Insupportable by its Duration and other Inconveniences; should it not be agreeable to your Will, or the Policy of the States to allow of my first Bargain, Expects Your Excellency will be pleased to Permit my going in some other Manner equally Honorable and as soon as possible and your Petitioner will ever Pray.

Mr. Benson the Attorney General can acquaint your Excellency with everything Relative to me. My necessity must plead my excuse for Importuneing Your Excellency with this Letter, and from your Goodness be Pleased to grant my desired Relief.

I have the Honor to be Your Excellency's Most Obedient and Obliged Humble Servant,

Fredericksburgh the 10th September 1781. Governor Clinton.

[No. 3984.]

General Schuyler Fearful that the Enemy are Meditating an Attack Along the Mohawk or the Hudson River.

Albany, Sept. 10th, 1781.

Dr. Sir, The scarcity of paper induces me to leave the letter for Gen. Heath under flying seal, after perusal please to close and forward it. It is given out that the Enemy offended at having been duped by the Vermontese, intend to attack them; this with the indications at St. Johns gives me great reason to suspect that they mean to attack the Mohawk or this river.

Yesterday two spies or british emissaries passed thro the town. and found means, altho discovered, to escape.

I am, Dr. Sir, with great respect and esteem Your Excellency's most obedt. Servant, Ph. Schuyler.

His Ex. Govr. Clinton, &c. &c.

Information cont'd, in the Letter to Gen'l. Heath alluded to in the within:

That a Brigade of Troops had arrived at St. Johns from Quebec on the 29th Augt. Their destination not made public yet the Preparations made there indicated a speedy Traverse of the Lakes.

GOVERNOR CLINTON'S REPLY TO GENL. SCHUYLER.

Pokeepsie, 14th Sept. 1781.

Dr Sir, I have this Moment received your Favour of the 10th Instant & have forwarded the Letter it enclosed to Genl. Heath

by Express. Previous to the Receipt of yours I had written to him on the Subject of the Frontiers & recommended the sending an Aditional Number of Troops for their Defence if consistent with the safety of the Posts in the Highlands they could be spared from the Army under his immediate Command. You'l please to excuse this short Scroll as I am much indisposed & write with great Pain. I am &c.

[No. 3985.]

Hugh Mitchell to Governor Clinton with Lists of Women, etc., Whose Husbands are in Canada.

Schenectady, the 10th Sepr. 1781.

Sir, I am Honoured with your letter of the 5th inst. by Mr. Stuart Covering a letter with a warrant inclosed for Mr. Peters which I delivered and am much obliged to you for the favour don to him. I also delivered your Message to Mrs. McFarlan. I herewith transmit you a list of the names of a Number of women whose husbands are with the Enemy. I have not seen their Children but by the account they gave me all the males on the list is under twelve years of age. At the Request of a number of the Inhabitants of Balls Town I send you a list of the prisoners taken from that District that you may the better know who to apply for.

I am with Grate Respect Your Excellencys most Hubl. Servt.

His Excellency George Clinton, Esqr.

[No. 3986.]

Governor Clinton to the Commissioners at Albany in Relation to

Exchanges.

Pokeepsie, 11th September 1781.

Gentlemen, I take the liberty of transmitting to your care a Letter to Capt. Dodge Commissary of Prisoners for this State now at Albany enclosing Papers Relating to his Office. As I wish you to be informed of the contents of the Letter I have left it open for your Perusal and when you have read it you will please to seal & have it delivered to him. You will observe I have ventured to recommend him to your Assistance in the Execution of the Business with which he is charged which I flatter myself will not be refused. If any of the Inhabitants on the

list to whose Exchange I have consented stand committed by the Civil Authority you will see the Impropriety of inlarging them & my Consent is to be considered as conditional that this is not the case. The Reason for not consenting at present to the Exchange of Bloore & Shephard is fully explained in my letter to the Commissary. I am &c.

