61To George Washington from Robert Morris, 22 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I arrived in Town the Day before Yesterday—having taken the earliest Opportunity to acquire Information, I am sorry to inform you that I find Money Matters in as bad a Situation as possible—The Exchange, by the Concourse of Venders, has run down to five Shillings, & Bills are offered at that Rate in such great Numbers as to command all the Money which is to be disposed of; so that reducing the...
62To George Washington from Robert Morris, 28 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 27th from Chatham, has just been delivered me by Coll Miles, and in consequence, I have advised him to secure the assistance of the President & Council of this State, in case it should be necessary; but, as a preferable mode of procuring the Craft, I advise his engaging to pay them in a short time after the Service is performed and, if needfull, I shall join in this...
63To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
The bearer Mr Audibert will deliver you five hundred Guineas as for secreet Service Money according to the request made in your Letter of the 17th of August last from Dobbs’s Ferry. I had directed Mr Audibert to bring with him the ballance which might remain of the 20.000 Dollars after paying the Troops, but upon Consideration I think it will be best if there be any Ballance that it should be...
64To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to send you two Letters this Morning by Major Clerkson. This will be delivered you by Mr Audibert the Paymaster and encloses No. 1 a Copy of my Letter to him & No. 2 a Copy of my Letter to the Count de Rochambeau. As it was not in Contemplation to make any Payments to the Civil Staff of the Detachment so the Heads of the Departments have made their seperate Applications to me...
65To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
Several Worthy People & particularly the Romish Priest and Mr Fitzsimmons have interested themselves in favour of a Criminal under Sentence of Death for Desertion, I dont know his name but he is in Philada Goal—your Excy is the best judge of propriety in such cases and I am Sensible of the impropriety of such applications but as I promised to speak to your Excy & took the opportunity I desired...
66To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
Permit me most sincerely to congratulate you on the arrival of the french Fleet and to express my warmest Wishes for the Success of your future operations. As soon as I arrive at Philadelphia I shall give Directions for the Deputy Paymaster to repair to the Head of Elk and make Payment of a Month’s Pay in Specie to the Detachment un der the Command of Genl Lincoln. I wish the States had...
67To George Washington from Robert Morris, 10 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
The sole intent of the present is to acknowledge the receipt of your two Letters of the 7th Instant that which related to the Months pay you woud see was answered by the Steps previously taken but I am a good deal disappointed and put to inconvenience by the Money at Elk falling short of the object which obliges me to send Money thither that was absolutely necessary to fulfill my engagements...
68To George Washington from Robert Morris, 13 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
You mention’d to me in Conversation that the Bill I formerly remitted you on Messrs Richards & Co. of New London had not been paid, I must therefore request that you will give orders for its being returned to me. Herein you will find the first bill of a Sett drawn by Mr Thomas Pleasants Junr yesterday at Ten days sight in my favour on David Ross Esqr. Commercial Agent of the State of Virginia...
69To George Washington from Robert Morris, 17 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the Honor to receive your Excellency’s two several Letters, of the twenty seventh of September, and first, Instant. The latter did not come to Hand untill nine oClock last Evening. I have this Morning directed the Purchase of a quantity of Rum, and lament that I cannot possibly arrive as soon as you will stand in Need of it. This must be attributed to the Delay of your Letter, which...
70To George Washington from Robert Morris, 19 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
Should an opportunity offer Mr Ridley will present before you my two Sons who have the ambition to pay their Compts. to you, before their departure for Europe, where they are now destined under the care and protection of that gentleman untill he can place them with their Tutors. I consider the step I have taken as advantageous to them, and also of some Public consequence, because if the...
71To George Washington from Robert Morris, 23 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
Captain Hutchins in a Letter of the twenty Second Instant, inclosed to me a copy of his letter to your Excellency of the fourteenth, and of your answer of the Sixteenth. I have had a conference on the Subject of these letters with the Minister of War, and afterwards with Captain Hutchins. General Lincoln tells me that a Map of South Carolina has already been taken at great expence and with...
72To George Washington from Robert Morris, 26 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
As Provision is now made for Cloathing and feeding the Soldiery and for the Subsistence Money of the Officers, it is proper that some method be adopted to provide the latter with Cloathing also. This must be done out of their Pay, and therefore, the regular mode would be by an advance of Pay, but unfortunately the State of the Treasury will not admit of such advance, and even if it would, they...
73To George Washington from Robert Morris, 26 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
I take this earliest Opportunity of acknowleging your Excellency’s Letter of the twenty fifth, which I received last Evening, and in which you request me to have ready my Letters to the Officers you are sending to the Eastern States, so as that they may go by the next Post. I would willingly comply with your Excellency’s Desire most literally, but I have rather wished to transmit my Sentiments...
74To George Washington from Robert Morris, 20 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of Colo. Tilghman’s letter of the 18th I granted a warrant on the Treasury for one thousand dollars for the purposes therein mentioned, and as he intimates that your Excellency would wish to know how you are to be supplied with money in future, whether from me or from the military chest. I should certainly refer you to the latter were I sure of a regular supply to it—I think...
75To George Washington from Robert Morris, 3 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received letters from Wm Duer Esqr. respecting a request made by Genl Heath for Magazines of Salt provisions to be provided at some of the Posts which Mr Duer is to supply, he alledges that the laying up such Magazines will create an expence & advance of Money beyond what he is bound to by the Contract, which I suppose may be the case, and if so it is but reasonable & Just that such...
