This Letter will be deliverd to you by Captn Romanet a young French
Gentleman Nephew to General Grobouval Commander of the french
Artillery. He is a modest well behaved youth, and is one of Monsr du
Coudrays Corps many of whom I suppose are returnd to France
dissatisfied with the Determination of Congress against ratifying Mr
Dean's Compact. The Necessity of doing this was disagreable to the
Members, but it could not have been otherwise, without causing a great
Uneasiness in our Army at a very critical Juncture. I hope no ill
Consequences will result to our Country and Cause from the Complaints
of these Gentlemen. Mr Romanet ingenuously acknowledges to me that Mr
Du Coudrays Disappointment appears to him to have been necessary, and
possibly his Connections in France may give Weight to his opinion.
I have been favord with your acceptable Letter of the 31 July from Paris. From your not having noticed several Letters which I have written to you, I suspect they have miscarried. I know not that they would have servd any other good Purpose, than to have shown how desirous I was of reviving a Correspondence which heretofore…..
TO JONATHAN TRUMBULL.
[MS., Massachusetts Archives; a text is in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel
Adams, vol. iii., pp. 7, 8,]
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY BOSTON Mar 19 1778
SIR/
I am to acquaint your Excellency in the Name & by order of the Council of this State, that your Letter of the 16th Instant directed to the President, relative to the Defence of Hudsons River has been receivd & read at that Board. The General Assembly is now under a short Adjournment, and the Council are not authorizd in their Executive Capacity & seperate from the House of Repts to order any Part of the Militia of this State beyond its Limits. The Assembly will meet on the first Day of the next Month. Your Excellencys Letter, together with another receivd this Day from Govr Clinton upon the same Subject, will then be laid before that Body; and altho the Government of this State are now under the Necessity of keeping up more than fifteen hundred of the Militia to guard the Troops of Convention & for other extraordinary Service in and about the Town of Boston, yet there can be no Doubt but a due Attention will be given to so interesting & important a Concern as the Defence of Hudsons river.
I have the Honor to be with the most cordial Esteem
Yr Excys most Humble Servt