Newspaper Page Text
MR. AD A MVS LETTERS. LETTER X? Amsterdam, Oct. 16, 1780. SIR, HE tenth head of inquiry is, " Ho~jj great " is the force of America ? The number of men ? " Thiir difciplinc, be. from the commencement of " the troubles 1? Is there a good fuppty of war/ike " flores ? Are these to be found partly or entirely in " America? Or muji they be imported ?" THE force of America consists of a regular ar my, and of a militia: The regular army has been various at different times. The firfl regu lar army, which wus formed in April, 1 77J, was enlilted for fix months only ; the next was en lilted for one year ; the next for three years ; the last period expired last February. At each of these periods, between the expiration of a term of enlistment, and the formation of a new army, the Engliih have given themselves airs of triumph, and have done l'ome brilliant exploits. In the winter of 1775-6, indeed, they were in Boston; and although our army, after the expiration of the firft period of enlilhnent for fix months, was reduced to a linall number, yet the Englilli were not in a condition to attempt any thing. In the winter of t 776-7, after the expiration of the se cond term of enlistment, and before the new army was brought together,, the inarched thro' the Jellies. After the expiration of the laftterm of enlistment, which was for three years, and ended last January or February, the Engliih went to their old exultations again, and undertook the expedition to Charleftown. In thecourfe of the last spring and fumnier, however, it seems the ar my has been renewed ; and they are now enlilt ed in general, during the war. To Itate the num tiers of the regular army ac cording to the establishment, that is, according to the number of regiments at their full comple ment, i suppose the continental army has iome tiir.es amounted to fourfcore thousand men. But the American regiments have not often been full, any more than the Engliih. There arcinthewar office at Philadelphia, regular monthly returns of the army, from 1775 to this day, but lam not able from memory, to give any accurate account of them ; it is fulheient to fay, that the American regular army has been generally superior to that of the Engliih ; and it would not be good policy to keep a larger army, unless we had a prospect of putting an end to the Britilh power in America by it. But this, without a naval superiority, is ■very difficult, if not impracticable : The Engliih take pofleffion of a sea-port town, fortify it in the strongest manner, and cover it with the guns of their men of war, so that our army can not come at it. If France or Spain fliould co-operate with us so far as to fend fliips enough to maintain the superiority at sea, it would not require many years, perhaps not may months, to exterminate the Engliih from the United States. But this po licy those courts have not adopted, which is alit tlefurprizing, because it is obvious, that by cap tivating the Britilh fleet and army in America, the inoftdecifivc- blow would be given to their power, which canpoffibly be given in any quarter of the globe. What number of troops General Walhington has at this time under his immediate command, I am not able precisely to fay: I presume, how ever, that he has not less than twenty thousand men, befrdes the French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau. Nor am J able to fay, how manj General Gates has to the southward. But belides the regular army, we are to consi der the militia. Several of the colonies were form ed into a militia, from the beginning of their set tlement. After the commencement of this war, all the others followed their example, and made laws, by which all the inhabitants of America are now enrolled in a militia, which may be com puted at five hundred thousand men. But these are Scattered over a territory of one hundred and fifty miles in breadth, and at lealt fifteen hun dred miles in length, lying all along upon the fei.-coaft. This gives the Engliih the advantage, by means of their superiority at sea, to remove suddenly and eafilv from one part of the continent to another, as from Boston to New-York, from New-York to Rhode-Illand, from New-York to Chefapeak or Delaware Bay, or to Savannah or Cliarleftown, and the Americans the disadvan tage, of not being able to march either the regu lar army or the militia, to l'uch vast diltances, without immense expence of money and time. This puts it in the power of the Englilli to take so many of our sea-port towns ; but not to make any long and fuccefsi'ul marches into the interior country, or make any permanent establishment there. As to discipline, in the beginning of the war there was very little, either amongtlie militia or the regular troops. The American officers have, however, been industrious ; they have had the advantage of reading all the books which have any reputation, concerning military science ; they have had the example of-their enemies, the Britifii officers, before their eyes a long time, indeed from the year 1768 ; and they have had the honor of being joined by Britilh, German, French, Prof fian,and Poiifli officers, of infantry and cavalry, of artillery, and engineering; so that the art of war is now as well understood in the American