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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
My Dear Sir(1) New York, Sept. 1. 1787.
Your letter of the 23d of October, 1785, came to hand only a few weeks ago, and it is the only one since that from Hamburg. You may
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therefore suppose I had almost given you up for lost. Tho' I do not readily despair, yet I had a thousand conjectures---;among these the Extravagant one, that you were gone to Kauskatea, Exploring territory---;another lately, that you might have accompanied your sovereign in her Southern tour. But I am very agreeably disappointed by finding you safe & snug at home. I hope, too, in full possession of an Empress of your own, together with all the Enjoyment that matrimonial connection can possibly afford.
The Dutchman brought me Pierce's final Settlement notes, which together with another for arrears I got added, made in the whole 1000---;these I loaned to the State of Pennsylvania, & took her certificate on interest in lieu---;this bore interest, & was regularly paid for two years---;these funded, as they were called, were up at one time to 8s. 4d. in the pound, but lately a hue & cry has been raised that Penna. has taken on herself more than her proportion of the national debt, and of course this funding law must be repealed. Whether it will or not is yet undetermined. But be this as it may, Certificates of this description are now as low as half a dollar in the pound. Still the Continentals, not adopted or funded by any State, are yet lower; they are 2s. 6d. I have therefore determined to sell out of Penna. Stocks & purchase one thousand dollars Continentals; these will purchase one thousand acres of land between the Scioto & Miami on the bank of the Ohio, where a company have purchased 5,000,000 of acres, at one dollar in Certificates; this Company being well organized, and intend actually to make Strong Settlements very soon, I thought it the best mode of investing this sum: there will be about twenty dollars specie to be added for expense of Settlement, Surveying, &c. Genl. Parsons, of Connecticut, is one of the directors of this Company and most of the principals will be officers of the Eastern States. After all the necessary Expenses & investiture I expect tohave remaining of yours in my hands some more than $300,(2) yet funded in Pennsa.---;with these it is probable I should purchase a plantation for you on French Creek, or the Beaver, or some good communication into the West, near the old Settlements.
The Yankees talk of moving 5000 strong into their new territory next Spring, in one body. They are proceeding very regularly. This will make your 1000 acres valuable in a few years. I have two patents in your name for you, 200 acres Each, Penna. Donation Land; & there will be 200 added to the thousand in the Compy., your Share from the United States: So that when I make the purchase I intend in Penna. you will have, in the whole, about 2000 acres: then all of your certificates that have come to my hands will be disposed of, & I hope to good advantage in the end---;as the land will increase in value more than the interest of the Certificates in the uncertain State of things. Many persons begin to think of purchasing Western lands: Congress
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have proposals now before them for 20,000,000, exclusive of the company already mentioned of which you are to be a member. I hope you have not sent Depreciation Notes as they have not reached me---; nor any other account of them, except what you say relative to your intention of sending them the succeeding Spring, to your letter of the 23d Octr. 1785: there is much danger of their being lost, if you sent them, so much time has elapsed; & yet if they should be as long by the way as the last letter, they will yet turn up: that letter was forwarded & endorsed from London by Jo. Christian Splitgerber & Co. the 18th Feby., 1786; Mr. Matthew Irvine took it out of the Post Office the day it arrived there & forwarded it to me. I cannot procure the discharge you mention from our Service---;but should suppose the Resolution of Congress, authenticated, will be sufficient, I mean that for disbanding the army. With respect to a discharge, the brevet cannot at this moment be procured---;perhaps it may at a future day, not long hence.
The loss of the Certificate of your being a member of the Cincinnati, will be amply compensated by the Diploma herewith transmitted: there is no rank mentioned in any, not even the highest---; yours is verbatim with a Major General. As to the Medal & picture you mention, they must be deferred till some future conveyance. There is no vessel at this port for Hamburg, and have just snatched the opportunity to convey this by Commodore Paul Jones, who sails tomorrow for France, & promises to forward this to Hamburg---;or he may probably send it from Denmark, where he has business. Your surprizing me on the banks of the Beaver, I presume is now out of the question, particularly if your matrimonial Scheme has been Effected; but your land in that quarter will be a good reserve for one Son by the time he is of age. By-the-by, when I was in that country last year---; for I was appointed to explore the Donation Lands for the Penna. Line, I searched the Shinango branch ofBeaver half a day for your rifle, without Effect, that was the Creek you struck as you returned, from the (supposed) Cuyahoga.
