Philadelphia, April 17th, 1777.
Sir,
I should have done myself the honor of writing to you immediately after my arrival, but have been so occupied by various business the whole Time I have been here that I have not had time to write on the different Matters relative to the State of New York and now before Congress.
I am extremely concerned to inform you that there is no prospect at present of our obtaining a supply of Salt from the Continental magazines, there being only 1200 Bushels in store at this place.
I have requested Mr. Robert Morris to inform me whenever any salt is to be exposed to sale, and should the other Gentleman who represent our State concur in opinion, I will employ a person to purchase, in Behalf of the State, on the most reasonable Terms possible.
The Letter from the Convention relative to the Insurgents in the North Eastern parts of the State transmitted to Mr. Lewis Morris before my arrival, has been read in Congress; but as I expected daily the arrival of Mr. Duane and Mr. Livingston, I thought it most prudent to get the consideration postponed, to which Congress acceded.
The deputies from New Connecticut are now in town, and have presented to Congress a memorial, a copy of which I shall do myself the honor to transmit you in a day or two. I can by no means think that this attempt to dismember our State will be countenanced by Congress, tho', I am sorry to say, that I can very easily perceive that Individuals from the Eastern States mean to support Messrs. Allens in their extravagant Pretensions. I flatter myself however, that with the Assistance of my colleagues, I shall procure such Resolutions passed as will reprobate their Proceedings and oblige the revolted Subjects to render a due Obedience to the laws of the State.1
I am extremely sorry to inform you, that notwithstanding the Invasion which threatens this city, a Langour prevails amongst the Inhabitants of almost all Ranks. The Disputes about their constitution and a want of vigilance & vigour in detecting and defeating the Designs of the disaffected have given the Malignants a dangerous ascendency. The depreciation of the Continental Money is astonishingly rapid, and I see with Concern that no attempts are made to check so fatal a measure. You will observe by the inclosed resolutions of Congress of the 14th & 15th April that they have been under the necessity of supplying an executive authority in this State.2 By the recess of the Supreme Executive Council there was an absolute interregnum, and if Congress had not interposed, this State would have fallen an easy prey to a very small body of the enemy's army. It is to be hoped however, that the authority now established will exert itself with vigour, and that a little Quackery will save a powerful State, which must have fallen a sacrafice to a speculative system of politicks.
At the Request of Major General Schuyler, I transmit you Extracts of two letters, which he has lately received from which you will learn with Sorrow, that our Strength at Tyconderoga is totally inadequate to resist any attempt of the Enemys army; at least it appears so to me, notwithstanding the sanguine Expectations which Colonel Wayne entertains that he should be able to maintain the Garrison, till Succours could arrive.
By a Return sent to the General on the 1st of April, it appears that there are only 685 men fit for Duty at that post, including 120 artificers, & exclusive of 73 Matrosses fit for duty. The General does not think that any Reinforcement has yet arrived there. I thought it my duty to transmit this Intelligence, as the fate of our State is so intimately connected with the preservation of that fortress.
The slow progress made in the reemiting business, notwithstanding the favorable accounts which were at first circulated, has at length roused Congress, and they have entered into sundry resolutions for compleating the battalions, which I have the Honor to transmit.3It is with pleasure that I consider that the State to which I have the Honor to belong, has pointed out to Congress the most eligible and effectual mode of completing the army. Would to Heaven that the Spirit and activity which has of late animated the Councils of the State of New York would diffuse itself throughout the other States! A portion of their Electrical fire is certainly wanting. Without it, should the enemy receive a timely Reinforcement, and show the least Spirit of Enterprise, our affairs must inevitably suffer.
I have the pleasure to assure the Convention that the State of New York stands in very high point of light in the Eyes of the Continent, and that General Washington in his public letters to Congress gives the most honorable testimonials in its Favor.4 These, Sir, are the happy effects of our unanimity and vigour. May their influence continue to pervade our councils. Whatever may be our fate, the leaders in public measures in our State will then have the consolation to think that no misfortunes which in the course of political events may happen, can be justly imputed to them.
