The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-07-23 00:00:00, page 4

* Here it appears, that no suspicion fell either on colonel
Plater or Mr. Forbes, as they were re-appointed to congress ;
but Mr. Chafe was fujfee&ed and dijmiged.
1 Mr. Carroll, who drafted the infractions, declared in
the house of delegates (at Mr. Chase's trial) that if be had
bad the information which be obtained after these infractions
were reported, be Jbould have charged Mr. Chafe by name.
From the charge made in congress by Mr. Merchant;
from colonel Plater and Mr. Forbes rising to exculpate
th'ndelvrs; from Mr. Chase's fibnee, when the charge
wa; made in congress: from the two letters from the
pr<£ lent of congrefs.to Mr. William Smith, of Balti
mere town from toe president's information to Mr.
Jennifer" from cold el Wadsworth's let er, dated the
6th September, at Baltimore- town, and from his in
formCion to Mr. Thomas, at York-tb^n, in Virginia ;
from Mr. Frbes's declaration to Mj. William Smith,
that " r. Chafe was t^ person who charged him (the
fant Mr. Smith) with opening his letter to the gover
nor and council, by which the fare/ got dot; from
'what Mr. C afe calls bis defence, and the reasons he
Five for not deny ng the charge at the time that Mr.
M rcha.t mde it, and from all t^e other circumstances
abovementioned, I think there can remain do doubt,
that the r solve rn question was a Jaret, and that Mr.
Cnafr thougnt'fo at the time.
Fr m the nature of the purchafain which Mr. Chafe
was concerned from t - exigence of an embargo at
th t time, and the impoffibili y of disposing of the Hour,
either in tie purchase of prizes, or by fending it to
Boston; from the letter wrote to Mr. M'Lure, and
that to Mr. Dorsey. dated alter tee 24th August (in
tended f< r Mr M'Lurel government, and which he
saw) from having given hisfirH orders to purchase, and
having entered into the engagement with Mr. M'Lure,
after the receipt of colonel Wadt worth's letter in con
grefs, th gift July, which was tie foundation of the
resolve of the 24^ Auguti, and from the injury done
to the public, by creating an " artificial scarcity," as
congress declare in their resolve of the 2d of Oflober,
1778, we may conclude (in my opinion) that the pur
chases were made in coufequeuce of his official know
ledge
The appointment of delegates in congress has been,
at ns. since re beginning of the revolution, a
r*are; of great importance.
'{' inflrttaions .to the delegates in congress, in Oc
t& c I Ton, 1778, were drawn up by aommittee of
both hemfrs of the general assembly, and reported. —
True celebrated inftrudions originated Torn reports
rel mg to Mr.Chafe's conduct, as a member of con
gress, luring the summer and fall They were refect
ed by the house o delegates—negative 25, affirmative
22—1 he fallowing is an extract from the fame, viz.
To G orge Plater*, William Paca, Willem Carmi
chal, John Henry, Jernes Forbes, and Daniel, of St.
Thorn Jennifer, enquire.
" You mull be fully sensible, gentlemen, that it is
“ ol the utmost importance, the people at large fliould
" ntertain the higuef lopinion of the integrity and wif
“ dom of congress : if either should be questioned, the
" refpeddue to that assembly, and hitherto paid to
“ it, will dimimfh ; and in proportion to that dimini
" tion it will lose of its dignity and influence. Dele
'" gates to Congress,. therefore, qught not only to be
" honest, but free from the imputation of dishonesty.
" Reports have cir ulated, much to the disadvantage
"offme of the delegatesj; they have ben accused of
ar combining o+'. 1 lonopoli'trs and engroffers of
the peoeffartes of life, and (hiring in the iniquitous
: = ^^ The refolvcs of congress, recom, ending pro
' ^^ f^ and laws to check those pernicious
' prafticer ill ioT ecn of their efficacy and force,
.0 :e o u — r own body, under the fuP
rich n cu., are foffered to retain their
" feats in that aiiemuiy. We know the congress have
6< n < the power of expulsion ; yet it is the duty of the
" members to be watchful, each one over the conduct
'"of the other; arid when suspicions of mifeondud,
'' such as have been mentioned, prevail, to inform
“ thereof die refpedive Rater represented by the ptr
" ton or persons so fufpe&ed, that their conduct tray
'' be enquired into by the proper authority, and the
"delinquents punched according to their demerits.
