Inclosed you will have a Letter of advice which I recd. from the Commissary General, in consequence of what I had done to prevent Congress from passing Resolves derogatory to the State of New Hampr. ocasioned by the State Treasurers protesting some Draughts on him in favour of the Commissary's department-information of which Circumstance was Transmitted to Congress by your Honrs. Letter of the last and also by Mr. Cylers Complaint all which raised a very Considerable Storm, (1) but understanding that Considerable Stores were actually purchased in the Western parts of Your State was induced to Advise that Mr Cyler Transfer the aforsd Draffts to Majr. Jona. Child as the money was to pass through his hands hoping it might be in the power, as I was sure it was the inclination of the State to Answer the Draffts. I have only to add upon this Subject that if this Transaction should not be disagreable to the State those drafts may be paid in preference to any of a later Date as Several Drafts are Since Sent on for payment. Mr. Livermore Can give you many particulars respecting the premises.
I have the Honr. to be with the most entire Sentiments of Esteem Your Hons. most obedt & very Hume Servt.
Nathl Peabody
P.S. I inclose also a Letter from the auditor Genl respecting an eroneous Charge vs. the State of N H.
1 Meshech Weare' s March 7 letter to Jacob Cuyler, and Cuyler's March 23 letter to Philip Schuyler enclosing Weare' s letter to him, were read in congress on April 3 and referred to a committee of three-William Ellery, Allen jones, and John Morin Scott.
Cuyler, deputy commissary general of purchases at Albany, had complained that New Hampshire had refused to honor $600,000 in warrants issued to him by congress against funds to be collected in the state for Continental use. Furthermore, Cuyler went on to explain, New York farmers would sell their grain only for cash and without it "all the troops in this state will be under necessity to leaf their Posts".
In consequence of Weare's explanation that New Hampshire could not pay the drafts because the money had been spent "within our own State," the committee reported three resolutions of Congress that were sharply critical of New Hampshire and invoked the primacy of Continental over state authority. Declaring that such action by New Hampshire was "greatly injurious to . . . these United States," the committee (1) condemned the use of Continental funds for "any other use or uses. . .than shall be directed by Congress"; (2) requested the states to spend such funds only "on express resolution of Congress"; and (3) called on New Hampshire to replace "the said [misapplied] moneys" and to refrain from making similar applications in the future for Continental funds being raised in the state. The proposals were much too blunt for most delegates, however, and Peabody was able to prevent adoption of the committee's recommendations, which had been drafted by its chairman, New York delegate John Morin Scott. See JCC, 16:323, 328-29; and PCC, item 78, 5:459-63.