31To George Washington from James Duane, 19 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the Honour of your Excellency’s favour of the 9th Instant on the Subject of the Hospital Department. your Sollicitude that Gentlemen of distinguished Merit shoud be employed is a continued Proof of your Attention to the publick good; & those you particularize will not fail of being supported. We are deeply engaged on the Subjects of your Excellency’s several Letters;...
32To George Washington from James Duane, 30 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
Congress are much affected at the Wants and distresses of the Army another Committee is appointed on your Excellency’s late Representation to the Board of War, & a Letter from Commy Blane. It is now found that the Supplies already demanded from the States are incompetent and in some Instances anticipated. It is to be lamented that we were not furnished with better Estimates at first; but we...
33To George Washington from James Duane, 26 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
We have Intelligence from Charles Town which leaves it in our possession as lately as the 3d or 4th Inst. and we may from the Silence of the Enemy at New york extend our Hopes to the 10th or 12th. The best and most direct account is to our Friend Mr Jones from Gen Woodford. He has this moment promised me to communicate it to your Excellency which he will do much better than I can from my...
34To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 23 May 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
The Marquiss de la fayette handed me your favour of the 14: Instant which woud have been sooner answerd had not my Time been fully employd. you will learn the difficulties of constituting a Commitee plenipo . from another Channel; tho’ a little Reflection upon human nature and a republican Government, might have brought them fully to your View without Assistance. What is not committed Congress...
35To George Washington from James Duane, 21 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed Letter was delivered me after a very importunate personal Sollicitation. I have a very great Respect for Col. Shea, and a warm desire to serve every officer of distinguished Merit; At the same time that I am anxious to do no Violence to the Arrangements of the Army which have been brought into order with such infinite pains and under numberless Embarrasments. Under these...
36To George Washington from James Duane, 9 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I Judge of your Excellency’s Anxiety for the Fate of Charles Town by my own. When we have much at Stake Events, tho’ not very important, are interesting: I shall not therefore fail to give you every Intelligence which comes well authenticated from that Quarter tho’ it may probably often happen to be no more than a Repetition of your official Information. The President yesterday receivd...
37To George Washington from James Duane, 4 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
We are here in anxious Suspence for the Fate of Charles Town: it is not to be wondered at when we consider the greatness of the Stake; and the Uncertainty and Importance of the Event. The Governour Council and Magistrates have shut themselves up in the Town determined to share the Glory of preserving it, or to perish in the Attempt! We understand that this Resolution was submitted to with...
38To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 23 September 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
I find I have given our Friends Tighlman and Meade an opportunity of exercising their Risibility . The whole Expence ought to be mine, and it is taking an ungenerous advantage to oblige you to contribute your Club. Tell them from me that however they may carry it at Head Quarters, if you and I could catch them at the Manour it is possible they might be convinced that my Enquiry was not...
39To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 16 September 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
I have had no earlier opportunity to acknowledge the Receipt of your very agreeable favour of the 7th Instant. To yours of the I transmitted an answer by the post. I perfectly agree in opinion with you what the Enemy ought in good policy to attempt; but as they uniformly contravene their best Interest, and persue measures which can produce their least possible advantage, I conclude they will...
40To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 10 September 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your Favour of the 28 Augt and your obliging assurances that you will comply with my Request, unless my anxiety for the Events of the Campaign had been very great I should not have been so unreasonable as to impose this Burthen on any of my much respected Friends at head Quarters; well knowing that they of all others have the least Leisure. I find the British Reinforcement...
41To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 4 September 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
I have spent some days at this place with our Legislature and have been happy in finding their Zeal for the Common Cause undiminished. Every thing which can be asked for the Army they will most cheerfully grant & Col. Wadsworth is gone away perfectly satisfied. It is a circumstance to their honor that amidst all their wants & distresses Flour & Carriage have been supplied at 25 per cent. less...
42To George Washington from James Duane, 17 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honourd with your Favour of the 3d Instant & have communicated it to my Colleagues. when I wrote to your Excellency respecting the Exchange of Citizens in the power of the Enemy, I did not Attend to the distinction between Civil and military Prisoners: but conceivd your Authority competent in all Cases. I cannot think it adviseable to leave the negociation of the Exchange even of Citizens...
43To George Washington from James Duane, 15 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I find myself under the necessity of expressing my wishes that it may be agreeable to your Excellency to transfer the non commissiond officers and Privates, Citizens of New York, late of Col. Malcolms Regiment, to one of the Battallions of that State. after the Resolution to the same Effect in favour of the Pensylvania Companies, of which at the time I much disapproved, it is difficult to...
44To George Washington from James Duane, 27 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
I beg Leave to recommend the enclosed papers transmitted by Governour Clinton to your Excellency’s Attention—As you have full power to conduct the Exchange of Prisoners it is needless to lay them before Congress. Permit me to request your Excellency to favour Governour Clinton with the Directions you may think proper to give on this Subject. I have the Honour to be—for myself and the Delegates...
45To George Washington from James Duane, 16 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour has been presented to the Committee of Conference. I beg you will do me the Justice to believe that my Zeal for the publick good—and may I be permitted to add—my Respect and Affection for your Excellency, will never suffer what you have at Heart to languish for Want of my best Exertions: Yet must I ask for Allowances for your Representatives, who are too much incumberd with a...
46New York Delegates to Alexander McDougall, 20 February 1779 (Jay Papers)
We had the Pleasure of receiving your Favor by M r Barclay of the 11 th Instant and beg you to be assurd that we shall always be ready to facilitate your Command and support your applications for Assistance. The Commander in Chief has spent some time here with a Committee of Conference. He is vested with the fullest power to take every Department & Detachment of the Army, under his own...
