From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 8 February 1780
To Major General Nathanael Greene
Morris Town 8th Feby 1780
Dear Sir
I have received your letter of this day inclosing Copy of one from Colo. Berry,1 representing the unwillingness of the inhabitants to transport for the Army at the regulated prices, from an apprehension that the regulation will not be general. It would be excessively disagreeable to me to authorise a departure from the law, especially, in an affair of so delicate a nature, and yet it is indispensible, that the transportation should go on with Vigor. To answer this purpose, without incurring the other inconvenience—I recommend it to you to adopt this expedient—to pay for the present at the regulated prices, engaging that in case the measure of regulation should not become general, and the Assembly of this State should repeal the laws on the subject, then to make good the difference between the regulated and market prices.2 I am Dear Sir yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PPAmP: Nathanael Greene Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. A note in Greene’s writing under the docket of the LS reads: “no answer required.”
1. GW is referring to Greene’s letter to him of 7 February.
2. On 19 Nov. 1779, Congress urged the states to pass measures for price regulation ( 15:1289–93). Responding to this appeal, the New Jersey legislature on 21 Dec. passed “An ACT for limiting the Prices of various Articles, and to prevent the Withholding from Sale the Necessaries of Life,” which imposed price limitations on specified articles of “Produce, Manufacture and Trade,” including “Carting, and all Kinds of Land and Water Carriage” (, 25–29). The price controls went into effect on 1 February. When New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware failed to pass similar legislation, New Jersey suspended the price-control act on 26 Feb. (see , 57–58).