Commissrs. for Conspiracies, Albany.

[No. 3987.]

Commissioners at Albany to Governor Clinton as to Sundry Exchanges with an Interesting Statement Concerning Captain Moses Davis, who was Captured by Carleton's Men.

Albany, September 11, 1781.

Sir: The Bearer of this is old Capt. Harris whose Son's character you have some knowledge of. As he has some matters of importance to communicate, we have insisted upon his seeing your Excellency with as much dispatch as possible. He is one of the Prisoners lately sent down from Canada, who with David Abeel, and Peter Short we have got exchanged for William Hogan, Zachariah Overmouf, and William Summer as pr. a Receipt inclosed, signed William Marsh, dated at Sckenesborough, 7th Septr. 1781, a Copy whereof we have filed with us for fear of Accidents. This Exchange has been hastened on account of the Information we understood they could give. With all due respect we are Your Excellency's hum. Servants

Saml. Stringer, John M. Beeckman, Commissrs, for Conspiracies. Rec'd. Schenesborough Septr. 7th, 1781, Zachariah Overmouf, William Hogan, William Somer, Citizens of the State of New York, in Exchange for Moses Harris, David Abeel & Peter Short, prisoners of War permitted to return from Canada on Parole.

William Marsh. Capt. Moses Davis, of Kingsbury, was taken last October on his Way from his Home to Fort Anne by a Party detached from Maj. Carlton's Command. He surrendered to Moffat late of White Creek. The same Day Carlton took Fort Anne.

He was carried to Montreal where he continued a Prisoner untill the 14th Augt. last when he was permitted to come home on a Parole & is since exchanged. Three days before he came away one Hugh Mosier (formerly of Hicks Hollow, Dutchess County & who left that last Spring went to Coxsackie & then fell in with a Lieut. of Butler's Corps who had inlisted 10 or 11 Men & went with them across the Country to Niagara & owing to a Dispute with the Lieut. was sent Prisoner from there to Montreal) was sent to lodge in the same House with him by whom he was informed that all the People in Hick's Hollow except 4 Families had inlisted with Jno. Walter Myer & sworn in the British Service, that of these he remembers the Names of the following-one Stone as a Sergt. one of Silas Devils son as a Sergt. Thomas Gay (now lives at Coxackee.) He left a suit of Cloaths a New sadle & Bridle that cost him twenty three Pounds Specie 40 hard dollars 9 Guenas 51⁄2 jos. with Gay who was to return them to his wife. Harris knew Mosier in Dutchess County & renewed his acquaintance with him without letting him know he was a Prisoner or any thing of his Political Character. That on his way Home from Montreal they were detained three days about mile North of St. Johns where they encamped till the Boats could be prepared to take them across the Lake. That while there they had Liberty to go to the Homes in the Neighborhood to purchase Provisions &c. That one Bremon who formerly lived in Kingsbury with whom the Examinant was well acquainted, now resides in that Neighborhood & falling in with him invited the Examinant to lodge at his House & he accepted the

Invitation. That on Sunday night he thinks the 19th Augt. he was in Bed at Bremon's that Bremon's son who is a non-Commissioned Officer or Private in the Enemy's Service came to his Father's late in the night with a Dozen or more Indians with him. That he knew nothing of Harris's being in the House & was conversing freely with the Indians about the Designs of the Enemy. He said they intended to make a Bold Push. They intended to take Castle Town that it was garrissoned by 400 men that they intended to take howitzers & other light artillery ag't it & a strong force; that they intended also to burn Albany & Schenectady: that they had Friends plenty in the country that would subsist and assist them to effect their Designs. The Indians said they would go with him; that they were now going a fishing & that by & by all the Indians, a great many, would come on & go along. There was no troops at St. Johns he thinks at that Time but the ordinary Garrison, as there were no Incampment, & he thinks when he left Montreal there was not more than 140 Troops at that Place, to wit 100 Hessians & 40 British. He did not understand that there was any Body of Troops collected at a Point in any one Place; they were divided among the different Posts which they garrissoned. Sir Jno. [John Johnson] was about 30 Miles up the river from Montreal with his Corps; Jessup at Sorrel with his, & Rodgers at St. Johns. The produce of the Country is almost totally destroyed by worms, except wheat which is also much injured. Their public stores he understands is almost exhausted & little or no supplies to be got in the country; Wheat 3 Dolls. pr. Bushel; Beff 20; Butter 40 & Cheese 40 coppers per pound Salt, a guina pr. Bushel. He did not hear of any troops coming from elsewhere to St. Johns when he left that. A sailor who came with the prisoners to take the Boats back and had some notion of Desertion told him he expected there would be an expedition on foot very quick. That he could take all the enemy's vessels on the Lake with boats well manned with good hands.