"If you cannot by other means prevent, at least dis
“ courage by your example, such dishonourable prac
“ tices."
Jr appears, that colonel Plater, Mr. Forbes, Mr.
John Henry and Mr. Chafe, w re members of con
gress in the year 1778, and that Mr. Henry was absent
when te charge was made by Mr. Merchant against
ine delegates of Maryland—No suspicion fell ei
ther on colonel Plater or Mr. Forbes; but it is noto
rious, that Mr. Chafe was fufpeaed. The inhruflions
then are pointedly aimed at Mr. Chafe; and from the
refitment he has (hewn against Mr. Carroll (who
drafted the inftrudions) he acknowledges himfelf to
have be-n the object. Would any man of sensibility
(if innocent) have remained one moment after the
charge was made in congress ; and after he saw the in
^ru^ions, without clearing up his character ? At that
ti.e how easy Could it have been done, by applying
to congress for their certificate, or to the fecie ary ?
It is a common expression to fay—“ I am surprised a
man could so patiently lye under such suspicions of
guilt'—but our furprife/ought to cease when we re
seed, that the man who is base enough to do a difho
nourabie adion, seldom has the grace to be alhamed
of it,.
Banished from the councils of congress for three years,
by a law made on purpose to exclude him, Mr. Chafe
may now think, that.by {offering the punishment in-
Aided by the law, he has attoned for the offences for
which he was pumfhed.
But, it may be said, it is rather uncharitable to sup
p ft, that he may not have repented, and determined
on an amendment of life in future. There are, un-
Philadelphia; Printed and Sold by D A T'l DC. CLAYPOOLE., in Market-Street.
" Justi€E is lame as well as blind amongst us;
" The laws corrupted to the end that made 'em."
As a speculator, the field of this Rate is too small
for a man of Mr. Chase's abilities; and he has now
(by his late appointment to congress) open before him
a great national projfed. His official knowledge will give
l in an advantage over petty adventurers. The forme
transactions, in whicu ne was engaged, mutt have
made him generally known throughout the continent ;
and those who have not the means of obtaining that in
formation, which can only be known by members of
congress, will not be at a loss to whom to apply.
But these are not the only advantages which may of
fer themselves, during I\^ present appointment. A ne
gociitioil for a peace may, probably, happen in a few
months. Governor Johnson, (the late Britilh com
missioner) declared in the house of commons, tliat he
had " tranfaflions, where other means besides persuasion
'• bad been used." Is it not probable tnat the integrity
of members'of congress may again be put to the test ?
Those who know Mr. Chase's character, will (carce
suppose that hewill be t@ last man to whom the
golden temptation may be offered
But, to conclude, the event of the enquiry was this,
the house resolved, “ that tne charge aforefaid, in the
opinion of the house, is not true; and that Mr. Chafe
was not guilty of a breach of ;is duty, as a member
of congress, by revealing a secret resolve of that affem
biy.".
It evidently appears, that the house was unwilling to
go into a general enquiry ; and that they wished to
confine it to the point of secrecy. Whether Mr. Car
roll's publications contain other matters t^at de uand the
attention of the house, let their conhituents determine.
As, the whole was retd to the house, the people at
large have a right to demand of tiieir representatives
their reasons for not going into a general enquiry.
I lake it tor granted, that the great majority who
voted for Mr. Chase's acquittal, really believed that
the evidence was not so positive as to justify a convic
tion 111 a court of common law. But will these gen
tlemen answer me this queft'on? Do they not believe
that Mr. Chafe was guilty of a Jbameful /peculation ;
Does that want proof, or will they refute to accept his
own cons ffion as evidence againfthimfelf?
Congress, in tneir resolve of the 2d of O^ober, 1778,
declare, that the " wicked practices of peculators had cre
“ ated the greatrft alarm, and endangered the procur
<c ing the necefary fuppids for the army an ^navy," and
recommended totne Several legislatures, from New-York
so Virginia inclusive, to pass laws for the seizure of grain
&C. &c. a^ the only means of obtaining the necessary
(applied. If Mr. Chafe was one of these wicked specula
tors, who contributed to thediftrefs so jultiy complain
ed of, can the public think him a proper person to reprew
sent them again in congress?
