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estates, and appointed a committee to dispose of the same estates for said bills, or gold and silver only, by which means we were capable of obtaining the monthly supplies as required by Congress. But that sum being soon exhausted from the many calls for money, it became soon after necessary for the General Assembly, in order to procure the salted provisions, &c., required by Congress, to direct the Commissary General of Purchases in this State to issue his certificates to the persons of whom he purchased, of the articles received, and the prices to be given; and which the General Assembly directed to be received in payment for other lands ordered to be sold, or to be paid in gold and silver by the first of January and the fourteenth of April, 1781,-by which means we have not only procured all the specific articles required by Congress, but have also been able to supply, upon urgent occasions, much more than our quota.

The filling up of the Continental battalions of this State, in order to take the field early in the spring of 1781, being of the utmost importance, the recruits were apportioned to the respective towns in this State, and a bounty of one hundred silver dollars, to be paid out of the general treasury, was offered to each recruit enlisting for three years. The difficulty of the recruiting service was such, for many reasons, that a recruit cost the towns from one hundred and fifty to two hundred real dollars, including the bounty given by the State, whereby the inhabitants are greatly distressed. And the scarcity of money is such, that it is with the greatest difficulty that taxes are now collected, owing entirely to inability to discharge them.

The amount of this State's account against the United States for expenditures in gold and silver only, amounts to upwards of £60,000, besides a large account in the new emission. We have furnished the Quartermaster, in order to transport stores, &c., with £1,620 new emission, and £1,263 16s. real money.

The accounts are completing to send forward to Congress, and I flatter myself they will be ready to go on with Mr. Ellery, our delegate. By these accounts you will at one view see that we have not only fully complied with the requisitions of Congress, but are greatly in advance, and I doubt not but we shall be relieved from our perplexed and distressed condition by Congress making up such a grant toward the balance due unto us, as will make us, at all times in future, exert ourselves upon pressing occasions, more than our real abilities will admit.

With respect to the impost of five per cent. recommended by Congress to be laid upon all imports and exports,-at present we are unable to determine upon the utility of that measure, as the revenue arising therefrom within this little State would not be worth collecting. We shall wait until

our sister states have adopted the same, and whatever is for the advantage of the Union we shall cheerfully accede to.

I shall, by Mr. Ellery, write you more fully upon the subject, and, in the interim, remain, &c.,

WILLIAM GREENE.

WILLIAM ELLERY TO Gov. GREENE.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 18th, 1781.

SIR :-This short letter will inform your Excellency of my arrival here on Friday last. Gen. Varnum and Mr. Mowry will make you and the General Assembly acquainted with the news and present state of politics; therefore, permit me, sir, to refer you to them. The naked condition of our treasury when I left the State, would have rendered any application for money fruitless, I therefore came off with the small sum which could be spared from my family, without asking a grant from the General Assembly. That small sum will soon be expended, and unless I am furnished with money from the State, I shall be in a miserable situation indeed. Give me leave, through your Excellency, to entreat the General Assembly to order the general treasurer to transmit to me as soon as possible, two or three hundred dollars; and I would wish, at the same time, the General Assembly would empower me to draw on the General Treasurer for a sum not exceeding, including the sum which I have already desired may be immediately forwarded to me, eight hundred dollars. I have mentioned a certain sum, because I would not choose, if I thought the Assembly would grant it, a power to draw without limitation. I propose, if this liberty should be granted, to draw from time to time, small sums as I may want them, and I can find persons who will furnish me with money here to be paid by bills upon the General Treasurer. This mode of supply would save both time and risk, for there is some danger in sending money, and opportunities may not offer when the money may be ready and much wanted. Before I shall receive an answer to this letter, and be furnished with the power asked for, some considerable time will have run out, and I am sure my present cash will be exhausted, therefore, permit me, sir, to urge that the sum applied for may be forwarded immediately. If that sum cannot be furnished, direct one hundred and fifty dollars to be transmitted as soon as possible.

I am, with the highest sentiments of respect,

Your Excellency's most obedient servant,

WILLIAM ELLERY.

EZEKIEL CORNELL TO Gov. Greene.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 20th, 1781.

SIR: I do myself the honor to inform your Excellency that I took my seat in Congress yesterday. I take the liberty to enclose to you the resolution I mentioned in my letter of the 17th instant-nothing new hath transpired since that day.

I have the honor to be your Excellency's

Most obedient and humble servant,

EZEKIEL CORNELL.

MESSRS. ELLERY AND Cornell to Gov. GREENE.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 6th, 1781.

SIR: -We do ourselves the honor to inform your Excellency that the Minister Plenipotentiary from the Court of France to these United States, has lately communicated to Congress through our Secretary for Foreign. Affairs, that he had it in command from the Minister of France, to inform Congress that the King, his master, was highly pleased with the confidence. Congress had placed in him, and that the king would pay the same attention to the interests of the United States, as to that of France; that Congress would have no reason to say that they had misplaced their trust; that if all was not obtained that the United States had reason to expect, it must be imputed to the unavoidable events of war; that from late success and present appearances, the king had no reason to expect he should be under the necessity of making any concessions, either on his own part, or that of the United States; that it is his most earnest wish that every possible measure should be taken and every exertion made by the United States to be ready for an early and spirited campaign. The reasons are given that make those measures the more necessary, but must at present be omitted.

