John Jay to Robert Morris, 6 October 1776
Fish Kills, Oct r . 6. 1776
Dear Sir
The enclosed is a Copy of the late invisible Parts of M r . Dean–s Letters. You will perceive some Blanks in it. M r . D. it seems did not write with his usual Care and Accuracy–There are many Blots in one of the Letters, and in one or two other Instances the Lines cross and run into one another–Little material is however illegible. I am happy to find our Affairs wear so pleasing an Aspect in France. 1
This most certainly will not be the last Campaign, and in my opinion Lord Howe–s operations cannot be so successful & decisive as to greatly to lessen the Ideas which Foreign Nations have conceived of our Importance. I am rather inclined to think that our declaring Independence in the Face of so powerful a Fleet and Army will impress them with an opinion of our Strength and Spirit; and when they are informed how little of our Country is in the Enemys Possession, they will unite in declaring us invincible by the Arms of Britain.
If the Works carrying on by the General for obstructing the Navigation of Hudson–s River at Mount Washington, prove effectual; Lord How must rest content with the City of New York for this Campaign. For altho it is possible for him to land a large Body of Troops on the Shores of the Sound & thereby divide our Forces, yet no great Matters can by that means be achieved–Our Communication with the Army by the Sound is already cut off by the Ships of War; and any strong Post they might take on the Shore would not much injure our Communication by Land. But should they on the contrary be able suddenly to penetrate the North River with a few Ships of War and a Number of Transports, they would effectually destroy all Communication between the upper Country and the Army by Land and Water. For before the Shores could be put in such a State of Defence as to prevent their landing with Success, they might possess themselves of Posts and Passes, by nature so strong as to be ^ long ^ tenable against a much superior Force.
Should an Event of this Sort take Place, we should be in a disagreable Situation. Flour and Lumber could not then be carried to the Army but by a circuitous Rout thro– abominable Roads, and it is a matter of some Doubt whether our utmost Exertions to supply them would be successful.
Had I been po vested with absolute Power in this State, ^ I have often said & still think that ^ I would last Spring have desolated Long Island, Staten-Island, the City & County of New York & all that part of the County of West Chester ^ w h . ^ lies below the Mountains. I would then have stationed the main Body of the Army in the Mountains on the East, & Eight or ten thousand Men in the Highlands on the west Side of the River. I would have directed the River at Fort Montgomery, which is ^ nearly ^ at the southern Extremity of the Mountains, to be so shallowed as to afford only depth sufficient for an Albany Sloop, and all the Southern Passes and Defiles in the Mountains to be strongly fortified–Nor do I think the shallowing the River a romantic scheme–Rocky Mountains rise immediately from its Shores, the Breadth is not very great tho the Depth is–But what cannot Eight or ten thousand Men well worked effect? According to this Plan of Defence this State would be absolutely impregnable against all the world on the Sea Side, and would have Nothing to fear except from the Way of the Lakes. 2
Should the Enemy gain the River even below the Mountains, I think I foresee that a Retreat will become necessary, and I cant forbear wishing a Desire of saving a few Acres may not lead us into Difficulties.
Such is ^ the ^ Situation of this State at present, and so various & I may say successful have been the Arts of Gov r . Tryon & his adherents to spread the Seeds of Disaffection among us, that I cannot at present obtain Permission to return to Congress. 3 Our Convention continues unanimous in all its Measures, and to do them Justice, are diligent as well as zealous in the Cause.
As long as your whimsical Constituents shall permit the Gentleman to whom I am writing to remain among the Number of those honest and able Patriots in Congress, in whose Hands I think the Interest of America very safe, the Congress will possess too great a Stock of Abilities to perceive the Absence of my little Mite. It gives me Pleasure however to reflect that your Remarks on this Subject, however ill founded, could have been dictated only by that friendly Partiality which you have shown me, and which in this Instance has been permitted to impose on your Judgm t .
I wish the secret Committee would communicate no other Intelligence to the Congress at large, than what may be necessary to promote the Common Weal, not gratify the Curiosity of Individuals. I hint this, because a Copy of a Letter from A.L. to that Committee has lately been sent by a Member of Congress to a Gentleman of his acquaintance who is not a Member of Congress. I came by this Intelligence in such a way as to speake with Certainty for I have seen the Copy, but at the same Time in such a way as not to be able with Propriety to mention Names. 4 You will be pleased therefore to make no other Use of this Information than to induce the greater Caution of the Committee. For as to binding certain Members in the House to Secrecy by oaths or otherwise, would be just as absurd as to swear Lee (no matter which of them), to look or feel like Ned Rutledge–
Had M r . Dean mentioned to me his having conversed with you relative to the Mode of Writing I communicated to him, I should most certainly have spoken to him ^ you ^ on the Subject, & will when we meet give you the same Information respecting it that I did to him. I am, D r S r , with Respect & Esteem your most ob t Serv t .
