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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 18 March 1, 1781 - August 31, 1781 --Arthur Middleton to Aedanus Burke
[November? 1781 ] (1) I am to thank you for two favrs. one from York and one from Petersburgh. Your reflexions political, moral and prudential are just, however it is d[amne]d hard that rascals should be parol'd, & mock Farriers spoil good Horses without a single kick, whilst both deserve hanging; I am sure Machiavell presided at neither of the Conventions. Surely he would have attended to the Doctrine of retribution.
Magnanimity and Generosity are fine words but sanctio worded letters they butter no parsnips;(2) whilst we gratify our feelings as men we should remember the Sufferings of our fellow men. The Soldier should feel for the Citizen and vice versa-in this consists the strongest political Band of Union.
Retaliation has been a wise Law from the days of Moses; but it seems it does not suit our day.(3) Quoere, are we degenerated or grown wiser than our grandmothers? After all that is thought, said and done and not done; it alone is the only magic rod which converts cruelty into mercy and effects wonders. So much for Criticism which some may construe into Treason. You my friend will hold an equal Scale, and give reasoning its just weight.
Nothing material has occur'd since the Affair of York Town. I us'd my utmost Endeavour to throw a preponderating Force Southerly but without success;(4) I much doubt whetr.(5)
FC (ScHi: Middleton Papers). In the hand of Arthur Middleton.
1 Middleton drafted his letter in response to letters from Burke of October 16 and November 18 written from Yorktown and Petersburg, Va., for which see SCHGM 26 (October 1925): 186-90.
2 Cf. "Fair words butter noe parsnips," John Clarke, Paroemiologia Anglo-Latina .... Or, Proverbs, English, and Latine . . . (London: E Kyngston, 1639), p. 12; and "Fine words butter no parsnips," Arthur Murphy, The Citizen (London: G. Kearsly, 1763), Act i, scene 2.
3 For Middleton's involvement in efforts at "retaliation" against the enemy, see Middleton's Draft Resolves, September ? 1781.
Page 222
NOVEMBER, 1781
Link to date-related documents.
4 Middleton's November 16 motion to direct Washington to relieve the southern states or to detach reinforcements to allow Nathanael Greene to expel "the enemy from thence during the ensuing winter" had been defeated. JCC, 21:1118-19. In the meantime, however, Washington had already directed Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair and a detachment of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia Continentals to join Greene "in the most expeditious manner" possible, for which see Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 23:292-93.
After learning of Washington's directive, Middleton also drafted the following brief notes for a letter to Greene: "The reinforcement with Gen. Sinclair will put you above par; if it should not the Consequence will be terrible. Our people and property must feel the balefull Effects of a languid & ineffectual opposition. We are sensible of this & shall therefore strain every nerve to send you on additional succours. When or how It is impossible at present to say. Something it is clear must be done, unless the Enemy Evacuate which does not seem likely just now." Middleton Papers, ScHi.
5 Thus in FC.
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