I have in my I lands about 21200 belonging to the State, which I beg to know whether I shall remit or keep in Bank, in hopes of making a purchase of salt. Whatever directions I may receive shall be faithfully complied with.
Mr. Duane and Mr. Livingston who arrived here yesterday, desire me to tender their respects to the Convention.
I have the honor to be, with every Sentiment of Esteem & Respect, Sir, Your obedt. hble Servant,
Wm. Duer.
Receiver's copy, New York State Library, Albany. RC damaged; missing words supplied from Tr.
Transcription, Library of Congress.
1 For a discussion of this issue, see William Whipple to Josiah Bartlett, April 7, 1777, note 2.
2 The train of events leading up to the passage of these controversial resolutions was set in motion on April 9 when Congress read a letter from Gen. Israel Putnam predicting a new British advance on Philadelphia. Congress gave a copy of this letter to the Pennsylvania delegates for transmittal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council and also appointed a committee of five to consider ways of opposing the anticipated British attack. The committee reported on April 10, and Congress then agreed to set up a military camp west of the Delaware and to ask the executive council to send 3,000 Pennsylvania militiamen to it. JCC, 7: 246 - 47, 250 - 51; and Pa. Archives, 1st ser. 5:300.
But Congress soon learned that the Pennsylvania state authorities were temporarily unable to cope with the emergency. On April 11 Congress appointed a committee consisting of Samuel Adams, Abraham Clark, and Duer to confer with the Pennsylvania Board of War on how to prevent "provisions" in Philadelphia from falling into the hands of the enemy. The committee reported on the 14th that the state was in no position to take effective measures to defend Pennsylvania because the legislature was in adjournment and many members of the executive council were absent. Consequently, Congress called upon Thomas Wharton, president of the executive council, "to convene the legislative and executive authorities of the State of Pensylvania" as soon as possible and in the meantime appointed Duer Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee to confer with Wharton, various state officials and the Pennsylvania delegates "concerning the mode of authority which they shal; conceive most eligible to be exercised, during the recess of the house of assembly and the council, in order that the same, if approved of by Congress, may be immediately adopted." Such a conference was held on the 15th, and as a result Congress resolved on the same day that as "the executive authority of the commonwealth of Pensylvania is incapable of any exertion adequate to the present crisis the president of the supreme executive council of the commonwealth of Pensylvania, together with as many members of the said council as can be convened, the board of war, and, in such cases as relate to the marine, the navy board of said State, should, in the present critical exigency of affairs, exercise every authority to promote the safety of the State, till such time as the legislative and executive authorities of the commonwealth of Pensylvania can be convened." JCC, 7: 254, 263 - 64, 268 - 69; and Pa. Archives, 1st ser. 5: 311 - 12. These resolves were denounced by the radical party in Pennsylvania as an unwarranted intrusion by Congress into state affairs, and Duer, who was regarded as the moving spirit behind them, became a particular object of radical criticism. Duer himself later insisted that he had supported these resolves only because the military situation at the time seemed to require them. See William Duer's Statement, March 9, 1779; and Robert L. Brunhouse, The Counter Revolution in Pennsylvania, 1776 - 1790 (Philadelphia: Pennsylvania Historical Commission, 1942), pp. 27 - 30.
The names of the Pennsylvania delegates and state officials who met with the committee of Congress on April 15-information not available in the journals- are listed in Pa. Archives, 1st ser. 5:311. Furthermore, Worthington C. Ford, the first editor of the journals, renders one part of the committee's April 15 report to Congress as "at the particular instance and request of the president [and] of the supreme executive council," when, in fact, as Burnett pointed out the use of the bracketed conjunction is erroneous and misleading. See JCC, 7:268; and Burnett, Letters, 2:332n.3.
3 See JCC, 7:261 - 63.
4 See, for instance, Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 7:397.