Robert R. Livingston to John Jay, 4 June 1776
[4 th : June 1776 Philadelphia,]
Dear John
I own I was very much mortified at not hearing from you nor can I quite forgive your neglect since it takes but little time to write when the pen is only copying from the heart. I am very sorry that we are not to have the pleasure of M rs . Jays company but greatly rejoyced at the prospect of her recovery about which from your Letter to Duane I had some uneasy apprehensions.
We have been for some days past occupied in setting a plan of defence. The attatchment which some people have for Canada has left us very defenseless, however I have contrived to lessten the number after much altercation & settle our own quota much to my satisfaction at 3750. men who are to be drafted from the militia 3000 of them to serve at New York. 1 This I hope will not prove very burthensome as a large proportion may be taken from the City where I suppose many of the Citizens are unemployed, What I want you particularly to attend to is to endeavour to get volunteers for Canada if possible from the Green Mountain boys by offering additional ^ higher ^ pay than the Continent allows, the expence of which will be very triffling to the Colony. What makes me wish it most is in order to frustrate the schemes of some people here who affect to consider them as no part of our Colony, & to assert that they never did nor ever will act under our convention & they even introduced a motion founded on this supposition, however I treated them so roughly as prevented their proceeding & has silenced them for the present. 2 The force ordered for our defence at New York is 25000 so that I hope we shall be able to give an enemy a pretty warm reception. 3 I wrote to you about Gallies but I have got the Congress to take it upon themselves & the Gen l has power to build as many as he think proper. 4 We have rec d an answer of the King to the livery of London, which I hope will be productive of very good effects since it takes away all hopes of accommodation & shews that nothing less will do than absolute submission. 5 It comes in very happy time for this place, in which the people are very unfortunately divided between the advocates for the old & new government,
I learn from the paper the steps you have taken to collect the sentiments of the people, I wish to be with you a while, but do not know whether it is absolutely necessary, & I am unwilling to leave this till it is–I hope you are laying the foundation for a better form than I have yet seen, & inculcating the proper principles. You cannot begin too early to point out both men & measures.
Morris they tell me flourishes as much as ever, as you are either too lazy or too cautious engage him to write with as much freedom as he speaks–I have heard M r . S– 6 does he not look very high–Clinton is not come, send him on if you see him–I am, Dear John, Your Aff: Friend
Rob t R. Livingston