Delegates to Congress . Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 8, September 19 1777-January 31 1778
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library

| Table of Contents for this work |
| All on-line databases | Etext Center Homepage |

Daniel Roberdeau to To: George Bryan


Sir,
York Town. Decr. 29th. 1777

   I wrote Council two days ago to which please to be refered. Revd. Mr. Batwell on an application to be enlarged on security on his parole, accompanied with a certificate from his Physician that fresh air and exercise were absolutely necessary to his recovery, obtained the following resolution,(1) "That in the opinion of Congress the Revd. Mr. Batwell should be discharged out of confinement on his taking an oath of allegiance to the State of Pennsilvania; or on his refusal that he should be allowed to go with his family into the City of Philada." The delicacy of interfering with this Act was agitated together with the very low condition of the pe[ti]tioner whose life was reported to be in iminent danger, & might add to the number of marters in the esteem of the disaffected who interested themselves in his behalf, nevertheless the prayer of the pe[ti]tion was not attended to, but the above alternative given, for Congress did not know how other wise to get rid of importunity and apprehended this Step from all circumstances would not be disagreeable to the State. I think the above resolve is a specimen of treatment Congress would wish to other disaffected persons in every State as was at large said



-498-

in debate, with much concern that decisive measures had not long since been taken with all Enemies to the Independence of America. A Committee are appointed to take into consideration the deplorable conditions of our army and to report tomorrow.(2) I make no doubt that the most vigorous measures will be recommended to be immediately taken, as without the army must disperse as mentioned in my last. My situation is extreamly delicate on this occasion, the ruin of our Army, or the interference with the police of the State I apprehend will be the alternative set before me, under these circumstances I should be glad of advice or assistance. The House of Burgesses in Virginia have unanimously consented to the Confideration as handed to them with orders to their Delegates to confirm it on the 10th March.

   I could wish the State could favr. their Delegates with Dunlaps paper constantly. I should be glad you would furnish me with the two or three last papers. Our State I understand have published a bill which I have not seen, respecting the measures recommended to the northward, and I am told have recited the recommendation of Congress which exposes the views of Congress, this was never intended and may frustrate their designs.(3) I am respectfully, Sir, Yr. most obt. humble Servt,


Daniel Roberdeau


Note: RC (PHarH).


1 For the case of Rev. Daniel Batwell, see Pennsylvania Delegates to Thomas Wharton, November 13, 1777. For his December 26 petition to Congress, which is in PCC, item 42, 1:153-57, and the action taken upon it the 27th, see JCC, 9:1055-57. His January 5, 1778, letter thanking Congress for his release and asking issuance of papers authorizing his passage within the British lines at Philadelphia, was referred to the Board of War. See PCC, item 78, 2:329; and JCC, 10:18.




2 See Committee on Emergency Provisions to Thomas Wharton, December 30, 1777.




3 No such publication has been found, and a recent search of Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet failed to uncover any "bill" fitting Roberdeau's description in that paper. Burnett speculated that Roberdeau may have had in mind the Pennsylvania Assembly's resolutions of December 6 pertaining to the work of the committee of Congress appointed to confer with the general assembly, which are in PCC, item 69, fols. 457-59, and Pa. Archives, 1st ser. 6:66 67, but because issues of the Packet for this period were not "accessible" to him he could not confirm this conjecture. See Burnett, Letters, 2:601n.4. As the assembly's December 6 resolves contain no intelligence "which exposes the views of Congress," it seems probable that some other document was at issue or that Roberdeau's "understanding" was based on misinformation.





-499-