John Jay
Rob t . Morris Esq r
Decipherment of Text in Invisible Ink of Price Current and Continuation of Deane to Jay, for the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 11–23 June 1776.
North Am. Flour 17.10 to 18 per C. of 118 B. to . . . Wheat 11 to 11.10 by French bushel 32 of wheat equal to . . . bushel.
Following are the words of the brokers–Harvest is at hand, some rye has been cut [and it is tho–t there will] not be more [than] half the quantity there was last [year] [It is also estimated] that there will be about [half less] wheat than last year. [So it is imagined] that from a larger demand there is for flour for the West Indies that foreign supplies will be wanted, in which [case] it is highly probably [that] the prices will not decline. 5
[Bordeaux, France, 11–23 June 1776] 6
Dear Sir–
I have wrote you by Capt. Palmer of Portsmouth 7 and by them letters to Mr. Morris on the subject of remittances here on the subject of American commerce. . . . To the Com r of the Finances and letters to the Farmer–s General on proposals I made them of receiving American [tobacco] . . . direct from the colonies without which . . . the Royal revenue and their . . . must fail. This last letter . . . from their agent here.
I also wrote Messrs. Alsop & Company, 8 my brother & Mrs. Deane on family affairs. 9 Should any of them . . . you to inform them of my having wrote them. Orders are this day rec–d from Court to purchase 40000 wt of gun powder & all the sail cloth for use of fleet at Toulon & Brest, & . . . camp are forming on the frontiers and Spain is arming ostensibly against Portugal. The French ministry was last week suddenly changed. Mons r . Maurepas is at the head, & Mons r . Clugny Intendant of this city & [province is] Comptroller of Finances & went to Court the week before I arrived. The Duc de Choiseul, it is said is returned to Court. 10 I shall not appear either in the Memorial or Letters to the Farmers General, but shall have letters referring to me to explain any question that may arise on their contents. 11
The revenue of this Kingdom is as deeply interested in the American Tobacco as that of G. Britain, and they already . . . it, both scarce and dear–nor can they be supplyed but from America. This city appears sensible of the importance of American commerce & wish to promote it by every means in their power, by which I have obtained letters from [. . .] for persons of note & eminence at court & in Paris. Thus far I have met with nothing discouraging but the contrary.
20 th June–Since the above Messrs. Ds. 12 have received letters . . . Parr, Bulkley & Co., 13 informing of the arrival of effects in several vessels from Messrs Alsop & [Company] for my use, on which both they & I have wrote them particularly. The coming harvest will be more than one third short in this Kingdom. 14
23d June–The memorial I referred to has been favorably rec–d by the minister and his majesty has ordered that American vessels shall for the present be treated as all other foreigners are. Other matters contained in it are referred to further consideration. I set off tomorrow for Paris, & I have letters to Monsr. Clugny, Com. of Finances 15 and to Compte De Vergennes [ministre] des affairs etrangeres, and to other persons at Paris, particularly Messrs. [Germany, Girardot] & Company, 16 bankers to whom I am addressed on money matters. By a letter from Marseilles I find Mr. J. [T.] Morriss 17 left that city last week in co. with Mr. van Zandt of New York for Paris, where I hope to see him. The general disposition here appears in favor of America and to assist them as far as possibly, & nothing has been wanting in those I have applied to, but they have rendered me every service in their power. But I am cautioned of relying too far on the professions of so volatile and polite a people, and keep by me the old maxim, that interest never lies as a scale to weigh their real worth.
I have appeared only as a private merchant, but it has been reported, & I frequently hear that an agent from the Congress is in town & sometimes that he is gone to Paris, etc. I mention this as a mark of the expectations of the people which in general is on the same key with their wishes. The English embassador is apprehensive of such a measure & I expect it will require great care to elude his enquiry. 18 The letters I have obtained from hence to Court are given to me generally on the ground of mercantile views and not on any grounds whatever was suspected of any other business. I am Gentlemen Your most Obedt. Serv t .
S. Deane.
P.S. Forgive blunder & spell it out, for I am much put to it to copy letters in this way.