Dr. Franklin, in a letter of a late date, informs Congress that there is every reason to expect the continuance of the friendship of our great, good and illustrious ally, the King of France and his Minister the Count de Vergennes. The Doctor speaks of this nobleman in as high terms as the English language will admit. He says that the King upon hearing of the capture of the transport, the Marquis Lafayette, was apprehensive that our troops would be distressed for want of clothing, and had given orders to replace all the clothing and other articles that were taken in that transport. The Doctor advises Congress of the absolute necessity of their making every exertion so as to be ready for an early and vigorous campaign; and among other reasons for urging these measures, he says, should Great Britain propose a treaty, much time will be spent in settling the preliminaries, before any progress can be made in negoitating; and should any remissness on our part give the enemy the opportunity of

striking some unhappy stroke during that period, it may be out of our power to retrieve the loss, and by that means frustrate any negotiations taking place, or at least, turn it greatly to our disadvantage. This is the tenor of the language from all our Ministers abroad, and all our intelligence across the water from every quarter so far corroborates as to leave no room to doubt the utility of the measure. We think it needless to say more on this subject. These are the facts, and you, sir, must be the best judge of the abilities of our constituents and the measures that can be adopted with the most probability of success.

A gentleman of character, in a letter from Madrid, of a late date, says he thinks nothing will be done by the Court of Spain, in setting on foot any negotiations until they know how the present campaign will end. He further adds, that little or nothing can be done in the reduction of Minorca, until the arrival of the intended reinforcements of French and Spanish troops from Spain, that they were not then embarked. What a pleasing reflection it is to view the glorious success of the combined arms of France and the United States, and to see that it has already given peace and safety to a very considerable district that had been long harrassed by the enemy, and that it tends still further, not only to humble the pride and power of Great Britain, but may in some considerable degree be the means of setting on foot a negotiation, that may terminate in establishing an honorable and lasting peace to the United States.

Congress has received a letter from the Governor of the State of New York, enclosing a number of resolutions of the Senate and Assembly of that state, declaring their right in and over the territory or tract of land heretofore called New Hampshire grants, the allegiance, that hath been from time to time paid by the people inhabiting those lands, to the said state. Also, protesting against the acts of Congress that declare the aforesaid territory to be an independent state, by the name of Vermont, and setting forth that the said acts are contrary to several articles of the Confederation, and further protesting against any measures that have been taken by Congress, or that they shall hereafter take to carry said acts into execution, and finally instructing their delegates in Congress to use every means in their power to prevent the same. Congress has not received a single line of intelligence from the state of Vermont since the passing the aforementioned

acts.

An ordinance has lately passed Congress for regulating captors and captures on the high seas, and condemnation of the same; and among other things it is ordained, that all British property found within three leagues of any of the shores of the United States, except it be in French bottoms, or hath been previously captured and condemned, shall be liable to capture

and condemnation after the first day of March next. All acts and ordinances heretofore made in any wise touching captures is by said ordinance repealed, and this to take place immediately. You will please to excuse our not being more particular on this subject, as we expect the ordinance will be immediately transmitted to you by the Secretary of Congress.

It is with pleasure we can inform you, that the stock of clothing now on hand is a more ample supply for our army than we ever have been able to make before at any one time, since the commencement of the war. It is sufficient to completely clothe every soldier now in service, except blankets; of that article there is a deficiency, but such measures are taken as we flatter ourselves cannot fail of success. A committee has been appointed to confer with the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War, on the best measures for arranging and filling up the army, so as to make it respectable. The committee have reported that it is inexpedient to make any alterations, in the last arrangement that was made by Congress on the 3d and 21st of October, 1780, and that the several states be called upon to fill their regiments with recruits to serve for three years, or during the war. It appears probable, Congress will agree to the report of the committee, and that requisitions will be sent to the several states accordingly. If this should take place, we shall be happy to give you the earliest information. We apprehend you will be a little surprised at the deficiency that will appear to be ïn our regiment when Col. Olney's returns come to hand. The Colonel is arrived at the head of Elk with his regiment, after having experienced almost every kind of distress in a long passage by water from Yorktown. The regiment is very sickly; the small pox has got among the last recruits. In this case they are not alone, many from other regiments being down with it.

All the executive business under Congress is now in new hands, and we hope for the better, and have the happiness to think that not only much less money is misapplied, than has been at many former periods, but turned to much more advantage to the public. The established character of the Superintendent of Finance, his abilities, numerous correspondents in different parts of the world, and permanent property, give great advantages in the execution of the important trust he is honored with. The public debts that have accumulated previous to his coming into office were numerous and the public creditors exceeding clamorous. They now think that the debts of the longest standing should be first paid. It appears to be justice, but policy forbids the measure, when our very existence as a people call aloud that the wheels of the present moment be kept in motion. Our want of knowledge of the transaction of the business under the direction of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and the short time he as acted in this office will

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