Sundry alterations have been proposed at the General Meetings of the Society of Cincinnatus, referred to the several State meetings---;some adopted entirely, some partially, & some adhered strictly to the original. The General Meeting last May did no business for a variety of reasons, which would be too voluminous to relate in the bounds of a letter; they adjourned, however, till next May. The institution is becoming less obnoxious; indeed, it is more & more forgot daily---;& I would not swear that by saying or seeming to think little about it, a favorable moment may not arrive to Establish it fully without even a murmur against it.
The U.S., or the mercantile part of the people have felt severely the cramped or restrained state of trade, for nothing would serve them but they must throw almost the whole into Britain again---; who by acts
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of Parliament as well as acts of almost Every individual Briton, who had it in his power, have made their vessels the carriers as well of their goods to America, as well as of the American produce in return. In this situation, a year ago, a Convention was proposed & past, did most in order to persuade & prevail on the several Legislatures to invest Congress with full power to regulate everything relative to trade. They did nothing decisive, but recommended some things; the result has been, that a General Convention has met, & are now sitting at Philadelphia, who are instructed to propose regulations for trade---; not only so, but likewise to revise the Confederation itself---;which, however, they have not power finally to determine on, but only to submit the proposed alterations and amendments, first to Congress---; who, if they approve, are to submit them to the Several States for their final determination. General Washington is President of the Convention---;they have sat ever since the Month of May; it is said they will rise in two weeks from this time. Many are sanguine that a good Government will be framed---;some are determined to oppose, whatever it may be---;but as a great majority seemed convinced, that considerable changes are necessary, I hope some tolerable plan will be accepted. The only danger of miscarriage, I think, is, that the Convention will be for making so perfect a Government, as to leave no room for future amendments---;or, in other words, to alarm too much the great sticklers for liberty. The Eastern States are almost clamorous for strong Executive Government: this may be thought Extraordinary---;but it is nevertheless true. At Boston last winter there were violent commotions, indeed even rebellion, which you have doubtless heard not a little of. There was at one time 7000 insurgents embodied in the depth of winter under a certain Shay---;they had a long string of grievances, among these, oppression of lawyers, Speculators, tax-gatherers, &c. &c.
But themilitia were, after many talks, town-meetings, & consultations, turned out, & headed chiefly by old Continental officers---;among the most conspicuous of these were old Lincoln, Shepherd, & Brooks. There was considerable marching and manoeuvering for two weeks, but the insurgents, at last suffered themselves to be surprized & totally routed---;since which every thing has been perfectly quiet. This was really an exertion of military, against their brethren too, that few people here had an idea of---;and in Europe I dare say, it will be deemed absolutely false. But I assure you it is well authenticated that the Militia under Genl. Lincoln marched thirty miles in nine hours in the night in a severe snow storm---;when many were actually frozen---;& without refreshment rushed on the insurgents with bayonets. It is true, there was little opposition; but I believe it is no less true, that not many militia under similar circumstances, would even make the attempt.
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When circumstances render any probable Success in trade, I will answer the queries you put---;in the meantime suffice to inform you that the Ships to the East Indies from America have been remarkably successful. I believe ten have returned. Sloops of 60 tons have gone to the Cape. China produce is plenty & cheap, but green tea is sold here for a dollar a pound.
It is now time to tell you how I came to date my letter from New York. Congress sit in this city, & I am in the delegation this year from our State---;so is Genl. St. Clair---;& young Armstrong---;So you see the Cincinnati are not quite laid aside. Direct to me at the old place, Carlisle---;where it is more than probable I shall be buried. I have built a tolerable house there---;not to be buried, but to live in. I will be anxious to hear from you. I make a tour yearly to Fort Pitt, & next Spring I believe I will see Lake Erie pretty high up. I am, dr. Sir, most Sincerely yrs., Wm. Irvine
P.S. I am at some loss to know how you manage to receive letters by the old address. Will it be proper to continue that---;or in future by the present proper one---;signify this in your next.
Money is very Scarce, but it is more artificial than real; occasioned in a great degree by several of the States issuing paper money, which invariably depreciates, be the funds for its redemption ever so good. In Penna., for instance they made £150,000, the whole revenue of the State, pledged by law for the redemption of it---; £20,000 to be redeemed annually & burned. This law has been punctually complied with, in all respects, and yet it has depreciated 20 per cent. It has been uniformly taken by the State for lands, taxes, impost, and indeed all debts to the State it was a legal tender---;but not a tender in any other case; no individual was obliged to take it. The holders of public securities, however, tho' not obliged by law to receive it, yet they had no alternative but go without. I mean for annual interest: this was among thereasons for appropriating yours, or converting them into land, which cannot depreciate.
