the Officers of those Lines, who have resigned, with good Repu tations, and to all the Soldiers who have served three years, and to all who shall serve during the war. Certain I am, we shall derive great utility from such a measure, if it is soon done; and in my opinion no time is to be lost in doing it. I understand a Bill of this Nature, was prepared in the fall of 1779, at Kingston, but was rejected from Considerations of narrow and niggardly Policy. If it had then been done, the influence of the Vermont Land Jobbers, would ere this, have been at an end, but it is better to do it now, than not to do it at all. I could give you some conclusive Intelligence, on this Subject, if time permitted.

Congress have elected me Secretary of the Marine, but I cannot think of quitting the field, in the active part of the Campaign; while so great part of our State is in the hands of the enemy. I have, therefore, informed Congress of this, as a Condition on which I will undertake the Charge of their Marine.

The present State of it and their probable funds, will not take up the time of a qualified person in that Office; more than Six or eight Months of the year, when the proper arrangements are made for its government & future increase. I am, Dear Sir, with great Respect your humbe Servant

His Excellency, Governor Clinton.

[No. 3576.]

Alex'r McDougall.

Governor Clinton to Major Paulding in Regard to the British

Captain Simon.

Albany, 13th March 1781.

Sir, It being represented to me by different Persons of respectable Characters in your County, that Capt. Simons who

has lately left the British Service might do essential Services to this State if he was permitted to continue near the American Lines, & that from the manner of his leaving the Enemy and other Circumstances, there is not any Reason to apprehend any Danger or Injury from granting him such Permission, & this being also your Sentiment-you are, therefore, at Liberty to conduct the said Capt. Simon to the American Lines, & imploy him under your Direction, in such Manner as will conduce most to the public Safety & Interest, provided this Measure & End proposed by it meet the Approbation of the Commanding Officer of the Deartment, whom you will consult on the Subject on your Way down. I am, sir,

Major Jona. Horton Paulding.

[G. C.]

[No. 3577.]

Colonel Udny Hay Writes of Illness in the Governor's Family and of the New Currency.

Poughkeepsie, 15th March 1781.

D'r Sir, It gave me great pleasure upon my arrival here to find Mrs. Clinton and all your family in the full enjoyment of the most perfect health; little Washington did then and still continues to enjoy a greater flow of spirits than I ever before saw him possessed of, though not so fond at first of the rough treatment I gave him, as he was formerly accustomed to be; all the rest of the family continue as I found them, except Mrs. Clinton who has a little touch of the ague in her breast, arising prob ably from the fatigue she was under a necessity of undergoing with the Children while in the small Pox.

We are totally barren of news in this part of the world at present. I am informed by Major Hale lately from Philadelphia that the new money of that State & Jersey bears a proportion to continental money as 75 to one, and that hard money amongst Friends who can depend on each other bears the proportion of 120 to one; of consequence hard money is to the new money as 75 to 120, which makes it of considerable more value than it is in this part of the world as yett. We have a report that the English has taken St. Eustatią, but under what authority this report is propagated I cannot learn. I am inclined to think it cannot have gone any farther than perhaps to taking some American vessells out of the roads.

Col. Hughes in a letter to me of yesterday says General Heath informs him that the Enemy are out but does not mention where or in what force, nor have I as yett heard any thing farther of the matter.

I shall certainly be in Albany in about ten days, unless the Legislature breaks up sooner which I fancy is not probable.

If you have any commands in this part of the Country in which you think I can be of the least service to you in executing, lett me request you will command me, under the assurance of my being with the most perfect respect (and permit me to add the sincerest Friendship) your Excellency's most obedient and very humble ser't

Governour Clinton.

Udny Hay.

[No. 3578.]

Mrs. Duggan Applies for the Exchange of Her Son, a Prisoner. James Duggan, Commissary taken at Scheensborough 22d March 1781.

Mrs. Duggan requests the favor of his Excellency the Governor to endeavor to effect her Son's Exchange with the first Prisoners who shall be exchanged from Canada.

Albany 16th March 1781.

His Excellency Gov. Clinton.

[No. 3579.]

Lieutenant McClaughry's Complaint in Regard to Recruiting.

Little Britain, March 16th 1781.

Sir, By order of General Clinton I releved Lieut. Van Wagenen the thirty of Jan'y; he told me he had receved foreteen men from the Classes, three of which he was apprehensif had Deserted, the remainder he promised to Deliver to me the second week in February; not hearing from him since I went to Kingston the forth Inst. in order to Colect the recruts together, having no return of them, and not meeting with Van Wagenen put it out of my power, I therefore, wrote to him aquenting him it was General Clinton's Orders to send them to the Regt. and requesting he would forward them to me as speedily as possible.

I have receved five men from Colo. Johnson's Regt., two from Capt'n Cross's Company, Namely, Edward Wyley from John McCreery's Class, William Hart from And'w Thomson's Class; two from Capt'n Mastin's Company, Jacob Haring from Cornelius Vanoey's Class, John Hara from William Gees Class; one

from Capt'n Johnson's Company, Jack Gaul a mullate from Isaac Fowler's Class; the are able boded men. Jno Hara I have neither seen nor heard of since I received him, notwithstanding I have made the most strict enquiry, I am informed he was a deserter from the enemy and am able to prove the Class new it at the time of his inlisting.

My appointment to this duty without being furnished with money is very mortifying to me, having nothing in my power except assisting the Classes. I have the Honour to be with the greatest respect, Sir your Most Obdent very Humble Serv't Jno. McClaughry.

[No. 3580.]

Colonel Brasher Reluctant to Accept a Temporary Appointment, and Assigns Reasons.

Morristown, 16th March, 1781.

Dear Sir, I had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 1st instant, on the evening of the 9th, and had not time to answer it immediately, as the post set out early the next morning, and since no oppertunity has offered. I am obliged to your Excellency for the attention with which you have been pleased to honor me, by offering me the appointment of "a commissioner for receiving and liquidating the account of the Public officers and inhabitants of the state, against the United States." If I was unconnected, without a family, I should not hesitate to accept it, but as it is a temporary office, and the place of the residence of the commissioners not designated, and what the emoluments may be unknown to me, I have my difficulties; and I presume they will readily occur to your Excellency, when you