47New York Delegates to George Clinton, 3 February 1779 (Jay Papers)
Major General Arnold has it in Contemplation to establish a Settlement of Officers and Soldiers who have served with him in the present War, and to lay the necessary Foundation without Loss of Time. From a Desire to become a Citizen of New York he gives our State the Preferrence and now visits your Excellency to make the necessary Enquiries, it being out of our Power to give him any...
48To George Washington from James Duane, 28 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I found myself so much indisposd this morning that it was imprudent to go abroad; which will I hope apologize for my not meeting the Committee of Conference at your Excellency’s Quarter’s as was proposed. General Knox has paid me a Visit and given me an opportunity of comparing his Remarks with the propositions of the Board of war. I am not sufficiently master of the Subject to decide; & must...
49To George Washington from James Duane, 11 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed papers have this day been referred to the Committee of Conference with your Excellency: Not with any View to the immediate Contents of those papers: but to introduce a general Enquiry whether Humanity & policy demand from Congress a further proposition for the Exchange of Prisoners? Upon this great Point we wish in a free Conference to consider the State of the Prisoners on both...
50To George Washington from James Duane, 10 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I intended to have done myself the Honour of seeing your Excellency yesterday Evning but was so long detaind in Congress that I coud not collect some Information which was necessary to be laid before you. I expect Mr Peters has furnished you with such papers as will give you a State of the Post At Fort Pitt & the plan of Operations suggested by General McInTosh. I gave a Verbal direction to...
51To George Washington from James Duane, 9 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
In order to give Dispatch to the several Matters mentiond in your Excellency’s Report to the Committee it is proposed to offer Resolutions to Congress on the Heads you enumerate. We wish that the Remedy may be effectual and think it happy that we can be favourd with your Assistance: We therefore request that you will be pleased to point out what ought to be done with respect to the Arrangement...
52To George Washington from James Duane, 3 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
When I have the Honour of seeing your Excellency I will explain the objection made in Congress to the plan for establishing the Department of Inspector General. It holds up the Idea too strongly of seperate Departments which, as they have been conducted, imply an Independence of the Commander in Cheif, & are in other respects productive of Inconvenience & Expence. And it assigns too high a...
53To John Jay from James Duane, 22–24 August 1778 (Jay Papers)
I have the Pleasure to acquaint you that M rs . Duane is in a great Degree restord to her Health; or rather that she has got the better of her nervous Complaint which entaild upon her Weakness & Lowness of Spirits and called for my utmost Care and Attention to prevent its ill Effects. That greatness of Mind and disinterested Love of her Country—to you I will boast—which have enabled her to...
54To John Jay from James Duane, 23 December 1777 (Jay Papers)
I did not receive your very obliging Favour of the 14 th . Untill this morning. which It gave a Double pleasure as we have your promise of a Visit at the Manshion. M r . Livingston, & indeed the whole Family, Join me in requesting that M rs . Jay will be so kind as to accompany you. When the Legislature assembles you will be confind, & by that Time I shall be calld on Business to Albany, with...
55To John Jay from James Duane, 2 December 1777 (Jay Papers)
I have had so much Publick Business on my hands that I have been unavoidably deprived of paying that Attention to my Friends which always gives me Pleasure. As one of the Number I have the Honour of considering yourself; & of you I have not been entirely unmindful— At the same time that I cannot boast of much Encouragement: or any great Merit. To the Governour and Council of Safety I have...
56To John Jay from James Duane, 3 August 1777 (Jay Papers)
I enclose you a Letter from France for yourself and another to M r . Platt which ^ last ^ you’l be pleased to forward with my respectful Compliments. General Howe and his grand fleet to the utter Astonishment and Vexation of the People here have disappeard as every necessary preparation for his Reception was made. He has left us to guess at his next Attempt— General Schuyler to humour the...
57James Duane to Robert R. Livingston, John Jay, Gouverneur Morris, and Robert Yates, 19 April 1777 (Jay Papers)
We arrived in this City on Wednesday afternoon. If you talk seriously to its Inhabitants you’l find them full of the Expectation of ^ a Visit from ^ Gen l Howe’s but examine their Conduct and the Appearance of everything about you, & you cannot but conclude that they are in a State of the most perfect Tranquility and Security. Talk to them about the scandalous depreciation of the continental...
58To John Jay from James Duane, 25 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
I conclude, my dear Sir, that the late Resolution of Congress recommending the Assumption of Government will induce you to give your Attendance for a few days at our own Convention— If this shoud be the Case it will [be] of Advantage to you to be informed of the Temper and proceedings of the Neighbouring Colonies on this great Revolution. You recollect the Maryland Instruc t . which, upon any...
59To John Jay from James Duane, 18 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
I wrote you, my dear Sir, a hasty Scrawl by the post on a most important Subject—you know the Maryland Instructions and those of Pensylvania— I am greatly in doubt whether either of their Assemblies or Conventions will listen to a Recommendation the preamble of which so openly avows Independence & Seperation—The lower Counties will probably adhere to Pensylvania—New Jersey you can form a good...
60To John Jay from James Duane, 16 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
Yesterday, my dear Friend, was an important day, productive of the Resolutions of which I enclose you a Copy. I shall not enter into particulars; the Resolution itself first passed and then a Committee was appointed to fit it with a preamble—Compare them with each other and it will probably lead you into Reflections which I dare not point out. I hope you will relieve me soon as I am impatient...