The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 12
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 12
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
Should the Court grant six million livres more for the service of the
current year, making twelve million livres in the whole, which to tell
you the truth, I do expect, then the sum total in five years will be
forty million livres, or eight million annually. And when the occasion
of this grant is considered, the magnitude of the object, and the
derangement of our finances, naturally to be expected in so great a
revolution, I cannot think this sum is by any means very
extraordinary. I believe with you most perfectly in the good
dispositions of the Court, but I must request you to urge those
dispositions into effect. I consider the six millions mentioned to me
by the Minister here, and afterwards in your letters, as being at my
disposal. The taxes come in so slowly, that I have been compelled and
must continue to draw bills, but I shall avoid it as much as possible.
In my letters of the 23d and 29th of May, of which I enclose copies,
are contained my sentiments as to M. de Beaumarchais' demand. Indeed,
if the sums paid to him and others for expenditures previous to the
year 1778, and the amount of the interest money, of which the
principal was also expended at that time, be deducted, the remaining
sum will be considerably less than thirty millions.
I must entreat of you, Sir, that all the stores may be forwarded from
Brest as soon as possible, and I shall hope that the Court will take
measures to afford you the necessary transports, so that they may come
under proper convoy. As to the cargo of the ship Marquis de Lafayette,
it is true, that some of it has arrived here from neutral ports, but
it is equally true that money was necessary to purchase it, and that
money is quite as scarce as any other article. If, however, all the
cargo of that ship was like some which I procured, the taking of her
has been no great loss, for the clothing was too small to go on men's
backs. The goods from Holland we still most anxiously expect. Would to
God that they never had been purchased. Mr Gillon, however, is at
length arrived, and I hope we shall have those matters, in which he
was concerned, brought to some kind of settlement.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT MORRIS.
* * * * *
TO ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
Office of Finance, July 2d, 1782.
Sir,
I yesterday received your letter of the 17th of June, and am very
happy to find that you have determined to accept the office I had the
pleasure of offering to you.[8] I enclose the commission,
instructions, &c. together with a bond for performance of the duties,
which I must request you to fill up and execute, with some sufficient
surety, and transmit.
[8] Receiver of the Continental taxes for the State of New
York.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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