76To George Washington from Robert Morris, 15 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
After a good deal of Trouble the Contract for the moving Army has been Compleated and the Issues under it are to Commence the first day of May next. The Gentlemen concerned in it were so long in agreeing on several points regarding each other, that at last they grew too Impatient to allow the Secretary at War Time sufficient to have the Contract drawn with that precision and Clearness which he...
77To George Washington from Robert Morris, 22 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
When Your Letter of the 28 Ultimo came to my Hands enclosing one from Mr John Logan the SubContracor, assigning the want of Money as the Cause of his not having been regular in the Supply of provisions to the Troops at Morris Town and Pumpton; I delivered the same to Messrs Francis and Slough the persons that contracted with me, they instantly acknowledged that so far from being kept in want...
78To George Washington from Robert Morris, 4 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the Seventeenth and twenty fifth of May with the Enclosure. I am much obliged by the Attention paid in your circular Letter to the Situation of my Department. I am very sorry to inform you that it is really deplorable. I with difficulty am enabled to perform my Engagements and am absolutely precluded from forming any new ones. I have therefore been...
79To George Washington from Robert Morris, 4 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
Since I wrote you in Cypher relating to the Loan in France I have received Letters from Doctor Franklin which made it proper to communicate the Matter to Congress. By those Letters and by Communications from the french Minister on the Part of his Court it appeared that Mr Franklin had already anticipated the whole of this Loan excepting the small Part which I have drawn for, so that we can...
80To George Washington from Robert Morris, 12 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I presume that General Lincoln will have made your Excellency acquainted with the Situation of Affairs here. It becomes my Duty to mention one Circumstance for your Determination which I will adhere to even tho it should contravene my own Opinion not only because I have a firm Reliance in your Judgement but because you are in a better Position to be well informed of the Facts. It is with great...
81To George Washington from Robert Morris, 21 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am informed that several of our Officer’s have left behind them in New York considerable sums of money unpaid, which had been advanced to them while they were Prisoner’s. The Humanity of those who have made such advances, as well as the Principles of Justice require that they shou’d be repaid, but there is another reason which has considerable weight on my Mind. The Establishment of a credit...
82To George Washington from Robert Morris, 22 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honor to enclose to your Excellency the Copies of a Letter of the seventeenth Instant from some of the Contractors of the moving Army to me, and of my Answer of this Date—Your Excellency will perceive in their Letter a Doubt whether I will perform my Engagements held up as an Apology should they not perform theirs. They have no Reason to entertain, and less Right to express any...
83To George Washington from Robert Morris, 29 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Favors of the eighth and sixteenth Instant the former enclosing Alterations proposed in the present Mode of Issues and the latter a Copy of your circular Letter to the States of the fourth of May. I pray you to accept my Thanks for these Communications. I consent to the Alterations mentioned and shall be very happy that Harmony be restored for I do assure you that let the...
84To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am to pray that your Excellency will cause the inclosed Letter containing Affidavits of the Plunder of Some Americans on Board a Flag by British Privateers to be transmitted. I am Sir Your Excellencys Most Obedient & humble servt DLC : Papers of George Washington.
85To George Washington from Robert Morris, 9 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Favor of the third Instant, and am obliged by your Attention to my Requests—I entirely approve your Excellencys Reasons for directing a Magazine at West Point—The Contractors will I believe exert themselves. It is impossible for me to state the Trouble and Distress I undergo—This Morning the Southern Post brought me a Letter from the Reciever in Virginia, of which the...
86To George Washington from Robert Morris, 5 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I received your Letter of the thirtieth of July late in the Evening of Friday the second Instant. The Ideas which in Conversation with you I endeavoured to impress were, that I should at all Events fulfil my Part of the Contracts entered into for feeding your Army, That I had constantly attended to the claims of the Contractors. That I should continue to do so, and that I beleived I had in...
87To George Washington from Robert Morris, 8 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
Having occasion to Answer a letter lately received from a Mr Creeden in New York, I beg leave to trouble You with the care of sending it in by such opportunity as may first occur. I am preparing Money for the Contractors their demands so immediately on the back of the Pay Master Generals Notes due the 1st Inst. press me closely. I am most truely Dear Sir Your affectionate hble servt NjP :...
88To George Washington from Robert Morris, 9 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to receive your Excellency’s Favor of the Fifth Instant, last Evening. I beg Leave to refer, for a State of Matters between the public & the Contractors, to mine of the Fifth Instant. I should long since have appointed the Officer you mention, could I have got a proper Person. I had applied to General Cornell, and he had (in a manner) undertaken, but afterwards declined. Colo....
89To George Washington from Robert Morris, 13 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
The urgent Demands on me for Money oblige me to use a Thousand different Expedients—The bearer of this letter Mr Richd Wells is on his way to New York, He goes for the purpose of receiving a very considerable Sum of Money and will if Successful pay it to your Excellency to be held at my orders—I am therefore to request that he may have every Facility in going to New York and bringing the Money...
90To George Washington from Robert Morris, 17 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I found it necessary, in order to get money for alleviating my distress, to sell Bills which I knew were to be negociated thro’ New York. The remittances coming in too slowly, induced my assent to a plan for bringing out the Specie. This was the money which I lately wrote to you about. I am &ca DLC : Papers of George Washington.