University of Virginia Library

MONDAY MARCH 31.

A letter was recd from the Govr of R. Island with resolutions
of the Legislature of that State justifying the conduct of Mr.
Howell.

On the arrival of the French Cutter with the acct of the signing
of the general preliminaries, it was thought fit by Congress to
hasten the effect of them by calling in the American Cruisers. It
was also thought by all not amiss to notify simply the Intelligence
to the British Commanders at N. Y. In addition to this it was
proposed by the Secy of F. A. and urged by the Delegates of Pa,
by Mr. Lee, Mr. Rutledge & others, that Congress should signify
their desire & expectation that hostilities shd be suspended at sea
on the part of the Enemy. The arguments urged were that the
effusion of blood might be immediately stopped & the trade
of the Country rescued from depredation. It was observed on
the other side that such a proposition derogated from the dignity
of Congs; shewed an undue precipitancy; that the intelligence
was not authentic enough to justify the British com̃anders in
complying with such an overture, and therefore that Congs would
be exposed to the mortification of a refusal. The former consideration
prevailed & a verbal sanction was given to Mr. Livingston's
expressing to the sd com̃anders the expectation of Congs..
This day their answers were recd addressed to Robt R. Livingston,
Esqr. &c &c &c declining to accede to the stopping of hostilities
at sea & urging the necessity of authentic orders from G. B.
for that purpose. With their letters Mr. Livingston communicated
resolutions proposed from his office, "that in consequence
of these letters the orders to the American Cruisers sd be revoked:
and that the Executives sd be requested to embargo all
vessels. Congs. were generally sensible after the ret. of these
papers that they had committed themselves in proposing to the
British Commanders at N. Y., a stop to naval hostilities, & were
exceedingly at a loss to extricate themselves. On one side they
were unwilling to publish to the world the affront they had recd,
especially as no written order had been given for the correspondence
and on the other it was necessary yt. the continuance of hostilities
at sea should be made known to American Citizens. Some

were in favor of the revocation of hostilities, others proposed as
Col: Bland, & Genl Mifflin, that the Secy of F. A. should be directed
verbally to publish the letters from Carleton & Digby.
This was negatived. The superscription was animadverted upon,
particularly by Mr. Mercer, who said, that the letters ought to
have been sent back unopened. Finally it was agreed that any
member might take copies & send them to the press & that the
subject should lie over for further consideration.