we conceive, be a sufficient apology for our saying no more of him at present, than that he is a gentleman of propriety and abilities, and appears attentive to business.

The confidence that the Commander-in-Chief and the army in general has in the Secretary of War is such, that when we add his knowledge and experience as an officer, his integrity and attention to business, we cannot but flatter ourselves that the public will receive essential benefits from his appointment. In justice to all the aforementioned gentlemen, we must say, that they appear to endeavor, as much as possible, to curtail all useless expenses, and to appropriate the public money to the most advantage. But their success so much depends upon the exertion and assistance of the states, that they must fail in a great degree in any attempts they may make to retrieve and organize our public affairs, if they are not properly supported by the several legislatures in the execution of their great and important trusts.

Since writing the above, the report of the committee respecting the arrangements of the army, as mentioned in a preceding paragraph, has been agreed to in Congress without any alterations. The resolutions will be forwarded to you by the Secretary of Congress, by this, or next post. We beg leave to refer you to the enclosed newspapers, for the little public news there is at this time passing.

We have the honor to be with the highest respect,

Your Excellency's most obedient humble servants,

WILLIAM ELLERY,

EZEKIEL CORNELL.

EZEKIEL CORNELL TO Gov. GREENE.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 10th, 1781.

DEAR SIR: -I have the pleasure to inform your Excellency, that the bearer of this carries the blank bills of Exchange and one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, to be emitted pursuant to the resolution of Congress of the 18th of March last, and to be delivered to the keeper of the Continental Loan Office, in the State of Rhode Island. I will not comment on the difficulty that hath attended this business.

Enclosed is a resolution of Congress appointing the Hon. Jonathan Arnold and Joseph Clark, Esq., or either of them, to be signers of the said new bills on the part of the United States. I hope it will be agreeable.

Col. Palfrey, late Paymaster General to the army, sails on Tuesday next, for France, to take upon himself the consulship in that kingdom agreeable to his appointment.

Congress has for a considerable time past, been principally employed in

foreign affairs, which are called secret. It appears by a Cork paper of the 6th of October last, that Hon. Henry Laurens was committed to the Tower of London on suspicion of high treason, by the high constable, in consequence of a warrant signed by Lords North, Stormont and Germain.

The want of money for public use, and the distress arising from that source, is beyond the power of my pen to describe, and the prospect of relief appears small.

Notwithstanding the Loan Offices are kept open, and certificates given for a silver dollar with interest until paid, upon the receipt of forty Continental dollars, yet so low is public credit, not one farthing is received in any of the middle states.

From which I think there is little prospect that our State can receive any relief on account of any former advancements of money for the use of the United States. You will please to pardon me for once more mentioning the necessity there is of sending to your delegate in Congress the exact amount of the moneys advanced to Col. Bowen, Quartermaster General, as it does not appear to me there is the least probability of obtaining that sum, in any other way than from the four-tenths of the new bills now to be issued by a warrant from Congress, on Mr. Clark, for that sum. If this should fail, I know not what funds you can have recourse to for payment. When I see you I shall be able to explain this matter more fully.

I have not received a word of intelligence from any person in the State since your's of the 31st of October, and Mr. Clark's of the 1st of November. Gen. Varnum has not yet arrived, neither have I received any intelligence that he is on his way, but suppose he cannot be far distant.

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Since writing the above, I am informed by the President, that he has enclosed to you the appointment I mentioned in this letter, and one to each of the gentlemen appointed, which enclosure I now deliver with my own hands to the escort with this. He is now waiting.

I have the honor to be your Excellency's

Most obedient and very humble servant,

EZEKIEL CORNELL.

MESSRS. ELLERY AND CORNELL TO Gov. GREENE.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 18th, 1781.

SIR: We do ourselves the honor to inform your Excellency that, since our last, Congress has received a letter from the Governor of the State of Vermont, enclosing a number of resolves of a grand committee of both Houses of Assembly, and acts or laws of said state; declaring that the acts of Congress of August last, respecting said state, do not comport with the propositions made to Congress by their commissioners, in July last; that

no member of the legislature shall, on any pretence whatever, give his vote for submitting the determination of their right of independence to any power on earth; that all disputes about territorial or boundary lines shall be settled by judicious, unprejudiced persons, to be mutually agreed upon and chosen by the parties concerned, and that the states interested shall pledge their faith to each other, to abide the determination of the Commissioners, appointed as aforesaid; that when all disputes are settled, according to the mode pointed out in the aforementioned resolve, and the states legally admitted into the Union, they will consider themselves bound by acts of Congress.

