[No. 4892.] Robert R. Livingston Informs Governor Clinton He Will Continue to Act as Secretary of Foreign Affairs until Spring. Philadelphia 22nd Deer. 1782. Dear Sir, Previous to the rec't. of your favor of the 29th Novr. I had made my resignation that I might satisfy what I supposed to be the wish of the State Congress finding some difficulty in supplying my place postponed the election; Schuyler, Climer & Reed having been nominated & appointed a committee to endeavour to prevail with me to stay till spring & not precipitate them at a critical moment into a choice that they could not fully approve I was compelled to consent; my resignation still standing good, so that I might only be considered as directing the affairs of the department for the present without filling the office, and that I should return to the State & do the duties of my office in the State. This I hope will, with your friendly wishes, serve as an antidote for the slow poison which the selfish politicks of some people would wish to instil. If a new appointment should be necessary, which I am confident it is not, I am now at liberty to accept it, it would however be prudent well to consider this point. The Legislature have already expressed their sense of it. And above twenty suits now depending must in that case abate. For news I refer you to Mr. Morris who will have the honor to deliver this. I shall write to Gilbert to direct a court of chancery to be advertized for the third Tuesday in Jany next before which I shall meet the Legislature. Tho we have no official account of it, there is little doubt that the treaty with the United Provinces is signed-present me to Mrs. Clinton & believe me to be with sincere respect & esteem Yr Exrs. Most Obt Hum. Servt R. R. Livingston. [No. 4908.] William Floyd to Governor Clinton-Evacuation of Charleston, S. C. by the British-Prospects of Peace. Philadelphia Jany. 16th 1783 Sir, Major Burnet has now Arrived with Official Information of the Evacuation of Charlestown, And from the Letters which has been recd. the Enemy has left that town in better Condition than was Expected. It is said that they Carried of between 6 and 7,000 Negroes at the time they left it. No late accounts Respecting the Negociations for peace; tho from General Appearances, my hope and Expectation is, that it will take place, tho Intelligence that we may Receive within three Weeks will probably Satisfie us on that head. Our latest accounts from Europe are in the papers Inclosed, to which I must beg leave to Refer for the news. The Chancellor [Livingston] I expect has arrived in the State before now; he sometime ago Sent his Resignation to Congress of his office of Secretary of foreign Affairs which Congress Accepted, for the Reasons which he assigned, Since which time Congress has Requested him to perform the Duties of the Office During the Winter Except Such part of the time as will be neces sary for him to be in the State of New York. I shall not fail to communicate to your Excellency Every matter of Consequence that I may be at Liberty to do that shall Relate to the Interest of these States in General, or to the Interest of our State in particular. I Yesterday Reed a Letter from my Son at Middletown; he was in a bad state of health when he wrote. I am afraid he will not get Clear of that fever-perhaps Mr L'hommedieu will be at the Legislature when this Comes to hand. I hope he will write me Respecting my Sons health. My best Respects to Mrs. Clinton, and am, Sir, your Excel lencys most Obedt and humble Servt His Excellency Governor Clinton Wm. Floyd. [No. 4926.] Governor Clinton to Mr. Floyd-Organization of a Land OfficeThe Vermont Dispute. Kingston 6th February 1783 Sir, I have been honored by your Letter of the 16th ultimo. I beg you to accept my Thanks for the repeated Marks of Attention you have shown me in early Communications of interesting Intelligence, for which I am under the greater Obligations, as it seldom happens that I have any Thing worth mentioning in Return. The Legislature who were to have met on the 1st Tuesday of last Month did not form a Quorum until three Weeks after the Day appointed & as they are therefore now only entering upon Business I can as yet form but a very imperfect Judgment of what the Session may produce. There is a Tax Bill similar to our former ones before the Assembly in some forwardness. The Amount of the Sum to be raised by it I have not been able to learn, wherefore I conclude it is not yet determined. A Bill for establishing a Land Office is to originate in the Senate by order of that House; a Draft of it is preparing accordingly. It is a Subject on which there is a diversity of Oppinions & this alone will render the Fate of the Bill uncertain. I believe it to be the prevailing Opinion that the Requisition of Congress for the Payment of the Interest of the Domestic Debt ought to be complied with & I presume an appropriation of so much of the intended Tax as will be sufficient for that Purpose will be made in the first Instance. There are several other Bills depending in the different Houses but none of them of such importance as to be worth your mentioning to you. The usurped Government of Vermont have not, and I may venture to assert, will not comply with the late Resolutions of Congress which the leaders feign to treat with the utmost Contempt. I am informed they openly assert that they have Information from Members of Congress that notwithstanding the Threats held out in the Resolutions, no coercive Measures will be pursued to inforce obedience to them & by which Means they discourage their Adherents who began to despond to the show of Resistance. Colo. Timothy Church one of the Persons to whom Restitution was directed to be made was apprehended & confined in Bennington Gaol previous to the Resolution being delivered to Chittenden. He is still held in close Confinement & threatened with Execution. I am possessed of several Affidavits proving in other Instances a Refusal by Officers of the Vermont Party to comply with the Resolution but as the Instances to which they relate might Perhaps be rather considered as the Acts of Individuals than of their Govermt, I defer transmitting them till I can obtain more pointed Proofs which I expect I shall have in a few Days. Wills & Knolton have both fled the Country & there is strong Reason to suspect they had Notice of the Measures which were taken for their Apprehension from a Quarter too where Secrecy should have been observed. A Letter from a Member of Congress to a Person in that Quarter is said to have given them the Alarm. I have not had a Line from Nicoll since he left nor indeed heard of him but once, and if it was not that I impute his Silence to his Intention of returning with Mr. LHommedieu who is not yet arrived here, I should be much concerned lest it might be owing to the Want of Health to write. Please to present my best Respects to the Young Ladies your Daughters & believe me with great Regard & Esteem Your Most Obedt Servt P. S. present my best Respects to your Coleague & appoligize for my not writing him by the present being on the Point of setting out for Albany Colo Floyd. [No. 4930.] Suggestion from Massachusetts for a General System of Taxation. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In Senate February 13th 1783. RESOLVED that there be chosen by joint ballot three Delegates to meet in Convention at Hartford in the State of Connecticut on the last Wednesday in April next with such Delegates as may be appointed on the part of the States of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticutt & New York & to confer with them on the necessity of adopting within the said States for their respective Uses such General & uniform system of Taxation by import & excise as may be thought advantageous to the said States, which system being agreed on by the Majority of the Delegates so to be convened, shall be recommended to the Legislatures of the said States that Laws may be Enacted to carry the same into Execution & that the said Delegates in Convention do agree on the form of a Bill or Bills for that purpose. And it is further RESOLVED that His Excellency the Governor be and he hereby is desired as soon as may be convenient to write circular letters to the chief Executive of the said States of New Hampshire Rhd. Island, Connecticutt & New York requesting them to Submit to the Consideration of their respective Legislatures the foregoing Resolution & the expediency of their appointing Delegates to meet in the said Convention of Conferrence. Sent down for Concurrence Samuel Adams, President. In the House of Representatives February 13th 1783 Read & Concurred Approv'd John Hancock. True Copy Attest) John Avery, Secy. [No. 4931.] Major Ben Walker to Governor Clinton as to the King's Speech to Parliament. Newburg, 14th Feby. 1783 Sir, Tho various Reports for these two days have informed us that the King's speech to his Parliament had come to New |