1780, poffeffed of freedom, poffeffed of political power to create and direct their magiftrates as they think proper, are united in their determinations, to fecure to themselves and their pofterity the bleffings of liberty, by fupporting the independence of their governments, and obferving their treaties and public engagements with immoveable firmness and fidelity; and the congrefs affure his majefty, that fhould any individual in America be found bafe enough to fhow the leaft difpofition for perfuading the people to the contrary, fuch individual would instantly lose all power of effecting his purpose, by forfeiting the confidence and efteem of the people."

Feb.

The committee appointed to receive the communications from the minifter of France, reported, that on their fecond conference, he communicated to them"That his moft chriftian majefty being informed of the appointment of a minifter plenipotentiary, to treat of an alliance between the United States and his catholic majefty, had fignified to his minifter plenipotentiary to these United States, that he wishes moft earneftly for fuch an alliance, and in order to make the way thereto more eafy, commanded him to communicate to congrefs certain articles, which his catholic majefty deems of great importance to the interefts of his crown, and on which it is highly neceffary that these United States explain themselves with fuch precifion and moderation as may confist with their effential rights :-That the articles are, 1. a precife and invariable boundary to the United States 2. the exclufiye navigation of the river Miffiffippi

3. the poffeffion of the Floridas-4. the lands on the left or eaftern fide of the Miffiffippi :-That on the it article, it is the idea of the cabinet of Madrid, that the

United States extend to the weftward no further than 1780. the fettlements were permitted by the royal proclama

tion, bearing date the

day of

1763: That on the ad, the United States do not confider themselves as having right to navigate the river Miffiffippi, no territory belonging to them being fituate thereon: That on the 3d, it is probable the king of Spain will conquer the Floridas during the courfe of the present war, and in fuch event every caufe of difpute relative thereto, between Spain and thefe United States, ought to be removed: That on the 4th, the lands lying on the east fide of the Miffiffippi, whereon the fettlements were prohibited by the faid proclamation, are poffeffions of the crown of Great Britain, and proper objects against which the arms of Spain may be employed for the purpose of making a permanent conqueft for the Spanish crown; that fuch conqueft may be made probably during the present war; that therefore it would be advisable to restrain the fouthern ftates from making any fettlements or conquests in these territories: that the council of Madrid confider the United States as having no claims to these territories, either as not having had poffeffion of them before the prefent war, or not having any foundation for a claim in the right of the fovereign of Great Britain, whofe dominion they have abjured: That his most christian majefty, united to the catholic king by blood, and by the strictest alliances, and united with these states in treaties of alliance, and feeling toward them difpofitions of the moft perfect friendship, is exceedingly defirous of conciliating between his catholic majesty and the United States the most happy and lafting friendship:-That the United States may repofe the

1780. utmost confidence in his good will to their interests, and

Jan.

8.

in the justice and liberality of his catholic majesty :—and That he cannot deem the revolution which has fet up the independence of thefe United States, as paft all danger of unfavorable events, until his catholic majesty and the faid ftates fhall be established on thofe terms of confidence and amity, which are the objects of his most christian majesty's very earnest wishes."

The information you are now entering upon, may ap-pear fingular after reading the anfwer of congrefs to the minister of France, on the article of provifion. In the middle of December, a part of gen. Washington's' army was several days without bread; and for the rest he had not, either on the spot or within reach, a fupply fufficient for four days. Reckoning back from January the 8th, and both officers and men were almoft perishing through want for a fortnight. The deficiency proceeded from the abfolute emptinefs of the American magazines in every place, and the total want of money or credit to replenish them. So that the general was obliged to call upon the magiftrates of the Jersey state ; to expose his fituation to them; and to declare in plain terms, that he and his army were reduced to the alternative of difbanding or catering for themfelves, unless the inhabitants would afford them aid. He allotted to each county a certain proportion of flour or grain, and a certain number of cattle to be delivered on certain days. To the honor of the magiftrates and the good difpofition of the people, be it added, that his requifitions were punctually complied with, and in many counties exceeded. Nothing but this great and patriotic exertion, which claims the particular confideration, and

the warmest acknowledgments of the public, could have 1780. faved the army from diffolution or ftarving, as the troops were bereft of every hope from the commiffaries. At one time the foldiers eat every kind of horfé food bur hay: buck wheat, common wheat, rye and Indian corn, formed the compofition of the meal that made their bread. As an army they bore it with heroic patience: but fuch fufferings, accompanied with the want of clothes, blankets, &c. produced frequent defertions, though not a fingle mutiny *. Would you have expected, that the commander in chief fhould have been under the neceffity of inferting in general orders of January the 29th"The general is aftonished and mortified, that notwithstanding the last order, the inhabitants in the vicinity of the camp are abfolutely a prey to the plundering and licentious fpirit of the foldiery. From daily complaints; and a formal reprefentation of the magiftrates, a night fcarcely paffes without gangs of foldiers going out of camp, and committing every fpecies of robbery, depredation, and the groffeft personal infults. Thefe violences are committed on the property and persons of those, who, on a very late alarming occafion for the want of provifion, manifefted the warmeft attachment to the army, by affording it the moft generous and plentiful relief."

Congress have given the public a state of the expenditures for the last year. The fums advanced to exchange bills of the emiffions of May 20, 1777, and April 11, 1778, were 15,321,897 dollars. No more than five millions are specified in their journals for each of fuch dates. There must therefore have been iffued

* General Washington's letters of January and February.

1780. from their own preffes more than five millions and a half beyond what was fpecified, or their agents who were to exchange the genuine ones, had not the means of detecting the counterfeits; the laft is fcarce conceivable. They have alfo settled a small pension on an Elizabeth Bengin, late an inhabitant of New York, who was indefatigable in relieving the American prifoners, and in facilitating their escape. The British at length fufpected, or had proof of her conduct, and sent a party to secure her. She begged leave to drefs herself before she was carried to the commander, and withdrew to an adjoining room, from whence she made her escape to a friend, and lay fecreted till an opportunity offered of quitting the city. She had a trufty waterman acting in confort with her, who in dark nights fafely conveyed away by the help of muffled oars, the officers and privates whom her friendship had concealed. When the had gotten clear off, her circumftances were fo diftreffing, that gen. Washington hearing of it, and knowing the part she had taken, and the risk fhe had run, recommended her to congrefs.

Sir H. Clinton's expedition to South Carolina is next to be confidered. Though the fleet and convoy failed from New York on the 26th of December, they did not arrive at Savannah till the end of January. The voyage was also very unprofperous. Through the tempeftuoufness of the weather, great mifchief was done among the transports and victuallers. others damaged, and a few taken by the Americans. An ordnance fhip went down with all her ftores; and moft of the horfes, whether for draught, or appertaining to the cavalry, were loft. Various delays prevented, fo

Several were loft,