In a former Letter, you wrote Us, that you would send Us, the Invoices &c. of the
Goods shipped, on the public Account, if We thought it necessary. We wrote for those,
which would answer for the money, We had advanced to you. The Reason given in yours
of the 18th
2 for refusing it, does not appear to Us, at all sufficient. If it be unavoidable to
seperate the part from the whole, We desire the whole may be sent agreable to your
first proposal, which will also be of Use to Us, by shewing the nature and extent
of the Supplies which have been sent. We therefore expect you will comply, without
any farther delay, with what We desire, and which is indispensable.
You will be so good as to send Us a Copy of the order of the Commissioners, under
which you say, the Ship Queen of France was purchased, as We find none such, here.
When you first applyed to Us for our Assistance, and represented that you had made
Contracts for Goods, in pursuance of orders from the Committee of Congress, which
contracts, if not fulfilled, would destroy your Credit, and, in consequence, hurt
that of the Committee, it was agreed to furnish you with the Sum which you desired,
and which you said would be sufficient to prevent those great inconveniences, on your
promise to replace it. It is now near a Year since, and you have not performed that
promise. The Disappointment has been very inconvenient to Us. Probably it was occasioned
by your not receiving the Remittances you expected. However, We think you should have
foreborne entering into any fresh contracts and Embarrassments; especially, as it
was not required or expected of you, by the Committee, as appears by their Letter
to you of Decr. 30. of which you have sent Us, an extract; nor have they ever desired
it, of Us; nor did you inform Us, when you made your engagements, that you had any
expectation of our Assistance, to discharge them. A little consideration will convince
you, that it is impossible for Us, to regulate our own purchases and engagements,
and discharge our debts with punctuality,
{ 90 } if other people, without our participation, allow themselves to run in debt, unnecessarily,
as much as they please, and call upon Us for payment. By our complying with such unforeseen
demands, We may soon, to prevent your discredit, become Bankrupts ourselves, which
We think would be full as disreputable to Congress. We therefore now acquaint you,
that We cannot give the permission you desire, of drawing on our Banker for the immense
Sums you mention, and desire you would not have the least dependance on Aids, that
We have it not in our power to grant. We are, Sir, your most obedient humble Servants.