army,and military discipline is now tarried to as great perfection, as in any country whatever. As to a supply of warlike (tores: sc vlie com mencement of lioftilities, the Americans had nei ther cannon, arms, or ammunition, but infuch contemptible quantities asdiftrefledthem beyond description ; and they have all alongbeen ftraiglit ened, at times, byalcarcity of those articles, and are to this day. They have, however, at present, an ample field artillery ; they have arms and powder ; and they can never be again absolutely destitute, becaul'e the manufactures of all forts of arms, of cannon of all forts, of fait petre and powder, have been introduced and eftabliihed. These manufactures, although very good, are very dear, and it is very difficult to make enough for so constant and lo great a consumption. Quantities of these articles are imported every year; and it is certain they can be imported and paid for, by American pro duce, cheaper than they can be made. But the Ameri ans, to make their system per fect, want five hundred thousand stands of arms, that is, one at lealt for every militia man, with powder, ball, and accoutrements in proportion. This, however, is rather to be wiffied for than expetfted. The French Fleet carried arms to A merica : and if the communication between Ame rica and France and Spain ffiould become more frequent, by frigates and men of war, and espe cially if this Republic ffiould be compelled into a war with England, America will probably never again fuffer much from the want of arms or am munition. The Engliffi began the war against the North ern Colonies: Here they found the effects of anci ent militia laws ; they found a numerous and har dymilitia, who fought, and defeated them upon many occasions. They then thought it neceflary to abandon these and fall upon the middle Colonies, whose militia had not been so long formed : How ever, after several years experience, they found they were not able to do any thing to thepurpofe against them. They have lastly conceived the de sign of attacking the Southern Colonies : Here the white people, and consequently the militia, are nol so numerous, and have not yet been ufeil to war : here therefore, they have had foine apparent fuc cefles; but they will find in the end their own deftrucfiion in these very fuccefles. The climate will devour their men ; their firft fuccefles will embolden them to raffi enterprises ; the people there will become inured to war, and will finally totally cleftroy them : For as to the si lly gasconade of bringing the Southern Colonies to submis sion there is not even apoflibility of it. The peo ple of those States are as firm in principle, and as determined in their tempers, against the designs of the Englilh, as (he Middle or Northern States. 1 have the hoHor to be, &c. JOHN ADAMS. MR. CALKOEN. ANECDOTE. CROMWELL sent his Excellency Lockh art to France, with the title of Ambaflador, where he was received with all the honors due to his rank. One day the old Marffial Villeroy, Governor to Louis XIV. asking this Engliffiman why Cromwell, instead of taking the title of Pro testor, had not got hiinfelf declared King. " Mon sieur," replied Lockliart, " we know the extent of the prerogatives of a, King, and limit them accordingly; but we are ignorant of those of a Protestor."—Lockhart was right; new titles are neceflary to new power. NEW-YORK, November 14, 1789. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Sett. 19, 1 789. A STATEMENT of the. ANTICIPATION o/MO NIES on the Public Credit, by the late Commis sioners of the Board of Treasury, on the nth of September, I 789. THE Register hav ing accurately stated the account of warrants, drawn by the late Commifiioners of the Board of Treasury on the Trcafurer of the United States, and having examined the amount of monies attually received by the said Treasurer, certifies, that the excess of warrants drawn beyond the said Treasurer's a&ual receipts, amounts to the sum of one hundred eighty nine thpufand, nitie hundred and fix dollars, thirty-four nine tieths. Dollars, 189,906 38-iooths. Of this sum thus anticipated on the public credit, 34,657 67 Warrants have been ifTued tothe Officers of the ci . nd vil lift on account of their salaries for the year 1789: 2 5>575 34 Ditto in payment for cloathing and rations, and is a part of the sum estimated by the Secretary of the War Department, for pay, cloathing, ra tions, and other expenses of the army eftablilh mcnt, for the year 1789 : 129,673 27 Ditto, to Contra&ors for Provisions, Indian Trea ties, and for other ferviccs of the United States. 189.906 38 With refpe£t to this last sum of 129,673 27 the Regiflcr observes, That there remained in the hands of the Receivers of Taxes at the date of their lad refpt&ive settlements at the treasury, cer tain balances which the CommifTioners of the late Board of Treasury have since drawn for, in favor of the Treasurer, and vvould appear as having been paid by them, had their Accounts been rendered tothe 1 ith September, 1789. It is prefumcd therefore, that the Anticipatioa will be. IciTencd, the amount of thpfe balances bcin S 30.260 10 Dollars, 09*113 17 Til- rf will tinn remain to be provided foi (Ufiilts tut pations lor the Civil Lift ai d War Uepartmetit, aforc-mcr.it'V cd) the fnm q! ninety-nine thouland, four hundred, anc dollars, twenty.fix hundredths. It is presumed no'po'.hliie in"? ry c.in arifeto the public by making this provision; bccaufcth' Trealuiers-accounts, and the accounts of the Receivers ofT ° will undergo examination by the prrfent officers of the Treat,,? when any furpl.tffage beyond such particular grant which Con' greiima) be plcaftd to make, will be duly Oiewn JOSEPH NOURSE, R cg , ft „ ESTIMATE of the AMOUNT o/PENSIONS for the INVALIDS. 