To John Jay from John Morgan, 15 June 1779
From John Morgan
[Philada June 15, 1779]
Sir,
Congress having been pleased by its resolve of the 12th Inst,1 on the full & weighty evidence before them to restore me in the most ample manner, to my former fair & unsullied reputation, I thankfully acknowledge the honourable approbation which it has been pleased, in consequence thereof to bestow on my Conduct in the Service of my Country— I consider it as a proof of the disposition of the house to render Justice to all men, and to give me adequate reparation for the Injuries I have sustained from a faithful discharge of the truly difficult & important trust reposed in me by Congress.
As in the Execution of my Duty in the Station of Director-General & Physician in Chief, the public Good was my only pursuit, the prosecuting it now continues to be my favorite object, & on that object I still purpose to keep my Views invariably fixed— Conscious I am, that it is incumbent on me, on every Servant of the Public, and on every free Citizen, to prosecute to Conviction all Persons in Commission, who are guilty of misconduct in Office & have abused the public Trust. Being further stirred up to this needful Measure by the loud & repeated Calls & exhortations of Congress, particularly by it’s resolve of June 30th 1778 & its’ late earnest Address to the Inhabitants of the United States of America, May 1779— Assured moreover that it is the Intention of Congress vigorously to execute a Resolve of that Consequence, so warmly enforced on their Constituents, without Respect of persons, & that it will therefore give immediate Orders for a Trial, free from the embarrassments of any Tedious delay, (from which innocent Men sometimes suffer inconcievable hardships and distress, & the guilty are enabled to elude & baffle the testimony of Witnesses, wearied out in a fruitless Attempt to bring them to Justice)— I do hereby charge Dr: William Shippen junr: in the service of the United States with Malpractices & Misconduct in Office. And, whereas Congress, by a Resolve of the house has subjected a Director of the General Hospital on any Accusation of Mal conduct to be tried by a Court-Martial, I therefore now declare my readiness to give before the proper Court having Jurisdiction the necessary Evidence in the premisses against the said Dr: Wm: Shippen—2 I remain &ca. &ca.
John Morgan
ALS, DNA: PCC, item 63, 129–30. Addressed: “To His Excellency John Jay Esq. President of the Congress of the united States of America.” Endorsed by Charles Thomson: “. . . read the same day.” Dft, Kewaunee County Museum, Kewaunee, Wis. Endorsed by Morgan: “To the Presidt. of Congress, June 15, 1779, from which the fair Copy was sent for the Impeachmt. of Dr. Shippen.” C, DLC: Washington Papers, series 4.
1. At Dr. Morgan’s request, Congress conducted an inquiry into his administration as director general and physician in chief and resolved that it was satisfied with his record. , 14: 724.
2. The word “impeachment” appears in Dr. Morgan’s endorsement, but this was a misuse of terminology. Being under the jurisdiction of the army, Shippen could be tried only by a court-martial, and Morgan understood this, as he makes clear in this paragraph. Congress transmitted Morgan’s letter with a covering note of the same day to George Washington, directing him to act promptly to see that justice was done. The commander did not seem in any hurry, but in October he agreed to try Shippen after the current campaign ended. The court-martial, which began in March 1780 and continued until 27 June, acquitted Shippen on all five charges but reprimanded him for speculating in hospital stores. , 14: 733–34; David Freeman Hawke, Benjamin Rush: Revolutionary Gadfly (Indianapolis, 1971), 237–44.