Nathaniel Scudder to Richard Henry Lee

I have not written to you sooner, because in reality I had little of Importance to write. The ancient Motto of "festina lente" or that of "Nil operose agendo" will yet apply to us with too great Propriety.

The Decision of General Lee’s affair was never obtained untill Saturday last, when the Sentence of the Court martial was confirmed by a great Majority. The Sentence respecting General Schuyler is also confirmed, but General St. Clair’s yet remains undetermined.

We have unfortunately consumed much Time for some Days past on a Matter of Privilege consequent upon a Charge exhibited against General Thompson for great Abuse given to Congress in General, & personally to the Honble Mr. McKean on Account of the preference shewn to Mr. McKinly in his Exchange for Governor Franklin; and after all it remains yet undecided.

What shall I say as to the great Business of our Finances? I cannot yet determine that I have learned any Thing concerning them, much indeed I have unlearned; for although an amazing Deal of Time has been spent on this important Subject; tho one Hypothesis has been piled upon another like Pelion on Ossa; tho Scheme has been tacked to Scheme, and System succeeded System, while the speculative Genius & playful Fancies of some of our Brethren have again & again in Amendments & a variety of Substitutes exhausted themselves; & finally, when all their pretty wisedrawn Plans were crumbled away in the handling, have often in common Consent assisted to sweep away the rubbish, and begin de novo; I say tho we have ranged in this Way the boundless Facts of Finance & with great Labor & Diligence too, I have for my own Part obtained no more than to determine what will not do for the Support of our public Credit & the prevention of a general Depreciation. When I shall be happy enough to determine what will do Heaven only knows - my Enthusiasm only remains.

Our foreign affairs are in a most deplorable Situation; Mr. Carmichael having taken his Seat in Congress I suppose there is an End to Interrogation with him. Mr. Dean has never yet been heard in Congress since you left us, except an Evening or two ago, when he was before us only a few Minutes to receive Orders from the Chair to deliver in all he had to say in Writing as soon as he thought proper;¹ and in the mean Time that, if he had any Thing very urgent to communicate, he might be heard the Evening following; which then he rather declined, & in fine has not asked-how soon we shall have his written Narration I know not; When it comes I expect it will be interwoven with all those curious Criminations, which, notwithstanding he never even hinted them to Congress, either in his verbal Narration or in any of his subsequent Letters, he has within this few Days in a very extraordinary Manner thrown out to the World through the Channel of a News Paper, which I doubt not you have received.

Thus far I had written in the Morning. I am this Moment come out of Congress, where an extraordinary Event has taken Place-it is this, that President Lawrans has resigned his Seat & to morrow is assigned for a new Election. The Causes of this Occurrence will no

Doubt be given to you by your Brother; Time will not admit of my doing it.

The Enemy have a few Days since made a Movement in Force up Hudson’s River. I judge their Object to have been an Interuption of the Convention Troops - in this however they have been disappointed as they were advanced so far as to be out of their Reach - it is said they landed near King’s Ferry, burnt a few huts, & returned.

I expect to set out for home some Time tomorrow,² and to return in about a Fortnight-shall be glad of a Line from you by the first convenient Conveyance.

I have the Honor to present my most respectfull Complements to your Lady, Family & Connections, & am, Dear Sir, with Esteem &

Sincerity, your Obedt. Hble Servt.

Nath. Scudder