The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-01-09 00:00:00, page 2

To the PUBLIC.
IW A S not & little surprised to find ray character tra
duced in i publication, stiled Common Sense to the
public on Mr. Deane's affair, in Mr. Dunlap's paper of
the s th instant, though that fuprize would have been great
er had not the following insinuation appeared in a prior
publication on the fame fubjeX, and by the fame author in
Mr. Dunlap's paper ofthe 31st December last, viz. I
^ wi(h in this place to step a moment from the floor of
“ office, and press it on every state to enquire what mer
" cantile connexions any of the late or present Delegates
" h ive had or now have with Mr. Deane, and that a pre
" cedent might not be wanting, it is important that the
" State of Pennfylvaia Jhould begin."
I think it proper to make a few remarks on this para
graph, before I proceed to take particular notice of the
more explicit charge contained in the paper of the s th in
stant. Why the author quitted Mr. Deane to bring me
on the stage is immaterial, and as I do not mean to enter
the lifts with him, I ihall content myfelf with stating Amp
ly the faXs he has alluded to. Ido not conceive that the
State I live in has any right or inclination te enquire in
to what mercantile connections I ; ave had or now have
with Mr. Deane or with any other person : If Mr. Deane
had any commerce that was inconsistent with his public
flation, he must answer or it, as I did not by becoming a
Delegate for theS ate of Pennsylvania, relinquilh my right
of forming mercantile connexions, I was unqucftionably
at liberty to form such with vlr. Deane. My now giving
the account this author desires, is not to gratify him or to
resign the right I contend for, but purely to remove the
force of his insinuation on that sub eX, and to do this ef
fcXually, I will candidly relate all the commercial concerns
I have had with Mr. Deane. The firft was a concern in a
brig and cargo fitted out by Mr. Delap of Bourdeaux,
forlhis country, one third on his own account, one third
on Mr. Deane s, and the other third on account of Will
ing, Morris and Co. This vessel was taken, and Mr.
Delap charged my house, whose monies he had in hand,
for their thare. - . r
The second was in a valuable ship and cargo fitted for
America, by an eminent merchant in France, who adv n
ced the money for Willing, Morris and Company's share,
which amounted to 50,000 livres, or 21871. 10s. sterling,
and has since been repaid with interest, by remittances
made frem this country for that purpose. I always under
fteod Mr. Deane's share to have been the fame, and cir-
Cumftanced in the like manner.
The third and last concern, was as follows : I po>ofed
to Mr Deane and some other friends, to fit out a privateer
to cruize on the British trade. To pay tor my share I
flipped eighty-fix hogsheads of tobacco on board the ship
in which t e intended Captain of the privateer went pas
senger to France. A French gentleman of rank and con
sequence in Paris adopted this plan, and undertook to have
it executed, but by the mismanagement and villainy of
some of the Agents he employed it was rendered abortive,
and the parties com erned loft about one thousand pounds
sterling in chargesand expences. Wnat share Mr. Deane
held in this adventure, or whether any, I really do not
know. These are all the mercantile connexions or con
cerns I had with Mr. Deme while he was in France, and
the two firft took place wnilft he aXed as Commercial
Agent.-
Whether in consequence of my good opinion of Mr.
Deane as a man of honour and integrity, I have been led
to form any and what new concerns with him fine# his ar
rival here, is a matter which the public are no ways inte
rested to know.
The express charge against me in the publication of the
sth inst. is in these words : " Hitherto our whole anxiety
“ has been absorbed in the means for fopporting our In
ee dependence, and we have paid but little attention to the
6< expenditure of mosey, yet we fee it daily depre
" ciating, and how should it be otherwise when so few
" public accounts are fettled, and new emissions continu
es ally going on ? I will venture to mention one circum
" stance which I hope will be fuffi ient to awiken the at
-^ tention of the public to this fubjeX. In OXober 1777,
" some books of the Commercial Committee, in which,
“ among other things, were kept the accounts of Mr.
" Thomas Morris, appointed a Commercial Agent in
“ France, were by Mr. Robert Morris's request tiken in
“ to his possession to be fettled, he having obtained from
6: the Council of this St te, fix months leave of absence
" from Congress to fettle his affairs. In February follow
" ing these books were called tor by Congress, but net
" being completed were not delivered. In September
" 177^°, Mr. Morris returned them to Congress in, or
" nearly in, the fame unsettled state he took them, which,
" with the death of Mr. Thomas Morris may probably
“ involve those accounts in further embarrassment. The
<e amount of expenditures on those books is considerably
" above two millions of dollars."
