P. S. The resolution of Congress for an additional tax of forty-five millions, and the address of Congress will reach you before this. In a short time the whole plan of finance will be completed and transmitted. Gov. GREENE TO MESSRS. ELLERY, MARCHANT AND COllins. WARWICK, STATE OF Rhode Island, &c., June 3d, 1779. GENTLEMEN : – I received your favors of the 4th and 8th of May last, which I shall be careful to lay before the General Assembly at their next session, and am sincerely desirous, the method pointed out by Congress may have the desired effect. But the brigade ordered to be raised by this State fills so slowly, notwithstanding the encouragement given by this State, that I much fear the consequence of the resolution of Congress, as the encouragement given by the State has been different. Enclosed you will receive a resolution of the council of war, by which you will see I am to urge your immediate attention in order that the account which I have forwarded by Mr. Marchant, in favor of the State against the United States, be laid before Congress as soon as possible, after it arrives there; and you are to use every prudent method to have the account properly adjusted, that there may be an order of Congress to issue to the keeper of the Continental treasury for the balance, whatever it may be, after adding the amount of what the Congress may think proper to allow for the slaves, which have been purchased here in behalf of the United States, to serve in Col. Christopher Greene's regiment during the war. As Congress has ordered a large number to be raised in the same way of these I have mentioned, doubt not they will think it reasonable they should all be purchased at the same price. I also enclose you the certificate from one of the committee, who was appointed to take an account of the number of said slaves, which, after the price is fixed, to charge in the amount accordingly; and whatever balance may be found, if it should be completed before the return of Messrs. Ellery and Collins, it would much oblige this State for them to take the charge of it; otherwise, if should not be convenient for them to wait until the matter is properly adjusted. Unless there is some other safe conveyance, that it may likely come soon, it will be necessary to let us know when it may likely be ready, that some proper person may be forwarded to Philadelphia for that purpose. Considering the exhausted state of the treasury, that there is not one hundred pounds of passable money in it, notwithstanding the inhabitants, who do not possess more than two-thirds of the State, have paid into the treasury by taxes, within .ix months, (except about £16,000 which is not paid,) £92,000, exclusive of £90,000 more ordered by Congress, the greater part of which is likewise paid, that there being such an amazing demand for money, owing to the want of the balance of said account due from the United States, and being under the necessity of supplying the purchasing clothier with money to supply the State troops already raised, they being very bare of clothing, and the large sum wanted to recruit the brigade, together with the incidental charges of government, makes our burdens heavier than the inhabitants can bear; and I must confess, I am at a loss which way we shall be able to carry on the affairs of government, unless said balance is very speedily paid. I am, gentlemen, with great esteem, Your most obedient, humble servant, WILLIAM GREENE. MESSRS. ELLERY AND COLLINS TO Gov. GREENE. June 4th, 1779. SIR: The letter to which this may be considered as an addition, was to have been sent by the post, but was too late for that conveyance. Since that time we have had reports several ways, and attended with some circumstances of probability, that Gen. Lincoln had defeated the enemy in South Carolina. We are in anxious hourly expectation to receive some authentic advice from that quarter. Our last advices are as old as the 5th of May, and have been printed. The Assistant Quartermaster General, Mr. Pettit, received a letter this morning from a Deputy Quartermaster General, at the head of Elk river, dated June 3d, informing him that the day before, two of the enemy's ships were seen off Pawtuxet river, sounding the Bay, and that they were attended with a number of smaller vessels, and that he had removed the principal part of the stores from the head of Elk, &c. Congress has ordered a loan of twenty millions Continental dollars, but has not yet agreed upon the terms of borrowing. As it may be very difficult to collect our quota of the Continental tax in season, would it not be advisable to hire a part of it at a moderate interest, to be paid when the tax should be collected. It is thought that those who hold considerable sums, would be willing to lend on this occasion. Every effort will be made by Congress to put our finances on such a footing as to stop any further emission of money; and it is hoped that every friend to his country will lend his aid to give efficiency to this measure. We are, with the greatest respect for your Excellency, and the warmest wishes for the happiness of the State, which we have the honor to represent, Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servants, WILLIAM ELLERY. MESSRS. ELLERY, MARCHANT AND COLLINS TO GOV. GREENE. PHILADELPHIA, June 15th, 1779. SIR: Mr. Marchant arrived last Saturday evening and yesterday took his seat in Congress. Your Excellency's letter of the 3d instant, referring to the State's account against the United States, brought forward by Mr. Marchant, we shall pay the utmost diligent attention to. But such are the various and extensive demands upon the treasury, and the exhausted state of it, that we have not the most sanguine expectation of immediate success. We shall not fail of every exertion to fulfil the wishes of the State, and of obtaining that relief which its circumstances demand. We enclose your Excellency the last papers, which will give the agreeable intelligence from the southward, which is fully credited, although as yet we have received no official accounts. With the greatest respect, we are your Excellency's Most obedient and very humble servants, WILLIAM ELLERY. HENRY MARCHANT. JOHN COLLINS. P. S.