The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-12-22 00:00:00, page 1

Rom TUB CONNECTICUT JOURNAL.
(Continued from our last )
WERE a&s of Rate once passed, providing
that the currency fhou!d not be a render in
law, and that it should be received and^redeemed at
fix for one the public faith would be wholly violat-.
ed. No man could have any assurance that a num
ber of Haiffmen, who, had by one revive, robbed
the possessors of their bills of five (hillings in ux,
would not by the next take away the other (hilling
Also, and reduce their whole property to a cypi er?
Would the farmer toil and sweat and part with his
wool and £ix, live flock and provisions, for such
precarious, infignificant fluff, which may die in his
bands in an hour, and if not. cannot cancel a single
debt ? Would it be any inducement to the mere ant
to fell, or rather give away, the eloathing and fo
reign articles which he had procured at the „eatefl
rifle and expence ? W®uld not thousands of our
countrymen, whose property consists in Confine tal
bills soon fuffer with' hunger and nakedness, without
any possible means of relieving themlelves or fami
lies ? How would the family of a poor soldier, or
faithful officer, obtain a piece of bread, or a rag to
cover them ? Would not creditors take the advan
tage, and like greedy harpies seize on the lands arid
real efates-of their neighbours, and parcel th^rn out
among them at pleafore, notwiihflanding their ut
most efforts, though they miyht have great sums of
the present currency in hand ? The Tories who have
cautiously avoided the currency, and to whom by
fir the greatest part of the outstanding debts are now
dn% to, th^t rr^fft would bethe phnc'p^l actors in
this cruel bufoefs. Men would not be greatly
pleased to fee their estates thus parted among their
friends, much less among their enemies. In such a
situation they would do almo& any thing to save
their estates." Some, perhaps, would give fifty or
an hundred Continental dollars fir one silver one.
Would the currency remain a day at fix for one were
it fixed there ? Would it not be inflantly of no con
federation at all ? Would not this throw the country
into the most violent confufion ? Mankind are not
without their feelings and passions. These some
times burst forth in political tempests, and like an
impetuous hurricane, carry all before them. Hun
ger, nakedness and the ruin of men's estates will
commonly draw them forth into the most tumultuous
exercise. Should this be the case, who could lay
the storm? Would the people be quieted and govern
ed by men who had violated public faith, abused
their confidence, and reduced them to this dreadful
dilemma ? Would the enemy be idle in Rich a crafts ?
What but ruin would be the consequence ? Must
not he be a poor politician, or adventurous and har
dy indeed, who would lift his hand or move his
pen for such measures as these ? That there are dif
ficulties in keep ng the public faith, and redeeming
the, currency I am well sensible, but no such general
and fatal mifehief can arise from that quarter. Lesser
inconveniences are not to come into competition
with the general fafety. Every thing must be fa
crificed and bend to the common fafety and happh
nefs. No man hesitates a moment whether he Ihall
part with his finger to save his life, or with part of
his estate rather than lofc the whole.
The injustice arising from a violation of public
engagements would be great, as the danger ofit.
In consequence of the resolutions of Congress and
their recommendations refpe&ing the currency, and
of the a&s of the Legislatures of the several States,
making it a tender in law nine tenths, perhaps, at
Jeaft of the debts outianding in 1,75, have been
paid in Continental bill?. People have taken the
advantage of the times, and almost universally fettled
those accounts with creditors who would accept
these bills in payment. All these debts were as good
as gold and silver. A very considerable part of them
were originally in hard money lent out on interest.
Great fams were debts of merchants made when
goods fold at the lowest rates, some of which proba
bly had been on book for years without interest. O
der parts of these debts were great fortunes, er lefer
TUESDAY, DecbmSer 21, 17,^ THE ffo^rn ,2&
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
' AND tHR
WEEKLY I NTELLIGENC ER.
HARTFORD: Printed by W ATSON and GOODWIN, near the Great Bridoi.
inheritances confining originally in hard money; or
in obligations for it: or they were great funds for
the support of public fchooh and Seminaries of
learning, and of the gospel mzfftry, and the interest
of such funds for many years back. The creditors
were no without their fears what would be the
consequence of their taking the prefect currency in
payment, knew that they were greatly injured by
their debtors, yet from warm attachment to their
country to preserve a consistency in their characters,
in helping it by all means in then power and injuring
it in noth ng and in confidence that they should, in
some measure be made good, at least, by receiving
the nominal value of the bills in gold and fiiver they
accepted them Great sums of these moneys have
been put ino the Continental and State loan offices
o i; e on hand in bills of the present currency.
T ei& moneys have been put into the Lean Offices
a late, or perhaps later than other moneys which
have been gotten by cur modrea sharpers and mono
pobzers. The creditors could put them in no ear
lier than they received them. No dedin&ion could
be madeby a&s of state between these moneys and
those obtained in the worst manner. The violation
of public faith with regard to the currency, acts of
state preventing its being a lawful tender, and that it
shall be received and redeemed at the rate of fix for
one would at once rob*them of five sixths of these
hoAcfl estates, and would leave the surviving sixth
languishing under mortal wounds. This would ruin
multitudes of individuals, and greatly distress if not
wholly demolish societies and inflitutiens of the
ggaieft public utility ; fruftr 'c the nebleO defies
oT numerous lito-land p,.,, < dca?, as weP ^o f
the living.-- There are a great body of merchants
who acquired good estates in an honest ufeful man
ner before these times, fiill maintaining fair charac
ters, and are of important consideration to the pub
lic, who have their estates principally in money.