I shall now give the true state of these matters.My leave
@f absence from Congress was obtained from the Supreme
Executive Council at Lancaster, the nth day of November
3777, and bears that date. I returned to Congress, and on
the 18th of November informed teem of my leave of ab
sence obtained to fettle the affairs of the late house of &Vil
pfo Morris and Co. as well as my own; nd a some leisure
time mi^ht occur, I offered in full < ongrefs to take home
the Looks of the Secret Committee, which were then un
employeds and devote what time I could spare to them.
The offer was accepted by general consent, although no
resolution was entered, it being unnecessary. The day I
left Congress, I was appointed on a Committee to repair
to Head Quarters, from whence I did not return to Man
heim, then my place of residence, until the 14th or 15th
day of December, at which time the books were not ar
rived, nor did they reach me until the latter end of that
fyonth. I deny t at Congress called on me for those books
^ February, but early in that month I was informed that
fame matters to my prejudice had been insinuated by a
Member in Congress refpefting these books, whereupon I
wrote a letter dated the Bth February, 1778, to the Com
mercial Committee, (who then had the direXion of them)
Complaining of the injury and offering to return them,
pd received an answer dated the sift February, contain
mg the following clause; "We laid this letter (meaning
dhine of the Bth) before Congress, who desired us to inform
you, that they would have you still keep the books in your
fyfefiion and fettle them as soon as you could." Accord
ingly I retained them, and until they were re-delivered,
employed on them the little leifurt which remained from
fay private ideations, and the ffikhy interruptions dec*.'
finned by public business which pursued me in my retire
ment, and many times obliged me to visit York-Town,
each visit taking up from four to fix days.
In the beginning of June I went to camp at Valley-
Forge, and remained there until the evacuation of this
city ; after a week's flay here I returned to Manheim to
bring down my faraily and effeXs. I was again in Fhila
delpnia the 4th day of July, the anniversary of our glo
rious Independence, pnd in the course of a week or ten
days my effeXs, and with them the books in question,
came down and remained unopened until I delivered them
to the Clerk of the Commercial Committee, which I think
was in that month, July. Thus it appears, that instead
of having these books to work in from OXober, 1777, to
September, 1778, it was in my power to do so only from
the latter end of December, 1777, to the firfl of June,
1778; and although but little of that time could possibly
be devoted to them, they were far from being returned in
the fame or nearly the fame unfettl^d state they were re
ceived, on the contrary these books will shew that I fettled
a number of accounts, the entries being made with my
own hand in the waste book, and then journalized and
posted by my clerks until the ledger was filled and no
room to open any more accounts in it. I sent to Lancas
ter to procure paper of the fame size to be sewed into that
book that I might go on, but none suitable could be got,
and I was obliged to flop.
Mr. Thomas Morris's papers were seized on his death
in France by the King's officers, according to the custom
in that country, they were afterwards delivered to and
kept by the American Commissioners until orders should
appear refpeXing them from hence. I applied to Con
gress for an order to have them delivered to my Agent,
and though at that time ignorant of the state of his ac
counts, I pledged myfelf to Congress, although no ways
bound to do so, that I would pay any balance that might
be due from him to the public. These papers I have
not yet received, nor do I know whether the order for
them has reached my Agent's hands, but the house at
Nantes, who under my brother's direction, tranfaXed all
his business, have rendered full, and I am told, clear ac
counts of all the public concerns to the Commercial Com
mittee, so that there is no embarrassment that I know of,
and instead of his being a debtor, the balance is in favour
of that house, 50,380 livres 2 sous 9 denier, or about
22041. zs. 6d. sterling, which they flopped from monies
of Willing, Morris and Company, in their hands, and
have empowered me to receive the fame from Congress.