Septr. 6th. Commodore Jones being detained longer than he expected, gives me an opportunity to inform you more minutely the State of my negotiations with your property. I have this day sold out part of your stock in the Penna. funds, & purchased 1,000 Continental dollars---;these I have subscribed in the Ohio Company, as your Attorney---;& paid in the necessary proportion of Specie to defray contingent Expenses. When a payment is made into the U.S. Treasury, a new certificate will issue for the Amount of interest due on them---;as nothing but principle is taken as payment for land. How much this will amount to, I cannot exactly say, but suppose something upwards of $100---;this you will have the U.S. for. Then beside that, there will remain in my hands Certificates of Penna. as already mentioned, to purchase the Penna. farm. The interest already drawn from Penna. has
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augmented the fund so much (which I have also thrown into the Company) as to obtain an addition of 333 acres---;so that your share in the Company, including your right as an officer, 1533 acres, Exclusive of your four hundred acres in Penna, for which I have patents---;200 acres of which I almost forgot to tell you is on a branch of French Creek, & one on Oil Creek---;for these a lottery was drawn---;one No. 1119, the other 1352. As soon as the whole is patented, I will inform you, in order to take your direction whether to Send them to you & by what mode of Conveyance. If Jones should tarry a few days longer, I will probably have something new to add: In the meantime, Mrs. Irvine was well a few days ago, & so were the children. By-the-by, we have another girl, near two years old, more charming than any of the others. We are harrassed by my brother & his wife of Carolina, to let them have Nancy, which we have not yet consented.
Saml. McKay of Pittsburg called on me yesterday, with much news from that place---;too much to relate; but this brings to my mind what I am sure you will laugh heartily at---;that is, that the said Sam's mother is married to an old invalid Englishman, whom nobody knows---;but she has to nurse & support him. And Bayard is actually married to Betsey, & takes the new store at the ferry on Monongahela. John Ward married Polly Boyd. Poor Finley remains an old bachelor. John Hughes is rather sickly, but has increased his property surprisingly, & is building a house opposite John Montgomery, which cannot cost less than £1,000---;his Betsey is as fat as a wapping landlady, a British sailor would say, or a Flandersman.
John Finley sent me a pair of fine mockasons for you a few weeks after your departure---;I am sorry I have them not at this place, or would send them by this conveyance.
Sept. 24th. Com. Jones is here yet, which affords me this early opportunity of furnishing you with the sundry enclosures---;some of them will be acceptable.
The new Constitution will meet some opposition, but I expect it will work its way in a few months---;it will require years to feel the benefit. You find by the report of the Committee of the Ohio Company, that I could not well throw your property into better hands. You will have a City & out-lot. In haste, W.I.
Tr (WHi: Draper Manuscripts---;Pittsburgh & Northwestern Virginia Papers).
1 Gustavus, baron de Rosenthal, one of the few Russians in the Continental Army, had served as Dr. John Rose in the Pennsylvania Line, 1777--;80. He had been General Irvine's aide-de-camp during the latter's command at Fort Pitt in 1781, and Col. William Crawford's aide during the ill-fated Ohio expedition of the spring of 1782. See John Rose, "Journal of a Volunteer Expedition to Sandusky, from May 24 to June 13, 1782," PMHB 18 (1894): 129--;57, 293--;328; and Heitman, Historical Register, p. 351.
2 Concerning Rosenthal's funds, Irvine wrote the following letter to an unknown recipient on August 21. It is endorsed: "A Copy to Major McConnell." "Sir, I send you two Certificates belonging to Mr. Rose by Mr. McCoy the bearer hereof, which I wish you to
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dispose of and remit me the money by the first safe conveyance. There are sundry Gentlemen now in Philada. from this place among them Mr Milligan--;as some speed may be necessary I beg you will loose as little time as possible in making the remittance. I mean to lay out the proceeds in a tract of land for him--;transferring into Continental Certificates I believe will make the most for him. I am Sir, Your Obedt. Servt. W.I. N.B. No. 2175 is for £37.10.10. No. 2176 for £285.0.0 [P.S.] Let the Gold be regulated, there is 9d. loss on french Guineas if even weight." Caryl Roberts Irvine Collection, PHi.
For Matthew McConnell's September 20 response to Irvine concerning the sale of Continental certificates, see Doc. Hist. of Ratif., 13:220.
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