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rican army having been arranged before the arrival of 1777. these gentlemen in America, their expectations cannot be complied with, without deranging it, and thereby injuring at fo critical a juncture the American cause." The report was agreed to, and the motion madeWhereas Silas Deane efq; when agent under the committee of fecret correfpondence, entered into conventions with feveral foreign officers, which congrefs have declared themselves not bound to ratify, and which in the prefent fituation of affairs they could not comply with, without deranging the army, and thereby injuring at this critical juncture the American caufe: And whereas the credit, reputation and usefulness of Silas Deane efq; now one of the American commiffioners in France, will be greatly impaired by the confequences of his indifcretion in having entered into fuch conventions, his recall becomes neceffary for the intereft of these United States-therefore refolved, That Silas Deane efq; now one of the American commiffioners in France, be forthwith recalled, and that from the day of his receiving this refolve, all and every power with which he hath been vested by congrefs do ceafe and determine, and that he take the earliest opportunity to embark for North America, and repair to congrefs." The perfon who read this in his place was, upon being feconded, entreated to withdraw it, in which he acquiefced, upon a general avowal of the neceffity of recalling Mr. Deane in fome milder way. On Nov. 21, partiality and tenderness ftruck away all preamble, and a naked refolve paffed, "That Silas Deane efq; be recalled from the court of France, and that the committee for foreign affairs be directed to take proper measures for fpeedily communi

1777.cating the pleasure of congrefs herein to Mr. Deane and the other commiffioners of the United States at the court of France:-That Monday next be affigned for choosing a commiffioner to the court of France, in place of Silas Deane efq." On the 28th, Mr. John Adams was chofen. No time being limited for Mr. Deane's return, the larded refolve of December the 8th was made. Had a proper dignity been maintained on the 8th of September, the recall would not have been a feeming myftery, or rather a compliment. Though the chairman of the committee for foreign applications was the mover of the proper refolves, yet he finally gave into the over-tendernefs of the house, when he acted for foreign affairs in his letter of December the 8th, and in his private letter to Dr. Franklin."

Congress refolved, "that the commiffioners at the courts of France and Spain be directed to exert their utmost endeavours to obtain a loan of two millions fterling, on the faith of the Thirteen United States." They also received accounts from gen. Gates relative to the retreat of the British from Tyconderoga and Mount Independence. By letters of gen. Conway's writing to particular members, they were led into a refolution, "That an appointment be made of infpectors general, agreeable to the practice of the best difciplined European armies:" and from thence to elect him an infpector general, and a major general. This promotion, which took place the 13th of December, occafioned much uneafinefs among the officers; and they requefted gen. Washington not to publish it till they had met, and made a proper representation of their grievances. Conway thought himself entitled to a fuperiority over them, from his having

served more than thirty years, and before fome of the 1777brigadiers were born, and from the number of men he had commanded for many years in an old army. But these reasons did not reconcile them to his being put over their heads. They might be the more difgufted from his declaring that no two regiments manoeuvred alike, and that there were hardly two officers in each regiment able to command the manœuvres. On the 3d of January, the brigadiers fent a remonftrance against his appointment. The objections against him were, that he was intriguing at congrefs in concert with gens. Gates and Mifflin, in order to remove gen. Washington-that he gave himself at congrefs the merit of the Germantown affair-that his powers of inspector general tended to diminish the power of gen. Washington-and that, in a paragraph of a letter, he reflected severely upon the commander in chief and his counfellors. Such is the prevailing dislike to him, that he will be of little fervice in future. The uneafinefs which his promotion produced, did not efcape his notice, but has led him to renew a former propofal of returning to France

In order to obtain a fupply of clothing for the army, Dec. the congress refolved to recommend to the respective legislatures the enacting of laws, appointing perfons to feize, for the use of the continental army, all neceffary articles of clothing, which may be in the poffeffion of any perfons inhabitants of or residents within their refpective ftates, for the purpose of fale; and that the value of fuch goods be ascertained at the rate which the faid articles fhall be ftated at by the convention of the committees, agreeable to the late recommendation. A memorial from lieut. col. Barton, who took gen. Prescot prifoner, was read in congrefs, on which they refolved,

Dec.

31.

1777. "That on account of his enterprifing fpirit, and merit 24. in taking the general, he be promoted to the rank and pay of a colonel in the service of the United States, and that he be recommended to gen. Washington, to be employed in fuch fervices as he may deem most adapted to his genius." In teftimony of their approbation of the patience, fidelity and zeal of the officers and foldiers under the immediate command of gen. Washington, they directed, fix days after, that one months extraordinary pay should be given to each; which was no more than justice, confidering what they had fuffered. The next, being the last day of the year, they had under confideration, the information sent them from Bofton by Mr. Samuel Otis, their deputy clothier general in the Maffachusetts, acquainting them, that he had contracted with fundry perfons for a large quantity of clothing, at the rate of ten to eighteen hundred per cent. and that fome of the holders of the faid goods refufed to deliver them until they should receive the cafh. Upon this they refolved, "That Mr. Otis be directed to pay only for fuch of the faid clothing as he may have actually received, at the rate for which he may have contracted for fuch clothing--and That it be moft earnestly recommended to the legislative authority of the state of Massachufetts-bay immediately to take and feize the refidue of the clothing, which the holders thereof have refufed to deliver to the faid Samuel Otis, agreeable to the refolutions of the congrefs of the 20th inftant, which clothing fhall be paid for in manner, and at the rate mentioned therein, and not otherwife." A letter was written to the prefident of the council upon the occafion, in which they failed not to attempt exciting refentment against the proprietors of the goods for the crime

of extortion, and the greater one of refufing to deliver 1777. the goods upon the credit of the Thirteen United States. "This irrefragable evidence of the depravity of morals in fo many of the citizens of thefe ftates, is a most alarming circumftance," say they; "and if the feveral governments do not speedily exert their authority effectually to suppress fuch unheard of extortion, it will unqueftionably iffue, and at no very diftant period, in the deftruction of the liberties of this continent. Shall we then tamely fee ourselves compelled, by the wicked conduct of fome of the citizens of these states, to the cruel neceffity of fubmitting to the mercy of an enraged tyrant?" The prefident was defired to lay the refolutions before the general affembly, who were requested to keep them and their proceedings thereon fecret, till carried into execution. The general court, instead of interfering, has prudently left the business to take its own course. Those traders, who want to go to market again and make fresh purchases, cannot fell upon the credit of even the Thirteen United States. The increafing depreciation of the currency is another reafon against it. The paper emiffion is now more than three hundred per cent. for hard money, and by the end of April will probably be four for one: fo that when this, the risks of the fea, the scarcity of the commodity, the few returns that can be made, the advance of expences through the rise of provifion, labor, &c. and other circumftances are taken into confideration, the rate of from ten to eighteen hundred per cent, has far more the appearance than the reality of extortion.

The convention and convention-troops demand our next attention,

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