Ey the manner of mentioning that the amount of ex
penditures on the Committee's books is considerably
above two millions of dollars, some people may be led
to imagine that I stand accountable for that sum—The
fad is t*us— the accounts in these books are kept by dou
ble entry, and the Treasurer and Auditor are credited for
all the monies drawn from them by the Committee, those
who received are charged and accountable for what they
did receive. Many Gentlemen from New-Hampshire to
Georgia entered into contraXs for precuring supplies, en
which they received part of this money, for which they
have accounted or are to account, and in like manner is
my late house and myfelf to account for all monies by
them and me received
Twice I have fettled Willing, Morris and Company's
accounts with the Secret Committee, and the entries there
of are in their books. The last was closed in May, 1778,
with a balance in favour of the former. There are, it is
true, many things yet to be fettled ; I have made out a
state of them, and would most gladly make a final settle
ment if praXicable: That cannot now be done, because
some account sales and accounts current are not yet re
ceived from Europe, and many articles of goods, which
are finally to be articles of these accounts, have been by
inevitable accidents, lodged in the Weft-Indies, and
muff be carried to account, in different ways, on the
contingency of their fafe arrival within the United States.
On the best computation I can make of all the depending
accounts my late house and myfelf have with the Conti
nent, it clearly appears that a considerable balance is due
to us and I shall either make a speedy settlement, or if
circumstances continue to keep that out of my power, I
will lay before Congress a full ft he and clear estimate of
these dependencies, when I doubt not, they will do am
ple justice to my charaXer.
Out of refpeci to that public with which I wifli to stand
as fair asmy real conduX and charaXer deserve, I must
add, that so far have I been from protraXing the settle
ment of public accounts, that I have on all occasions pro
moted such settlements, and all measures that tended there
to. In November 1777, before I left Congress at York-
Town, I drew a report from the Commercial Committee,
for eftablifliing a Board of Commissioners to manage the
public commerce, and of course to fettle those accounts,
urging that it was impoffi^le for Members of Congress, if
ever so well acquainted with business, to attend the House
and do thatduty. I pressed this frequently, but the re
port meeting with some opposition, remains to this day
undetermined on.
After oining Congress again in this city, I moved that
the Members of the Secret Committee, who were then
Members of Congress, might, as being most competent,
be re appointed a Committee to finifh the settlement of
their accounts, which was agreed, but those Members be
ing much engaged in other business could not attend, and
therefore with the concurrence of one of them that did at
tend, I hired an accomptant to work on their books,
which he did until flopped by sickness in the firft instance,
and when he returned to the business he was difeharged
by a Member of the new appointed Commercial Commit
tee, who, I underhand, have undertaken to finifh the
settlement of these accounts.
I will only add, that it is in my power to prove by pa
pers in my possession, papers and records in the public
offices, or by living witnesses of unquestionable charaXer,
every faX and circumstance that I have laid before the
public.
ROBERT MORRIS.
Philadelphia,
January 7, 1779.
Mr. Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, presents his com
pliments to such Printers as may re-publish the perform
ance, stiled, Common Sense to the Public on Mr. Deane's
Affair, and requests they will re-publish therewith the
above Address to the Public, and he will chearfully pay
their drafts or him for the charge of printing.
eOMMGN SENSE h the PUBLIC, on Mr. Deane'#
Affair.
(Continued from our last.)
MR. Deane in his address of the sth of December,
fays, " having thus introduced you to your great
'' servants, I now proceed to make you acquainted with
" some other personages, which it may be of consequence
" for you to know. lam sorry to fay, that Arthur Lee,
" Esq; was Jufefled by some of the best friends you had
" abroad, and those in important charaXers and Rations."
To which I reply, that I firmly believe Mr. Deane will
likewise be ferry he has said it. Mr. Deane after thus ad
vancing a charge endeavours to paliate it, by faying,
" these fufpicion c , whether wed or id founded, were fre
" quently urged to DoXor Franklin and myfelf." But
Mr. Deane ought to have been certain that they <were
•well founded, before he made such a publication, for if
they are not well founded he must appear with great dif
€redit, and it is now his duty to accuse Mr. Arthur Lee
legally, and support the accusation with fufficient proofs.
CharaXers are tender and valuable things ; they are more
than life to a man of sensibility, and are not to be made
the sport of interest, or the facrifice of incendiary malice.
Mr. Lee is an absent gentleman, and I believe too, an
honest one, and my motive for publifliing this, is not to
gratify any party, or any person, but as an aX of social
duty which one man owes to another, and which, I hope,
will be done to me whenever I shall be acculed ungenerous
ly ehind my back.