[No. 3988.]

Sieur Holker Officially Recognized as Consul General of France in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Sir: Inclosed herewith your Excellency will receive an Act of Congress of the 10th instant, acknowledging the Sieur Holker as Consul General of France in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware; and a form of an exequatur, or notification of his quality which is recommended as proper to be used by those States upon the occasion.

Similar forms are to be used in all such cases hereafter, as you will perceive by an Act of Congress of the 31st August herewith also inclosed. I have the honor to be, with very great respect, Your Excellency's Most obedt hbble Servant

Philadelphia, September 12, 1781
His Excellency Governor Clinton.

Thos. McKean, President.

By the United States in Congress Assembled August 31st, 1781.

RESOLVED,

That upon

presenting to the United States

in Congress, Assembled his Commission as Consul General of France, an Act be thereupon passed recognizing him in his proper character. That upon the delivery thereof, the exequatur or a public Notification of the quality of shall issue

from the supreme executive power without fee or perquisite of office. RESOLVED, That until the ratification of some convention respecting Consular power between his most Christian Majesty & the United States, the same mode of recognition be observed.

Extract from the minutes Chas. Thomson, Secy.

By the United States in Congress Assembled Sept. 10th, 1781.

A Memorial of the Honble. Minister plenipotentiary of France was read, enclosing a Commission of the Sieur Holker, Consul General of France in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania and Delaware, Whereupon Ordered, that the said Commission be registered, and that the Act of Recognition be in the following Words:

By the United States in Congress Assembled.

It is hereby made known to all whom it may concern, that full Credence and respect are to be paid to the Sieur Holker as Concul General of France, for the States of New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania and Delaware, Which States are called upon respectively by Viture of the powers delegated by the confederation to the United States in Congress assembled to furnish the said Sieur Holker with their Exequatur or Notification of his Quality, delivering one copy thereof to the said Sieur Holker, and causing another to be published in one or more Gazettes.

Done at Philadelphia this tenth day of September in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and eighty one, and in the sixth year of our Independence. By the United States in Congress Assembled.

Attest Chas. Thomson, Secy.

New York, to wit, To all whom it may concern

having been recognized by the United States in Congress assembled as Consul General of France in the State aforesaid. It is hereby declared that the priviledges preeminence and authority belonging to such character and quality are due to him.

[No. 3989.]

Colonel Lush Asks Instructions from the Governor Concerning an Election Complication in Albany County.

Albany, 12th Sept. 1781.

Dear Sir, I have received a Letter from Colo. Benson of the 9th Instant with some Letters without Directions for the Assemblymen of this County-he desires me to apply to the sheriff for their Names. Your Excellency doubtless knows that Wendell & Ten Broeck have each returned Poll Lists as Sheriff of the County. Under these Circumstances I conceived it improper to take the Members from either of their Lists, lest if it should be hereafter determined that if I acted wrong, your Excellency might be censured as it might be supposed I had rec'd your Instructions for the Purpose. Ten Broeck returns the following Persons: