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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Dear Sir Morris town Saturday morning, June 10th 1780
I have many thanks to render you for your favor of the 7th Instant(1) which Colo. Hay was so good as to deliver me at nine last night. It affords me a very sensible satisfaction to be advised that our legislature has so unanimously adopted the recommendation of Congress on the subject of Finance not only because our sentiments are thereby approved, but because It evinces a disposition to Co-operate Effectually with Congress than which nothing is more Chagrining to the disaffected. I am persuaded the funds Established for the redemption
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of the bills will be Competent, If prudence takes the lead in disposing of the Confiscated property and Oeconomy In the Expenditures.
You request my thoughts on a Supply bill. I have not been in bed for three nights past and on horseback much the greatest portion of time since Wednesday morning, hence I feel myself very little in Condition to Arrange my thoughts with propriety on Any Subject. I will however commit myself to your discretion In confidence that your friendship will make every allowance.
Beef or pork, flour, hay, and short forrage were allotted to our state as their quota of supplies; of some, or all of these, I suppose considerable quantities have been collected by the Continental offices since the 1 st of December last. The deficiencies must be made up at least. To do this I would advise in your act to recite that Quota assigned to you, to observe that part hath already been furnished, and that you now mean to provide, not only for making up the defi[ci]ency, but Also to procure additional supplies for every department of the Army, If they should be required.
Perhaps It would be proper at this Conjuncture when exertion is so much wanted and when objects of such vast magnitude display themselves, to authorize the Governor to appoint agents, to Collect, purchase, or even If necessary to Impress the supplies which may be wanted, but as you may not have money to furnish the agents with, they should be directed to give Certificates for what they receive payable at one or more pay offices to be Established by the state, and the day of payment fixed to a Certain time after the date of the Certificates. In paying these no regard ought to be had to the prices fixed by Congress. The Currant price should be given whether It be more or less than that, for if the real price of the Commodity (no matter from what cause) was higher than that which the state can charge In Account with the United States, It would be evidently unjust to Confine the Individual to the fixed price, as he would then bear more than his proportion of the public burthen. On the Contrary If the Currant price should be less than the fixed one, the state ought to have the advantage. Otherwise the Sellar would bear less of the public burthen than his proportion. This Method I think should be pursued until the whole of the allotted articles are furnished-and In order to Determine with competent precision when that is, certificates should as early as possible be procured of all Supplies furnished Since the first day of December last, the Quarter Masters & Commissarys to furnish these certificates. Indeed it is Essential to the Interest of the state that these should be obtained, as will Evidently appear by having recourse to the act of Congress of the 25th February last. (2) Whatsoever additional articles like those enumerated In said Act, or whatever others may be wanted, should be procured by the same Agents, and In the same Manner together with the transportation, but the certificates on the pay offices should
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In this case Specify the Sum as agreed for by the agents wether It be more or less than the price fixed by Congress, and should be paid upon the Certificates because the whole must be repaid the state, which In this case is only to be Considered as lending Its Credit or Its money to the United States, the latter to be reimbursed either out of Its proportion of taxes, or If those do not Amount to the whole Credit which the State has pledged, then out of the Continental treasury. It may be asked what agents ought to be Employed, I should advise the Quarter Master & Commissary. These officers must Exist. They will be on Established pay, and being under the direction of the Governor so far as the state may make provision for Supplies and transportation they will be no Expence to the State. Other agents will be a heavy one, Imbarrasments will take place, requisitions will be made by the Continental Officers. If the State officers fail to comply, or complying do not furnish the articles of the very best quality, complaints and disputes will Ensue. Besides what is It more than a Change of names, the state agents will have all the duty of Quarter Masters & Commissaries to do, & It is probable they will not understand the business so well. It is possible they may not be such good men. It is certain that they will not so well know where the resources of the Country lay.
If the Country was well supplied with wheat and flour, and If every person who must bear a share of the public burthen could furnish this article, It might be well to Quota It out on the Several Counties, but that neither is, or ever can be the case. You must then give an Alternative to pay the assessment in kind, or in Cash, but on this Alternative people will speculate. If cash is better than wheat they will pay In the latter. If cash is worse than wheat they will pay in Cash, and then you are Still driven to purchase. If you give no Alternative and say If they have no wheat they must purchase It, then you make an hundred purchasers instead of one, and you risk advancing the price, and depreciating the new Money, and probably draw on a heavy expence In transportation from remote places. I believe the best way is to purchase without any kind of Assessment, with money, If you have It, with Credit If you have not money.