What would the world think of congress (as the
firft representative body in America) if every member
of that assembly was known to be, in point of charac
ter, what they only fufpett Mr. Cnafe to be? Would
the world entertain the “ bighef opinion of the integrity
of congress?" Would not congref ,by being composed of
such men, " lose that dignity and influence which it has
hitherto fapported?" Could it be faia with truth, tlLt
such delegates were no<only ' bones " but "free, even
from the imputation of di/bonefy?" Could h be said
they had not been monopolies and engrossers of
t e necessaries of life, and that they had not soared in the
iniquitous gain ? Could it be said that these “pernici
ous practices' ought not to be checked? Should such
members be fu ffered to retain their feats in that assem
bly? At lead, ought not an enquiry to be made into
their conduct? An assembly composed of such men
could, in my opinion, pohefs neither " dignity or
INFLUENCE.
P. S. The above narrative was prepared for publica
tion Ihortly after the enquiry into Mr. Chase's con-
doubtedly, many infiances of reformation, where such
offences have been committed against the Rate; but to
create belief, the world experts that a man's conduct,
both in private and public tranfadions, fliould corre
spond wilh his profeffions.—“ The tree is known by
its fruit!" Let me alk those who know Mr. Chafe,
whettier his coodud (since his exclusion from congress,
by law).will juftify a belief, that he may be t r ufed
with more fafety now, than when the law passed ? Let
me here refer my readers to the recital of the particu
lars, relating to Mr. Caafe's condud, since tne year
1778.—Some of them are Rated fully in my late publi
cation addressed to him — Tnefe will fully prove, that
Mr. Cia fe's plan of reformation (if he had one) was not
executed.
The above state of fads is one of the most disagreea
ble talks which I have ever been obliged to undertake:
but it appeared to me ueceffary, as so great a majority
of the house of delegates voted for Mr. Chase's acquit
tal
To the public consideration I chearfully submit the
whole, being perfectly content, that on this a judgment
may be formed of my reasons for moving the enquiry ;
as well as those principles upon which the house ot dele
gates founded tneir resolution.
To the abuse that has been so lavishly bestowed upon
me by Mr. Chafe, (for doing what I conceived to be
my duty)l (hall offer no other r ply than what is con
tain d in the above narrative of faffs.
There is scarce a free country which has not, at an
earlier or later per od or its political exigence, been
cursed with, at least some one man in it, whom it has
been the duty and interest of all good men to oppose :
and if the fear of such hackneyed, senseless and incre
dible slander, should induce men in public Rations to
connive at practices which they confider as dangerous
to their country, they would deserve much greater in
famy than ever they could be subject to from such pub
lications.
July, 1752.
JOHN CADWALADER.
" YOUR letter of theist in ftant came to me yefler
"day. I have not with me any of the papers re ating
“ to the fubjed of your letter. When the gentleman*
" you mention was with me at general Washington's
" quarters, I expected to have gone home and return
" ed, and intended to have brought with me all the
" papers, and come by Annapolis; but being detain
“ ed here, 1 have not had it in my power to fee the
" papers, or obtain any new light on the fubjed ; it is
" so long since the tradaion, that many circumstances
" have probably escaped me. When 1 proposed to
'' congress to purchase flour in the southern slates and
" transport it by water to the northern and eaflern
" Rates, I expelled an immediate order to carry it into
" execution, as the eastern Rates were almoß destitute
" of that article, and the great demand for theprifoners
" and the posts there made me believe the measure
" absolutely necessary ; and every member of congress
" with whom I conversed agreed with me in opinion,
“ that it was so ; yet they delayed near a month after
" my application, to give the order which was contain
" ed in the resolution you mention of the 24th of
" August, 1778, but referred me to the marine board
" for inftruaions ; that board was composed of wife and
" honest men. I was delayed some time id getting
" their orders after the resolution palled. Mr. Mat
" thews, a delegate from South-Carolina, 'odged in the
" fame noufe with me, and informed me that Mr.
