STEPHEN HOPKINS TO GOVERNOUR COOKE.

Philadelphia, May 15, 1776.

SIR: Your favour of the 7th May I have received, and the papers enclosed in it. I observe that you have avoided giving me a direct answer to my queries concerning dependance or independence. However, the copy of the act of Assembly which you have sent me, together with our instructions, leave me little room to doubt what is the opinion of the Colony I came from. I suppose that it will not be long before the Congress will throw off all connection, as well in name as in substance, with Great Britain, as one thing after another seems gradually to lead them to such a step, they having, within a few days, passed a resolve earnestly recommending to all the Colonies who at present are not under a perfect form of Government, to take up and form such, each Colony for themselves, which I make no doubt most of them will very soon do.

I have now the pleasure to inform you that Congress, on Saturday last, passed a resolve for taking into Continental pay the two Rhode-Island Battalions, which resolve I herewith enclose.

A letter from General Washington to Congress, warmly recommending it to them to take this step respecting the Colony of Rhode-Island, had great influence in procuring it to be done. I could therefore wish the Colony in a handsome manner to acknowledge this favour, and to return thanks to the General for his good offices in their behalf.

The affair which you mention respecting Block-Island, I shall take the first opportunity to lay before Congress, and obtain their direction concerning it. I am very glad you have given me a colleague, and am well pleased with the gentleman whom you have appointed. I am very glad to hear that the Colony appeared so very unanimous in the late election; congratulate you in your choice to the office of Government, and wish that every part of the Colony would forget and totally banish every kind of jealousy and discord from amongst them. This is a time when the very great danger that all America is exposed to, should make everybody sensible that the most firm union in all its parts should be carefully studied and effected.

I herewith send you commissions for all the officers in your two regiments, which, I hope, you will cause to be filled up so as to give the greatest satisfaction. As the Field Officers will be appointed, or at least approved by Congress, I could wish that you will transmit to me the names of such gentlemen as you may think most capable to fill those offices.

I am, with great respect, yours and the Colony’s very humble servant,

STEPHEN HOPKINS.

To Nicholas Cooke, Esq.

NEW-JERSEY COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Whereas unanimity among all ranks of people is, at this time of imminent danger, most essential to the peace, safety and defence of this Colony; and whereas this Committee have been informed that sundry persons, in divers parts of this Province, paying no respect to the General Association recommended to the inhabitants thereof, or to their own welfare, are attempting to raise mobs and riots, with a view, as this Committee is informed, to fix prices to several commodities, much under what they can either be manufactured at or imported for, though greatly wanted, and at this critical juncture very difficult to be procured, particularly Salt, Wool, and coarse Linens; and as such conduct can have no other tendency but to create divisions amongst us, and deter those who are willing from risking their property in order to procure those necessary articles, whereby they will become still scarcer, and the poor sort of people in the end greatly suffer; this Committee find themselves under the necessity of declaring, that as it is their duty, so they are determined, as far as in them lies, to protect every peaceable inhabitant of this Province in the secure possession of his property, as well as the free enjoyment of every civil privilege that he is entitled to from the community, from all riots or riotous attempts whatever: In order thereto, this Committee do request that all Committees of Observation, Magistrates, and other officers, as well civil as military, in this Colony, will exert themselves, and be particularly careful to suppress all attempts to raise any mobs or riots in the parts they reside in, and to preserve the peace of society. This Committee do at the same time request that all persons who may have any of those necessary articles to dispose of, (and those who have large quantities are desired to do it,) will consider the poor people in this time of general calamity, and not exact extravagant prices, especially on such as have been procured at low rates, more particularly the article of Salt.

This Committee being informed that sundry ill-disposed persons within this Colony have engrossed considerable sums of Gold and Silver Specie, and are attempting to dispose of the same for Paper currency, (particularly Continental,) at more than the value that has been heretofore fixed on Gold and Silver Coin made current in this Province; and as such a practice must have an immediate tendency to depreciate the value of Paper currency, it is hereby

Resolved, That no person possessed of Gold or Silver Coin within this Province shall receive a greater value therefor in Paper currency, than such denomination of Coins have been accustomed to pass for in this Colony, under penalty of being considered as an enemy to the liberties of America, and treated accordingly.

By order of the Committee:

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 16. Referred to Mr. Livingston, Mr. Jefferson, and Mr. J. Adams.]

New-York, May 15, 1776.

SIR: Since my last of the 11th instant, which I had the honour to address you, nothing of moment or importance has occurred; and the principal design of this is to communicate to Congress the intelligence I received last night from General Schuyler, by a letter of the 10th, respecting the progress of our troops in getting towards Canada, not doubting of their impatience and anxiety to hear of it, and of everything relating to the expedition. For their more particular information and satisfaction I have done myself the pleasure to extract the substance of his letter on this head, which is as follows:

“That General Thompson, with the last of his brigade, in the morning of Tuesday se’nnight embarked at Fort George, and in the evening of the next day General Sullivan arrived at Albany; that he had ordered an additional number of carpenters to assist in building boats, who, finishing eight every day, would have one hundred and ten complete by the 21st, before which he was fearful the last of General Sullivan’s brigade could not embark; that they would carry thirty men each, besides the baggage, ammunition, and intrenching tools; that he has given most pointed orders to restrain the licentiousness of the troops, which was disgraceful and very injurious in those gone on heretofore, in abusing the inhabitants and batteaumen, and that he had ordered Captain Romans from Canada for trial at Albany, there being sundry complaints lodged against him. He also informs, that the sixty barrels of powder had arrived and would be forwarded that day; that the first regiment of General Sullivan’s brigade marched that morning, and that the intrenching tools, and about six hundred barrels of pork, were also gone on; that he cannot possibly send more than half of the three hundred thousand dollars into Canada, being greatly in debt on the publick account, and the creditors exceedingly clamorous and importunate for payment; which sum he hopes will be sufficient till the Canadians agree to take our paper currency, to which they are much averse, and of which he is exceeding doubtful; that he had got the chain and would forward it that day to General Arnold, with orders to fix it at the rapids of Richelieu. He adds, that he had reviewed General Sullivan’s brigade in presence of about two hundred Indians, who were greatly pleased with the order and regularity of the troops, and surprised at the number, which the Tories had industriously propagated consisted only of three companies, and that they were kept always walking the streets to induce them to believe their number was much greater than it really was.”

I have enclosed a copy of General Schuyler’s instructions