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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 5 August 16, 1776 - December 31, 1776 --Caesar Rodney to Thomas Rodney
Sir Philadelphia Septr. 11th 1776 I have no letter from you by this post, and indeed but seldom have from Whence I Conclude you have either verry little to say for yourselves or become verry Idle. As to One Mr. Killen (a former Acquaintance of Mine) I have never heard but once of him Since the late Storm Which happened in your part of the Country That Blasted the Whig interest and laid prostrate many of the patriots. If he too be fallen tell him he nobly fell in defence of his Country's rights, and for his Comfort Virtue itself hath it's days of tryal. The Israelites (the Chosen people of God) met with Crosses and disappointments in their Journey from the land [of] Bondage to that of Liberty, But by a Steady perseverence and divine assistance they at length possessed the promised Land. So that, that God, Who Vieweth & Judgeth all things with Unerring Wisdom, Seeing the Righteousness of his Cause (tho he permitteth Temporary Obstructions) Will one day (with a firm Reliance on him) Crown his Virtuous Endeavours with Success, and Cause the Modern Pharoah's
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with their Hosts to be buried in the Sea of their Toryism, As he did the Antient Pharoah in the Red Sea. The Bulk of the people have been lead astray from a Virtuous persuit by the Art and Cunning of Wicked and designing men among You. He must undeceive and put them again in the right path. They are naturally honest and Mean Well, but are Weak and Credulous. And by so much as Wicked and designing men are more industrious than the Honest and Virtuous, are they lead to do that which is Evil, and to leave undone that which they ought to Do.
I have Recd two Letters from our friend Coll Haslet, since the Engagement on Long-Island, the last is dated at the heights near Kings-Bridge Where his Battalion and about 9000 others now are.(1) He is Well and desires to be kindly Remembered to you and Mr. Killen, who he terms the Barrister, and Says "I Condole with them Mightily in their present State of dejecting Dereliction." It is a long letter in which he Concludes with saying "We Expect every Moment Something important here, and hope in our next fightt to be on more Equal terms and to give you a more pleasing account." It Seems Jack behaved Well and brought off his Colours like a Hero. The post before last I sent by Parke two pair of shoes, one for Betsey, the other for Sally, You have never told me Whether they Came to hand and it appears that Parke is about to decline Rideing. He did not go down the last time, but sent Robert the Old Rider. This I never knew till last evening when I perchance met him in the Street and Calling him to account for it he told me he had taken a Small house Somewhere in this town. That he meant to go into some small Trade and Could not say whether he should Continue to Ride or not, but believed he should not go down this time. I know not Parke's Circumstances, but as I imagined he might owe you Some Money, thought proper to give this information. Doctor Tilton wrote me a Letter from New York, in Which he inclosed me one for his Brother Mr. Nehemiah Tilton. I have Sent it by this Post (being the first Opertunity) and hope it will get safe to hand.
From What I can learn of the Convention at Newcastle, They will attempt nothing but Barely the framing A plan of Government, Except what may be necessary for the dispatching the flying Camp Battalion. Mr. Read lets me know that matters go on Slooly, and that the members of Kent & Sussex grow uneasy to get home. This is (I know) as it used to be with them.
I Suppose you have heard that General Sullivan has been with Congress on a Message from Lord Howe, and as it has occationed Various reports suppose you wou'd be Glad to know as of a truith the Sum and Substance of it. It is this. That Lord Howe told General Sullivan in Conversation, that he and his brother the General had full power to Treat, that he had stayed in England near two months after he was otherwise ready to come, for the purpose of Obtaining
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Such ample powers, that he wished to Converse with General Washing[ton], or rather in preference to that, with the Members of Congress on that head by which he thought Peace Interesting to both England and America might be had-but to bring about this Conference here was a difficulty-for that his Scituation was attended with that kind of delicacy he could not in the first instance Acknowledge the Congress-and on the other hand he had no doubt they were in the like Scituation. Therefore desired that Some of the Members might meet him where they Chose, as private Gentlemen, and that he on his part would meet them as Such. That if they Should Agree on Terms of accommodation, that then the Congress must be acknowledged or the Work Could not be Confirmed. Congress taking this matter into Consideration think little or nothing is to be Expected from it, but thinking it might Create a division among the people by the influence of the unfriendly to the Cause, thought it necessary to take the matter up, and determine on it in Such manner as might prevent the Scheme of his Lord-ship taking Effect. Therefore the Congress in the first place determined that it was Contrary to both their power and opinion to send members to Confer as private Gentlemen. They then proceeded to appoint a Committee of Congress to go and Confer with Lord Howe on the term of peace, Who are to report to Congress. Now you will see by this Method the Congress hold out to the people their Willingness to put an End to the War, Whenever it Can be done on principles of Liberty and Safety-and by this you will find that if Lord Howe Will treat with them (Which none of the Congress Expect) it is acknowledging the Congress in their independent State, and if that is done the Sooner the Better. I would Just observe that this Stroke Seems already to have baffled the Tories here. The Committee of three Set out the day before Yesterday. The proceedings of Congress Relative to these matters I believe will soon be published, till when let it remain with you, and your friends.(2) As I have no News Except such as you will find in the papers Shall Conclude with my Love and Compliments to my friends and acquaintances. I am Sir Yrs.
Caesar Rodney
RC (PHi)
1 See John Haslet to Caesar Rodney, August 31 and September 4, 1776, in Rodney, Letters (Ryden), pp. 108-9, 111-13.
2 On September 17 Congress ordered publication of an account of the conference with Lord Howe. JCC, 5:765-66.
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Portrait of Edward Rutledge
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