domestic Incident worth relating. The late papers are, however,

enclosed.

With every sentiment of the most respectful attachment I beg you will believe me to be, Dear Sir, Your Excellency's affect. & most obedt Servt

His Excellancy Governor Clinton.

Jas. Duane.

[No. 4682.]

Governor Clinton to John Morin Scott-The Legislature Adopts Resolutions Calling for Amendments To Give the Confederation Greater Energy-The British Hold On To and Fortify Oswego.

July 29th, 1782.

Dr Sir, It is long since I have had the honor of receiving your Letter of the 19th Inst. but having no controul over the Delegates it was not in my Power to give you any satisfactory Answer on the Subject, until the Meeting of the Legislature who, at the time were called to meet on the 3d, they did not, however, form a Quorum until the 10th. This I hope will be accepted as a suff't. apology for my Delay. I have now the Pleasure to inform you that Mr. L'hommedieu is to relieve you. He attended the Legislature & it was necessary for him first, to return home & prepare for the Journey; but as he promised that his stay at home should not exceed ten Days, I have reason to expect him here every Moment on his Way for Phila. and I hope it may not be inconvenient for you to continue there, until his arrival, as it might be peculiarly injurious to the State at this Time to be unrepresented in Congress.

The Legislature formed a Quorum on the 10th & continued sitting until the 25th Inst. The Business imparted to them by the

Committee of Congress had the greatest share of their Attention & produced a Law for levying a Tax of £18,000 for the public Exigencies to be collected immediately an Act to compel the collection of "Arrearages of Taxes" another "to prevent illicit Trade with the Enemy;" and also concurrent Resolutions ascribing our Embarrassments in the Prosecution of the War to defects in the Government of the United States & recommendg a Conference of the diff't States in a Convention to be recommended by Congress for the purpose of amend'g the Confederation & giving greater Energy to the Govt. of the Empire-a Copy of which I shall by this Conveyance transmit to the President.* Several other Laws were enacted during the meet'g, the Titles are enclosed, and will give you a genl. Idea of their import. A new Council of Appointment & Delegates for the ensuing Year were also appointed. The former are Messrs. Jona. Lawrence, Wm. B. Whiting, John Haring, & Mr. [Elkanah] Day. The present, except Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton, in stead of Mr. [Egbert] Benson compose the latter.

The diff't. parts of our Frontiers, except Tryon County have hitherto been preserved ag't. the incursions of the Enemy, but since their having taken Post at Oswego, where I presume you have heard they have collected the greater Part of their Northern Force & are fortifying, that Country has been frequently visited by Parties too large to be resisted by the force we have in it & scarce a Day passes without experiencing their Ravages of the most cruel & distressing Nature; so that it is more than probable that County will be totally desolated before the Fall, notwithstandg any Efforts the State may be able to make to save it. I have the honor to be &c.

The honble. Jno. Morin Scott Esqr.

See page 27.

G. C.

[No. 4683.]

Robert Morris' Circular Letter Regarding the Policy of the States Toward Paying Their Troops.

(Circular)

Office of Finance, 29th July 1782.

Sir, Finding that several States are still in the Habit of making partial Payments to their Troops as well as of expending Moneys for the purchase of Cloathing, it becomes my Duty to inform you that the Requisitions for the Service of the Current Year included both the Pay and Cloathing of the continental Army. Any Payments which the several States may think proper to make or any Expenditures for Cloathing or the like cannot be admitted in Deduction from the Quota assigned them. It becomes necessary from many Reasons which I will not trouble your Excellency with the Enumeration of, that Nothing be received from the States but Money. This alone can prevent those intricate Accounts which hitherto have involved every Thing in a labyrinth of Confusion. Had the States complied with the Requisitions made on them for the current Service in any Degree proportionate either to the Magnitude or Urgency of the Occasion, we should eer this have had the pleasure of knowing that our Army enjoyed all the Emoluments they have a Right to ask for. I take the Liberty to add that it would be proper to cause Accounts to be transmitted to the Paymaster General as speedily as possible of what has been advanced for Pay, that he may at least prevent a double Credit for the same Sums. With Respect to the Pay which may have become due anteriorly to the first Day of January 1782, it will become a part of that Debt from the United States, for the Ending of which Revenues will be required from the several States so soon as Congress shall have digested their

Resolution on that Subject. I have on many Occasions delivered the Sentiments contained above to several of the States as Circumstances called or Occasion required, but it appears necessary to make the formal Communication to all, and, therefore, I must pray your Excellency to excuse any Repetitions which may have. happened.

Before I close this Letter I must observe, Sir, that of four Millions payable according to the Requisitions of Congress by the first Instant, I did not receive forty thousand Dollars. Judge then of the anticipations which were necessary to bring us where we are. Judge of the Situation in which we are placed, and be not surprized at any Consequences which may follow, from that universal Neglect which is alike unaccountable and inexcusable.

I have the Honor to be with very great Respect Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient & humble Servant

Robt. Morris.

His Excellency The Governor of the State of New York.

[No. 4685.]

Robert Morris Protests to the Governors of the States Against the Collection of State & United States Taxes, Based on a Letter

Pointing Out the Objections to it.

(Circular)

Office of Finance, 30th July 1782.

Sir, I do myself the Honor to enclose the extract of a Letter received from a confidential Correspondent in one of the United States. The Evil there mentioned, is of so dangerous a Nature that should it prevail in any Degree the Consequences may be fatal. I know that the selfish spirit there complained of, is but too prevalent, and it is very long since I bore my Testimony

against it, from a just apprehension that the safety of our Country might be thereby endangered. If it is of Consequence that a War which has cost already so much Blood and Treasure be safely and honorably concluded, it must be vigorously prosecuted. If it is to be vigorously prosecuted, the means must be granted. If the means are to be granted, the several States must contribute speedly and effectually. If one have a Right to prefer local to general Interests, others have the same Right. If one exercise that Privilege, so may all, and if all do, there is an End to our Efforts. Congress had foreseen the Danger and called on the States to provide for collecting the Continental separate from the State Taxes. Since this has not been done, perhaps the Reasons of the Refusal may Account for the Facts stated in the Extract. I must Pray of your Excellency to provide such Remedy, to any thing of this sort which may exist in your State as shall be within your Power, and that you will urge the Legislature to make that solid provision which can alone prevent it in future.

I have the Honor to be, Sir, Your Excellency's most Obedient & humble Servt.

His Excelley The Governor State of New York.

Robt. Morris.

The Assembly when they granted a Tax for continental Purposes direct the Collection through the same Channels in which State Taxes are collected. This in most Instances makes the same Person Collector both of the State and Continental Tax and the Executions to inforce both the one and the other issue from the same Person, Vizt. the Treasurer of the State. The Consequence is that a preference will be given to Taxes for State Purposes, and if no urgent Necessity requires issuing Executions for State Taxes, there will be danger of delaying Execu tion for Continental Taxes and the more popular the Government is, the greater will their danger be increased, and whenever the same Person is in Arrear on different Taxes, he will apply all his Collections to that which will give him the longest Time to collect in.

I should not have troubled you on this Subject, but I see the Collectors in this State of the Continental Taxes are in general in Arrear on every State Tax granted since 1776, and to my full satisfaction are applying the Monies collected on the Continental Taxes to paying the Arrears of their old State Tax, by which Means you will be postpon'd to all the State Dues and be defeated of your just Expectations unless some Remedy is immediately applied.