Those measures at one bold stroke. would cancel,
at least, five sixths of their interest : Probably, would
reduce many of them to circumOances in which they
would not be able, with their whole fortunes, to
procure the necessaries of life. After they have a&ed
a ufeful and honorable part in the community, they
would be reduced to poverty, be turned out inte the
world, only with their hands, and in middle life,
or old age, be obliged to begin : t anew.
(To be continued.)
To the Free and Virtuous Citizens of America.
Friends and Countrymen,
THE happiness or misfortunes, the benefits or
injuries, of an individual, have generally no
claim to the public attention. Ido not therefore ad
dress you on my own account, but on yours.. Ido
not wish to prejudice any man, but to serve my coun
try, I was content, even while facrificed for the ag
grandizement of others; but I will not fee an indivi
dual, or family, raised upon the ruins of the general
weal. Whatl write to sou, I would have laid to
your representatives, their ears have been shut against
me, by an attention to matters, which my refpe&
for them induces me to believe were of more impor
tance. While it was fafe to be silent, my lips were
closed. Necessity hath opened them, and necessity
mu excuse this effort, to serve, by informing you.
What I have done, and what I have fuffered, from
the moment I left my native shore, until I was ho
noured with one colleague, and saddled with another,
is needless now to repeat ; Ihave told it substantially
to Congress and as their servant, I leave it with them.
In September, 1776, they appointed the Honourable
Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, Efqrs. and myfelf,
their Commiffioneri at the Court of Versailles, previ
ous to which, I had the honour to be the Commerci
al and Political Agent of America in Europe. My
venerable friend,Dr. Franklin, arrived at Paris in De
cember 1776, and Arthur Lee, Esq. a few days
after him. This gentleman, by a£ ~ ment among
the Commiffioneri, went to Spain in the month of
February following, to negociate your interests there
and having by a wanton display of his errand, given
great and ;ufl cause of distrust to the Court of Ma
dr d, he returned in the beginning of April, no t Ha
ving gone further than the city of Burgas. The rea
sons of that Court for reSfiOing him to this place,
with many other matters, important for you to know,
may perhaps appear in the course of these letters.
While he was on that journey. Dr. Franklin re
ceived a comm Ilion to go thither, but his health the
season, and oilier c.reumfiances prevent 1 d his de
parture until he was foperfeded. Many reasons con
curred, to convince the Cummiffioners, that Arthur
Lee, Esq; could be no where less serviceable than at
. Paris, and therefore in May. 1777 he set off to make
the tour of Germany, in order to arrive at Berlin in
fafety. At this place, he was so unfortunate as to
do nothing, unless indeed we may give the name of
business to the loss of ins papers, by which a difco=
very was made of the secrets of his colleagues, and
the British Maiftry enabled to counteract the mea
sures taken for your benefit. In August he returned
to Paris, and fliartly after received his appointment
as Commissioner to the Court of Madrid with reser
vation, nevertheless of his former commission, to
that of Verfadles, Here I mul leave him to take
notice of another gentleman of the fame fydy.
In February, 1777, I received a notification of
the appointment of William Lee Esq; to be one of
your Commercial Agents in Europe, of w' ich I gave
him notice. As your commercial affairs were, nt
that time, in such ablate as to require much attention
and care, I prefled this Gentleman, then in England,
to come over immediately and execute his < ffic%
but heard ir /ng from him till the month of |uae,
when he arrived in Patis. At this place be conti
nued until about some time in Agguft, when he went
to Nantz. There he was loudly called on to regu
late certain affairs, which he prudently declined,
'left as he observed his property in England ffibuld
be affected. In S ptember cr October, he returned
to Paris and there received his appointment of Cem
miffioner to the Courts of Vienna and Berlin. Hg
continued nevertheless ina& ve at Paris until the
month of December, carefully concealing his ap
pointments, which indeed might have militated a
gaiuft his office of Alderman of the city of London,
Which he did then, and probably does still retain.
When the news of General Burgoyne's defeat and
surrender arrived, it produced a revolution in the
minds of many, and, among others, inspired your
Commercial Agent, and Political Commiflioner, the
Honourable William Lee, Esq with some degree of
activity in your favour.
That! may not be under the necessity of menti
oning this Gentleman again, I add here, that he
hath since gone to Vienna, having firft appointed
sundry commercial Agents for you, at the several
ports, and in one instance removed the f perlon who
had faithfully dose your business for two per cent,
in favour of another who is to receive five per c ant,
of which, as well as of the like commission at ,thet
places, Mr. Lee receives a fliare for fl.perintending
at Vienna, the business done on your account a then
fand miles offfrom his place of residence.
My refpe& for the Honourable the Congress, 2nd
of consequence for its Members will lead me torrent
with all possible tenderness their friends, dependents
and connexions, and therefore as the Honourable
Arthur and William Lee, Efqrs. have two brothers
in that Body, I (hall make no other observation on
the fruitful topic of their manners and deportments
than this, that unfortunately for you, those Gentle
men so highly elevated, and so widely entrusted;
gave universal disgust to the nation whole assistance
we foljcitef,
f Mr. Williams, a native of Bafton a Gentleman
gready esteemed in France for his knowledge and in
tegrity in mercantile tranfa&ions, gs well as for hfy
agreeable and engaging manners, who being well
acquainted with the language, and the commercial
rules and customs in that kingdom, h^d rendered ve
ry important firvices to his country, in his depart
ment. I shall mention this gentleman more parties
larly in the course of my future letters.