1783] VERMONT'S REMONSTRANCE 119 which I also have the honor to inclose. It is not in my department, and I should therefore have returned it, to go thro' the Agent of Marine, but the consequences that might attend a delay, induced me to dispense with the regular mode in this instance, and to transmit the application directly to your Excellency. I am &c.7 67 TO COLONEL LEWIS NICOLA Head Quarters, February 11, 1783. Sir: A Board of General Officers were appointed in the Orders of the 9th. to assemble on thursday next at such place as should be appointed by Major Genl Gates, to take into consideration certain Points contained in a Memorial of Brigr. Genl Hazen relative to the Proceedings of Courts Martial &c. It is now the Commander Chiefs request that you will attend the sd Board to aid and assist in investigating the subject, and digesting the report thereon. I have the honor etc." *To THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS Newburgh, February 11, 1783. 969 Sir: Within these few days I have seen Printed copies of “A remonstrance of the Council of the State of Vermont, against the Resolutions of Congress of the 5th. of December last," Addressed to your Excellency; in which are several quotations from a letter of mine. Duty as well as inclination prompts me to lay before Congress the whole of that Letter; and the one to which it was an answer. "The draft is in the writing of Benjamin Walker. 68 The draft is in the writing of and is signed "D. Humphrys A. D. C." 69 'See Vermont Historical Society, Collections, vol. 2, p. 315, et seq. If it should be necessary, a Committee of Congress with whom I was in conference on these matters in the course of last Winter, can give such further information on this subject as I doubt not will be satisfactory. I have the honr. etc.70 GENERAL ORDERS Head Quarters, Newburgh, Tuesday, February 11, 1783. Parole Quebec. Countersigns Romney, Sandwich. For the day tomorrow Major Rice. For duty the 8th. Massachusetts regiment. The 4th. Massachusetts Regiment will march on thursday next to the relief of the first New York regiment on the Lines. The Quarter Master General agrees to give six pence, or half a ration per cord for the wood cut for the use of the hospitals, of which the parties employed for that purpose may avail themselves. The Commander in chief is pleased to direct that all General and other officers who belong to, or expect Commands in this Army and who do not consider themselves included in the order of the 11th. day of December last, should be in Camp by the 15th. of April next at farthest, but in case the Weather should prove favorable for commencing the Decipline of the troops upon a great scale at an earlier period; it is most earnestly recomended that the Major Generals and Brigadiers who are or will be appointed to the commands of Divisions or Brigades (altho they may have discretionary leave of absence) would actually be on the ground in season to take the command in the first instance, and to consider themselves as having the immedi 70 In the Papers of the Continental Congress, no. 40, vol. II, fol. 365. A copy of Washington's letter of Jan. 1, 1782, to Thomas Chittenden, is filed with this letter from Washington, which is indorsed by Charles Thomson: "Read Feby 17. 1783 Referred to Mr [Daniel] Carroll Mr [Nathaniel] Gorham Mr [Arthur] Lee Mr [John Taylor] Gilman Mr [Oliver] Wolcott." 1783] AN UNCANDID PERFORMANCE 121 ate charge of Disciplining and Manoeuvring the troops of their respective commands. No officer of any rank whatsoever can be ashamed of Commanding troops which make such an excellent appearance under arms as ours will, with a little more experience and instruction; and no one will be excused from attending personally to these important duties of his station. The Commander in chief expects therefore the pleasure of seeing the Commanding officers of Divisions and Brigades on field days (which will be made frequent for the purpose) take occasion themselves to exercise the Corps under their Command in his presence. AFTER ORDERS The Inspection and Muster of the troops as specified in the orders of the 9th. instant, is postponed till further Orders. *To JOSEPH JONES Newburgh, February 11, 1783. Dear Sir: I am about to write you a Letter on a subject equally important and delicate, which may be extensive in its consequences and serious in its nature. I shall confine myself to the recital of what I believe to be facts, and leave it with you, to make deductions. The printed remonstrance of Mr. Chittenden and his Council addressed to the President of Congress, and founded upon the resolves of the 5th. of December last, contains a favourable recital, in their own behalf, of what I suppose to be facts; but if my memory serves me, it is an uncandid performance, inasmuch as it keeps out of view an important transaction of theirs, which was consequent of those resolves. Be this as it may, matters seem to be approaching too fast to a disagreeable Issue for the quiet of my Mind. The resolves on one hand, and the remonstrances on the other, (unless it should be annulled by the Legislature at their next meeting, which I do not expect) seems to leave little room for an amicable decision. Matters being thus situated, permit me to ask how far, and by what means, coercion is to be extended? The Army, I presume, will be the answer to the latter. circumstances alone (for no determination whatever, after blood is once drawn) can prescribe bounds to the former. It has been said, but of this you can judge better than I, that the Delegates from the New England States in Congress, or the Majority of them, are willing to admit these People into the Federal Union as an Independent and Sovereign State. be this as it may, two things I am sure of, viz. that they have a powerful interest in those States; and have pursued very politic measures to strengthen and increase, long before I had any knowledge of the matter, and before the tendency of it was seen into, or suspected; by granting, upon very advantageous terms, large Tracts of Land, in which, I am sorry to find, the Army, in some degree, have participated. Let me next ask, by whom is that district of Country principally settled? And of whom is your present Army (I do not confine the question to this part of it, but will extend it to the whole) composed? the answers are evident, New Englandmen. It has been the opinion of some, that the appearance of force would awe these People into submission. If the General Assembly ratifie and confirm what Mr. Chittenden and his Council have done, I shall be of a very different Sentiment; and moreover, that it is not a trifling force that will subdue them; even supposing they do derive no aid from the Enemy in Canada. and that it will be a very arduous task indeed, if they should; to say nothing of a diversion which may, and doubtless would be made in their favor from New York, if the War with Great Britain should continue. 1783] THE VERMONT DIFFICULTY 123 The Country is very Mountainous, full of Defiles, and extremely strong. The Inhabitants for the most part are a hardy race, composed of that kind of People who are best calculated for Soldiers; in truth who are Soldiers: for many, many hundreds of them are Deserters from this Army; who having acquired property there, would be desperate in the defence of it, well knowing they are fighting with Halters about their Necks. It may be asked, if I am acquainted with the Sentiments of the Army on the subject of this dispute? I readily answer No: not intimately; it is a matter of too delicate a Nature to agitate for the purpose of information. but I have heard many Officers of Rank and discernment, and have learned by indirect inquiries, that others, express the utmost horror at the very idea of shedding blood in this dispute comparing it in its consequences, tho' not in its principles, to the quarrel with Great Britain; who thought it was only to hold up the rod, and all would be hush! I cannot at this time undertake to say there would be any difficulty with the Army if it was to be ordered upon this Service; but I should be exceedingly unhappy to see the experiment. for besides the reasons before suggested, I believe there would be a great, and general unwillingness in it, to embrue their hands in the blood of their Brethern. I have to add, that almost at the same instant, a number of the printed Copies of the remonstrance were dissiminated through the Army. what effect it will have I know not; the design is obvious. I promised in the beginning of this Letter, that I should content myself with a simple relation of facts. I shall only lament therefore, that Congress did not, in the commencement of this dispute, act decidedly. This matter, as you well know, was much agitated last Winter; and a Committee of Congress with |