Mr. Lee to my knowledge has far excelled Mr. Deane
in the ufefulnefs of his information, refpeXing the politi
cal and military designs of the Court of London. While
in London he conveyed intelligence that was dangerous to
his personal afety. Many will remember the instance of
a rifle man who had been carried prisoner to England a
bove three years ago, and who afterwards returned from
thence to America, and brought with him a letter con
cealed im a button. That letter was from this gentleman,
and the public will, I believe, conclude, that the hazard
Mr. Lee exposed himfelf to, in giving information while
so situated, and by such means, deserves their regard and
thanks.The detail of the number of the foreign andßritifh
troops for the campaign of 1776, camefirft from him, as
did likewise the expedition against South Carolina and Ca
nada, and among other accounts of his, that the Engliih
emissaries at Paris had boasted that the British Ministry
had sent over half a million of guineas to corrupt the Con
gress. This money, should they be fools enough to fend
it, will be very ineffeXually attempted or bedewed, for re
peated in stances have shewn that the moment any man
step aside from the public interest of America, he becomes
despised, and if in office, fuperceeded.
Mr. Deane fays, " That Dr. Berkenhout, when he re
" turned to New-York, ventured to assure the British
" Commissioners, that by the alliance with France, Ame-,
" rica was at liberty to make peace without confuting her
“ ally, unless England declared war." What is it to us
what DABerkenhout faid,or how came Mr. Deane to know
what passed between him and the British Commissioners?
But I ask Mr. Deane's pardon,he has told us how. 'Pro
“ vidence, (fays he) in whom we put our trust, unfolded
<c it to me." But Mr. Deane fays, that Col. R. H Lee,
pertinaciously maintained the fame doXrine. The treaty
of alliance will neither admit of debate nor any equivocal
explanation. Had war not broke out, or bad not Great-
Britain, in resentment to that alliance or connexion and of
the good correspondence which is the object of the said treaty
broke the peace with France, either by dire& bffltlilies, or
by hindering her commerce and navigation, in a manner
contrary to the rights of nations, and the peace fubfifing, at
that time, between the two Crowns. In this case, I like
wise fay, that America, as a matter oj right, could have
made a peace without consulting her ally, though the civil
obligations of mutual esteem and friendfllip would have
required such a consultation. But war has broke out,
though not declared, for the firft article in the treaty of
alliance is confined to the breaking out of war, and not to
its declaration. Hoftilit es have been commenced, t ere
fore the firft case is fuperceded, and the eighth article of
the treaty of alliance has its full intentional force.
Article 8. “ Neither ofthe two parties fliall con hide
“ either truce or peace without the formal consent of the
“ other firft obtained, and they mutually engage not to
" lay down their arms until the independence ofthe Uni
“ ted States, fliall have been formally or tacitly assured,
" by the treaty or treaties that shall terminate the war."
What Mr. Deane means by this affeXed appearance of his
both personally and in print, I am quite at a loss to under
ftend. He seems to conduX himfelf here, in a stile, that
would more properly become the Secretary to a foreign
embassy, than that of an American Minister returned from
his charge. He appears to be every body's servant but ours,
and for that reason can never be the proper person to ex
ecute any commissions, or possess our confiden e Among
the number of his “fiferings” I am told that he return
ed burthened with forty changes of silk, velvet, and other
dresses. Perhaps this was the reason he could not bring
his papers.
Mr. Deane fays, that William Lee, Esq; gives five per
cent, coinmiffion, and receives a share of it, for what was
formerly done for two per cent. That matter requires to be
cleared up and explained; for it is not the quantity per
cent, but the purposes to which it is applied that makes it
right or wrong, besides which, the whole matter like
many other of Mr. Deane's charges, may be groundless.
I here take my leave of this gentleman, wishing him
more diferetion, candor and generosity.
In the beginning of this address I informed the public,
that " whatever I should conceive necessary to fay of my
" felf, would appear in the conclusion." I chose that
mode of arrangement, left by explaining my own fiituati
on firft, the public might be induced to pay a greater re
gard to what I had to fay against Mr. Deane, than was
necessary they should ; whereas it was my wish to give
Mr. Deane every advantage, by letting what I had to
advance come from me, while I laid under the disadvan
tage of having the motives of my conduX miftakem by the
public. Mr. Deane and his adherents have apparently
deserted the field they firft took possession of and seemed
to triumph in. They made their appeal to you, yet have
fuffered me to accuse and expose them for almost three
weeks past, without a denial or a reply.
Ido not blame the public for censuring me while they,
though wrougfully, supposed I deserved it. When they
fee their mistake, I have no doubt, but they will honor