-In Congress. The last Journal of Congress is also enclosed. Gov. GreenE TO MESSRS. ELLERY, MARCHANT AND COLLINS. WARWICK, STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c., June 21st, 1779. GENTLEMEN : —I received your favor mentioning the tax of forty-five millions dollars, ordered by Congress to be assessed upon the inhabitants of the United States, wherein you say, that you and the delegates from one other state were of opinion that the tax was too large, and ordered too soon after that of fifteen millions. I have also received your favors of the 1st and 4th instant, advising this State to hire some part of the proportion assessed on them; and, unless the account in favor of the State, forwarded by Mr. Marchant, and mentioned in my last letter to you, can be attended to, that we may have the balance speedily, I much fear the difficulty that will very probably attend the raising of it, although the Assembly at their sessions held on the 14th instant, notwithstanding their distressed situation, rather than to obstruct or any way clog the resolution of Congress, did order the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars, to be assessed upon the inhabitants of this State, one-half to be paid into the general treasury in October next, and the other in December following; and likewise ordered a State tax of sixty thousand pounds, to supply the treasury, to be paid by the 1st of August next. When you consider the additional sums to the proportion this State has to pay of the fifteen millions dollars, a considerable part of which is yet unpaid, I need not make use of any further arguments to influence you to take every prudent method to convince Congress how amazingly we are distressed for want of the balance above mentioned. At said sessions it was likewise enacted, that two of the State's battalions should be reduced into one, and a light corps was ordered to be raised, to consist of four companies of fifty-four privates, the command to be given to Col. Barton; and a bill was also passed regulating the militia, provided it shall be agreeable to the inhabitants of the State, it being commended to them for consideration. I am very sorry you have not yet received the Acts of the Assembly, as you have written for them so frequently; but, as they are now all printed up to the last session, I hope you will have them soon. Shall endeavor to urge the committee who were appointed to forward them, to forward them immediately. I most sincerely congratulate you upon the important news from our southern army, as I think there is a great probability of its being true, And am, with very great esteem and respect, Your obedient and most humble servant, WILLIAM GREENE. N. B.-I have not heard either the members of the Assembly, or inhabitants of the State, reprobate the resolution of Congress, in consequence of the tax, as there appears such a necessity for it, both to supply the Continental treasury and to appreciate the currency. MESSRS. ELLERY AND MARCHANT TO Gov. Greene. PHILADELPHIA, June 29th, 1779. SIR : We had the pleasure of your Excellency's letter of the 21st inst. by yesterday's post. We have not failed, in the most pressing manner to urge for a determination upon our application; but the flood of business at the Treasury Board has hitherto delayed a report. We expect one in, to-day, and shall avail ourselves of the first opportunity to obtain a determination of Congress thereon. Mr. Ellery has waited sometime, in hopes of the business being concluded; he will wait a few days longer, in hopes of carrying a sum of money with him. But the very great expense the State is at, in the support of its delegates, he apprehends, will not justify his tarrying much longer, the necessity of his being at home and the circumstances of his family pressing for his return. We could have wished that our late repeated and seemingly well-founded accounts from Charleston, South Carolina, had been better grounded. However, by private letters from them, dated the 19th of May, we are informed that the enemy approached the town and demanded it, but being absolutely refused retired; that an engagement was daily expected between them and Gen. Lincoln, who was superior in force to the enemy, and very near them. The Maryland paper says that, by a Continental captain, they are informed that, on the 29th of May, an engagement had taken place between Gen. Lincoln and Gen. Provost, at Black Swamp, when the British were totally defeated. Having been so much deceived heretofore, we are almost afraid to give credit to this account, but wait with impatience for authentic accounts from that department. Reports from the West Indies and Europe are very favorable. We wait, however, for confirmation, and in the meantime, remain Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servants, WILLIAM ELLERY, HENRY MARCHANT. MESSRS. ELLERY AND MARCHANT TO Gov. GREEne. PHILADELPHIA, June 29th, 1779. SIR: Since our former letter of this day, somewhat beyond our expectations, Congress has determined upon the report of the treasury upon our application for money, and has ordered three hundred thousand dollars to be advanced the delegates from the State of Rhode Island, upon their application; the State to be accountable. However great and pressing our wants may be, this grant is as large as could be expected, considering the pressing demand upon the Continental treasury, and the determination of Congress if possible, to stop further emissions. The allowance for the black regiment raised by our State is not yet adjusted, nor have we greatly urged it, at present, as the states at the southward have not yet complied with the recommendation of Congress, in raising regiments of blacks. It will be well that we should be furnished with the amount of what that regiment actually cost the State, that, if we should not be able to obtain the sum lately allowed by Congress for raising like regiments to the southward, we may at least obtain the sum that regiment, in fact, cost the State. The abstract of the account first sent forward, and lodged in the treasury of the State against the United States, has been mislaid. We should be glad if Mr. Mumford might be instructed to make a copy; it being but a few sheets, and send it forward as soon as may be. As Mr. Ellery proposes to set out in a few days, he will be able to explain more fully the reasons why we could not, at this time, obtain a further grant. Perhaps, at some not distant period, if the taxes should |