Robert Morris to John Jay, 12 January 1777
Philad a . Jan y 12 th 1777
Dear Sir
I have been possessed of your obliging fav r . of the 2 d Ulto a considerable time, 1 but being too much pressed with public & private business to permit my being a regular correspondent it is needless to apologize. You undoubtedly must have been well acquainted with the rapid progress made by our Enemies through the Jerseys and the danger to which this City has been exposed for some Weeks past, and you will have heard of the removal of Congress to Baltimore in the midst of the pannic. 2 This step has been highly censured by many of their Friends and undoubtedly lost them the confidence of some valuable Men.
I confess for my own part I am not amongst the Number of those that Censure them for this hasty measure, for when it is considered that the Enemy s Troops were within a very few miles of us & no apparent Force sufficient to oppose their progress, it surely was time for a public body on which the support of the American cause so much depended, to provide for their safety– Meer personal safety I suppose wou–d not have induced many of them to fly, but their Security as a body was the object, had any Number of them fallen into the Enemies hands so as to break up the Congress America might have been ruined before another Choice of Delegates cou–d be had & in such an event they wou–d have been deemed criminal & rash to the last degree. Most of them dislike their present Station & complain horridly, particularly those you esteem, but it seems some others who generally carry their points, like their quarters & are for staying. I suppose it answers some of their purposes and I have but one objection in the world. They have appointed M r Walton of Georgia, M r Clymer & myself a Committee to transact all Continental business that may be necessary & proper in this place, the business of this Committee engrosses my whole time & encreases daily, so that I am now the veriest Slave you ever saw and wish them back to be relieved 3
I wish to Heaven they had removed from hence last winter, If they had, Pensylvania wou–d long since have had a wholesome constitution, its Strength might have been drawn into proper exertion & her Capital wou–d never have been made to tremble. What has happened is the fruits of that winters Cabals, Our Constitution is disliked, the People divided, unhappy, and consequently weak, the power if any there be, is placed in improper hands and in short the people seem to loose one day, the Confidence they placed in leaders of the day before 4
Where it will end God only knows, Dickinson & A. Allen have given mortal stabs to their own Characters & pity it is the wounds shou–d penetrate any further, but they were men of property Men of fair private Characters & what they have done, seems to pierce through their sides into the Vitals of their Contemporaries ^ those who have similar pretentions ^ to Fortune & good Character, the defection of these men is supposed to originate in a desire to preserve their Estates & consequently glances a Suspicion on all that have Estates to loose. I pity them both exceedingly, Dickensons Nerves gave way & his fears dictated a letter to his Brother advising him not to receive Continental money. His Judgment & his Virtue shou–d have prevented this Act of Folly, I call it such because I believe his Heart to be good & regret much that his exalted Character must ^ shou–d ^ be degraded, by what can cou–d hardly be called a Crime at the time he did it, but he thought the Game was up. 5 A Allen deserves a better fate, than he will meet with, Aimiable in private character and deserving of the Felicity he has heretofore enjoyed he has rashly sacrificed it, by a temerity hasty resolution, he has long thought it impossible for us to withstand the power of Great Britain & he complained of that Conduct amongst ourselves which has been loudly censured by America–s warmest advocates & frequently exposed by the keen sentences of M r . Jay, however nothing can justify the Step he has taken & it seems wrong to paliate it, I will therefore only say, I am most sincerely sorry for him. 6 I removed my Family & some of my effects in the heat of our Fright but determined to stay by the City to the last moment very happy have I been since, in this determination, as it is fallen in way to be very usefull on many occasions, both to this State & to the Continent, and in every instance I have exerted myself to the utmost, Congress are Sensible of it and have approved all my doings, altho I acted for a considerable time without their Authority. I join in all your Sentiments respecting our good Friend Duane and if I had not been well convinced how Ill used he was by that Cursed piece of Slander I shou–d not have troubled him with it, nor shou–d I have sent it when I did, but having heard he was coming to Congress, I thought it my duty to prepare him. I have a letter from him on the Subject and think he treats it very properly by despising the report & its Author or Authors. I wish to heaven the affairs of your State wou–d permit both your attendance at Congress, believe me you & others are wanted there, There is a leader there that you do not like and as I understand they have the rule of the roost totally since their removal to the Southward. Pray shew this to M r Duane & tell him the next bit of leisure I get shall be devoted to answer his two letters. 7
I do not pretend to give you any acc t of Military operations as I suppose you get them from day to day. What a glorious change in our prospects Pray Heaven Continue our Success and grant me an opportunity of Congratulating you on regaining the City of New York. I have not heard from M r Deane for sometime past & fear he will complain for want of remittances & Intelligence those Damnd Men of War plague us exceedingly & have taken many of our Vessells, but we must persevere untill we gain success. I am Dear Sir Your affectionate Friend & Serv t
Rob t Morris.