This is now doing here. Our Assembly have laid on a very heavy Tax, &
are determind to repeat it again and again. Besides which they have
called in a large Quantity of their bills, for which they have issued
Notes payble with Interest. The Effects are already felt & the prices
of Goods have been for some time past gradually sinking.

You tell me we have a great many men now inlisted & that you hope Means
will be found to collect them. I joyn with you in these hopes, and that
we may keep them together when they are collected and make a good Use
of them. Howe I understand has fortified himself by a Line of Redoubts
from River to River. Has he more than 13 or 14 [sic] Men in America? If
not why should we wait till he is reinforced before we make an
Enterprize somewhere.

Your Resolution to stop the Embarkation here I fancy has nettled
Burgoyne. He has since been soliciting Interviews with A & B & wishes
for private Conversations upon a Matter in which "he thinks the General
Cause of Humanity and possibly the essential Interests of both our
Countries are concernd."1 He has not prevaild upon A to comply with his
Request; for more Reasons than one which I think must be obvious upon a
short Review of our History. The Resolutions of Congress will afford
Matter of Speculation for the Politicians in Europe. But must they not
all acknowledge that Burgoyne himself had made it necessary? After a
solemn Declaration made to the very Officer with whom he had enterd
into the Convention that it was broken on our Part, Does he, if he
believes his own Declaration hold him self bound by it on his part?
Would he not, if sufferd to go to Sea, most probably carry a
Reinforcement to Gen1 Howe & laugh at us for puting it in his Power?

I have twenty things to say to you, but my ill state of Health prevents