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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume: 3 January 1, 1776 - May 15, 1776
Oliver Wolcott to Samuel Lyman

Sir, Philadelphia 16t. March 1776 Your favour of the 14 Ult. came safe to Hand. I have been expecting by every Post to have recd. Letters from Home but none comes. I have heard nothing from my Family since I recd your Letter. Perhaps it might be easier to Send Letters to Mr. Ellerys office than to N Haven. I have ordered Oliver to forward mine, but perhaps he is an improper Person for this Service as his Acquaintance is only with the College.
I Notice your Observations on the little Pamphlet I sent you. It has

Page 390

MARCH 16, 1776

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had a Surprizing run, which is an Evidence it falls in with the general Sentiments of the People. Court Measures may necessitate the Colonies to realise these Sentiments in general. What has been done of a publick Nature since my last is a Recommendation to the Assemblys and Conventions to disarm all such as will not associate to defend the American Rights by Arms.(1) A Petition lyes before Congress from a Number of Merchants of this City requesting Letters of Mark against the British Trade. The Result will douptless be a general License for that Purpose. By the late pirating Act the Colonies are intirely cast out of the King's Protection, in an explicit manner. It behoves us therefore to take Care of ourselves. As to Commissioners coming over, I believe it is Very certain that their Powers are only to receive the Submissions of the Colonies-and I am Very confident they will not therefore be ever Able to Execute their Trust. A proclamation for a fast has issued to be kept the 17t. May but no particular Notice is taken of the British Court but only as they fall under the general Denomination of Enemies. As to Matters of internal Police which you mention they are not at present the Objects of Attention, but in the Course of Affairs they may become so. The Business of Congress is Very Various and extensive. We have but a Very little spare Time; the Vast Number of Applications calls for a constant Attention. I want to hear the Result of the Cannonading of Boston. God grant that it may be happy. No News of consequence from the Westward since my last to Mrs. Wolcott. We hear of some Piracy committed upon our Trade, I believe but few Merchants will choose to Venture their Property Abroad at present, We must Avail ourselves of Armed Ships to cruize upon the British Trade.
I have observed in a N Haven Paper the doings of their County Committee,(2) and as I tho't they proceeded upon Very mistaken Principles and such as must be attended with Very mischeivous Effects, the Other evening I Sat down and Scketched some thots upon the Subject with an Intention to Send to you. Your own Prudence will dictate how farr it may be proper that they Should pass for Mine. (3) It is impossible sometimes to combat with any Advantage Opinions never so erronious, and I believe none could be worse founded than those of this Committee. Such a Conduct if we are debarred Trade will insure our Ruin-for it discourages every kind of home Manufacture-which wheither We have Warr or Peace We ought to our Utmost to improve. I hope that false Policy will not spread into Litchfield County. The Soldiers I understand are not paid in the Colony; it is unhappy it was not taken in the continental Way. A few of the pay Rools are come to hand- which with other Accounts will I suppose be Sent as soon as they can be made out-and it will take some time to have them liquidated. We have with difficulty obtained an advance of Thirty Thousand pounds, which will be Sent.(4) R Island was refused Payment for the Bounties they advanced to their Soldiers before I came here; and I suppose Con-

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necticut upon the same Principle must share the same Fate. I set down Matters as they come into my mind, I must write without much Method. I heartily wish you would write to me, it certainly will be a Satisfaction to Me if I can Read yr Letters. My best compliments to all my Friends as tho particularly Named. I am sir with Regard your assured Freind and most humble Servant, O Wolcott

RC (MdBJ-G).
l See JCC, 4:205.
2 The minutes of the February 19 meeting of the New Haven County committees of inspection, which were published in the Connecticut Journal, February 28, 1776, urged strict adherence to the Association and recommended, among other measures, that raw material for home manufactures, including leather, wool, and flax, be sold at 1774 prices.
3 Lyman apparently extracted Wolcott's sketch and subrritted it for publication in the Connecticut Journal. The following unidentified piece, entitled "Observations on the price of Wool and Flax" and introduced as the "reflections" of "one_______, of my sensible and learned correspondents," appeared in the April 24, 1776 issue.
"Every people who have not necessary supplies of diet and cloathing within themselves, must depend upon others for their very existence, or procure those supplies by the chance of war. To such a people every accident renders their condition very insecure; to obtain perminent independency and consequently freedom, they must carefully attend to, and if possible obtain internal supplies of these two necessary articles. Diet, by the blessing of God, this country produces plenty of; cloathing is what we are very deficient in, but which by a proper attention to our own affairs, may be obtained in as great plenty as the former. Those therefore who can raise the raw materials, Wool and Flax, ought to have the greatest encouragement. This can be done no other way than by allowing a good price for those articles. This encouragement naturally arises out of public want; for scarcity or want is the foundation of price, and in its consequences of plenty; for a high price naturally prompts men to industry, in raising that which will certainly procure for them an advantageous sale. Plenty is the natural consequence of an encrease of manufactures. Scarcity and plenty will almost inevitably produce each other, and from the most obvious causes. Therefore in a time of scarcity, to restrain the price of necessary articles, which may be internally procured, is the greatest absurdity, as it necessarily precludes every hope of plenty. Temporary inconveniencies naturally accrue to the poor by an advanced price of necessaries, and this is undeniable; but it is certain, that this high price (unless prevented by unnatural management) will terminate to their advantage by giving them plenty. The allowance of a high price, is more especially necessary, when further knowledge in manufacturing ought to be obtained. History informs us, that the wisest states have often designedly produced this scarcity, by laying large duties upon imported articles, which a people might internally obtain. This prudent conduct has in a thousand instances, procured for a people the greatest affluence and independency."
At this point the contributor-Lyman-observed that, if the "mode of reasoning" of "my ingenious correspondent" is true, the committees of New Haven County should give bounties to encourage production rather than restrict prices, since "it would afford ten times more probability of plenty than any restrictions could possibly do."
"To imagine that internal plenty may be had by reducing price;" the "Observations" continued, "is to imagine, that the system of nature may be best preserved by that which has the greatest tendency to its subversion. If by an act of power

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MARCH 16, 1776

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wheat was reduced to 2s a bushel, famine would be the consequence. The Association, which directs that no advantages shall be taken as to the price of wool, flax, and internal manufactures, but that the same shall be sold reasonably, can mean only to prevent monopolising and forestalling, (a practice in its nature truly detestable) but can never mean to regard a price as to internal productions, which price naturally arises out of the condition and state of the country; for what does in every article of our own growth, constitute a reasonable price, but the public demand? If such was the plenty of linens and woolens, that the whole people were amply supplied, and no vend could be had for those articles, the reasonable price of flax, &c might be a penny a pound. In a word, public exigencies constitute price, and those exegencies alone must effect the lowering of price, which it will infallibly do. Skillful political physicians will carefully attend the system of nature, and help her in her own operations, but will never counteract the natural exertions upon which the cure of every political evil depends."
Wolcott's interest in encouraging the cultivation of flax and wool was shared by a majority of his colleagues in Congress, who adopted several resolutions on March 21 aimed at promoting agriculture and manufactures. See JCC, 4:224.
4 See JCC, 4:188. For additional references to Connecticut accounts, see Wolcott to Thomas Seymour, April 16, 1776.

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