Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
I am much obliged to You for a particular Relation of the principles upon wch. the Convention at N Haven proceeded, in forming their Resolutions relative to the fixing Prices; Congress have been so much engaged since the Receipt of the Acts of the Convention, as not to have been able to express their opinion upon them, but I have not heard fm. any Gentlemen the least Hint of Disapprobation, & for my own part think You have conducted upon true principles of policy. I fully agree with You upon the Salutary Effects wch. would result from lessening the Quantity of Money in Circulation, & wish to have your Opinion upon the Expediency of attempting to take from the Continental Currency 15 or 20 Millions of Dollars, by stopping the Circulation & obliging the Holders to invest their Money in Loan office Certificates; this is in agitation & inter nos, I shall endeavour to push it thro. I need not assure You, that nothing shall be wanting on my part, to urge the States to a Compliance with the Resolution of Congress for taking their Money out of Circulation, since I have ever entertained the most sanguine Hopes from such a Measure.
I am glad to find that the Commissioners are in Earnest upon the Business of investigating the Causes of the shameful Failure of the Expedition against Newport, & hope that they will be able to give a good account of the Matter. Congress have passed a Resolution relative to the Time & Expence of the Commissioners, copy of wch. is inclosed: it is certainly reasonable right that the former should be considered as well as the latter, & it appears the Commissioners must be the judges of a Reasonable allowance.
Congress have not received Returns from the Southern Conventions of their proceedings upon the regulating Business, whenever they there is a Delay in the Business Matter & I am not yet informed of the Cause of it.
With respect to General Burgoyne & the other prisoners of the Convention, the Council of M Bay are desired to make a proper Disposition of them & have full powers for this purpose.
30I want to say much more on many Subjects but a Call from am obliged to attend the House on a Business of Importance & conclude wth. my best Respects to all Friends, yours very sincerely,
Resolved That the commissioners appointed to enquire into the causes of the miscarriage of the expedition against Newport exhibit their accounts to the deputy paymaster genl. or any of his assistants in the eastern department, who are authorised & directed to pay the same.
Extract from the minutes,
This Board1 having at present before us a Matter of Consequence which requires an immediate decision, are very desirous of Your Opinion thereon, and earnestly request if the business of Govermt. will admit of your coming to Town that you would favor us wt. your Company for an hour; if it will not you will be so good as to let us know it as soon as may be by a line.
On Oct. 29, 1776, the Massachusetts House of Representatives established a board of war “to order, & direct the operations of the Forces in the pay of this State, both by Sea, and Land; by giving the Commanders of the Troops, Garrisons, and Vessels of War such orders for their Conduct, & Cruises from time, to time, as they shall think proper such orders to be signed in their Name by the President of said Board, or in his absence, by the member thereof officiating as President pro tempore” (The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, 1775–1776 [Boston, 1918], Chapter 455 [1776–1777], 625-626). The initial board consisted of James Bowdoin, George Whitcomb, Joseph Palmer, Henry Bromfield, Samuel P. Savage, James Prescott, Samuel Allyne Otis, Jonathan Jackson, and Jonathan Glover (Journals of the House of Representatives, 52, pt. 2:139).
Samuel Phillips Savage (1718–1797) was a prominent merchant in Boston until 1764 when he and his brother dissolved their firm. The following year, Savage moved to Weston, Mass., where he resided for the remainder of his life. He served as a judge in the Middlesex County courts and as a representative from Weston in the Provincial Congress of 1774. On Oct. 30, 1776, Savage was among nine men appointed to the newly created Board of War and was quickly made president, a position he retained until the board was dissolved at the end of the Revolution (NEHGR 67[1913]:313–314).