1 TAKEN from Returns, dated D O H, March 7th, 1789, New-Hampshire, 3>'"o ' March 7th, 1789, Malfachufctts, 7,6991, May 24th, 1789, Connecticut, Jan. ill, 1789, New.York, 1 Feb. zd, 1789, New-Jersey, . g July s th, 1786, Pennsylvania, 11,22030 For >787, Virginia, 9,27663 Conjeftuial. f Suppose Rhode-Iflar.d and) Delaware nearly equal to£ 3,170 States from New-Hatqfhire. } which there are <j Maryland equal to Connect. fay 7,000 no Returns. N.Carolina, S.Carolina and ) Georgia, nearly equal to N. > 27,200 York, N. Jerfeyand Connec. ) 96,017 81 War-Office of the UniteiStates, Sept. iyth, 1789. , (Signed) H. KNO X. To the Honorable the Secretatv of the) Treasury of//(eUnited States, j Copy of the original on file, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary of the Triajury. THE Secretary of the Treasury, in obedience to the order of the Ho.ife, of the 23d of September, 1789, refpe£lful ly submits the settlement therein required, together with one of the whole Anticipation 011 the Taxes made by the late Superin tendant of Finance, at the time of resigning his office ; 011 which, a balance appears due 01 93,463 29-goths. dollars. This debt has constantly been considered on the part of the United States, as an actual specie claim ; and nothing but the low (late of theTreafury, has hitherto prevented the Claimants under it from receiving the fame payment, as appears to have been made to other creditors of the fame class. 11 may be further pro per to observe, that the chief part of the balance above Hated, wn intended to have been paid trom the specie quota, due from the State of New-York, but that the said State have discharged the whole sum in specie, due on former requisitions ; and the moniei arising therefrom, having been applied to the more prefling,ge neral exigencies of the union, the claimants have now no otter profpeft of relief, but what mav be derived from "the National Treasury. ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary of the Tree/try. September 25th, 1789. STATE of the ANTICIPATION of the TAXES ' by the Superintendaht of Finance. ON T William Whipple, receiver for the State of Dol. ffitk. New-Hampshire— For an order in favor of Major-General Sullivan^ dated the 24th January, 1784. 1,300 Ditto Brigadier-General Mojes Hazen, dated the Janiiary, 1784, 2,88772 Ditto Capt. Olivie, dated 6th March, 17841 406 26 Ditto Capt. Philip Leibert, ditto, 105 17 Ditto Lieut. Germame Dienne, ditto, 85 Ditto Capt. Anthony Selin, Bth ditto, 219 5 On James Lovell, Receiver for the State of Mas sachusetts— For an Order in favor of John Langdon, Conti nental Agent at Portsmouth, dated the 4th of Au juft, 1784, 5,000 Ditto Timothy Pickering, Quartcrmafter-General, iated the 30th September, 1784, s> oco On George Olney, Receiver for the Stateof Rhode [fland— For an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartermaster-General, dated the 30th of Septem ber, 1784, 3> 000 On Hezekiah Merrill, Receiver for the State of Connecticut— For an Order in favor of Timothy termafter-Gencral, dated the 30th of September, 1784, 3,000 On Thomas Tilfotfon, Receiver for New-York — For an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartcrmafter-General, dated the 30th of Sep ember, 1784, 5 0 ' 000 Ditto of Abraham Skinner, late Commifldry-Ge icral of Prifoners,dated the 30th of September,l7B4, to On William C. Houjlon, Receiver for the State of \ T cw-Jerfey— For an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartermaster-General, dated the 30th of Septem ber, 1784, <s>°° 0 On William Geddes, Receiver for the State of De laware— For an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartermaster-General, dated the 30th of Septem ber, 1784, 5' 000 On Benjamin Harwood, Receiver for the State of Maryland— For .an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartermaster-General, dated the 30th of Septem ber, 1784, 9> c0 ° - On George Webb, Receiver for the State of Vir ginia— For an Order in favor of Timothy Pickering, Quartermaster-General, dated the 30th of Septem ber, 1784, 2 5'° Tota1 ' ~ '& Dedu£l so much thereof paia, 00,43^^ Leaves unpaid, 9 Treasury of the United States. Beyer's Office 24th Seftcnier, NQURS^j^ ANECDOTE. h the THE Abbs de Boisrobert being one morning ft Cardinal Richlieu, said fevtral disagreeable certain magistrate ot the firft order, and attributed to to him, ridicule : a little valet de chambre took it in his hea o " Monsieur l'Abbe, take care what you fay; attached that I will inform M**** of it, to whom 1 am grea. because he is my relation."—" Friend," rcphe te m j,im M**** whatever you please ; on my part Iww in you pretend to be his relation Published by JOHN FENNO, No. 9, Mai®^ Lans, iicirthcOfwcgo-Marhn, New-YohS' 13