“ Chafe, a delegate from Maryland, wished to fee me
" before my departure, as he wou d give me 'ome use
" fol advice. 1 waited on him at his lodgings, and as
" ter several questions, which I don't remember, he
" told me that, it would be necessary to find out who
" had a quantity of barre's, as they wou'd be scarce,
" and tho' I might find flour it" would be difficult to
" obtain barrels; he said very little more, that I re
" member, and I cuuld form no opinion, at that time
" why he sent for me ; as what he said appeared to me
“ very unintereßing Wnen the resolution I passed con
“ fidered it as a secret, and secrecy was enjoined me by
" Mr Laurens, the president df congress. Before my
" departure, fl. Blane, efq; deputy commissary gene
" ral, came to me, and alked me if the resolution had
" passed ; I waved answering bim ; when he told me a
“ gentleman from Maryland, I think of the name of
" Russel, had told him so, and offered to contrast for
“ flour and vessels to transport it. I immediately wait.
“ ed on Mr. Laurens, and told him what had passed;
“ when he told me he was well fatisfied who had com
“ municued it, and gave me some reasons for his be
" lieving it to be Mr. Chafe. I soon after set out for
" Virginia; on arriving at Baltimore, I found floor
" scarce, rapidly r'fing in price, and it was publicly
“ and freely said, Mr. Chafe was concerned with Mr.
" Dorsey in purchasing flour on {peculation ; and m,
" business was known to every body before my arrive
a : .
" I went to Annapolis in hopes of feeing the gover
“ nor, but he not being there I wrote a letter and de
“ parted for Virginia. I knew nobody at Annapolis,
4< but the fame Rory of dlr. Chase's fpecu ati^n was
“ current there; on my return to Baltimore I found
" it in the mouths of every body ; and was told th re
“ were letters in town that he had written to his
" friends on the fubjed, and as nobody contradißed
“ it I had no doubt of it. I returned to Philadelphia
" difgufbd at my want of success, which I attributed
c< to the delay in congress and all iheir boards, palling
" the resolution and giving their orders—and devulg
“ ing the resolution. I found the president and several
“ dogates well convinced, that Mr. Chafe h^d made
“ an ill use of the knowledge he had obtained by his
“ feat in congress, and that he had divulged the resolution,
“ which mould have been kept secret, and had been
" concerned in the pur^hafe of flour in consequence
" of his belief, that it would be bought by me at any
“ rate, as every member of congress was, or appeared
“ to be, alarmed at the scarcity ; and if the, formality
“ of a vote, to keep the resolve a fcret, was omitted,
“ I believe it was, at that time, intended by congress
" to be a secret, and I never heard it di'puted till since
“ you attacked Mr- Chafe. 1 found nobody disposed
“ to defend Mr. Chase's conduft, nor did any body
“ interest themselves much in the matter, either way,
“ at Philadelphia ; and I had too much to attend, to
“ take any me fares to prove any thing against him -
“ Specially as 1 found no member of congress difpof
" ed to trouble himfelf about it. Mr. Laurens, i be
" lieve, had such evidence as would prove enough -
“ but that Mr. Chafe (peculated in flour, I believe
" you have proved ; that he was a member of congress,
" that the army was distressed and flour exceed ng
" scarce, that the action was unworthy and degrading to
“ a man in bis flation, can't be denied ; is more n^cef
“ fary to render a man unfit for the fame place again !
" If it be, I think his conßituents are more to blame
" than he is. When I return home I will colled all
“ the papers, and write you more fully fond should
“ any thing occur to me before it happens, I will com
“ municate it.
" In the interim,
" I am, fir,
" Your very humble servant,
“ JERE. WADSWORTH."
* Mr. Thomas, (a member of the house of delegates.) See
bis evidence.
duff, but was delayed till I could h^ar frern colonel
Wadsworth ; who, from Mr. Thomas's evidence, and
from other information, I had reason to believe could
give very essential evidence. The following extract
are taken from a letter of colonel Wadsworth's, direc
ted to me, dared at Wil iamiburg, April, 1782, which
letter is now in my poffeffiou.
SI R,
Williamsburg, April, i,%t.