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MANUSCRIPT VOL. XI.

[No. 3188.]

Governor Clinton Transmits Valuable Information to Washington. Sept'r 1st, 1780.

D'r Sir, I am favored w'th yo'r Excell'cys Letter of the 27th ulto. & am much obliged, by your attention to my application thro' Genl. Schuyler) in ordering Coll. Malcom's Corps to the Defence of the Frontiers; every measure in my Power will be taken to expedite his march & he has my orders to relieve the Garrison of Fort Schuyler without the least Delay by the Levies raised for the Defence of the Frontiers last spring whose times of Service will not expire until the first Dec'r next. It will take some considerable Time, however, to collect them, as they are posted at diff't & remote parts of the Frontiers: but I would fain hope that the Discontents of the present Garrison will subside when they are informed that measures are taken to relieve them. I have directed Colo. Malcom to proceed immediately to Albany, and take the necessary measures for collect'g as large a supply of Provision for Fort Schuyler as can be spared, for which Purpose he has Warrants Impress that he may avail himself of an escort by the Troops intended to garrison that Post.

I shall take the earliest Opportunity of communicating [to] the Legislature (who are required to meet at this Place the 4th Inst.) your Excell'cy Letter of the 27th Ulto. together with the

several Letters from the Committee of Congress on the Subjects of Supplies for the army. In the meantime the State Agent will have my Directions to make every Exertion in his Power for afford'g them immediate Relief.

I take the liberty of enclosing, (confidentially), for your Excell'cys Perusal, a Copy of the Proceed'gs of a Convention of Committees from the States of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut & N: Hampshire, in which I am happy to find, even at this late Hour, Sentim'ts which if generally adopted, cannot fail of producing much good. I believe I may venture to assure you, Sir, that as the most sensible among us have from the begin'g of the Contest foreseen the consequences of temporary expedients, they will meet the chearful approbation of this State. I have the honor to be &c.

His Ex'cy Genl. Washington.

G: Clinton.

[No. 3189.]

Charles Phelps' Supplicating Letter from Vermont to Governor

Clinton.

Sir, I beg of your Excellency to let me know from your selfe or the State attorney general, Mr. Benson, or some other gent'n lerned in the Law of New York State of the Expediency of my takeing two or three of these Vermont evil workers by a warrant, from one of your magistrates sent up to the sheriff of this County, who is qualified to officiate and serve such a warrant to bring them to Pokipsee goil or Albany or the goil he can best take them to on Hudson's river, for our goil in this County being put into the Hands of a Vermont keeper by Vermont parties pretended authority, their partie wold let them out or not suffer them to be put into prison if we should attempt it.

I am advissed to take them down to one of your prisons where he wont escape, and I am thoughtfull Mr. Grout, the ondly justice that can officiate, being the ondly one sworen to execute his office &c. among us, would be loath to execute a warrant against these Vermonters, for fear of being abused by that partie in a Clandestine manner if he shold issue a warrant for yt purpose.

Also I pray your Excellency, to send me your mind of the expediancy of having magistrates commissionated to hold plea of Criminal Jurisdiction among us, before Congress has detirmined whose Jurisdiction we shall be under of all those Claimants thereof. Also pray of your Excellency to inform us of the expediancy or lawfullness of sueing out writs for the originateing tryals before the Supream Court, in Causes wherein the pltff. deposeth he has received twenty pounds Damages, & how the Cause & Costs will turn if judgment is not recovered for twenty Pounds, the sued for. And also, whether we cant have a Court of oyer & terminer to sit among us in this County of Cumberland, sent in once in 3 or 6 months, to try all sorts of Criminals in the County where the Cause of action origi nates, without staying untill we are finally send one before we may have our Causes tryed of Civil or Criminal Jurisdiction, or in other words when & in what manner or how we had best Conduct our affairs to recover our Damages & prosecute the vile Vermonters for their injurious treatment of us as Complained of.

Worthy Sir, I want to know how to Conduct my selfe in these affairs not ondly for my selfe, but for all those who are abused by the Vermonters, similar to my injuries, tho not in aney Comparison to that Degree I suffer and my son, for all our

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Improvements are attacked and all our buildings seized, execution issued against my estate alredy, that 20,000 Dollers wont make my Damages good, wherein I am injured by them they have a more peculiar ill will against me than aney or perhaps all the Subjects of the State, for they think I have done more. and my sons, to overturn their Vermont State than all the people hereabouts have, that if your Excellency and government will suffer me to be so injured and do nothing for my reliefe I have run a fine rig, in dead Contrary to my Intrest for the Honour and benefit of your state, in which hopeing all allong for your protection &c. I shall be finally ruined. I expect I must soon go to the authority for process against them, as I am advised; therefore, I pray your Excellencies favor in the above desires, that I may have a written account or Letter sent me of advice in the premisses before I am at the expence of doing near 200 miles to confer with your Excellency and Mr. Benson in the premisses, who, am with the highest Sentiments. of Submission & gratitude, your Excellency's most Humble & Obed't Servant and Loyal Subject &c.

Charles Phelps.

& may send me an answer by the bearer hereof when he returns.

New Marlborough, September the 1st, 1780.
To His Excellency George Clinton, Esqr.

[No. 3190.]

Cyrus Punderson's Appeal for His Horse.

C: Phelps.

Salem, Sep'r 1st, 1780.

May it please your Excelleny; Embolden'd from the extraor

dinary Character I have ever heard of you, I presume to lay