The Superintendent of Finance has presented to Congress, an ordinance for adjusting and settling the accounts of the United States with each individual state, &c. It has been read and is committed to a special committee. They now have it under consideration. We shall only mention some of the principal paragraphs

First, that a member from each state be chosen to meet in the city of Philadelphia, on the first Monday in May next, then and there to settle the proposition that each state shall pay, of all the expense that the United States hath been at, from the commencement of the war to the first day of January, 1782, except the moneys that have or may be funded before that time. Secondly, that there be a Commissioner for each state, to be nominated by the Superintendent of Finance, and approved of by the legislature of the state for which he is appointed, whose duty shall be to settle all accounts between such state and the United States, according to the orders he may receive from the Comptroller, &c. Thirdly, the act of the 18th of March, 1780, and all the preceding and succeeding resolutions for money and supplies, to be fully complied with by each state; and when it shall be found, upon settlement of the accounts, that any state has paid more than such state's proportion, in that case such state shall have a reduction in the next requisition, &c.

We flatter ourselves you will excuse us for not being more particular on this subject. The ordinance has not passed, and probably will undergo some alterations. We only wish to inform you of what is doing.

We have the honor to be your Excellency's

Most obedient humble servants,

WILLIAM ELLERY.
EZEKIEL CORNELL.

Gov. GREENE TO THE DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.

December 22d, 1781.

GENTLEMEN : The late requisition of Congress for this State, to assess upon the inhabitants the sum of $216,000, subject to the disposition of

Robert Morris, Esq., Financier General, has been received and laid before the General Assembly the week past.

The sum required was so large that it was unanimously concluded that it could not, by any ways or means, be raised in specie, and but a possibility that it could be supplied in the articles and produce of the country. The Assembly were pleased to appoint a committee upon the subject, in order that I might be the more fully informed respecting the real situation of this. State, and to give you such information respecting our resources, as to enable you, gentlemen, to confer with Mr. Morris on this occasion, and to endeavor that the sum required might be raised in such articles of the produce of this State as can be furnished for the use of the army, at such stipulated prices as can be agreed on. I am fully sensible how extremely disagreeable the cries of poverty and distress are, and how necessary it is that punctual payments should be made by the several states when required by Congress, for the support of our army and the credit of the United States. And it is as indispensable that the true circumstaces of the resources of the State should be known, in order that more should not be required than it is possible to attain.

As, gentlemen, your vocations have led you to reside chiefly in Philadelphia for some time past, you cannot conceive the great alterations in this State with respect to the abilities of the inhabitants to pay their taxes. As this State is small in extent, and heretofore the inhabitants chiefly depended upon navigation and mercantile employments, that resource being cut off, a great number of persons who formerly were in affluent circumstances are now reduced to indigence, their little savings being expended. The circulating cash hath been, in a great measure, collected and sent out of this State to pay our army when to the westward, and for other purposes, whereby the scarcity thereof hath become uncommonly great. The Quartermaster's Department here hath been solely supplied by money from this State, to send provisions, clothing, &c., forward to the grand army. And, as the money collected is expended without this State, and but a very little staple to bring it in again, you can easily account for our poverty. This State affords some provisions and articles of clothing. woolens, blankets, stockings, shoes, and linen are manufactured here, and if the moneys collected from the inhabitants were to be expended among them, it would enable them, in some measure, to bear their burdens.

Coarse

As we, from the earliest period of this contest, engaged with a full determination to exert every possible means to attain the desirable and sought for end, we still hold our integrity. I make no doubt, gentlemen, you will, in the most pressing terms, place our real situation before Mr. Morris, in such a light that he may notice the attention of this State and cause such articles

to be supplied by us as will be a means of retaining the small quantity of cash within it for a circulating medium.

The General Assembly will meet at Providence on the last Monday in January next, by which time you will send us an answer respecting this proposition.

MESSRS. ELLERY AND CORNELL TO Gov. Greene.

PHILADELPHIA, January 4th, 1782.

We have been honored with your Excellency letters of the 18th and 22d ult. Previous to the receipt of your letter of the 22d, we had received a letter from his honor the Deputy Governor, enclosing the resolutions of the General Assembly, directing us to confer with the Superintendent of Finance, on the subject matters therein contained. That no time might be lost, we communicated the contents to the Financier.

We observed that he was sensible of the force of the arguments contained in the resolutions, but he thought too much was asked for; that whatever he did in this case, must be general to all the states; and that it was his wish, to give them every assistance that was necessary, to enable them to comply with the requisitions of Congress, and that nothing that he could do for that purpose, consistent with the duties of his office, should be wanting. He was too much engaged to take up the business, so as to enable us to forward an answer by this post, but promises that as soon as he could attend, he would give us notice.

We are fully impressed with the force of your arguments respecting the inability of the inhabitants of the State, to pay their quota of the tax in specie, that is required by Congress for the present year; and shall enforce them at the conference with the Superintendent—and you may be assured that nothing that is in our power will be omitted, that shall appear necessary to obtain the request of the honorable the General Assembly. As soon as the business is finished, we will give you the earliest information.

We have the honor to be,

Your Excellency's most obedient humble servants,

WILLIAM ELLERY,
EZEKIEL CORNELL.

MESSRS. ELLERY AND CORNELL TO Gov. Greene.

PHILADELPHIA, January 8th, 1782.

SIR: --We do ourselves the honor to enclose your Excellency a letter we have received from the Hon. Robert Morris, Esq., Superintendent of Finance,