Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
You will excuse me if I trouble you with a matter that don’t immediately concern you.
It is more than a year since a number of honest tars entered in to the service of the American States on board the ships of War (many of them Foreigners) In full confidence that the continent would deal honourably 372by them. Many prizes have been taken & they are greatly disappointed that there has been no division of the prize money & are now grumbling that the Continent have broke their engagements with them. If some method cannot be taken to compell the Commanders of the ships of War to make up their pay rolls, we shall Loose the Service of many Valueable foreign seamen.
I am Agent for about sixty seamen & have the money ready to pay their several shares when it shall be known how much they are intitled to. If you, as a member of the Congess, will advise Capt. John Paul Jones Commander of the Alfred to make up the pay roll for the Ship Alfred immediately, you will prevent a number of brave foreigners from deserting the American cause.1 I am Sr. your obliged freind & brother,
PS., You will hear from the family by your Sisters letter.
As early as March 1777, Joseph Greenleaf and Nathaniel Appleton were appointed as agents for the crew of the ship Alfred to recover prize money due them. John Paul Jones (1747–1792), who had been relieved of his command of the Alfred in January 1777, was in Boston at this time and wrote to the continental agent denying that there was any “Capital Sum of Money” aboard the transport Melish when the Alfred and the sloop Providence captured it in November 1776 (Jones to Leonard Jarvis, May 10, 1777. Published in Naval Documents of the American Revolution, 8:944).
The House appointed Mr. Pickering, Judge Cushing and Mr. Davis, a Committee to collect the Votes for a Speaker, and the same being brought in and examined, the Committee reported that the Hon. JAMES WARREN, Esq; was unanimously chosen.
Then the House proceeded to the choice of a Speaker pro tempore, and the committee after collecting and examining the Votes, reported that the Hon. Azor Orne, Esq; was chosen; who having desired to be excused, the Votes of the House were again collected, and the Commit373tee having examined the same, reported that the Hon. Robert Treat Paine, Esq; was chosen.
The House ordered that a Message be sent to the Honorable the Major Part of the Council, to inform them that they have made choice of the Hon. JAMES WARREN, Esq; for their Speaker, and the Hon. Robert Treat Paine, Esq: Speaker pro tempore.
Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, 53, pt. 1:5