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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
My Dear Sir, Philadelphia 7th Feby 1779 I thank you for the information contained in Your favor of 24th Decr. last which is the last letter I have received from you. (1) Col. Beadle's Regiment is dismiss'd.(2) I need not inform you of the difficulty of procuring a just enquiry into the conduct of an Officer at a distance from the Army, this I suppose occasion'd the act of Congress impowering the executive authority of the several States for that purpose.(3) I wish it was done by N.H. in this instance, I have no doubt there has been great abuses commited in that country, & I know of no power so competent to investigate the true state of matters there as the executive authority of the State.
The plan of finance has reached you I suppose some time ago, You'll observe the Quota of N.H. is not so high in proportion as last Year. I procured this abatement not because I thought the sum more than the state would be able to raise but because You might be more at liberty to act Your discretion, however I hope you will raise a much larger sum, as you will be allowed interest for all you raise above Your just proportion & there can be no better time to collect money than when it is plenty. I hope some other method will be divised to help our Currency, what is already done can be nothing more than mere palliatives
The transactions relative to the British Commission &c are not yet finished. I shall do myself the pleasure of sending them to you as soon as they come from the press.(4) I have inquired of the Jersey Gentn respecting the man you mention, and they know of no such person.(5) I think it very probable he is an imposture and ought at least to be well watched. The
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speech of the Foolish Tyrant of Britain will shew that his mettle is much lowered, it must be very humiliating to ask the Mediation of Spain & meet with a refusal.
It is reported, but not from so good authority as I cod wish, that Spain has a fleet of 44 sail of the line besides Frigates &c in Cadiz Bay, & are speedily to be join'd by 10 more from Ferool & Cathergena, if this shod be true they certainly are meditating some important stroke.
The success of the Enemy to the Southward will give them Spirits, they have got possession of Georgia & our Friends from Carolina are not free from apprehension that Charlestown is in danger, the People from N. Carolina & Virginia are marching to the assistance of their Neighbours with great spirit and I hope will frustrate their (the Enemies) designs.
John D___n (6) is chosen to represent Delaware in C__ but has not yet taken his seat, that State hath acceeded to the Confederacy. There now only remains Maryland who you know has seldom done any thing with a good Grace, She has always been a froward hussey. It is a misfortune that such differences shod take place between our Commissioners but it is not to be wondered at, that the watchfulness of A.L.(7) shod draw on him the enmity of those who are utter strangers to the feelings of Patriotism that influence that Gentns Conduct; however, I need not trouble you with my opinion of those Characters, you are well acquainted with them.I well remember your opinion of a certain Person (8) (now in this City) early in 76 before his departure from America, it wod have been fortunate for this Country if others had entertain'd the same opinion of him then that you did, but he was then, as he now is, supported by characters who will never suffer Martyrdom for the cause of Virtue.
Europe is now full of negotiations which it may be expected will reach America in the spring, when probably we may be entertained with a new set of proposals from Britain, tho' I can hardly think her vain enough to entertain even an Idea of any thing short of Independence, even that, in my judgment, ought not to satisfy us, unless she will quit all pretensions to Canada & Nova Scocia, as for the Floridas I think we may consent to divide that Country with Spain if she will furnish us with funds to sink our paper money. Whatever may be the result of negotiations we must prepare for another vigorous Campaign for which purpose I hope every exertion will be used to recruit the Army. New Hampshire I am confident will not be backward in this respect.
Please to present my Respects to all Friends in Your circle, I have been weekly expecting to be favoured with a line from some of them. Coll Peabody promised me he would write to me, & I did expect Dr Thompson & Genl Folsom wod have done me that Honour. You know the rule that You & I settled is that he that stays at home should commence the correspondence. (9)
I am very Sincerely Yours &c &c, W.W.
[P.S.] If I was accustmed to make apologies this scrawl wod need one.
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RC (NhD: Bartlett Papers).
1 Bartlett's December 24, 1778, letter to Whipple is in Bartlett, Papers (Mevers), pp. 235-36.
2 See Whipple to Bartlett, November 30, note 2, and December 14, 1778, note 2.
3 Congress had authorized "the supreme executive powers of every State," on February 9, 1778, to investigate "the conduct and behaviour" of all civil and military continental officers in their state.JCC, 10:139-40.
4 Whipple was probably referring to Gouverneur Morris' Observations on the American Revolution (Philadelphia: Styner and Cist, 1779), which was intended to explain the proceedings and posture of Congress toward the Carlisle Commissioners the previous year. Whipple had acquired a copy for Bartlett by the end of the month. See Whipple to Bartlett, February 28, 1779; and JCC, 15:1452.
5 Bartlett had asked Whipple to inquire about "a Certain man who Calls his name Bradman and Says he Belonged to Shrewsbury in New Jersey and was taken by the Enemy & Carried to Hallifax." He went on to explain that Bradman had been "keeping a Singing School and travelling from one Town to another and by his Conduct has rendered himself Suspicious to some persons." Bartlett, Papers (Mevers), p. 233.
6 That is, John Dickinson.
7 Arthur Lee.
8 That is, Silas Deane.
9 Whipple also wrote the following letter this date to an unidentified correspondent.
"I have the pleasure of seeing now before me your very kind letters of the 18th Jany. [and will not] undertake to describe the sensations that your tenderness excite in my breast as your own feelings will form a much more perfect Idea of them than is in the power of my pen to communicate to you. I have now arrived at a time of life when I must expect to suffer the pains & sorrows incident to human nature. I often state the accot. & find that the perplexities & anxieties I suffer & am subject to, far over ballances every personal injoyment, therefore am not desirous of existing one moment longer than I can be useful to society of which I have not a wish to be my own judge.
"I should take particular pleasure in gratifying you, if I could find any thing in "the reading way" worth your notice. A magazine for the last month made its appearance a few days ago, I sent for one Yesterday intending to forward it to you but find it such a miserable thing that it wod be an afront to the post office to convey it through that chanel. Shod any thing appear you may depend on a faithful compliance with your desire. Nothing affords me greater satisfaction than to hear of the wellfare of my friends, their kind wishes demand from me the most affectionate returns which I beg you wod communicate." Capt. J. G. M. Stone Collection, Annapolis, Md.
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