which orders a large quantity of provisions and stores to be sent to Fort-George." In answer, I have wrote them that "I cannot believe Congress intended any thing more by sending the resolution to them, than that they should supply me with what I might want; the almost impossibility of sending a large quantity from New-York to Fort-George, at this season, would countenance this construction."

They have also wrote to me on the subject of the shipwrights. I have given them an extract of what I have above said to Congress on the occasion, and requested that they would not send any until I applied for them.

They also seemed to think that they were to procure batteau-men, and ask what wages are to be allowed them. I have promised to write to Congress on that head. I believe they would be best got in the vicinity of this place. If Congress thinks so, I wish to know what pay to allow the officers and men.

Congress will please to attend to the Naval Department in this quarter. Perhaps Commodore Douglass will remain. I could wish a Captain Wynkoop to be employed under him; he is active and brave.

I am, sir, most sincerely, your obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., &c., &c.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Albany, January 22, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Colonel Warner succeeds fast in sending men to Canada. From the County of Berkshire, in the Massachusetts-Bay, a regiment will, also, immediately be sent, part of which is already on its march. By a letter just received from Congress, dated the 10th instant, I am advised that a regiment from Pennsylvania, and another from New-Jersey, were ordered immediately to march for this place, and to put themselves under my command. As these corps can be in Canada at least as early as any your Excellency can send from Cambridge, the necessity of sending of those which I had the honour to request of you, will be superseded.

Since the unfortunate accounts which I transmitted you by my last express, I have heard nothing more from Canada, whence, I conclude, that our affairs in that quarter are not in a worse situation than when Mr. Antill came away. The enclosed copy of a letter from Colonel Arnold was forgot to be sent you per last.

I returned last night from Tryon County, into which I marched a body of Militia to disarm the malignants, which I have effected. Six of the chiefs of about two hundred and fifty or three hundred Scotch Highlanders, are to go prisoners to Pennsylvania, as are six others of the English and Dutch inhabitants of that County. We have taken four six and four-pounders, together with a number of swivels and blunderbusses.

I hope all is well with your Excellency. Be pleased to present my compliments to your family. I am, sir, with sincere respect and esteem, your Excellency's most obedient, and very humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To His Excellency General Washington.

GENERAL LEE TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read January 26, 1776.]

Stamford, January 22, 1776.

SIR: As General Washington has informed the Congress of his motives for detaching me, it is needless to trouble you upon the subject. I am, therefore, only to inform you, that I have collected a body of about twelve hundred men, from the Colony of Connecticut, whose zeal and ardour, demonstrated on this occasion, cannot be sufficiently praised. With this body I am marching directly to New-York, to execute the different purposes for which I am detached. I am sensible, sir, that nothing can carry the air of greater presumption, than a servant's intruding his opinion, unasked, upon his master; but, at the same time, there are certain seasons, when the real danger of the master may not only excuse, but render laudable the servant's officiousness. I, therefore, flatter myself that the Congress will receive, with indulgence and lenity, the opinion I shall offer.

The scheme of disarming, simply, the Tories, seems to me, totally ineffectual; it will only imbitter their minds, and add virus to their venom. They can, and will, always be supplied with fresh arms by the enemy. That of seizing the most dangerous will, I apprehend, from the vagueness of the instruction, be attended with some bad consequences, and can answer no good one; it opens so wide a door for partiality and prejudice, to the different Congresses and Committees on the Continent, that much discord and animosity will, probably, ensue, it being next to impossible to distinguish who are, and who are not, the most dangerous.

The plan of explaining to these deluded people the justice and merits of the American cause, is, certainly, generous and humane, but, I am afraid, will be fruitless. They are so riveted in their opinions, that, I am persuaded, should an angel descend from Heaven, with his golden trumpet, and ring in their ears that their conduct was criminal, he would be disregarded. I had lately, myself, an instance of their infatuation, which, if it is not impertinent, I will relate:

At Newport, I took the liberty, without any authority, but the conviction of the necessity, to administer a very strong oath to some of the leading Tories, for which liberty I humbly ask pardon of the Congress. One article of this oath was, to take arms in defence of their country, if called upon by the voice of the Congress. To this, Colonel Wanton, and others, flatly refused their assent. To take arms against their Sovereign, they said, was too monstrous an impiety. I asked them, if they had lived at the time of the Revolution, whether they would have been Revolutionists? Their answers were, at first, evasive, circuitous, and unintelligible; but, by fixing them down precisely to the questions, I, at length, drew from them a positive confession, that no violence, no provocation on the part of the Court, could prevail upon them to act with the Continent. Such, I am afraid, is the creed and principles of the whole party, great and small; sense, reason, argument, and eloquence, have been expended in vain, and in vain you may still argue and reason, till the end of time. Even the common feelings and resentments of humanity have not aroused them, but rather, with a malignant pleasure, they have beheld the destruction of their fellow-citizens and relations. But, I am running into declamation, (perhaps, impertinently presuming,) when I ought to confine myself to the scheme I submit to your consideration.

It is, sir, in the first place, to disarm all the manifestly disaffected, as well of the lower as of the higher class; not on the principle of putting them in a state of impotence, (for this, as I observed before, will not be the case,) but to supply our troops with arms, of which they stand in too great need. Secondly, to appraise their estates, and oblige them to deposite, at least the value of one-half of their respective property, in the hands of the Continental Congress, as a security for their good behaviour. And, lastly, to administer the strongest oath that can be devised, to act, defensively and offensively, in support of the common rights.

I confess, that men so eaten up with bigotry, as the bulk of them appear to be, will not consider themselves as bound by this oath, particularly, as it is, in some measure, forced; they will argue, that it is by no means obligatory. But, if I mistake not, it will be a sort of criterion, by which you will be able to distinguish the desperate fanaticks from those who are reclaimable. The former must, of course, be secured, and carried into some interior parts of the Continent, where they cannot be dangerous.

This mode of proceeding, I conceive, (if any can,) will be effectual; but, whether it meets with the approbation or disapprobation of the Congress, I most humbly conjure them not to attribute the proposal to arrogance, self-conceit, or pragmatical officiousness, but, at worst, to an intemperate zeal for the publick service.

Notwithstanding the apparent slimness of the authority, as I am myself convinced that it is substantial, I think it my duty to communicate a circumstance to the Congress. I have with me here, sir, a deserter from Captain Wallace's ship, before Newport. It is necessary, previously to inform you, that this Captain Wallace has the reputation