, Trenton, N. J.

2 Dr. Ebenezer Elmer was surgeon of a New Jersey regiment. Sketches of him

and his brother, Dr. Jonathan Elmer, are in Appleton, Cyclo. Am. Biog.

Sir

434. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA (PATRICK HENRY).1

24th July [1778.]

I have to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's several favors of the 4th, 8th and 16th Instant, which have been in due course presented to Congress, but hitherto I have received no commands in return. supposing Your Excellency's Messenger, who will be the bearer of this may have been employed for the special purpose of bringing your favor of the 20th and that expences are consequently increasing every day; I have judged it best to dispatch him without further delay. I have Men here employed as Messengers in constant pay. one of these shall conduct to your Excellency such Resolves as Congress shall form on the last mentioned Letter immediately after the Act shall be sent to me. That Letter had been committed to the Board of War on Monday last a Report was made yesterday, and after some Debate re-committed. If I dare judge of opinions not yet delivered Congress will coincide with your Excellency's respecting the intended expedition against Detroit, and the further raising troops of horse...

435. SAMUEL HOLTEN, DIARY.1

[July 23-26, 1778.]

23. I removed from the Wid° Robbinson's to board at the house of Miss Dolley and Clark in 2d street. I dined and drank tea at Doctr. Shippin's, director Genl. of the continental Hospital.

24. I dined with the President, and went and viewed the Hospital, workhouse and City goal, they are very elegant and great Buildings. 25. Two months this day since I left home. Col. Partridge spent the afternoon with us.

26. Sabbath day. I went to St. Peter's Church in the forenoon and in the afternoon to the College where I heard the best sermon since I left Boston. Dr. Weatherspoon and Colo. Partridge dined with us.

[434]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 32.

2 See the Journals, July 13, 20, 22, 25. There were actually four letters from Governor Henry, July 4, 8, 10, and 16, and the dates have been somewhat confused in the entries in the Journals (cf. no. 436, post). They are in Henry, Life of Henry, III. 178, 180, 183, 185. The letter of Patrick Lockhart July 3, enclosed with Henry's letter of July 10, is ibid., p. 184. The originals are in Papers Cont. Cong., no. 71, vol. I., ff. 161, 165, 169, 173, 179. The letter of July 8 is endorsed by Laurens: "Govr. Henry 8th July 1778 Read late P. M. 18th"; by Secretary Thomson: “Read 20 Referred ", etc. [435]1 Essex Inst. Hist. Colls., LV. 167.

2 See no. 388, ante. Samuel Adams speaks, in the letter to his wife Dec. 13 (no. 671, post), of Mrs. Clark and her sister, Miss Daily, in whose house the Massachusetts delegates resided. William Whipple refers to it (see no. 615, note 4, post) as "Liberty Hall". The name which appears in Holten's Diary as "Dolley" and in Adams's Writings as "Daily" was probably Dally or Dalley. Gifford Dally was the keeper of the City Tavern. See no. 449, note 2, post. It may therefore have been at the City Tavern that Holten took tea on New Year's Day, 1779, for he records under that date, "I drank tea at Mr. Dolley's".

3 See no. 425, ante.

Sir

436. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (HENRY LAURENS) TO THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA (PATRICK HENRY).1

26th July [1778.]

I beg leave to refer Your Excellency to my last Letter under the 24th by the returning Messenger.

Inclosed with this Your Excellency will receive an Act of Congress of the 25th consisting of divers Resolutions founded on a Report from the Board of War to whom Your Excellency's Letters of the 8th and 10th Instant were referr'd; either the Board of War have misquoted these dates or the Secretary's return led me into an error in reciting them in my last.2

This Act contains so full an Answer to Your Excellency's Letters on the intended Expedition against Detroit, and the raising a Reinforcement of Infantry and Cavalry in Virginia as leaves me nothing to add, except an explanation which I am directed to make on the 5th Resolve. It is meant and intended by Congress by the inexpedience of the march and services of those Troops that an immediate abatement of expence shall be made

Nothing from His Excellency General Washington or from Count d'Estaing since my last.

437. HENRY LAURENS TO JEAN BAPTISTE LAZARUS

THEVENEAU DE FRANCY.1

26th July [1778.]

Dear Sir

The Letter which you sent from the Commercial Committee was deliver'd to me by that Board and immediately presented the Congress. The House order'd it to be returned to the Committee, and that they should after full consideration make a special Report. This happened yesterday Morning, Congress did not rise 'till near four o'clock P. M. this is Sunday consequently the Report cannot be made before tomorrow, but considering the business which we have to transact with Mr. Girard I rather think nothing will be done in your affair before Wednesday; to prevent anxiety therefore to your self and perhaps some expence I submit to your Servants importunity to return, and you may be assured of hearing from me by a special Messenger without the loss of one minutes time after I shall have received the commands of Congress. And if I form a right judgement from the sentiment of particular Members you will be convinced that Congress have in view nothing short, or that you can in our present Circumstances require in favor of Monsr. Beaumarchais, and in fulfilment of the Contract lately entered into.2

[436]1 Library of Congress, President's Letter-Book, II. 34.

2 See the Journals, July 25, also no. 434, ante, and no. 439, post. [437] S. C. Hist. Soc., Laurens Letter-Book, Mar.-Sept., 1778, p. 229. Addressed to him at Williamsburg.