I fear, like you, that the disaffected and those who wish the old money reallized in their hands by taxes on the people, will attempt to discredit the new Money, but serve them as they would Serve us, Let the agents whether they be Quarter Masters or Commissaries seize as much as possible in what Supplies these dark characters may have, then they will become Interested In supporting the Credit of the new money.
By the act of the 18th March, If fourty dollars be brought to the treasury whether by taxes, or voluntary for the purpose of exchange, one is emitted In Exchange, and one to Strengthen the treasury. If then you could Induce the people to bring in the old to Exchange
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for the New, the treasury would be Strengthened by one dollar in Value equivalent to every forty brought in, and the Credit Established by the Exchange, would not subscriptions for the purpose have a good Effect? Or Would It be too bold a stroke to Call In the Old by act of the legislature, and give in Exchange the new? We have compleated a System for the Quarter Master department, not the best, but I believe as good a one as the times will admit of. This business ought to have been done in November, then a compleat reform might have been made, but had we [lopped off?] of every exuberance at this Critical moment all had been confusion. We were therefore under the necessity of temporizing. The outlines are three Great divisions, the first N. York Inclusive East, and the second thence west to Maryland Inclusive, and the third the remainder of the States. In Each division a Superintendant-one Deputy QM General In Each State to be approved of by the Executive authority of the State If necessary-with a competent number of assistants-No Forage Masters. I believe Colo. Hay will be the Deputy In our State, and Mr. Cuyler the Superintendant In the Commissary Branch.
In the night between Tuesday and Wednesday the Enemy landed at Elizabeth town point with between four & five thousand men and Immediately pushed forward, pointing to this place. Maxwells brigade supported by the Militia who turned out with alertness and behaved with Spirit, made what opposition they could at every post which promised fair to retard the Enemy. By Eleven the enemy had advanced to the Connecticut farms, about nine Miles on this Elizabeth town point, here a Sharp Contest ensued, the Enemy to gain a passage over the bridge near Springfield, ours to prevent them, the former retired to their main body with Some loss, ours kept the Ground; the troops from hence were put In Motion and Arrived about four on the heights between this and Springfield, from that time until dark was Spent In reconnoitring each other and on their part In burning houses; about Eleven at night they retired to Elizabeth town. Maxwell and the Militia followed In the Morning. At one in the afternoon on Thursday Our main body began to move forward to the heights the Enemy had left, there to remain until their Strength, position & Intentions could be ascertained; We reconnoitred them from Halsteads point which afforded us a good view. Judged their number as has been Mentioned, which was too heavy for us to venture an Attack. On Friday very Early they were reinforced by about three hundred horse and some foot. As our force Including militia was still Inferior we retired to our first position above Springfield. Some Intelligence having been received that they should Attempt the destruction of our stores by turning our flanks with their light horse, the General requested me to repair here, and make a disposition of the troops. Nothing has happened. It is now ten oClock, not a word from the army, whence I conclude that the
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Enemy are still at Elizabeth town. If they were not well Informed of our weakness they would not remain where they are. If the General had three thousand men more they must be ruined, but his numbers without such a reinforcement are Incompetent. I dare not tell you our Strength or rather our weakness.
I have this moment received a line from Mr. Duane, (3) Inclosing a paper he sent me ( 4) which I have transmitted to the legislature thru Mr. Benson.
I have urged much to pay a visit to the legislature but neither the General nor the Committe will Consent that I shall leave this.
Pray make my Compliments to all friends. I am Dear Sir, with Sincere Esteem Your friend & very Hum Servt,
Ph. Schuyler
[P.S.] I find the Enemy were made to believe that If they came out in force, our army would not fight, the Country would submit, and that they would possess themselves of all our stores. They were surprised to find the Militia so firm-some were heard to Say the Americans fight like bull dogs. Every general officer in N. York was out, the Titular Governor came out In his Coach followed by fifty or sixty of the most Capital toadeaters in the town.
If the legislature should not approve of making the Quarter Master an Agent under an apprehension that an Improper person might be appointed to that office, If they have no objection to Colo Hay they might appoint him by name, altho I think It may be attended with Inconvenience If sickness or death Should deprive us of his services.
RC (Andrew Fiske, Shelter Island, N.Y., 1980). Addressed: "To the Honorable Ezra Lhommedieu Esqr., Kingston."
1 See Schuyler to L'Hommedieu, May 20, 1780, note 1.
2 See Huntington to the States, February 26, 1780.
3 See James Duane to Schuyler, June 6, 1780.
4 Enclosure not identified.
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