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for suppressing the mutiny and supporting the public authority, authorizing the President, with the advice of the Committee, to summon the members to meet at Trenton or Princeton, in New Jersey.

The conference with the Executive produced nothing but a repetition of doubts concerning the disposition of the militia to act, unless some actual outrage were offered to persons or property. It was even doubted whether a repetition of the insult to Congress would be a sufficient provocation.

During the deliberations of the Executive, and the suspense of the Committee, reports from the barracks were in constant vibration. At one moment, the mutineers were penitent and preparing submissions; the next, they were meditating more violent measures. Sometimes the bank was their object; then the seizure of the members of Congress, with whom they imagined an indemnity for their offence might be stipulated. On Tuesday, about two o'clock, the efforts of the State authority being despaired of, and the reports from the barracks being unfavorable, the Committee advised the President to summon Congress to meet at Trenton, which he did verbally as to the members present, leaving behind him a General Proclamation for the press.

After the departure of Congress, the mutineers submitted, and most of them accepted furloughs under the resolution of Congress on that subject. At the time of submission, they betrayed their leaders, the chief of whom proved to be a Mr. Carberry, a deranged officer, and a Mr. Sullivan, a lieutenant of horse; both of whom made their escape. Some of the most active of the sergeants also ran off."

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LETTERS

OF

JAMES MADISON,

CONTEMPORARY WITH, AND SUBSEQUENT TO, THE DEBATES OF 1782-'3.

1

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My last informed you that a proposition had been made in Congress for accepting the territorial cession of New York. The paper enclosed contains the proceedings which ensued. The acceptance of this cession, singly, met with a negative from Virginia, for obvious reasons. In the first place, such a measure, instead of terminating all controversy as to the Western country-the object proposed by the original plan-introduces new perplexities; and, in the second place, an assent from us might be hereafter pleaded as a voluntary acceptance of the United States in the room of New York, as litigants against Virginia.

On the subsequent motion you will find Virginia divided. The proviso* expressed in this motion, if referred to the territory retained by New York, appeared to me to be at least nugatory, or rather to imply that a resolution of Congress might operate towards depriving another State of the benefits of the Confederation; and, if referred to the territory ceded by New York, to imply that the ninth Article

* See Journal.

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