2 See the Journals, July 25, Aug. 1. Cf. nos. 109, 133, 186, 240, 279, 281, ante.

438. JOSIAH BARTLETT TO WILLIAM WHIPPLE.1

My Dear Sir,

PHILADELPHIA July 27th. 1778.

The Congress have some time since determined as soon as possible to take up the Marine affairs and make some very essential alterations in it and also the affair of our money which seems to be going to confusion by the enormous rise of every thing, but when it will be done God knows. The almost innumerable letters and business that daily crowd upon Congress for want of regular Boards, properly appointed and filled, and the time it takes in such large Assemblies, to transact business, keeps us forever behindhand in our affairs and I am sorry to say that sometimes matters of very small importance waste a good deal of precious time, by the long and repeated speeches and chicanery of gentlemen who will not wholly throw off the lawyer even in Congress.

Till we get into better regulations as to our Marine Affairs, I am persuaded no class of men are so much wanted in Congress as men acquainted with that business, for though Navy Boards are established, yet there is a constant appeal to the Marine Committee of Congress, who I am sure are at this time inadequate to the business. I hope our State will have wisdom enough to appoint you to relieve me here in the fall and that you will have virtue enough still to forego your own private interest for the public good and will accept of their appointment and without flattery I really think you would be very serviceable to the public here, especially in the Marine Department. If I knew you would not attend Congress I should be glad you might be appointed one of the Navy Board at Boston, for I am sure. that Board does not attend sufficiently to the business.

Mons: Girard has not yet had the ceremony of an audience but believe it will take place some day this week: the ceremonials are agreed on by Congress and the House nearly cleansed and fitted up. The Minister seems urgent to have it as soon as may be.3

1

439. RICHARD HENRY LEE TO FRANCIS LIGhtfoot Lee.1 PHILA. July 27th 1778.

My Dear Brother,

The change in Affairs has occasioned Congress to desire that both supplies of Infantry and Cavalry from Virga. voted by last Assembly, may be not sent forward, and the expedition against Detroit is changed to a Chastisement of the offending Indian Tribes to the West and North West.2

[438]1 Library of Congress, Force Trans., Whipple, p. 525; Harvard Univ. Lib., Sparks MSS., no. 52, vol. II., f. 2141⁄2.

2 Cf. no. 423, note 3, ante.

3 The audience was given Aug. 6. See the Journals, July 14 to Aug. 6, passim. See nos. 408, 411, 422, 424, ante, and nos. 443, 449, post.

[439] Univ. of Va., Lee Papers; Letters (ed. Ballagh), I. 428; Southern Literary Messenger, XXX. 14 (Jan., 1860).

2 See the Journals, July 25, and no. 456, post.

3

Mr. Dr is deep in the [plot] for supporting [Deane] and the [party] so that he remains [here] though leave of absence has been long asked and granted.

I am really tired with the folly and the wickedness of Mankind, and wish most earnestly to be retired absolutely. .

My dear Sir,

440. SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN.1

PHILADA. July 27, 1778.

Capt. Manly has obligd me with your favor of the 5th. He and McNeil are here with different Views. The one to obtain another Ship, and the other to get the Sentence of a Court Martial reversd. Perhaps both may be disappointed. I have receivd a Number of Letters by both. To yours I shall pay a particular Regard, because I am well satisfied you never suffer Prejudices to divert your Attention from the great Object—the publick Good. "Manly is a blunt, honest and I believe brave officer." I observe your Caution, and am pleasd with it; for I think it is a fresh Proof of your Integrity. Manly's Bravery is an Article of your Belief. His Bluntness and Honesty are Matters of Certainty. I have not yet looked into the Papers; but I recollect to have heard, when they were read, the Want of Experience imputed to him, and some thing that had the Appearance of blaming him for not giving any Signals for the Direction of the Ships under his Command. This it must be ownd, strongly implys a Want of Discretion. Does the Character of a blunt and honest officer intitle him to the Command of a capital Ship if he is deficient in Point of Experience and Discretion? Especially if he has had the Misfortune of losing one already. "McNeils Address is insinuating, his Assurance great. He will tell you fine Storys," etc. I should think he had taken his Lessons out of Hutchinson's political Book, if I had not Reason to believe that he used to despise him most heartily. When I advert to a Letter from another of my Friends, I find him " open and sincere," "His Temper naturally warm, which he has sometimes indulged in speaking his Mind freely of Persons in office." This you know has always been deemd an unpardonable Sin, and I am affraid it always will be. To be sure it always will be so deemd by that Kind of Men in office, who meet with none to hinder them from persisting in the most egregious and expensive Blunders, but the open sincere and warm Friends of the Country. "We all know ", says my Correspondent, "his Zeal and Sufferings for our glorious Cause." Such a Character, I must confess, commands my Friendship; but it has no Consideration in the present Appeal. Has he had a fair Trial? I pay a proper Regard to the Decisions of Courts

3 Duer. The words in square brackets in this passage were written in cipher. See nos. 268, 295, ante, 524, 590, post. Concerning the Deane affair, see no. 401, note 2, ante, and no. 487, post.

[440] Mass. Hist. Soc., Warren MSS., vol. 3, p. 217; Writings (ed. Cushing), IV. 41 (dated July printed from the draft, showing variations).

2 Warren's letter of July 5 is in Warren-Adams Letters, II. 30.

3 The writer of this letter has not been identified.