The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume XII Part 31

I beg pardon, Sir, for this slight digression. I shall trespa.s.s no longer on your patience, than to a.s.sure you of the veneration and respect, with which I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

TO THE RECEIVERS OF CONTINENTAL TAXES IN THE SEVERAL STATES.

Office of Finance, April 7th, 1783.

Sir,

I enclose you an account of the public receipts and expenditures from the commencement of my administration to the close of last year. While in compliance with what I conceive to be the duty of those intrusted with expenditures of public money, I publish these accounts, I cannot but blush to see the shameful deficiency of the States. You will, I hope, take occasion to make the proper remarks, and, indeed, it were to be wished that some able writers would rouse the attention of your Legislature to our situation. Surely the pride and good sense of the people will combine in stimulating them to exert themselves, so as to stand on their own feet, and not owe a support to the precarious bounty of foreign powers.

I am, Sir, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES.

Office of Finance, April 7th, 1783.

Sir,

I do myself the honor to enclose for your Excellency's perusal, and the consideration of your Legislature, a statement of receipts and expenditures for the years 1781 and 1782, so far as the same have fallen under my administration. You will also find enclosed, the general accounts of receipts from the States, and subsequent payments into the treasury for the last year, together with the particular account of your State for that period. I shall not trouble your Excellency with any comments on these accounts.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

TO A COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.

Office of Finance, April 14th, 1783.

Gentlemen,

Since the conference I had the honor to hold with you on the 9th instant, my mind has been continually occupied on the important subject to which it relates. My feelings are strongly excited by what I wish for the public, and by what I apprehend, both for them and for myself.

The two points, which relate to my department, are the settlement of accounts and advance of pay. With respect to the first, it is now going on in a satisfactory manner, and will be as speedily accomplished as can reasonably be expected. The arrangements taken on that subject are of such a nature, that I conceive the disbanding of the army need not be delayed until the settlement is completed, because the proper officers may be kept together, although the men be dismissed. The amount of three month's pay, which is stated by the General to be _indispensable_, is, according to the estimate, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. From what I have already stated to Congress, it will appear that the reliance for a great part of this sum, must be on the sales of public property and the taxes. Neither of these sources can produce much immediately, and from the latter there is but little hope at all, unless something can be done to stimulate the exertions of the States.

The receipts being regularly published, I am spared the necessity of disagreeable observations on that topic. To supply so large a sum as is required is utterly impracticable, or, indeed, to obtain any very considerable part. The most, therefore, which can be done, is to risk a large paper antic.i.p.ation. This is an operation of great delicacy, and it is essential to the success of it, that my credit should be staked for the redemption. Do not imagine, Gentlemen, that this declaration is dictated by vanity; it becomes my duty to mention truth. I had rather it had fallen from any other person, and I had much rather it did not exist. In issuing my notes to the required amount, it would be necessary that I should give an express a.s.surance of payment, and in so doing, I should be answerable personally for about half a million, when I leave this office, and depend on the arrangements of those who come after me to save me from ruin. I am willing to risk as much for this country as any man in America, but it cannot be expected that I should put myself in so desperate a situation. To render the arrangements, which that advance would require, effectual in an official point of view, would be a work of time, and the period of my official existence is nearly arrived.

Disbanding the army in a manner satisfactory to them and to the country, is doubly desirable, and although extremely difficult, is I believe practicable. I shall be very ready at all times, Gentlemen, to give my advice and a.s.sistance to those who may be charged with that delicate and perilous undertaking, and I would go as far to effect it myself as any reasonable man could require. But though I would sacrifice much of my property, yet I cannot risk my reputation as a man of integrity, nor expose myself to absolute ruin.

I am, Gentlemen, with perfect respect, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

TO ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

Office of Finance, April 16th, 1783.

Sir,

I have been duly honored with the receipt of your favor of the 15th instant. I accepted the Marine Agency, simply with a view to save the expense of the department; but whenever a Marine is to be established a previous point would be (in my opinion) to nominate a Minister of Marine, and let his first work be the forming of those plans and systems, which when adopted by Congress, he would have to execute. For my own part, were my abilities equal to this task, my leisure would not permit the attempt.

With respect to the finances, I am of opinion, that as we cannot increase our revenue, we must do all we can to lessen our expenditures, and that, therefore, we should take off every expense not absolutely necessary as soon as possible.

On the subject of the coin, I hope soon to make a communication to Congress, which, if approved of by them, will complete the business.

I am, Sir, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Finance, April 23d, 1783.

Sir,

On the 21st of February, 1782, Congress were pleased to approve of the establishment of a mint, and to direct the Superintendent of Finance to prepare and report a plan for conducting it. This matter has been delayed by various circ.u.mstances until the present moment. I now enclose specimens of a coin, with a view that if Congress should think proper to appoint a committee on the subject, I may have the honor of conferring with them, and explaining my ideas of the plan for establis.h.i.+ng and conducting a mint. Such plan when reported by a committee, will more probably meet the ideas of Congress than any which I might prepare.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.[14]

[14] _April 29th._ This morning when I received the book from the office of the Secretary of Congress, in which the Acts of Congress that respect this department are entered every day, I perceived that the committee who had conferred with me respecting my continuance in office after the last day of next month had not reported the whole of the conversation which pa.s.sed, and that the report as entered on the Journals of Congress, mistakes the sense of what pa.s.sed on my part. I, therefore, wrote a note to Mr Osgood, informing the committee that they had misconstrued my sentiments. He soon called, and upon my repeating some material parts of the conversation, he acknowledged they had been omitted.

I requested him to call the committee together again, but he said they had made their report, and are dissolved, but he would immediately return to Congress, have my note to him read, and move to have the report of the committee expunged from the Journals.

_Diary._

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Finance, May 1st, 1783.

Sir,

When I saw the journal of the 28th of last month, I was surprised to find that the report of the honorable committee appointed to confer with me relative to my continuance in office, did not contain those ideas, which I had endeavored to convey. I immediately wrote a note to the chairman mentioning "that the committee had misapprehended the conference on my part." When the conversation pa.s.sed, I had no expectation of seeing it introduced into the report, or I should certainly have asked permission to deliver my sentiments in writing.

I am placed, Sir, in a very painful situation and must therefore entreat your indulgent interpretation of what I am compelled to say. I had the honor of two conferences with the committee, and in the mornings after those conferences, respectively, made short minutes of what had pa.s.sed. It is my custom to make such minutes with respect to most of my transactions, and as they were originally intended merely to aid my own memory, they are not very minute or particular. Those to which I now refer are contained in the following words;